Noted for his intense flow and sharp wit, Francis has won acclaim both as a freestyle battler and as an unapologetic, intellectual lyricist. Francis uses a broad emotional palette to address a wide range of personal, cultural, and political issues. His unconventional style and persona have given him crossover appeal, but at the same time alienated some hip-hop listeners.
Prior to embarking on a full-time career as an MC, Francis displayed his skills in slam poetry. During the late 1990s, he recorded his first demo tape (1996), fronted the now defunct Providence hip-hop band Art Official Intelligence, and hosted a weekly slot on independent radio station WRIU (the "True School Session"). He also formed the Non-Prophets and released a 12” (Drop Bass/Bounce/I Keep Calling, Emerge Records, 1999), following up in 2003 with their first full-length offering, Hope. Francis is a contemporary of underground hip-hop artists such as Slug, Eyedea, Sole and the anticon. collective. He is also loosely affiliated with the vague underground hip-hop super-group The Orphanage.
As a solo performer, Francis won the MC battle at the 2000 Scribble Jam, and in 2001 he came close to repeating as champion (semi-finalist) while performing as his "metal" alter ego, "Xaul Zan". Francis released his first proper solo album, Personal Journals, on Anticon. in 2002. He toured with a live band on the Live Band Dead Poet Tour to support it. Francis subsequently became the first hip-hop artist to sign with Punk label Epitaph, agreeing to a three-album deal. His first album for Epitaph, A Healthy Distrust, was released in early 2005 and was followed up with Human the Death Dance in 2007.
One of Francis' best-known tracks is "Makeshift Patriot", a commentary on the American media recorded one month after the September 11, 2001 attacks which he released on the internet as an MP3 as well as a limited edition 7" single.
In February 2005 Sage dropped his second full length album on the originally punk label Epitaph, it was widely regarded as the best underground hip hop album of the year by critics and fans alike and featured heavily political tracks such as "The Buzz Kill" and "Slow Down Gandhi" and more personal material like that more similar to that of his debut 'Personal Journals' such as 'Bridle' and a few heavily satirical comments on the modern day rap and urban scene such as the satirical comment on youth gun culture 'Gunz Yo'.
Sage has helped to set up the Wiki KnowMore.org which is described as a 'way to keep tabs on the some of the biggest and most dangerous businesses in the world'. He is a vegetarian and also chooses to abstain from drugs and drinking, though doesn't label himself as "straight-edge" because he believes "you shouldn't define yourself by what you don't do."
Sage has set up his own label and signed some of who he claims to be his favorite artists of the moment such as Buck 65 and Proplyphic and Reanimator named Strange Famous (which shares his initials) with which he released his most recent work 'Human the Death Dance'
This album was released in May 2007 and takes a step away from the heavily political 'Healthy Distrust' and heads back to the more personal lyrics of 'Personal Journals' and comments on modern culture. The album features cameos from many Strange Famous artists such as Buddy Wakefield, Buck 65 and Reanimator.
In 2010 Sage released his fourth full length album Li(f)e (the title coming from the famous quote from 'The Cure' on the Non-Prophets album Hope "Life is just a lie with an f in it and death is definite"). The album was extremely well received and one particular single off of the album 'The Best Of Times' received extensive air play on the popular British radio station Radio 1. After Sages Li(f)e tour Sage has stated that he will no longer be doing tours but will still be releasing albums and other materials, instead he will be doing select gigs throughout each year.
On 3 June 2014, Sage released his fifth studio album 'Copper Gone'. It is the first official studio album after Sage Francis announced his hiatus, which lasted for four years.
Jah Didn't Kill Johnny
Sage Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Holler at your boy. Do shit
Do remember, Holler at your boy
Go back, a few weeks on this one. Go way way back
This life ain't for everyone,
But for some of us. Yeah. Life is easy
This song right here, going out a childhood mentor of mine, father John.
Holler.
Life is easy
Jah didn't kill Johnny
He had a date with death
It was a slow train coming
And we've all got a train to catch
But Lord, take your filthy claws off the rest of my freinds.
That is, of course, if they ain't already dead.
I make no demands. I just make amends.
I make my bed and I'm a lie in it
But before I die...please...don't take anymore of my friends.
Please don't take anymore of my friends. Life is easy.
The smoke didn't kill Johnny. The drink didn't kill Johnny.
The junk didn't kill Johnny. And the women didn't kill Johnny.
Was it the road? I don't know. Was it rock and roll? I don't think so.
But God, God, God, God, God...would never...kill...Johnny Cash
He had a train to catch.
He had a date with death
And we've all got a train to catch.
Life is easy. Holler at ya boy. Life is easy.
The lyrics of the song Jah Didn't Kill Johnny by Sage Francis is a touching tribute to an important figure in his childhood who has passed away. Father John, his mentor, has had a profound impact on Sage Francis that still resonates with him today. He acknowledges that life is not easy for everyone, but for some, it is a smooth ride. However, despite life being easy or hard, everyone will eventually have to catch their train of death. For some, like Johnny, the train comes slowly, and for others, it comes quickly. Although Sage Francis does not demand anything from God, he asks that God spare the lives of his remaining friends so that he won't have to endure any more losses. He is conscious that while various factors may lead to one's death, it is not God's doing.
The song Jah Didn't Kill Johnny is not about Johnny Cash, despite the mention of his name in the song. Sage Francis is singing about a personal friend, and the lyrics of the song are specifically dedicated to him. The song explores themes of death, mourning, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of loss. Sage Francis longs for his friend's presence and dreams that he is still alive, but even in death, he finds solace in their memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah. Holler at ya boy
Greetings, get in touch with me
Holler at your boy. Do shit
Contact me to get things done
Do remember, Holler at your boy
Don't forget to get in touch with me
Go back, a few weeks on this one. Go way way back
Recall a past occurrence from some weeks ago, even further back
This life ain't for everyone,
Not everyone can handle the lifestyle
But for some of us. Yeah. Life is easy
For some, life is a breeze
This song right here, going out a childhood mentor of mine, father John.
This song is a tribute to a childhood mentor, father John
Holler.
Get in touch
Touched me as a kid, i want you to know, still feeling you.
Father John had a lasting impact on me as a child
Life is easy
Life can be effortless
Jah didn't kill Johnny
God did not cause Johnny's death
He had a date with death
His death was inevitable
It was a slow train coming
His death was a long time coming
And we've all got a train to catch
We will all face death eventually
But Lord, take your filthy claws off the rest of my friends.
I pray that my friends will not die and be spared from death's grasp
That is, of course, if they ain't already dead.
Assuming they are still alive
I make no demands. I just make amends.
I do not expect anything, only seek to make things right
I make my bed and I'm a lie in it
I accept the consequences of my actions and take responsibility for them
But before I die...please...don't take anymore of my friends.
I hope my friends will not die before I do
The smoke didn't kill Johnny. The drink didn't kill Johnny.
Johnny Cash's smoking and drinking did not cause his death
The junk didn't kill Johnny. And the women didn't kill Johnny.
Neither drug use nor women caused his death
Was it the road? I don't know. Was it rock and roll? I don't think so.
It is uncertain what caused his death, but it was not attributed to his career in music
But God, God, God, God, God...would never...kill...Johnny Cash
It is not believed that his death was caused by God
He had a train to catch.
His inevitable death had been approaching
Life is easy. Holler at ya boy. Life is easy.
Life can be carefree, contact me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cheche Garcia
on Buckets Of Silence
I never held a funeral for that big part of me that died.
I need to put these thoughts to rest. i need to find a peace of mind.
I need to piece my mind, find a piece of mind to rest in.
need to find someone to confide in, and with the rest i need to start restin'.
needless to say, i couldn't hide.
fifteen grown men shouldn't cry.
Cheche Garcia
on Message Sent
I've got some letters inside of my drawer
that should have been stamped and delivered
One is addressed to my ex
it says I'm the type of kid who can't be lived with
One is addressed to my friends
it says I'm a mess so y'all can't visit
One is addressed to myself
but I don't know what personality or hand to give it