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.” ❖
Non-Partial Non-Political
Soldiers of Jah Army Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And now InI found, Non-partial non-political
I love to laugh at all these partial minds
When they try to explain how I'm wrong
And they're right
Everyone act as if they know everything
They act as if they've seen what no man has seen
Not one of you can say that you know my destiny
Some things are just best left up to HIM.
This is Jah Love, InI been waiting
And now InI found, Non-partial non-political
InI have seen the truth, we are all created
Equal no difference from me to you
No difference from me to you
Every man is born naked, supremacist agree
But see they fake it. You spill all of this
Blood only to fight, you fight to prove
You living to fight, proclaim superiority and waste
My time, you may fool the majority but no the Most
High
This is Jah Love, InI been waiting
And now InI found, Non-partial non-political
Jah is one perfect love, until the philosophy
Which holds one race superior and another
Inferior is finally and permanently discredited and
Abandoned there will war everyday
Jah is why we are all blessed, this Iniverse was
Created for man to live in peace concord
And happiness and the word of Haile Selassie
Is a blessing yes .
Jah is the unsearchable entity, no discussion
Underway over his divinity, Oh lord, there is much
More to see but nothing to prove, no need to worry
Rastaman got lots to do with Jah Love!
HAILE I SELASSIE I
The song "Non-Partial Non-Political" by Soldiers of Jah Army talks about the power of Jah, the differences among people, and how the concept of supremacy has brought violence and conflict throughout history. The lyrics suggest that everyone is equal in the eyes of Jah, and that each religion claiming to have true faith is not a reason to judge and attack others. The song stresses the need to respect each other's beliefs and let Jah decide each person's destiny.
The first verse of the song highlights the partiality and political nature of people's minds, who always try to prove themselves right and others wrong. However, the singer believes that Jah's love is above human biases - Jah is non-partial and non-political. The chorus repeats the idea that Jah's love has been long-awaited and finally found by the singer, who realizes the importance of being open-minded and accepting of others.
The second verse of the song emphasizes the unity of mankind, and how all people are created equal regardless of race or ethnicity. The lyrics appeal to supremacist groups to stop thinking of themselves as superior to others and causing harm and bloodshed in the name of fight and superiority. The singer further stresses the need for living in peace, concord, and happiness, and that the word of Haile Selassie is a blessing.
Overall, the song "Non-Partial Non-Political" encourages listeners to appreciate the diversity of the world, respect each other's beliefs, and strive for peace and harmony. The song reminds us that Jah's love transcends human biases and political affiliations, and that we should strive to be non-partial and non-political in our interactions with others.
Line by Line Meaning
This is Jah Love, InI been waiting
InI have been eagerly waiting for Jah's love.
And now InI found, Non-partial non-political
InI have found a love that transcends politics and impartiality.
I love to laugh at all these partial minds
I find it amusing how people with biased minds try to tell me I'm wrong.
When they try to explain how I'm wrong
People with prejudices try to explain why my beliefs are incorrect.
And they're right
However, they cannot be right because their views are not objective.
Everyone act as if they know everything
People pretend to be all-knowing.
They act as if they've seen what no man has seen
People behave as if they have witnessed things that are impossible to see.
Each Religion claim to have true faith
Every religion asserts that it is the correct one.
Not one of you can say that you know my destiny
No one can predict what will happen to me.
Some things are just best left up to HIM.
Some things are best left to the divine.
InI have seen the truth, we are all created
I have realized that we are all created equal.
Equal no difference from me to you
There is no difference between you and me.
No difference from me to you
You and I are the same.
Every man is born naked, supremacist agree
Everyone is born equally, even supremacists would agree.
But see they fake it. You spill all of this
However, supremacists are not sincere about equality and they cause bloodshed.
Blood only to fight, you fight to prove
They fight just to prove their superiority.
You living to fight, proclaim superiority and waste
They dedicate their lives to fighting and proclaiming superiority, ultimately wasting their time.
My time, you may fool the majority but no the Most
They may fool many people, but not Jah, who is the most powerful.
High
An affirmation of the power of Jah.
Jah is one perfect love, until the philosophy
Jah is perfect love, and any ideology that promotes inequality leads to war.
Which holds one race superior and another
Any belief that states that one race is better than another.
Inferior is finally and permanently discredited and
Such a doctrine must be completely and forever discredited.
Abandoned there will war everyday
If there is not a rejection of this idea, there will be constant warfare.
Jah is why we are all blessed, this Iniverse was
Jah has blessed us all and created the universe for us to live in peace and harmony.
Created for man to live in peace concord
Man was meant to live in peace and harmony in the universe Jah created.
And happiness and the word of Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie's teachings promote peace, happiness, and harmony.
Is a blessing yes .
Haile Selassie's words are a great blessing.
Jah is the unsearchable entity, no discussion
Jah is not a topic for discussion since their immensity is immeasurable.
Underway over his divinity, Oh lord, there is much
It is pointless to debate Jah's divine nature, as there is much we cannot understand.
More to see but nothing to prove, no need to worry
We have much to learn about Jah, but there is nothing to prove, so there is no need to worry.
Rastaman got lots to do with Jah Love!
Rastafarians have much to do with promoting Jah's love and peace in the world.
HAILE I SELASSIE I
A reference to Haile Selassie, the former Emperor of Ethiopia and a central figure in Rastafarianism.
Writer(s): HEMPHILL JACOB CHARLES
Contributed by Mia W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.