Their first EP, One Day as a Lion was released on 19th July, 2008.
The name of the group is taken from the infamous 1970 black and white photograph captured by legendary Chicano photographer George Rodriguez, featuring a centre framed tag on a white wall in an unspecified section of Boyle Heights. It reads: "It’s better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb."
The Ocean
One Day as a Lion Lyrics
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Pepper spray over cracked concrete
So vicious make a rich mans neck split
Underworld bout to wreck shit bet this
Banks closed stomachs churning
Lines and rows cops blastin' out church windows
They heard word of two on a terror list
Hid in the pews just two city terrace kids
The other was spittin' poems blowin' minds
On the picket line
Barricades lay cross made with bumpers and burning tires
And you could smell the exhaust
And you could hear the kids screaming don't
Play us, too close
You can have the mic or the heater but you can't hold both
And they were both...
And they were both...
Ocean of tears rise, rise a flame to tear them down
Ocean of past crimes now fill our hearts to tear them down
The water main's cut off panic hit the manor of the
Mayor who's soft
Word hit the streets that the cops got off
They shook to rhythm of heaters that burned
Like claps of thunder
You turn to look at vengeance returned that shatter control
After the whole shock of the news that a bomb hit the
Bridge at broadway
Gridlock full stop every exit way from Chavez to main
Downtown was the same
Every corner a flame with lines of people stripped of they clothes
Freeze hold up your ID's their houses burned as they watched
The colonel looked at his clock
And they were all...
And they were all...
Oceans of tears rise, rise a flame to tear them down
Ocean of past crimes now fill our hearts to tear them down
The lyrics to One Day as a Lion’s song “Ocean View” paint a vivid picture of a city in chaos. The first verse describes violence in the streets, with blood running and pepper spray filling the air. The lyrics suggest that this violence is a response to income inequality, with the rich in danger and the “underworld” (presumably the poor) about to “wreck shit.” The banks are closed, and people are hungry and desperate, while the police are firing on protestors from church windows.
The second verse describes two young people hiding in a church, one with a gun and one with a talent for poetry. The picket line outside is barricaded with burning tires, and the police are threatening violence. The chorus speaks to the emotional toll of this violence, with an “ocean of tears” and “ocean of past crimes” filling hearts and threatening to tear everything down.
The song is powerful in its call to action against a system that perpetuates violence and inequality. The lyrics suggest that this system cannot continue without consequences, and paint a stark portrait of what those consequences might look like.
Line by Line Meaning
Blood done been running down streets flood with beats
Violence and chaos have taken over the streets, with the sound of music serving as the undercurrent to the flow of blood.
Pepper spray over cracked concrete
The authorities are using force to control the situation, resulting in the use of pepper spray on the already damaged and broken streets.
So vicious make a rich mans neck split
The violence is so severe that even the wealthy are no longer immune to the brutality and are at risk of being attacked.
Underworld bout to wreck shit bet this
The situation is so dire that even the criminal underworld is getting involved, and the consequences will be severe.
Banks closed stomachs churning
The impact of the violence is reaching businesses, with banks closing and causing anxiety and unease.
Lines and rows cops blastin' out church windows
The police are being aggressive, with even churches not being spared from their actions as they blast out their windows.
They heard word of two on a terror list
The authorities are on the lookout for two individuals who are suspected to be involved in terrorism-related activities.
Hid in the pews just two city terrace kids
The two individuals being sought after are hiding in a church, and are just young kids from the city terrace area.
One held a piece just for peace of mind
One of the kids is carrying a weapon for their own personal protection.
The other was spittin' poems blowin' minds
The other kid is expressing themselves through poetry, creating a powerful impact on those who listen.
On the picket line
The situation is related to a labor strike, as people are on the picket line protesting their working conditions.
Barricades lay cross made with bumpers and burning tires
Protesters have set up barricades made of car bumpers and burning tires to prevent the authorities from advancing further.
And you could smell the exhaust
The overwhelming smell of gasoline and burnt rubber is filling the air due to the fires burning in the streets.
And you could hear the kids screaming don't
Amidst the chaos and violence, the voices of the young people can be heard, crying out for the authorities to stop their actions.
Play us, too close
The young people are calling out the authorities for using excessive force, stating that they are playing too close to the line of what is moral and ethical.
You can have the mic or the heater but you can't hold both
The song's message calls out those in power, stating that they cannot have both the power to communicate and the power to control through violence.
Ocean of tears rise, rise a flame to tear them down
The overwhelming sense of sadness and grief is fueling a flame that will tear down the systems of oppression and inequality.
Ocean of past crimes now fill our hearts to tear them down
The memory of past injustices and crimes is serving as a catalyst for the current revolt, as people are motivated to tear down the systems that allow for such oppression to occur.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jon Philip Theodore, Zack M De La Rocha
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind