Effortlessly combining folk, reggae, soul and blues, the singer/songwriter/guitarist , Patrice, exploded onto the music scene with his phenomenal testimonial debut Lions E.P in 1999 aged just 18. With the deep lyrical content and social conscience resonating within his work, Patrice alludes to his late father (a Sierra Leonian political activist and poet) and Bob Marley as the greatest influences on his music. Lions, with its tales of love and social rhetoric coupled with raw acoustic production, perfectly showcased Patrices distinctive fusion of lyrics, sounds and genres. After supporting Lauryn Hill on her much acclaimed Miseducation of Tour, Patrice released his critically acclaimed first album Ancient Spirits in 2000 (European sales in excess of 150,000)
Since 2001, Patrice has toured relentlessly and wooed audiences at gigs across Europe, USA and Africa. Whether solo, acoustic or with his band Shashamani, a big combination of humour, B-boy stage antics, and incredible musicianship have thus far made Patrices live shows a highlight of his career. Five years on, his reputation has been cemented with show stopping headline performances alongside Youssouf N'Dour in Senegal, Manu Chao and Damon Albarn at The Festival In The Desert and the Tamika Reggae Awards in New York amongst many others.
His second largely self produced album How Do You Call It (released in Europe September 2002) saw Patrice evolving his sound with a rich melange of Hip Hop, Soul and Reggae which underpinned twelve well crafted songs. Recorded over a two-month period in Jamaica and with 3 tracks produced in London with Cameron McVey, Massive Attack, Youssouf N'Dour, Andu Baraganescu and Neneh Cherry, How Do You Call It further cemented his unique niche in todays diverse musical landscape. The LP also spawned the Pan European hit Sunshine.
Nile, Patrice's third and most current album (named after the river Nile, representing Life in the African continent) is truly a bold undertaking and can be described as a work of astounding maturity, sincerity and sensitivity. Whether rocking to the amped guitar, explosive drums and African percussion behind Africanize Dem or soaking up the beautiful rendition of the obscure Wailers track It Hurts To Be Alone it's clear that experimentation has lent his work an undeniable urgency and freshness. The present single Soulstorm has provided Patrice with another European hit. The majority of 2005 was spent performing to sell out audiences throughout Europe which included his first headlined show for all the UK fans at The Borderline, in London, and perhaps the pinnacle of his career so far, playing in front of the 6,000 fans who filled out the Zenith in Paris. In the summer of 2006 Patrice released a live DVD which gives the audience an exclusive look at how Nile was recorded, rehearsed and performed throughout the world.
Head To Toe
Patrice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh life, baby don't you cry, put your head up high we be alright. (Repeat)
From my nappie head down to my clarks. Say they sus me with that ... But I wear my ... glasses so I can see right through them...
And dem a wonder dem wonder dem wonder, and we get stronger get stronger get stronger yes dem a wonder dem wonder dem wonder a dem just can't push me under that's why I say
Oh life, baby don't you cry, put your head up high we'll be alright (Repeat)
If I had wings and I could fly I could spread them wide and rise up high
(Rap)
Body language is like poetry .... Reminds me of affinity divinity ..... my life ..... cos there is nothing in between .... the lines.. You know what I mean. You know there is this chemistry I'm not this shy guy usually, but when ... But mentally and physically and spiritually you reflect on me. Hmmm you make my life complete.... you are the ... for me.
... (ADD 2ND PART OF RAP HERE) ..
Well if I had wings and I could fly I could spread them wide and rise up high
The lyrics of "Head To Toe" by Patrice are an empowering message about staying true to oneself despite others' attempts to bring them down. The opening lines, "From my head down to my toe, say they sus me with that ... They don't want to see... They want me stoop down low" suggest that the singer is being judged and criticized for their appearance or behavior, with others attempting to force them to conform to certain standards. However, the lyrics continue by highlighting the importance of individuality, with the lines "But different people different views, and different Gods and truth, so baby don't be blue cos, what you send out will come back to you." The song encourages the listener to embrace their differences and not allow the opinions of others to define them.
In the chorus, the lyrics repeat the message that everything will be alright, and the singer encourages the listener to "put your head up high." This repetition reinforces the idea that we should not let negative energy bring us down, but instead stay positive and focused on our goals. The line "If I had wings and I could fly, I could spread them wide and rise up high" represents the idea of reaching one's full potential and not being held back by external forces. The rap verse adds a personal and emotional touch to the song, with lyrics about the chemistry between two people and how they make each other feel complete.
Overall, "Head To Toe" by Patrice is a powerful message about staying true to oneself, trusting in individuality and rising above negativity and doubt.
Line by Line Meaning
From my head down to my toe, say they sus me with that ...
I'm being discriminated from head to toe, and they suspect that I'm not good enough for different reasons.
They don't want to see... They want me stoop down low.
They want me to be less of myself and to shrink back into my shell to fit their expectations
But different people different views, and different Gods and truth, so baby don't be blue cos, what you send out will come back to you.
People will always have diverse views and beliefs, but don't be disheartened because karma is real and what you put out into the world will come back to you.
And if there's a way (yeah) we will make a way.
We'll find a way to overcome obstacles in life.
The ... the steepest hills, we will love ... ...
No matter how difficult the challenges are, we will persevere and overcome them with love.
We could all be friends (yeah) cos nattie rides again (yeah) nappie ride again
We can be united and get along because we are all riding the wave of life together.
Oh life, baby don't you cry, put your head up high we be alright.
Don't worry about life as we'll get through it together, stay strong and have a positive outlook.
From my nappie head down to my clarks.
From the texture of my hair down to the shoes on my feet.
But I wear my ... glasses so I can see right through them...
But I wear my metaphorical glasses to look beyond their prejudices and see the truth.
And dem a wonder dem wonder dem wonder, and we get stronger get stronger get stronger yes dem a wonder dem wonder dem wonder a dem just can't push me under that's why I say
They are amazed by our resilience and we will continue to get stronger despite their attempts to bring us down.
If I had wings and I could fly I could spread them wide and rise up high
If I had the freedom to soar high and break free from societal limitations.
Body language is like poetry .... Reminds me of affinity divinity ..... my life ..... cos there is nothing in between .... the lines.. You know what I mean. You know there is this chemistry I'm not this shy guy usually, but when ... But mentally and physically and spiritually you reflect on me. Hmmm you make my life complete.... you are the ... for me.
Body language is like an art, as it reminds me of the spiritual connection between people. There's an unspoken energy between us, and you bring me joy and wholeness.
Well if I had wings and I could fly I could spread them wide and rise up high
Once again, if I had the freedom to soar high and break free from societal limitations.
Contributed by Grayson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Sakumos7en
That groove of the drummer on this track is insane!! I'm learning Drums and studying music for years now, but I've never heard anything like that. Especially that part after the pause. It reminded me again why I love to play drums that much.
@apepoopie53
amazing song! good memories smoking to this song..
@AB-wt9nl
On s en lasse pas...
@MusicKeepsMeAlive44
Theres nothing better :D
@Poplitei
AND STILL !