"We're a touring act, and we've been on the road pretty much non-stop over the last decade," explains Doughty, offering that the more recent creation of the band's own local recording studio and rehearsal clubhouse (within the warehouse district of Mission Valley just inland of Ocean Beach) certainly aided and influenced their last release Top of the World, and has inspired their latest sessions, which the band anticipates could stretch into a few different recording projects.
"Over the last 3 years we started our own studio and within the last 9 months, anticipating the window for new album sessions, the band has invested into innovations and equipment upgrades for the studio in a quest to capture and progress our signature sound forward. Having our own studio really enables us to make records at our own pace and to make the right records, hopefully (with a grin) at various stages of our career,” Doughty continues. “What's nice about having our own environment to record in and analyze the music is it really lets you keep an organic feel. For us, I feel like it's a step into the next level, as far as understanding the process of recording, understanding the process of songwriting. We took everything that we've learned over the years and really put it into this place and into our music.” The property also houses the creative loft space that has become the official offices of the band’s own label Stoopid Records, which issued the band’s second album in 1999 Acoustic Roots, and has continued to be their preferred method of distributing the band’s recorded material.
Another key ingredient to what makes Slightly Stoopid extraordinarily special is the inclusion of several musical guests, both live and in the studio. "It really keeps that 'family atmosphere' for us,” says Doughty. “I think it really shows in the music — we live for the spirit of collaboration and on Top of The World we had G. Love, Angelo Moore from Fishbone, Don Carlos, Barrington Levy, Ian Neville from Dumpstaphunk, Tory Ruffin from Morris Day and the Time and Fishbone, and singer/songwriter Angela Hunte. Angelo Moore to me is one of the greatest front-men to ever step foot on a stage. As a fan and out of respect, I try to do something with Angelo every time we have a record, really. If you listen to his lyrics, his vocal performance—I don't know who could keep up with Angelo on stage. Don Carlos from Black Uhuru is one of the legendary reggae singers of all time and we've had the pleasure of working with him the last few years. We've been friends with G. Love for over 15 years, and we've been able to work together quite a few different times in the studio. It seems like second nature. Whenever you're recording with G., it's almost like you're really just hanging out with your bro and you happen to hit record. We've done so many shows together and so many studio sessions, it becomes second nature.“
Above the Clouds
Slightly Stoopid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lookin' down from the clouds
At them holes that I see
Never knowin' to put down your weight
Maybe if it was an 'igher day
Any man, any girl, everybody in the world, time freeze
They'll be sippin' on the wine again
Poppin' champagne bottle
Gettin' blunted till my eyes they don't see
Maybe if we were that high again
Taking a trip 'round the world
sittin' in, and then mine goes up a tree
If you never ask me why again
Is them Endo smoke better to be smoked up than juggle fifty
It's Philly love
Just drinkin' rum
And getting high
Listen to dub
Grip them pint
Get them buds
Spark the light
And get the girl
It's in your blood
Just drinkin' rum
And getting high
Listen to dub
Grip the pint
Get them buds
Spark that light
Fire it up
We flyin' high above the clouds again
Lookin' down from the clouds
At them holes that I see
You be comin' our direction
DEA, don't try, they intercept up, blazin' all of our weed
Instead of droppin bombs on Normandy
Fire one long artillery, smokin' up the enemy
Now we steppin' up an Irie beat
Take your shit, don't hurt, this is herb, yo we be puffin' them green
Now we live the Manu Chao way
King of the Congo, livin' in the jungle
Get hyptnotized like an Egyptian, whoa whoa whoa whoa
It's Philly love
Just drinkin' rum
And getting high
Listen to dub
Grip the pint
Get them buds
Spark the light
Fire it up
It's in the blood
Just drinkin' rum
And getting high
Listen to dub
Grip the pint
Get them buds
Spark the light
Fire it up
In "Above the Clouds," Slightly Stoopid explores the theme of escapism, using flying as a metaphor for getting high and losing oneself. The lyrics describe the feeling of being above the clouds, looking down on the world below, and disconnecting from reality. The song suggests that getting high is a way to escape the mundane and the struggles of everyday life.
The first verse portrays the idea that people sometimes need to step outside reality and explore their inner selves. The line "never knowin' to put down your weight" means that when we're in this altered state of mind, we don't have to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. It's a temporary break from reality. The reference to "seven O" can be interpreted as the time when some people start to unwind at the end of the day.
The second verse of "Above the Clouds" tells us that the high is both a group and solo experience. Although everyone's high is slightly different, when it's done in a group, there is a sense of universality. The song talks about getting blunted until one's eyes can't see anymore, clearly referring to smoking marijuana. Then, Slightly Stoopid suggests that being high gives one the capacity for adventure and travel, albeit perhaps inwardly.
The third verse deals with the reality of the escapist worldview. Law enforcement and the global political climate have no qualms interrupting the few moments of relief from drugs. The song expresses the notion that society is full of contradictions about leisure time, and the use of drugs to fill that time. The song's climax is around "puffing that green" or marijuana, as the ultimate form of escapism.
Line by Line Meaning
We flyin' high above the clouds again
We're up in the sky once more
Lookin' down from the clouds
Gazing at the ground from up here
At them holes that I see
Noticing the gaps in the landscape
Never knowin' to put down your weight
Never knowing where to stay for long
Only thing they know that time be leaving, and it's seven O
Only thing they know is that time is passing
Maybe if it was an 'igher day
Maybe if we were even higher
Any man, any girl, everybody in the world, time freeze
Everyone in the world freezes in time
They'll be sippin' on the wine again
They'll be drinking wine once more
Poppin' champagne bottle
Opening a bottle of champagne
Gettin' blunted till my eyes they don't see
Getting high until I can't see straight
Maybe if we were that high again
Maybe if we were that high in the sky again
Taking a trip 'round the world
Traveling around the entire planet
sittin' in, and then mine goes up a tree
Relaxing and getting lost in thought
If you never ask me why again
If you never question me again
Is them Endo smoke better to be smoked up than juggle fifty
Is smoking weed better than juggling
It's Philly love
This is love from Philly
Just drinkin' rum
Simply enjoying some rum
And getting high
Getting high on drugs
Listen to dub
Listening to dub music
Grip the pint
Holding onto a pint of alcohol
Get them buds
Getting some marijuana
Spark the light
Lighting up a joint
And get the girl
And getting the attention of a woman
It's in your blood
This is in your nature
DEA, don't try, they intercept up, blazin' all of our weed
The DEA intercepts us and burns all of our marijuana
Instead of droppin bombs on Normandy
Instead of bombing a location like Normandy
Fire one long artillery, smokin' up the enemy
Smoke up our enemy instead of using bombs
Now we steppin' up an Irie beat
We're stepping up to a relaxing beat
Take your shit, don't hurt, this is herb, yo we be puffin' them green
Take it easy, this is just weed that we're smoking
Now we live the Manu Chao way
Living life in a way similar to Manu Chao
King of the Congo, livin' in the jungle
Living in the jungle like a king
Get hyptnotized like an Egyptian, whoa whoa whoa whoa
Getting lost in thought like an ancient Egyptian
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Macy Nelson
on 2 AM
Is this song about the 27 club?