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.” ❖
Jah Atmosphere
Soldiers of Jah Army Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In Jah Atmosphere
Lord, there InI must be.
v.1What would you do to gain the world?
Sell our souls for diamond and pearl?
What would you do to reach the top
with smiling face stab a brother in his back
Climb a corporate ladder
to see your own brother fall?
What I'm gonna do on my judgment day,
when all iniquity fade and righteousness stay
Chorus
In Jah Atmosphere
Lord, there InI must be.
Bridge: InI a soldier ïtill the end.
I mean it my friend.
v.2What would you do for harmony?
To finally and permanantly abandon inferiority
I can't nothing about what I can't control,
just make the children see
the past don't have to be their future.
See, all of the days before me were filled with hate
this war and slvery InI came to late,
to feel superiority over any race
Black is a mind state..................
In Jah atmosphere, Lord there InI must be
The song "Jah Atmosphere" by Soldiers of Jah Army is a powerful commentary on the state of the world and the need for individuals to seek a higher spiritual and moral consciousness. The song begins with a series of questions, challenging the listener to consider what they would be willing to do to achieve success and power, such as selling their soul or betraying a friend. This is juxtaposed with the chorus, which urges listeners to seek a different path, one that leads them into the presence of Jah, or God.
The first verse continues this critique of worldly values, condemning the pursuit of material success at the expense of others. The lyrics suggest that the only way to attain true righteousness is by rejecting the corrupt values of society and striving for a greater spiritual understanding. The chorus serves as a reminder that this path is not an isolated one, but rather must be undertaken in the company of others who share the same beliefs.
The bridge further reinforces the idea that personal growth and spiritual development require a commitment to continued self-improvement. The final verse concludes the song by addressing the issues of racism and inequality, emphasizing the importance of breaking free from the limitations of the past and embracing a vision of humanity that is united in its pursuit of peace, justice and equality.
Line by Line Meaning
Chorus
Acknowledging the need to be in the presence of the divine spirit of Jah.
What would you do to gain the world?
Will you compromise your principles and values to attain material wealth and success?
Sell our souls for diamond and pearl?
Sacrificing our moral compass for temporary material wealth.
What would you do to reach the top with smiling face stab a brother in his back?
Betraying a friend or relative for personal gain while pretending to be loyal and honest.
What would you do to have it all?
How far are you willing to go to obtain everything you desire?
Climb a corporate ladder to see your own brother fall?
Using others to elevate yourself to higher positions without any regard for their personal welfare.
What I'm gonna do on my judgment day, when all iniquity fade and righteousness stay
Preparing for the ultimate judgment when all our deeds will be weighed and the righteous will prosper.
Bridge: InI a soldier ïtill the end. I mean it my friend.
Determined to remain faithful to Jah until the end of time.
What would you do for harmony?
To achieve peace and harmony, what sacrifices are you willing to make?
To finally and permanently abandon inferiority
Overcoming the negative and inferior beliefs placed upon oneself by society.
I can't nothing about what I can't control, just make the children see the past don't have to be their future.
Acknowledging the inability to change the past and instead choosing to inspire future generations to have a better future.
See, all of the days before me were filled with hate this war and slavery InI came too late, to feel superiority over any race Black is a mind state..................
Reflecting on the past struggles faced by the Black community and how despite arriving too late to confront them, finding empowerment and positivity through Black culture and identity.
In Jah atmosphere, Lord there InI must be
Affirming the importance of being in the divine presence of Jah to remain grounded and spiritually fulfilled.
Contributed by Eliana A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
SickShadow Filippo T.
I love sing... here the lyrics
In Jah atmosphere
This is not a mental place
Nor a physical place, but a spiritual place
Once you have a change to a spiritual place
The reaches out in your mental and your physical
Changing I and I entirely
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I a must be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I must be
What would you do to gain the world?
Sell our souls for diamond and pearl?
What would you do to reach the top
With smiling face stab a brother in his back
What would you do to have it all?
Climb a corporate ladder
To see your own brother fall?
What I'm gonna do on Judgement day
When all iniquity fade and justice stay
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I a must be
(In Jah atmosphere)
(..)
I and I a soldier till the end
Well I mean it, well I mean it, my friend
I and I a soldier till the end
What would you do for harmony?
To finally and permanently abandon inferiority
I can't nothing about what I can't control
Just make the children see
The past don't have to be their future
See, all of the days before me were filled with hate
This war and slvery I and I came to late
To feel superiority over any race
Black is a mind state
In Jah atmosphere, Lord there I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I
I and I must forever be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I a must be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I a must be
(..)
I and I a soldier till the end
Well I mean it, well I mean it, my friend
I and I a soldier till the end..
D.W.
In Jah atmosphere
This is not a mental place
Nor a physical place, but a spiritual place
Once you have a change to a spiritual place
The reaches out in your mental and your physical
Changing I and I entirely
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I a must be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I must be
What would you do to gain the world?
Sell our souls for diamond and pearl?
What would you do to reach the top
With smiling face stab a brother in his back
What would you do to have it all?
Climb a corporate ladder
To see your own brother fall?
What I'm gonna do on Judgement day
When all iniquity fade and justice stay
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I a must be
(In Jah atmosphere)
(..)
I and I a soldier till the end
Well I mean it, well I mean it, my friend
I and I a soldier till the end
What would you do for harmony?
To finally and permanently abandon inferiority
I can't nothing about what I can't control
Just make the children see
The past don't have to be their future
See, all of the days before me were filled with hate
This war and slvery I and I came to late
To feel superiority over any race
Black is a mind state
In Jah atmosphere, Lord there I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I
I and I must forever be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I must be
(In Jah atmosphere) Lord.. there I and I a must be
(In Jah atmosphere) There I and I a must be
(..)
I and I a soldier till the end
Well I mean it, well I mean it, my friend
I and I a soldier till the end..
Axel Jordan
Música boa será lembrada pra sempre. Música não tem rótulo, nem época. Música é amor, é arte, é vida.
DRE DRE
Precisamos de mais shows do Soja no Brasil.
Filipe Paraguassu
Sempre ouvi ... Nunca me canso ... Soja na veia ... Na tristeza , na alegria , no chá , soja é vida 🍁
Alyda Lourena
25/05/2020, em meio ao caos de uma pandemia mundial, essa música me acalma.
DELAS KK
💚❤️💛
Joao Henrique lido Joao Lino pai João Henrique
Oi boa noite você ovi SoJa li😎
Josue Santos
Tamo junto pai somo do Brasil espírito santo.....linhares...
Diego Leandro
Sempre ✌✌
Renato Marinho
Fortaleza, salve!
Yan Pablo
Pancada demais essa vai lá na alma ! Sinistra a vibe desse reggae! Good vibes pra todos que estão escutando essa obra! 2022! Segunda feira 4 de abril! Saudades do Maranhão! Ouvindo aqui de barcarena Pará!