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.
New Day
Patrice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i once dreamed that i was dead
there was nothing there
but nothingness
too afraid to pinch myself
to not exist is worth than hell
but i work because we always do
yes i woke up coz we always do
to a new day, got to try my luck
i will not give up, will not give up
i'll pick myself back up
i'm telling you
it's a...
hangig in the ropes
i'm taking blow by blow
my opponent's way too low
no referee, just him and me
boom a jab, i'm on my knees
(darkness is closing in me, my nerves go numb i cannot feel)
but i'll wake because we always do
yes, i'll wake up coz we always do
it's a...
The lyrics of Patrice's song "New Day" depicts a story of perseverance in the midst of fear and adversity. The song starts with the singer sharing a dream he had as a young boy in which he found himself in a state of nothingness, being too afraid to even pinch himself. The idea of not existing scared him more than anything else. However, despite the fear of non-existence, he keeps working because as humans, we always wake up.
The second verse of the song portrays another challenge of the artist in the boxing ring against an opponent. The opponent hits him several times, and darkness starts creeping in, his nerves going numb. But even in the face of defeat and the possibility of fading into nothingness, he rises again because humans always wake up.
Overall, the song "New Day" is about the determination to overcome fear and difficulties, and the belief that as humans, we will always rise again. It encourages the listener to keep pushing, to not give up, and to always strive to rise again, no matter how many times they fall.
Line by Line Meaning
When i was a young boy
During my childhood, when I was still discovering life, unaware of the harsh realities of the world.
i once dreamed that i was dead
One night, I had a dream of death, a state of nothingness where we cease to exist, and there's no consciousness remaining.
there was nothing there
In my dream, I found myself in a void, without anything tangible or perceptible.
but nothingness
In that state, there was only the absence of everything, no thoughts, no senses, no memory, no emotions, just an empty vacuum of nothingness.
too afraid to pinch myself
In that dream, I was too terrified to know whether I was dreaming or actually experiencing death, so I avoided any action that could give me a hint.
to not exist is worth than hell
The idea of not existing, of not being able to experience anything at all, is more fearful than the concept of an eternal, fiery hell.
but i work because we always do
Despite the fear of death, I continue with life and do what I'm supposed to, like any person would do, without knowing the reason for it.
yes i woke up coz we always do
Fortunately, the dream of death was just a dream, and I woke up, like we always do, to live another day.
to a new day, got to try my luck
Every new day is like a fresh start, an opportunity to try our luck, and make something better out of it.
i will not give up, will not give up
No matter how hard the circumstances seem, I won't give up or lose hope. I'll keep fighting until I reach my goal.
i'll pick myself back up
Whenever life knocks me down or puts me in a tough situation, I'll pick myself back up and face it boldly, without fear.
i'm telling you
I'm declaring my commitment to my goals and my determination to work tirelessly towards them, no matter what.
it's a...
The song's chorus, expressing the singer's positivity and hope towards the future, and his readiness to face anything that comes his way.
hanging in the ropes
Here, 'hanging in the ropes' refers to a situation where the singer is in the middle of a boxing match with an opponent, struggling under their blows and pressure.
i'm taking blow by blow
Despite the heavy hits, the singer keeps on taking hits one after the other, without losing hope or giving up.
my opponent's way too low
The opponent seems to be relying on unfair or malpractices, which is why they're 'way too low' to be a true competitor.
no referee, just him and me
In that rough boxing match, there's no one to referee or regulate the fight, only the singer and his opponent.
boom a jab, i'm on my knees
Suddenly, the opponent sends a quick jab, sending the singer down to his knees, hurting and struggling to get up.
(darkness is closing in me, my nerves go numb i cannot feel)
The singer feels a sense of darkness creeping in, a feeling of defeat and numbness overtaking him, making him lose sensation and hope.
but i'll wake because we always do
Despite the figurative knockout, the singer sees the possibility of victory, because a person never stays down forever, they always wake up, whether physically or figuratively.
yes, i'll wake up coz we always do
Repeating the previous line to emphasize his belief in the resilience and strength of the human spirit, and his personal determination to rise again.
it's a...
The song's chorus, repeated again to reinforce the message of hope, positivity, and determination towards a better future.
Contributed by Evan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Blackzackprod
I love this song.