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.
The Place She Feared Most
Sage Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sinner please, you could never get with the god
Oh you wrong, you gots to get right with yourself
Sinner please, you could never get with the god
Don't wanna fake that smile, don't wanna have that talk
Don't wanna make that child or let the suspect walk
Don't wanna take it to trial or settle out of court
Don't want a long disclaimer as a preference to your short story
Don't wanna sum up in one sentence why your sort bores me
In fact, one more word out of you and the girl gets it
You're so bossy in a world that has no work ethic
So let's shake to that, don't wanna give you dap
Or figure out whatever hand dance you're bringing back
For I am not a tween, don't wanna talk with memes
Or let the internet infiltrate all my dreams
So what do I want? Want now?
To exercise my right to be hostile and drop trou
Hey, you, get off that cloud
You don't know what that technology allows
I don't wanna weigh it out, don't wanna be more patient
Don't want a bank account charging me for paper statements
Don't want no ancient astrology stopping me
From boarding the spaceship once it gets to our colony cause
All I ever wanted was space
Cause all I ever wanted was space
Cause all I ever wanted was space
Cause all I ever wanted was the place she feared most
I could mock a killingbird without dropping a single word
I'd flip the middle finger till he's stoughing in the herb
My catapult becomes a death wing
To a red phone in the west wing, y'all are soon to fall
For the oldest-known joke in the phone book (what the fuck's the phone book?)
That's like a black book for fat folks who don't cook
Pick-up or delivery? Sick of this chivalry
Just tell me what you're willing to give to me and we go from there
Well hello there, dressed to impress but going nowhere?
Well let's go there
Grown man flirting like it hurts him that he has to bother
Is that your baby-baby bubba, does he have a father?
Don't be insulted, that was off the top freestyle
Still battle rappers for the custody like Cleese child
These styles are fatherless, motherless, marvelous
Adopted by every hip hop George Papadopoulos
In Sage Francis's song "The Place She Feared Most," the lyrics express a sense of disillusionment with the world and the people in it. The repetition of the phrase, "Oh you wrong, you gots to get right with yourself/Sinner please, you could never get with the god," suggests a frustration with those who claim to be righteous or religious, but in reality, act in ways that are less than righteous. The overall message of the song seems to be a plea for authenticity and honesty, rather than superficiality and deception.
The verses in the song touch on a variety of topics, including the desire for space and freedom, a disdain for fake smiles and empty talk, and a frustration with the way technology and the internet have infiltrated every aspect of our lives. The line "In fact, one more word out of you and the girl gets it/You're so bossy in a world that has no work ethic" speaks to a sense of oppression by those who try to control or manipulate others, even though they themselves do not work hard or have any real authority.
Overall, the song seems to be a call to action for people to be honest and true to themselves, and to resist the pressure to conform to societal norms and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh you wrong, you gots to get right with yourself
You are misguided and need to reflect on your actions
Sinner please, you could never get with the god
The error of your ways is preventing you from reaching salvation
Don't wanna fake that smile, don't wanna have that talk
I don't want to fake pleasantries or engage in trivial conversation
Don't wanna make that child or let the suspect walk
I don't want to have to deal with the responsibility of making a child or letting a guilty person go free
Don't wanna take it to trial or settle out of court
I don't want to engage in a legal battle either through a trial or an out-of-court settlement
Just wanna shoot down the stork
I would rather prevent the birth of a child altogether
Don't want a long disclaimer as a preference to your short story
I don't want to hear a lengthy explanation in order to understand a brief story
Don't wanna sum up in one sentence why your sort bores me
I don't want to have to describe in one sentence why I find your type uninteresting
In fact, one more word out of you and the girl gets it
If you say one more word, I am going to harm someone else
You're so bossy in a world that has no work ethic
You are attempting to control others in a society that lacks discipline and hard work
So let's shake to that, don't wanna give you dap
Let's agree to disagree, I'm not going to give you a fist bump
Or figure out whatever hand dance you're bringing back
I don't want to learn any new trends or fads from you
For I am not a tween, don't wanna talk with memes
I am not a child, and I don't want to communicate with picture-based internet jokes
Or let the internet infiltrate all my dreams
I don't want the internet to have a significant effect on my subconscious thoughts
So what do I want? Want now?
What is it that I am seeking at this moment?
To exercise my right to be hostile and drop trou
I want to assert my right to be angry and behave in an aggressive manner
Hey, you, get off that cloud
Stop daydreaming and face reality
You don't know what that technology allows
You aren't aware of the full consequences of using modern technology
I don't wanna weigh it out, don't wanna be more patient
I don't want to have to carefully consider my options or wait any longer
Don't want a bank account charging me for paper statements
I refuse to pay fees for receiving physical bank statements
Don't want no ancient astrology stopping me
I don't want to be held back by outdated beliefs in astrology
From boarding the spaceship once it gets to our colony cause
I don't want to be prevented from traveling to the new colony on a spaceship
All I ever wanted was space
I have always wanted physical space, but also emotional and mental space
Cause all I ever wanted was the place she feared most
The only thing I ever really wanted was the place that my love interest feared the most
I could mock a killingbird without dropping a single word
I am capable of provoking an emotional reaction without saying anything at all
I'd flip the middle finger till he's stoughing in the herb
I would show my disdain and frustration by insulting the person with the middle finger gesture
My catapult becomes a death wing
My aggressive words or actions become a destructive force
To a red phone in the west wing, y'all are soon to fall
I am going to take down those in power by exposing information that they want to keep hidden
For the oldest-known joke in the phone book (what the fuck's the phone book?)
An outdated prank is going to bring down those in power, but the joke itself is so old that people won't understand it
That's like a black book for fat folks who don't cook
The situation is ridiculous, akin to having a book full of recipes that overweight people who don't cook wouldn't use
Pick-up or delivery? Sick of this chivalry
I'm tired of having to choose between picking something up or having it delivered, it's an outdated concept
Just tell me what you're willing to give to me and we go from there
If you tell me what you can offer, we can negotiate and work from there
Well hello there, dressed to impress but going nowhere?
I acknowledge your appearance, but question your direction in life
Well let's go there
Let's explore your ambitions and see if we can create opportunities
Grown man flirting like it hurts him that he has to bother
A man is acting flirtatious but appears inconvenienced by having to do so
Is that your baby-baby bubba, does he have a father?
Is that your child? If so, who is the father?
Don't be insulted, that was off the top freestyle
Don't take that as an insult, it was just an improvised remark
Still battle rappers for the custody like Cleese child
Rap battles are so intense that it's similar to fighting for custody of a child
These styles are fatherless, motherless, marvelous
These styles of rapping are so unique, they are like they have no origin and are superb
Adopted by every hip hop George Papadopoulos
These styles have been adopted by many rappers and musicians in the hip hop genre, much like the famous political adviser George Papadopoulos
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: SAGE FRANCIS, RYAN BOWERSOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TotalPossum
I wish the strange famous family would get the views they deserve.
Jedi Ninja
The mainstream always ignores intelligent talent, especially in hip hop. They're making their mark <3
Aspen Rider
Awesome as always! Everybody on strange famous has never let me down. Love it all!!! They all deserve many more views then any of them have!
EPKILLS23
One of my fav joints on the album. The beat is dope as fuk!
SAndshrew13
Not one of my favorites off this album, but this video is so hype that it made me like it even more.
shyko95
Love it.
Carl Owen
" Im so bossy in a world with no work ethic" ............ Sage left the persona of a rapper a long time ago. He is the Hermes of the new Pantheon. The one who stole the light from the elite and gave it to man. Sage bless you
Leistungseinheit Schneider
Masterpiece!
Gary Parsons
Awesome. Gutted I missed the Bristol UK show recently! Keep making em purrr :-)
tjaldex225
killing it .. end of story!