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.
Product Placement
Sage Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(This is paid for advertising
Free food for all)
Well it's a tangible death
And I can almost handle it
When it cancels my breath
Put your hand over my candle then rest
Put my elbows on the window frame
Glass first against my cheeks
Everything I see is mine
I never look back
Couldn't ask the same of those I leave behind
The air bubbles rushin' towards the water surface
A clumsy stage hand makin' a grand exit
Caught in the curtains
A person should have pulled this rope long ago
'Fore the water hole froze over
I saw the snow
The best cue for rescue is a couple yanks
Press my luck, held my breath enough but then my stomach sank
Shoulda never been walkin' the plank
With some man's shoes without a oxygen tank or wetsuit
Destitute conditions leave fishermen victims
Of circumstance
But you don't need a hook for the worms to dance
Off to the bathroom to sniff another line (sniff another line)
There's a big party goin' on and you're not invited (you're not invited)
Now I'm just howlin' at the moon sippin' its shine (sippin' its shine)
There's a huge rock hurlin' through space won't you help me light it
I'm playin jump rope with my veins tonight
But you download but I pay the price
The DJ saved my life
Nothin can cut into my fun but the razor might
This song is brought to you courtesy
Of medicine prescriptions
Dead-again christians
Nineteen sixty eight
And be -boys on acid
And of course my utter and absolute
Obligation to never do anything bad... ever
"Product Placement" by Sage Francis is an intriguing and thought-provoking song that tackles the theme of consumerism and the influence of advertisements on our lives. The song opens with the words, "Hook, Line, Shock Jock, Crackle" which comment on the way the media uses shock tactics to sell its products to the public. The line "Free food for all" is an imitation of a typical slogan that businesses use to sell their products to customers. Throughout the song, Francis discusses several themes that highlight the negative effects of commercialism on people, including lost love, drug addiction, and desperation.
The second verse of the song is particularly intense, with Francis painting a vivid picture of a person about to die. He talks about the agony of death and how he can almost handle it, even as it cancels his breath. The imagery used in this verse is very raw and powerful, with Francis describing his elbows on a window frame, with glass pressed against his cheeks as he takes his last breath. He talks about how everything he sees is his and how he never looks back, something that he realizes is hard for those he leaves behind.
Overall, "Product Placement" is a hard-hitting and honest song that explores the negative effects of consumerism and how it has become so ingrained in our everyday lives that we don't even notice it.
Line by Line Meaning
Hook, Line, Shock Jock, Crackle
This is a paid advertisement, everyone is getting free food.
Well it's a tangible death
The reality of life is overwhelming, and it's almost unbearable.
And I can almost handle it
The weight of existence is heavy, but he's barely standing under it.
When it cancels my breath
Sometimes the burden of life is too much, and he can barely breathe under the pressure.
Put your hand over my candle then rest
Even though life is difficult, he's okay with someone extinguishing his flame and putting his troubles to rest.
There's no pain in this fist release
Letting go of his anger and hurt doesn't hurt him anymore.
Put my elbows on the window frame
He's leaning on the window, looking out at the world.
Glass first against my cheeks
His face is pressed against the glass, looking at the world and seeing it reflected back at him.
Everything I see is mine
He's taking ownership of what he sees in the world.
I never look back
He doesn't dwell on the past.
Couldn't ask the same of those I leave behind
He wishes that those he's leaving behind could do the same.
The air bubbles rushin' towards the water surface
Watching the bubbles rise to the surface of the water.
A clumsy stage hand makin' a grand exit
Someone leaving awkwardly to avoid attention.
Caught in the curtains
Stuck, unable to move forward.
A person should have pulled this rope long ago
Someone should have intervened to stop them.
'Fore the water hole froze over
Before it was too late.
I saw the snow
He paused to notice the beauty around him.
The best cue for rescue is a couple yanks
Help can sometimes come in small, unexpected ways.
Press my luck, held my breath enough but then my stomach sank
Taking a risk and failing, feeling terrible for trying.
Shoulda never been walkin' the plank
Shouldn't have taken the risk in the first place.
With some man's shoes without a oxygen tank or wetsuit
Going into a situation unprepared without the necessary tools.
Destitute conditions leave fishermen victims
Poor living conditions can make people vulnerable.
Of circumstance
Due to their circumstances.
But you don't need a hook for the worms to dance
You don't need anything special to enjoy the simple things in life.
Off to the bathroom to sniff another line (sniff another line)
Going to the bathroom to do drugs.
There's a big party goin' on and you're not invited (you're not invited)
Everyone else seems to be having fun without him.
Now I'm just howlin' at the moon sippin' its shine (sippin' its shine)
He's alone, drinking and howling at the moon.
There's a huge rock hurlin' through space won't you help me light it
He's looking for someone to share his burden with.
I'm playin jump rope with my veins tonight
Playing with his own mortality.
But you download but I pay the price
He's paying the price for his life decisions, while others get away with less.
The DJ saved my life
Music has been a lifeline for him.
Nothin can cut into my fun but the razor might
Nothing can stop him from having a good time except for himself and his own destructive tendencies.
This song is brought to you courtesy
This song is paid for through sponsorships.
Of medicine prescriptions
Ads for prescription medications.
Dead-again christians
Ads for religious organizations.
Nineteen sixty eight
Ads for products or services from the 1960s.
And be-boys on acid
Ads targeting a specific demographic.
And of course my utter and absolute
And, of course, he's obligated to say all of these things.
Obligation to never do anything bad... ever
He's obligated to be a good role model and never do anything wrong that would harm his image.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
QuietSon82
Love this beat
Sage Francis
Alias...4-EVA. Incredible talent, and an even better person.
RIP
VoeHitta62
You ever realize how much Mac Miller ripped off this for "Best Day Ever" ?
kinatis
we're off to the bathroom, to sniff another line, ther's a big party going on and youre not invited......EPIC.
VoeHitta62
Anyone else ever listen to the first 30 seconds of this vs. Mac Miller's track "Best Day Ever" ? same beat
baklavalvr
@HipHoposaurus lucky...