Their R&B/Hip-hop/Rap/soul music takes influences from their various backgrounds (Arab, Pakistani, and Latin music), and although their songs are primarily in English, they usually feature lyrics in Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, and Danish. All these influences make the music of Outlandish somewhat unique and this is easy to notice from the variety of genres covered in their albums. Outlandish often include themes about Islam and contemporary issues facing young Muslims in the west in their music, and sometimes their songs define a nasheed-like unique genre.
So far they have produced four albums: Outland's Official (2000), Bread & Barrels of Water (2003), Beats, Rhymes & Life (2004) and Closer Than Veins (2005).
Last November 2006 Outlandish won the MTV EMAs as a best danish act of the year, the same month as the creation of their new fan-site Elmoro4Life.com
Heads to the Sky
Outlandish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Isam]
Back in 1965 in motherlands street cafe
Where young men were sitting down
Drinking coffee till this brother came in
You could tell by the look at his face
That he had something that he wanted to share
Bout havin a lotta money and beer
See everybody who gathered around this special man that Sunday night
Left the café with a dream about being the one to reach this paradise
Among these playas was this guy who came from the country side
In love with a beautiful city girl
But didn't have what her daddy required
And since life was too cold, land was too dry
He decided to pack his suitcase
And leave without ever never saying bye
Couldn't look at his mother
Cuz she didn't want him to leave her sweet motherland
But a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do
So he said "Mama, I'll be back again"
Then he crossed the sea in the words of God
Hoping to get on the right way
Get his part, meet his demands, pray
Fulfill his heart, taking a chance
Grow all alone in the whole new world
Keep ya head to the sky
Every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world
Keep ya head to the sky
Every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world
[Waqas]
A new beginning
As soon as he touched ground
He heard a sound saying his life was about to turn upside down
As fast as he could he got settled with some fellow country men
Who had already giving in for gambling, alcohol, and women
But they were all in the same boat
Left home with the same hope
Learned from each other's mistakes and then they coped
Mr. Dishwasher, factory worker
Compared to where he came from, this job right here was pure luxury
He was no fool though
Shit he used his mind as his tool
Working his ass of all day, at nighttime he went to school
Language is power as the years flew on by
He went back home to make the love of his life for his wife
Talking about good shit, now lets talk about something bad
Lets talk about this fucked up situation one night he had
Police pulled him over
Thought he was drunk when he was sober
Then they thought the car was stolen when the fact was it was his Rover
"Mr. Officer, why you be harassing my ass?"
He said, "I pulled you over because your black ass was going too fast"
Suddenly insecurity came upon his face just like a flash
Was this really the type of future he would like his kids to have?
Keep ya head to the sky
Every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world
Keep ya head to the sky
Every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world
[Isam]
See daddy came
Daddy saw
Daddy took
Daddy got what he gave
A new home and new fam
And a new working place is what he gained
Gave his kids what he didn't have as a child
"You go for the gold"
The opportunity to be whatever they may desire
"You get on a role"
Bilingual and beautiful
Could there be a sweeter pie
I think not
But I'll let you decide
In the future
Inshallah
Every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world
Keep ya head to the sky
Every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world
Keep ya head to the sky
Every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world
Keep ya head to the sky
Every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world
Heads to the Sky by Outlandish is a song about the struggles and sacrifices that people make when they leave their homeland in search of a better life. The song narrates the story of a man who leaves his home to seek a new life in a foreign land, leaving behind his loved ones and everything he knew. The first verse of the song talks about a man who tells a story to others in a cafe about his life, narrating how he had a lot of money and beer, implying that he was successful in life. The song talks about how everyone who heard that story left the cafe with a dream about being the one to reach this paradise. One man, in particular, was from the countryside and in love with a city girl but didn't have what her daddy required. So, he decided to leave his motherland without ever saying goodbye, hoping to fulfill his heart and take a chance.
The second verse talks about the new beginning that the man had as soon as he touched the foreign land. He settled with some fellow countrymen who had already given in for gambling, alcohol, and women. He worked as a dishwasher and factory worker, which compared to where he came from was pure luxury. He used his mind as a tool, working hard all day, and went to school at night. Language is power, and as years flew by, he went back home to make the love of his life his wife. However, one night, he was pulled over by the police who thought he was drunk. This event made him think about the future he would want for his children.
The final verse refers to a man's father who came to the foreign land, saw, took and gained a new home, new family, and working place. He gave his kids what he didn't have as a child - the opportunity to be whatever they may desire as bilingual and beautiful people. The song ends with the refrain, "every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world," emphasizing that everyone has a unique story of struggle, sacrifice, and perseverance.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in 1965 in motherlands street cafe
The story begins in a cafe in 1965 in the singer's motherland.
Where young men were sitting down
The cafe was populated by young men.
Drinking coffee till this brother came in
The young men were drinking coffee until a stranger arrived.
You could tell by the look at his face
The artist could infer from the stranger's facial expression that he had something important to share.
That he had something that he wanted to share
The stranger had a story to tell.
A story told by a brother to another
The stranger shared his story with the other men.
Bout havin a lotta money and beer
The stranger's story was about acquiring wealth and enjoying alcohol.
See everybody who gathered around this special man that Sunday night
The other men were attracted to the stranger's story and surrounded him on a Sunday night.
Left the café with a dream about being the one to reach this paradise
The other men were inspired by the stranger's tale and dreamed of achieving similar success and luxuries.
Among these playas was this guy who came from the country side
One of the listeners was a man who came from the rural outskirts of the city.
In love with a beautiful city girl
The man from the countryside was romantically involved with a woman who lived in the city.
But didn't have what her daddy required
The woman's father did not approve of the rural man's status or prospects.
And since life was too cold, land was too dry
The man felt that life in the countryside was harsh and difficult.
He decided to pack his suitcase
The man made the decision to leave his home and pursue a different life.
And leave without ever never saying bye
The man left without saying goodbye to his family.
Couldn't look at his mother
The man felt guilty and sad about leaving his mother behind.
Cuz she didn't want him to leave her sweet motherland
The man's mother was against him leaving their homeland.
But a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do
The man felt that he had to pursue his own dreams and ambitions.
So he said "Mama, I'll be back again"
The man promised his mother that he would return someday.
Then he crossed the sea in the words of God
The man embarked on a journey overseas, with the belief that God would guide him.
Hoping to get on the right way
The man was optimistic about finding his path in life.
Get his part, meet his demands, pray
The man hoped to attain his goals, fulfill his needs, and pray for guidance.
Fulfill his heart, taking a chance
The man was taking a risk in order to fulfill his personal desires.
Grow all alone in the whole new world
The man expected to mature and thrive in an unfamiliar environment.
As soon as he touched ground
Upon reaching his destination, things immediately changed for the man.
He heard a sound saying his life was about to turn upside down
The man was warned or informed that his life was going to take unexpected turns.
As fast as he could he got settled with some fellow country men
The man quickly found comfort and companionship among others from his homeland.
Who had already giving in for gambling, alcohol, and women
However, his new acquaintances had already succumbed to negative behaviors like gambling, drinking, and womanizing.
But they were all in the same boat
Regardless, the man felt camaraderie and kinship with these individuals due to their similar circumstances.
Left home with the same hope
All of them had embarked on the same journey with similar aspirations.
Learned from each other's mistakes and then they coped
The man and his companions shared knowledge and experiences in order to weather the challenges they faced.
Mr. Dishwasher, factory worker
The man found work as a dishwasher or in a factory to make ends meet.
Compared to where he came from, this job right here was pure luxury
Though the work was hard, the man felt it was a step up from his previous circumstances.
He was no fool though
The man was savvy and intelligent, despite his humble job.
Shit he used his mind as his tool
The man relied on his intellect to better his situation.
Working his ass of all day, at nighttime he went to school
The man was dedicated to working long hours and also attending school at night.
Language is power as the years flew on by
As time passed, the man recognized the value and power of being fluent in different languages.
He went back home to make the love of his life for his wife
The man decided to return to his homeland in order to marry the woman he loved.
Talking about good shit, now lets talk about something bad
The singer transitions from the positive aspects of the man's journey to discuss a negative event.
Lets talk about this fucked up situation one night he had
The man encountered a traumatic experience at some point during his travels.
Police pulled him over
The man came into contact with law enforcement.
Thought he was drunk when he was sober
The police officer mistakenly believed the man was intoxicated even though he wasn't.
Then they thought the car was stolen when the fact was it was his Rover
The police suspected that the car the man was driving was stolen, but it actually belonged to him.
"Mr. Officer, why you be harassing my ass?"
The man questioned the officer's actions as unnecessary and unfair.
He said, "I pulled you over because your black ass was going too fast"
The officer's reasoning for stopping the man was racially charged and unfounded.
Suddenly insecurity came upon his face just like a flash
The man's confidence was shaken and he became insecure in a moment.
Was this really the type of future he would like his kids to have?
The man questioned whether or not he wanted his future children to experience the same discrimination and injustice he faced.
See daddy came
The narrative shifts again, this time speaking in third person about the man.
Daddy saw
The man identified opportunities for himself and his family.
Daddy took
The man seized those opportunities and made the most of them.
Daddy got what he gave
The man's hard work and perseverance paid off in the end.
A new home and new fam
The man found a new home and created a new family for himself.
And a new working place is what he gained
The man found a new job and work environment for himself.
Gave his kids what he didn't have as a child
The man was able to provide his children with things he lacked during his own childhood.
"You go for the gold"
The man encouraged his children to strive for the best.
The opportunity to be whatever they may desire
The man taught his children that they could be anything they wanted to be.
"You get on a role"
The man encouraged his children to work hard and build momentum towards their goals.
Bilingual and beautiful
The man's children were fluent in multiple languages and possessed qualities he considered admirable.
Could there be a sweeter pie
The man felt incredibly fortunate and happy with his life and his family.
I think not
The artist asserts that there could be no sweeter scenario.
But I'll let you decide
The singer invites the listener to form their own opinion on the man's story and its outcomes.
In the future
The singer switches to a more general statement about people's future potential.
Inshallah
The singer expresses hope for the future with the Arabic phrase meaning "God willing."
Every man got a story to tell about how he made it into this world
The song's main message is reiterated, encouraging people to recognize and honor the unique journeys and stories of each individual.
Contributed by Jackson E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.