They’ve raised the bar with Strength to Survive, their fourth full-length album, an intoxicating mix of hot-rod reggae grooves and urgent, zeitgeist-capturing themes. The album, produced by John Alagia (Dave Matthews, John Mayer, O.A.R.), is the band’s first for ATO, the label co-founded by Dave Matthews.
Hemphill says the album was greatly inspired by Bob Marley’s Survival. “That’s the greatest reggae album ever made,” he says. “It has the best basslines and the best lyrics ever heard on one record. Marley wrote it after he went to Africa. I was 13 or 14 when I listened to it for the first time and it triggered all these long-forgotten memories of when I lived in Africa as a kid. My dad was an IMF res rep in Liberia in the late 80’s. I remember when the coup first started—- my family had to hide in these iron bathtubs for 3 days because the military was shooting at everything. I was 7 and that was one of my first memories. We made it out on the last flight. So Africa was always a big part of our lives—- it defined our family, in a way. Music came right after that, so, for me, music was always tied to Africa and music was always something powerful.”
Shortly after returning from Africa, Hemphill met Bobby Lee (bass) in the first grade in Virginia. The two instantly became best friends, finding common ground through their love of hip hop, rock and reggae which they performed together at their middle school talent shows. Throughout high school, they met Ryan Berty (drums), Kenneth Brownell (percussion) and Patrick O’Shea (keyboards) and together formed SOJA. The band gigged locally in the DC area while a couple of the guys finished school, all the while making plans to hit the road after graduation. They actually wound up owning the road.
Over the course of the past few years, SOJA has sold more than 200,000 albums, headlined large theaters in more than 20 countries around the world, generated over 40 million YouTube views, amassed nearly 2 million Facebook fans, and attracted an almost Grateful Dead-like international fanbase that grows with each tour, with caravans of diehards following them from city to city. Most impressive of all, they’ve accomplished all this on their own. This 8-piece band has spent the past year and a half grinding it out from venue to venue, playing more than 360 dates, including headlining sold-out tours of North and South America, as well as opening for O.A.R. and sharing stages with everyone from Dave Matthews Band to Matisyahu.
With Strength to Survive, the band makes an impassioned call for unity and change with universally relatable songs about faith, hope and love. “I could go on and on about the horrible damage we’ve done to the earth or the problems that arise when countries compete for money over an imaginary border, but the album has one central theme,” says Hemphill, “and that’s our hope for the world to be one family.”
It’s a concept best exemplified in the song “Everything Changes.” “People out there with no food at night,” sings Hemphill, “And we say we care, but we don’t, so we all lie/But what if there’s more to this, and one day we become what we do, not what we say/Maybe we need to want to fix it. Maybe stop talking, maybe start listening/ Maybe we need to look at this world less like a square and more like a circle.”
Among the album’s many highlights is the ethereal “Let You Go,” about the road not taken, “Mentality,” the disc’s hard-hitting opening track, and the one-two punch of “Be With Me Now” and “When We Were Younger,” the latter bringing together the macro and the micro with the simple yet resonant line, “All of my answers, now that I’m older, turn into questions.”
Hemphill says the band’s simple and honest approach to music is what’s enabled them to break through obstacles of language, distance and culture in amassing an international following. “What’s the alternative – pop music?” he laughs. “Pop music—especially American pop music, is about having money, sleeping with models, living in mansions, spending all of our time in clubs and generally being better than the rest of the world. It’s funny, ‘cuz everyone here is broke. We sing about different things—things that actually matter. I think our fans appreciate that.”
“When I look out in the audience and I see these kids with tears in their eyes, not because I’m singing a love song, but because I’m singing about how the world is dying and we’re the only ones who can stop it, that is huge. I live for that. We played a festival in Brazil in front of 80,000 people, and everybody was singing every word—in English. After one of the songs, I told them, ‘We’re on the road a lot, and people always ask me, “Don’t you ever get homesick? Don’t you miss your family?” I said, ‘It took me awhile to realize this, but this is my home, and you all are my family.’ The place just blew up. It was amazing. But it’s the truth—those are my people and I always want to do right by them. It’s is the only game in town for me.” ❖
Brothers and Sisters
Soldiers of Jah Army Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know we come like fire.
InI are the soldiers, right now,
Speak truth in every way.
Live it up for no one but Jah.
Water pollution, no solution.
I live on this earth and I Mean, how long
I turn the page but the words never change
They cutting the trees that giving me life,
And raise up the animals to watch them die,
The sky is giving off acid rain
Again and again, it's the same,
Chorus But don't worry brothers, don't worry sisters.
Listen, little one, I mean that Jah protect us.
All of us, brothers and sisters.
Bullets chase and the soldier run.
American't and Hussein Saddam
Gommorah catch a fire, you gonna get burned
Jah got them a seat in the valley of decision.
Russia, America and Asia
Setting the stage for the 3rd World War.
For how far we've come, we have never come far
If you end my world in chemical war.
Chorus
(Breakdown)
Pass me the fire babylon burn dome
Burn the wickedness with more heat.
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
Pass me the flame so I can fling it all around.
These seven countries in the world keep on making all
The deals, little did they know he was loosing the 7
Seals.
Look in your heart, you can see it manifest.
I know what make man great is the heart that's in his
Chest.
So choose the path of love ïcause truth and rights
Could never rest, and don't worry Jah Jah children
Ïcause Selassie I protect you
The lyrics of Soldiers of Jah Army's song "Brothers and Sisters" speak to the injustice and destruction that humans have caused to the earth and to each other. The opening line expresses the sentiment that others may have thought the singers would come like easily controlled water, but instead they come like uncontainable fire. The song contains various references to environmental destruction, including water pollution and deforestation, both of which have damaging effects on the planet and its inhabitants. The lyrics also address political turmoil and the potential for world war, acknowledging the harm that humans can do to one another.
Despite these heavy themes, the chorus of the song offers hope and reassurance to "brothers and sisters," encouraging listeners not to worry because Jah (God) will protect them. The songwriter emphasizes the importance of love, truth, and righteousness in choosing a path forward, reminding listeners that these values are necessary for progress and protection.
Overall, the lyrics of "Brothers and Sisters" offer a warning about the consequences of human behavior, while also reminding listeners of the power of faith and positive action.
Line by Line Meaning
They said we'd come like water, but
They believed we would be submissive, but
I know we come like fire.
We are passionate and fierce
InI are the soldiers, right now,
We are warriors at this moment
Speak truth in every way.
We will communicate honestly and genuinely
Live it up for no one but Jah.
We will live our lives for God alone
Water pollution, no solution.
Water is becoming increasingly contaminated
I live on this earth and I Mean, how long
I wonder how much longer I will survive on this planet
Will people remain in this way, so strange?
Will humanity continue to act in abnormal fashion?
I turn the page but the words never change
The situation remains consistent despite efforts to change it
They cutting the trees that giving me life,
We are destroying the forests that we need to survive
And raise up the animals to watch them die,
We are breeding animals for slaughter
The sky is giving off acid rain
The atmosphere is polluted, leading to acidic rain
Again and again, it's the same,
This scenario continues to happen repeatedly
Listen, little one, I mean that Jah protect us.
God will protect us, my child
All of us, brothers and sisters.
We are all siblings
Bullets chase and the soldier run.
Soldiers run from gunfire
American't and Hussein Saddam
The United States and Saddam Hussein
Gommorah catch a fire, you gonna get burned
If you catch fire, you will be hurt
Jah got them a seat in the valley of decision.
God will judge them in the valley of decision
Russia, America and Asia
Russia, the United States, and Asia
Setting the stage for the 3rd World War.
They are preparing for the third World War
For how far we've come, we have never come far
Despite progress, we have never really made much progress
If you end my world in chemical war.
If the world is destroyed by chemical warfare
Pass me the fire babylon burn dome
Hand me the fire to burn down Babylon's dome
Burn the wickedness with more heat.
Eradicate evil with greater intensity
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
Give me the flame to burn down Babylon
Pass me the flame so I can fling it all around.
Give me the fire so I can spread it everywhere
These seven countries in the world keep on making all
These seven countries continue to make all the deals
The deals, little did they know he was loosing the 7
Unaware that they are unleashing the seven plagues
Seals.
The seven seals of apocalypse
Look in your heart, you can see it manifest.
You can see the truth by examining your heart
I know what make man great is the heart that's in his
A person's greatness lies in their heart
Chest.
Their chest, symbolizing their inner being
So choose the path of love ïcause truth and rights
Choose love, because justice and truth cannot rest
Could never rest, and don't worry Jah Jah children
They must remain vigilant, and fear not, Jah's children
Ïcause Selassie I protect you
For Selassie I will protect them
Contributed by Bailey L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@angelax815
They say we come like water, but
I know we come like fire Yea
InI are the soldier, right now,
speak truth in every way.
Say we come like water but InI know,
We come like fire. LOrd. Soldier
Live it up for no one but Jah!
v.1 Water pollution, no solution
live on this earth and I Mean how long
people gonna remain in a way so strange?
I wanna turn my page but the words never change
Cutting the tree that giving me life
Raise the animals and watch them die
Sky is giving off acid rain
again and again, yo it's the same
I won't worry brotha, don't worry sista
Listen little one, I mean God will protect All of us brothers and sisters
v.2 Bullets chase and the soldier run.
America and Hussein Saddam
Gommorah catch a fire, you gonna get burned
Jah got them sitin in the valley of decision.
Russia, America, Asia
Setting the stage for the 3rd World War.
How far we've come, wonderin if I come far
if you end my world in chemical war.
you know InI walked in the valley of the shadow of death
InI shall fear no evil, for he is with me as well as
my broadend staff to comfort me.
He leadith me beside still waters,
He layith InI down in green pastures and restored InI's soul. SO just...
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
We gon burn the wickedness with more heat.(Pass me the flame)
Pass me the fire, pass me the fire, pass me the heat
YO YO YO YO Pass me the fire babylon burn down
Pass me the flame so I can fling it all around.
These seven countries in the world keep on making all the deals,
little did they know he was loosing the 7 seals.
YO Lookin at your heart, you can see it manifest.
I know what make man great is the heart that's in his chest.
So choose the path of love cause truth and rights could never
rest, and don't worry Jah Jah children cause Selassie I protect
you
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
We gon burn the wickedness with more heat.(Pass me the flame)
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
Pass me the flame
@angelax815
They say we come like water, but
I know we come like fire Yea
InI are the soldier, right now,
speak truth in every way.
Say we come like water but InI know,
We come like fire. LOrd. Soldier
Live it up for no one but Jah!
v.1 Water pollution, no solution
live on this earth and I Mean how long
people gonna remain in a way so strange?
I wanna turn my page but the words never change
Cutting the tree that giving me life
Raise the animals and watch them die
Sky is giving off acid rain
again and again, yo it's the same
I won't worry brotha, don't worry sista
Listen little one, I mean God will protect All of us brothers and sisters
v.2 Bullets chase and the soldier run.
America and Hussein Saddam
Gommorah catch a fire, you gonna get burned
Jah got them sitin in the valley of decision.
Russia, America, Asia
Setting the stage for the 3rd World War.
How far we've come, wonderin if I come far
if you end my world in chemical war.
you know InI walked in the valley of the shadow of death
InI shall fear no evil, for he is with me as well as
my broadend staff to comfort me.
He leadith me beside still waters,
He layith InI down in green pastures and restored InI's soul. SO just...
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
We gon burn the wickedness with more heat.(Pass me the flame)
Pass me the fire, pass me the fire, pass me the heat
YO YO YO YO Pass me the fire babylon burn down
Pass me the flame so I can fling it all around.
These seven countries in the world keep on making all the deals,
little did they know he was loosing the 7 seals.
YO Lookin at your heart, you can see it manifest.
I know what make man great is the heart that's in his chest.
So choose the path of love cause truth and rights could never
rest, and don't worry Jah Jah children cause Selassie I protect
you
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
We gon burn the wickedness with more heat.(Pass me the flame)
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
Pass me the flame
@angelax815
They say we come like water, but
I know we come like fire Yea
InI are the soldier, right now,
speak truth in every way.
Say we come like water but InI know,
We come like fire. LOrd. Soldier
Live it up for no one but Jah!
v.1 Water pollution, no solution
live on this earth and I Mean how long
people gonna remain in a way so strange?
I wanna turn my page but the words never change
Cutting the tree that giving me life
Raise the animals and watch them die
Sky is giving off acid rain
again and again, yo it's the same
I won't worry brotha, don't worry sista
Listen little one, I mean God will protect All of us brothers and sisters
v.2 Bullets chase and the soldier run.
America and Hussein Saddam
Gommorah catch a fire, you gonna get burned
Jah got them sitin in the valley of decision.
Russia, America, Asia
Setting the stage for the 3rd World War.
How far we've come, wonderin if I come far
if you end my world in chemical war.
you know InI walked in the valley of the shadow of death
InI shall fear no evil, for he is with me as well as
my broadend staff to comfort me.
He leadith me beside still waters,
He layith InI down in green pastures and restored InI's soul. SO just...
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
We gon burn the wickedness with more heat.(Pass me the flame)
Pass me the fire, pass me the fire, pass me the heat
YO YO YO YO Pass me the fire babylon burn down
Pass me the flame so I can fling it all around.
These seven countries in the world keep on making all the deals,
little did they know he was loosing the 7 seals.
YO Lookin at your heart, you can see it manifest.
I know what make man great is the heart that's in his chest.
So choose the path of love cause truth and rights could never
rest, and don't worry Jah Jah children cause Selassie I protect
you
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
We gon burn the wickedness with more heat.(Pass me the flame)
Pass me the fire babylon burn down
Pass me the flame
@djuarex
Russia, America, Asia. Setting the stage for the Third World War. Those lyrics always stayed with me for years now. How relevant it’s always been.
@sjk217
How about now?
@David-gp3fd
how bout now
@WadayaMeane
NOW especially. It's literally about to come true in front of our eyes. 10/10 prediction.
@leovcarv
carai quanto tempo não ouvia esse som pedradaaaaaaaaa
@dinisaruan2992
O som de soja é
louco tenho todas as músicas
@jhonatanvasconcelos462
pedrada ❤❤❤ Love Soja
@zemedeiros572
Soja é sim uma semente natural do BR
@yangapohlo7265
Soja ,they always come up with hits ,i really respect the way they write
@evaldoribeiro7017
Soja é foda mesmo.