After his spiritual transformation and short stint with Aaliyah, Lock began to choreograph shows for some of the Christian industry..s most noted talent. He added the electrifying spark to shows for Grammy nominated duo Grits, Word recording artist Nicole C. Mullen and The Katinas. It was during this transition period that Lock was picked up by industry veteran Toby Mac as a touring hype man and choreographer, a position which he still holds today. While on the road with the industry..s top headlining artists, Lock recorded a self-produced hip hop project which sold more than 15,000 units. The out-of-the-trunk numbers Lock obtained were solid enough to grab the attention of several labels and the bidding war began. However, in December of 2005 Lock signed with Nashville-based Word Records, making him the first hip hop artist signed by the label.
Lock has made significant contributions in the past couple of years, scoring hits with the recording industry..s most bankable artists. His lyrical credits are showcased on: EMI..s Kierra ..KiKi.. Sheard..s Just Until remix CD, Trinitee 5:7..s upcoming 2006 Gospo Centric release, Toby Mac..s Renovating Diverse City, Verbs Unlocked CD, and EMI upstart group V3..s 2006 release. With his untitled inaugural Word release complete, the label..s ..1 draft pick continues to tour with Toby Mac while making a string of solo appearances in preparation for his 2007 release.
The project features 12 scorching tracks produced by Two Grammy nominated producers David ..Da Monsta.. Lynch and producer Ric "Form" Robbins. The soul and rock influenced CD includes appearances from The Katinas and Trinitee 5:7, which bring a welcomed diversity to the strong lyrical delivery by Lock. His unique sound is sure to resonate with multi-cultural audiences who have long awaited a solid offering from a spiritually-conscious hip hop artist.
Cheers
Shonlock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I watch a dream die
Saw the flicker fall from the prettiest eyes
To young to realize that this would stick with me for all my life
You went away for days to find better ways to better u and I
Apologize I should have been more wise
I should have been more wise
[Chorus:]
So happy you all could be here oh so sincere
And I can't seem to get my conscience clear
It's true she said this songs for you and all I put you through
I just wanted to make you proud
A tear fail down and they screamed out loud here here
[Verse 2:]
I gave you broken glass and when you asked
I said this is my heart and how you make me feel
Hard to conceal when it's all torn apart
You gave me all you had the good and bad
So who am I to choose confused so much to lose
Only time can heal the memories that bruise
The memories that bruise
[Chorus:]
She said cheers here's to her very last year
So happy you all could be here oh so sincere
And I can't seem to get my conscience clear
It's true she said this songs for you and all I put you through
I just wanted to make you proud
A tear fail down and they screamed out loud here here
[Verse 3:]
Broken, balled up in the bottom bottle
Time ticks the hours of the day hoping for tomorrow
Sorrow swept the north side of chicago
She off track but that's my momma follow
To see me stumbling was the hardest sip to swallow
So I wallowed in the back wash of wishes
Dying each day in the dumbest of conditions
Fare from what she visioned she just happy that we liven
Finally pulled herself together with the grace that had been given
I shortly after did the same, no intervention
And this is how I say I love you my only intentions
And this is how I say I love you
Cheers
[Chorus:]
She said cheers here's to her very last year
So happy you all could be here oh so sincere
And I can't seem to get my conscience clear
It's true she said this songs for you and all I put you through
I just wanted to make you proud
A tear fail down and they screamed out loud here here
The song "Cheers" by Shonlock discusses the emotions that come with losing a loved one and trying to come to terms with the unfinished business that was left behind. In the first verse, the singer reminisces about a dream that died and how it affected him deeply. The second verse talks about how the singer gave his broken heart to the loved one and how hard it was to conceal the emotions when it all fell apart. The chorus then goes on to say how the loved one thanks those present and how she wishes to forget the past and move on.
In the third verse, the song takes a more personal turn as the singer talks about his own struggles with addiction and how his mother was affected by it. He talks about how he saw his mother go off track but how she eventually pulled herself together. The song then ends with the singer saying "Cheers" to his mother, as a toast to her survival and how they both made it out of their respective personal struggles.
Overall, "Cheers" is an emotional song that speaks about human struggles with emotions and addictions while showing how people can overcome them with perseverance and support from their loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
I watch a dream die
I witnessed a moment when my dreams fell apart
Saw the flicker fall from the prettiest eyes
I saw the light in the eyes of someone beautiful extinguish
To young to realize that this would stick with me for all my life
I was too young to understand that this moment would have a lasting impact on me
You went away for days to find better ways to better u and I
You took time away to work on improving our relationship
Apologize I should have been more wise
I acknowledge that I should have made better decisions
She said cheers here's to her very last year
She raised her glass in a toast to the end of a chapter in her life
So happy you all could be here oh so sincere
She expressed gratitude for the presence of her loved ones at this important moment
And I can't seem to get my conscience clear
I am struggling to find closure and peace with the past
It's true she said this songs for you and all I put you through
She dedicated this song to someone who has been through a lot because of her
I just wanted to make you proud
She had a desire to impress and gain approval from the person she dedicated the song to
A tear fail down and they screamed out loud here here
Emotions ran high as people reacted to the moment with tears and loud cheers
I gave you broken glass and when you asked
I gave you something fragile and delicate and when you expressed concern, I framed it as a symbol of my heart and emotions
Hard to conceal when it's all torn apart
It's difficult to hide the pain when everything feels broken and damaged
You gave me all you had the good and bad
You gave me everything, both the positive and negative aspects of yourself
So who am I to choose confused so much to lose
I felt overwhelmed and confused when asked to make a choice due to the fear of losing something valuable
Only time can heal the memories that bruise
It takes time for painful memories to fade and heal
Broken, balled up in the bottom bottle
Feeling broken and trapped at the bottom of a bottle
Time ticks the hours of the day hoping for tomorrow
Wishing for a brighter future as time passes slowly
Sorrow swept the north side of chicago
A feeling of sadness overtook a specific area in Chicago
She off track but that's my momma follow
My mother may not have always been on the right path, but she is still someone to look up to and follow
To see me stumbling was the hardest sip to swallow
It was difficult for my mother to see me go through hard times
So I wallowed in the back wash of wishes
I found myself stuck in a cycle of wishing for something better, yet not taking action to make it happen
Dying each day in the dumbest of conditions
Living a life that was not fulfilling and slowly losing hope and motivation
Fare from what she visioned she just happy that we liven
Things did not turn out exactly as my mother hoped, but she is still grateful that we are alive and together
Finally pulled herself together with the grace that had been given
My mother was able to gather herself and move forward with the help of grace and forgiveness
I shortly after did the same, no intervention
I too was able to find healing and forgiveness without any external help
And this is how I say I love you my only intentions
This is my way of expressing my love and affection with pure intentions
Contributed by Julia H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.