Pamela Means' many honors include being named Falcon Ridge Folk Festival's #1 "Most Wanted New Artist", and both Wisconsin's "Folk Artist of the Year", and "Female Vocalist of the Year". Pamela has also been a Boston Music Award Nominee ("Outstanding Contemporary Folk Artist").
Currently, Pamela performs over 150 shows a year at clubs, coffeehouses, colleges, and festivals across the country, most notably the Newport Folk Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, South by Southwest Conference, Southern Womyn's Fest, and Michigan Womyn's Festival. Pamela is also a favorite at innumerable regional Gay Pride events, Take Back the Night rallies, and Black History Month celebrations. Pamela has shared the stage with artists including Ani DiFranco, Joan Baez, Neil Young, Shawn Colvin, Richie Havens, Patty Larkin, Melissa Ferrick, Violent Femmes, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, and Holly Near.
Pamela's 2003 summer tour took her nationwide, promoting her fifth self-released album, Single Bullet Theory (Wirl Records, 2003), in which "...Means fires off what is easily one of the best musical summanations of our current political situation.." (Bay Area Reporter, San Francisco, CA)
Quoting her inspiration, Warrior Poet Audre Lorde, Pamela asks "I am myself- a Black woman warrior poet doing my work- come to ask you, are you doing yours?" With Truth as ammunition, a Pamela Means performance brings the fight for social justice and human dignity to the forefront of a new generation..
Truth
Pamela Means Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They have no shame
Forty ounces for your pain
Addiction breeds complicity
Is it accidental it infects the inner city
Hey, truth is ammunition
Hey, truth is ammunition
How alarming some were feigning
Dead complaining
What an easy way to hide
A strategy of genocide
Hey, truth is ammunition
Hey, truth is ammunition
Knowledge is power
Love is political
Every hour we're wasting is critical
Don't try to keep me quiet
Cause you like it
When the lights don't shine on you
Well look up now a killing rage
Has got you standing center stage
Hey, truth is ammunition
Hey, truth is ammunition
Pamela Means's song Truth is a powerful anthem that confronts the injustices faced by black communities in America. The opening lyrics refer to "hangman billboards" which is a reference to the racially-motivated lynchings that took place in southern states. The phrase "they have no shame" highlights the lack of empathy and remorse from those responsible for these atrocities. The next line "forty ounces for your pain" alludes to the systemic issue of alcoholism in inner city black communities that has been perpetuated by those in power who stand to benefit from the sale of cheap alcohol.
The second verse continues to explore the effects of addiction in the inner city, questioning whether its presence is just a coincidence or a deliberate tactic to keep communities subdued. The lines "what an easy way to hide, a strategy of genocide" underscores the idea that the marginalization and oppression of black communities is not just a random occurrence, but rather a calculated effort to eradicate them.
The chorus repeats the phrase "truth is ammunition", which suggests that knowledge of the facts is the most powerful weapon people have against oppression. The bridge of the song affirms that activism and speaking up for what is right are essential in bringing about change. The final lines, "a killing rage has got you standing center stage", shows that when the truth is exposed, it can incite anger and outrage, but also a sense of empowerment to take action.
Line by Line Meaning
Hangman billboards
Pamela is referring to the numerous billboards advertising drugs and medications that have life-threatening side effects
They have no shame
Pharmaceutical companies promoting these drugs do not feel any remorse over the harm caused to people
Forty ounces for your pain
Selling alcohol as a means of numbing the pain people feel for their daily struggles and hardships
Addiction breeds complicity
Drug addicts are often exploited and unable to see the harm caused by their continued use, thus remaining silent and contributing to the problem
Is it accidental it infects the inner city
Pamela is suggesting that the spread of addiction and drug abuse is not coincidental, but rather targeted at the vulnerable populations residing in inner cities
Hey, truth is ammunition
Pamela believes that speaking the truth is a powerful weapon against those who seek to oppress others
How alarming some were feigning
Pamela is disappointed to see some people pretending to, but not actually, care about the issues at hand
Not that they would be caught
These people are not afraid of getting into trouble for their inaction, because they do not really care about the people affected
Dead complaining
Even if people speak up after they have been affected, it is too late for them, and their complaints fall on deaf ears
What an easy way to hide
Those in power have an easy way to hide the negative effects of their actions by simply ignoring or trivializing the complaints of the less fortunate
A strategy of genocide
Pamela is suggesting that the spread of addiction and drug abuse is a deliberate attempt to oppress and harm those living in certain areas
Knowledge is power
Pamela is reminding people that being informed is key to making positive changes for oneself and others
Love is political
Pamela thinks that love for oneself and others is political because it directly opposes the systems and structures that seek to oppress people
Every hour we're wasting is critical
Pamela is urging people to act urgently, because every moment spent not making changes is another moment of harm to those affected by addiction and drug abuse
Don't try to keep me quiet
Pamela is not interested in being silenced, and seeks to speak her truth regardless of who may be uncomfortable with it
Cause you like it
Pamela knows that the systems that benefit from the spread of addiction and drug abuse prefer her to be quiet and passive, so she seeks to disrupt them with her words and actions
When the lights don't shine on you
Pamela believes that those in power do not want to be held accountable for their actions, and seek to remain out of the spotlight in order to avoid scrutiny
Well look up now a killing rage
Pamela is suggesting that the people who have been hurt and oppressed by the spread of addiction and drug abuse are becoming angry and may seek to enact change through more dramatic means
Has got you standing center stage
Pamela is suggesting that the oppressive systems and structures are now being put on display and called out for their harmful actions and inactions
Hey, truth is ammunition
Pamela is once again emphasizing that the truth is a powerful weapon to be used against those who would seek to harm others
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SERENA LAUREN RYDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind