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.
Keep Moving
Sage Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I go from house to house
I stay committed
Like one foot in, one foot out
I bounce
Yeah I'm leaving this place
Divorce papers falling out my briefcase
Got her suspicions
Lacks proof but wants it
I've been practicin grabbin the noose when the knot slips
Rewiring my mind to make the firing squad miss
And while they're busy reloading
I'm decoding the messages she sent with this key I keep holding
But it's a copy
And the lock seems broken
Got me chokin' on discussions I cannot keep open
I'm fully clothed in this cock-tease moment
The last cigarette sits between my lips
But I will not smoke it
While it dangled I got strangled by a second hand
Broke the ropes when I held my breath and let my chest expand
Threw the stogie to the lonely hitman for hire
Told him that he owed me and he showed me his hand's on fire
We didn't shake on it
He nodded, I nodded back
He lit the cigarette with his finger and dropped the gat
I started walking the tracks you should've tied me to
I waited for a train to hop but stopped to say good-bye to you
When I turned my head
I heard what you said:
"Murder him dead and try to do it with the girl in his bed"
So I fled
As I remembered one should never look back
There's no direction home only blood on the tracks
Stuck in the past
I jetted and left the red footprints for them to follow
Headed toward tomorrow
And took sips from the flask
That you bought me
For my sober anniversary
Her dad tracks my scent
She's got her old man in search of me
He knows where I'm headed, he's been there
King of the home
Sits on his throne like it's an electric chair
I'm the heir to that domestic death sentence
I see people accepting lethal injections
Dead in seconds
They confused prison for a bed in breakfast
Used their one call on voicemail to see who left a message
Could it be her?
Could it be!?
They're desperate
Mad at me cause they lack a strategy for exit
Nobody pregnant, nobody get burped
I got lost on this head trip but won't talk to an expert
My legs hurt cuz I've been walking with cement boots
Ever since you lured me to the water bed to get cute
She had a wet suit and dry dispostion
But couldn't execute that type of mission
It's no small time thing organizing my ending
My book of life
Is a "Choose Your Own Adventure"
With a circular section
You can tell your friends I walked all over you
But you know that's not what these boots were made to do
In fact, you had them crafted at the store
Said, "Baby, slip em on" but I don't know what you take me for.
I knew what was up once I felt nailed to the floor
And since the key didnt work I kicked my way through the door
I keep moving
I go from house to house
I stay committed like one foot in, one foot out
I bounce
Yeah I'm leaving this place
Divorce papers falling out my briefcase
I keep moving
I go from house to house
I stay committed like one foot in, one foot out
I bounce
Yeah I'm leaving this place
Divorce papers falling the fuck out my briefcase
I am no destination
I am just the journey
So don't go settling on me, love
No, don't go settling on me
I am no destination
I am just the journey
So don't go settling on me, love
No, don't go settling on me
I am no destination
I am just the journey
So don't go settling on me, love
No, don't go settling on me
Speak of me in your travels
Take pictures if you please
But don't go settling on me, love
No don't go settling on me
In Sage Francis's song "Keep Moving," the artist describes his restless nature and his desire to keep moving from place to place. He is committed, but only partly so, always with one foot in and one foot out. He is leaving behind a relationship, with divorce papers literally falling out of his briefcase, and is haunted by the suspicions of a half-truth harlot named Miss Intuition. Sage Francis explores his own feelings of being trapped and his reactions to being held down, including a desire to flee and the impulse towards violence.
The lyrics of "Keep Moving" are rich in symbolism and wordplay, making it a prime subject for analysis. Sage Francis uses metaphors such as knots, ropes, and the firing squad to describe the feeling of being trapped, and the lyrics are peppered with references to the past and the future. The repeated refrain of "I keep moving" emphasizes Sage Francis's restlessness, and his repeated insistence that he is "no destination" highlights his refusal to be tied down.
The song is a tour de force of lyrical creativity, with its combination of wordplay, symbolism, and evocative imagery. It is a powerful expression of the desire to escape, to be free, and to explore the world. Fans of Sage Francis will appreciate the depth and complexity of his lyrics, while anyone who appreciates the art of the spoken word will be moved by this powerful and thought-provoking song.
Line by Line Meaning
I keep moving
I am constantly on the move and never settle down
I go from house to house
I change my living situation frequently, never staying in one place for too long
I stay committed
Like one foot in, one foot out
I have a sense of commitment, but it is not unwavering and I am always ready to leave if necessary
I bounce
Yeah I'm leaving this place
Divorce papers falling out my briefcase
I am leaving my current situation, likely a failed marriage
Miss Intuition, the half-truth harlot
Got her suspicions
Lacks proof but wants it
A woman, likely an ex-partner, believes I am up to something, but has no evidence to support her suspicions
I've been practicin grabbin the noose when the knot slips
Rewiring my mind to make the firing squad miss
I am preparing for worst-case scenarios and trying to avoid potential danger
And while they're busy reloading
I'm decoding the messages she sent with this key I keep holding
But it's a copy
And the lock seems broken
I am deciphering messages from the aforementioned woman, but the key I have is not the right one to unlock the messages fully
Got me chokin' on discussions I cannot keep open
I'm fully clothed in this cock-tease moment
The last cigarette sits between my lips
But I will not smoke it
I am unable to fully communicate about certain issues and am left in a state of emotional limbo
Threw the stogie to the lonely hitman for hire
Told him that he owed me and he showed me his hand's on fire
We didn't shake on it
He nodded, I nodded back
He lit the cigarette with his finger and dropped the gat
I give a hitman a cigarette to gain his favor and trust, without ever directly agreeing to anything with a handshake
I started walking the tracks you should've tied me to
I waited for a train to hop but stopped to say good-bye to you
When I turned my head
I heard what you said:
"Murder him dead and try to do it with the girl in his bed"
So I fled
I am accosted by the woman and her father, who apparently want me dead or harmed, and I escape
As I remembered one should never look back
There's no direction home only blood on the tracks
Stuck in the past
I jetted and left the red footprints for them to follow
Headed toward tomorrow
And took sips from the flask
That you bought me
For my sober anniversary
I am moving forward and leaving behind my past, taking a drink from a flask gifted to me for my sobriety milestone
Her dad tracks my scent
She's got her old man in search of me
He knows where I'm headed, he's been there
King of the home
Sits on his throne like it's an electric chair
The woman's father is after me, and he knows where I am headed, seemingly to a place he deems dangerous for me
I'm the heir to that domestic death sentence
I see people accepting lethal injections
Dead in seconds
They confused prison for a bed in breakfast
Used their one call on voicemail to see who left a message
I am a victim of the toxic relationships around me, and I see others making the same mistakes by staying in negative situations
Could it be her?
Could it be!?
They're desperate
Mad at me cause they lack a strategy for exit
Nobody pregnant, nobody get burped
I got lost on this head trip but won't talk to an expert
People are searching for me, wondering if I am with the woman, and are angry because they do not know how to support me in leaving the situation
My legs hurt cuz I've been walking with cement boots
Ever since you lured me to the water bed to get cute
She had a wet suit and dry dispostion
But couldn't execute that type of mission
It's no small time thing organizing my ending
I feel weighed down and burdened by my past with the woman, and her seductive tactics were unsuccessful
My book of life
Is a "Choose Your Own Adventure"
With a circular section
You can tell your friends I walked all over you
But you know that's not what these boots were made to do
In fact, you had them crafted at the store
Said, "Baby, slip em on" but I don't know what you take me for.
I knew what was up once I felt nailed to the floor
And since the key didnt work I kicked my way through the door
My life is a choose-your-own-adventure story, and though the woman may claim that I treated her poorly, she was the one who initiated our involvement, and I knew what I was getting into from the start and ultimately had to break out of it
I am no destination
I am just the journey
So don't go settling on me, love
No, don't go settling on me
I am not something to be settled down with, but rather a transient journey that someone may join me on
Speak of me in your travels
Take pictures if you please
But don't go settling on me, love
No don't go settling on me
I am someone to be enjoyed throughout a journey, but not someone to be anchored down by
Contributed by Bella W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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