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 Time Of My Life
Sage Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stare, as my birthtime drew near
The only Earth I knew reared me in a world I grew to fear
I do appear quite nude and warm
I'm like "What's up with the lights and the white uniforms?"
You're damn right you're truly wrong when a hand strikes the newly born.
"I can't fight" I'm cruely scorned.In a man's life, the beauty's gone
I was scared with fright through the storm
"It's a miracle Ma!" Damn my dick is long
Oh, that's just the umbellical chord
Clip clip, snip snip.and now it's gone along with my foreskin
One of them awful things that they do to theoffspring
The sting is lessened by the drugs they pump into my miniature body
Making us addicts just that quick is their signature hobby
An infamous robbery, and if I'm not careful then my shaft'll break
It's got me coming up with creative ways to masturbate
I wanna be held but my father rebelled and my mother's unconscious
I went from a dark bliss to some boxes
It's obnoxious the way the doctors poke and prod
seriously I can barely function
This is my first out-of-body experience and alien abduction
I'm barely a munchkin after just minutes of labor
They're putting my tiny footprints on some birth certificate paper
My personal hell of isolation began in an incubator
To think of it later, slice open my wrist and check the microchip data
They didn't capture it on beta film or audio
The year made me a dragon, the month made me a scorpio
The weak, feeble, helpless baby boy cried for nights
But that day was the time of my life
But that day was the time of my life
But that day, but that day was the time of my life
But that day, but that day, but that day, but that day, but
that day was the time of my life
(Freestyle)
In "The Time of My Life," Sage Francis takes on the perspective of a newborn baby, recounting his first moments of life from an observational standpoint. He paints a vivid picture of the confusion and fear that can accompany a new life filled with bright lights and strangers in white uniforms. The use of imagery, such as the umbilical cord and footprints on birth certificate paper, adds to the intense visual of the experience.
As the song progresses, Francis delves deeper into the isolation and trauma that can come with being born into a world that isn't always kind. He touches on the pain of circumcision and the separation from his mother and father, culminating in a powerful image of feeling like an alien being after just minutes of life. Throughout it all, there's a sense of longing for connection and comfort, even as the world around the newborn is overwhelming and scary.
Overall, "The Time of My Life" is a deeply introspective and poignant look at the experience of being born into the world. It's a reminder that we all start from a place of vulnerability and that the journey of life can be difficult, but it's also capable of containing moments of profound beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
Consider me to be a fly on the wall with a bird's eye view
Imagine me observing everything from a detached, aerial perspective.
I stare, as my birthtime drew near
I watch as the time of my birth approaches.
The only Earth I knew reared me in a world I grew to fear
The world that raised me is familiar to me but also frightening.
I do appear quite nude and warm
I am naked and comfortable in my new surroundings.
I'm like "What's up with the lights and the white uniforms?"
I wonder about the bright lights and the people wearing white clothing around me.
You're damn right you're truly wrong when a hand strikes the newly born.
Hitting a newborn with a hand is incredibly cruel and unjust.
"I can't fight" I'm cruelly scorned. In a man's life, the beauty's gone
I feel helpless and powerless as a man, losing my innocence and beauty so quickly.
I was scared with fright through the storm. I'm prepared to write a mutiny song
I was scared during my birth, but now I am ready to rebel and fight against my oppressors.
"It's a miracle Ma!" Damn my dick is long. Oh, that's just the umbellical chord
I am amazed by my own body, but then realize that it's just the umbilical cord.
Clip clip, snip snip. and now it's gone along with my foreskin
They cut off my foreskin during circumcision.
One of them awful things that they do to the offspring
It's terrible what they do to newborns without their consent or understanding.
The sting is lessened by the drugs they pump into my miniature body
The pain is numbed by drugs they give me as a newborn.
Making us addicts just that quick is their signature hobby
They quickly make us dependent on drugs and create addicts as a result.
An infamous robbery, and if I'm not careful then my shaft'll break
My birth and circumcision are like a violent robbery, and I could be injured if I'm not careful.
It's got me coming up with creative ways to masturbate
As a child, I find myself exploring my sexuality in unexpected ways.
I wanna be held but my father rebelled and my mother's unconscious
I crave physical comfort and connection, but my parents are unable or unwilling to provide it.
I went from a dark bliss to some boxes
I transitioned from a state of unconscious bliss to being confined in a box-like structure (incubator).
It's obnoxious the way the doctors poke and prod seriously I can barely function
The doctors examine and test me constantly, which is overwhelming and exhausting for a newborn.
This is my first out-of-body experience and alien abduction
My experience is so surreal and disorienting that it's like being abducted by aliens.
I'm barely a munchkin after just minutes of labor
I am a small and vulnerable creature after only a short time since my birth.
They're putting my tiny footprints on some birth certificate paper
They are documenting my existence and identity with my footprints on official paperwork.
My personal hell of isolation began in an incubator
My experience of being trapped and isolated in the incubator feels like a personal hell.
To think of it later, slice open my wrist and check the microchip data
Later in life, I may want to examine my own experience in a more concrete way, like checking a microchip.
They didn't capture it on beta film or audio
My experience was not recorded or documented in a tangible way.
The year made me a dragon, the month made me a scorpio
Based on the year and month of my birth, I am astrologically a dragon and a Scorpio.
The weak, feeble, helpless baby boy cried for nights
I was a weak and helpless baby boy who cried for many nights.
But that day was the time of my life
Despite all of the pain and fear of my birth experience, that day was still incredibly meaningful and significant to me.
But that day was the time of my life
That day was transformative and life-changing, even though it was also traumatic and difficult.
But that day, but that day was the time of my life
That day was unforgettable and momentous, despite all of the challenges and hardships.
But that day, but that day, but that day, but that day, but that day was the time of my life
Repeating the idea emphasizes how powerful and significant that day was for the singer.
Contributed by Chase K. 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