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.” ❖
Signature
Soldiers of Jah Army Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
way more than what we're getting
We don't remember what life is for
We believe in the wrong complications
your ties all stop at nations
When we could be so much more, so much more
Let it out and if it's true, it will flow out of you
Because the truth will never fall
it's been around before us all
and it's like a signature on your mind
We're the first, we're the generation
We are the ones to be one, this nation starts with us
it doesn't end when the water does
And we can see it when we think more clearly
and keep calm and you keep listening
or we could find ourselves past the point of no return
Let it out and if it's true, it will flow out of you
It's like a river in your mind
Because the truth will never fall
it's been around before us all
and it's like a signature on your mind
So get going with the new thought process:
remember birth and give away the numbness
Mankind was built on conquest
NOW'S the time that you give away the unrest
Unless we can undress all of the past concepts
and practice a little oneness
our future generations are just suspect
subject to our bullshit
Let it out and if it's true, it will flow out of you
It's like a river in your mind
Because the truth will never fall
it's been around before us all
and it's like a signature on your mind
Let it out and if it's true, it will flow out of you
It's like a river in your mind
Because the truth will never fall
it's been around before us all
and it's like a signature on your mind
on your mind
The song “Signature” by Soldiers of Jah Army calls for a change in mindset, urging listeners to let go of the lies, illusions, and wrong complications that they believe in. It speaks to the first generation, reminding them of their responsibility to start a new thought process and give away the numbness that holds them back. The song suggests that mankind was built on conquest but it's time to give away the unrest and undress all of the past concepts in order to achieve oneness.
The lyrics "Let it out and if it's true, it will flow out of you, it's like a river in your mind" suggest that the truth is always present within us, waiting to be expressed. The song encourages listeners to think more clearly, keep listening, and speak up in order to prevent future generations from being subject to their own self-created chaos.
Overall, this song is a call for action, for individuals to start with themselves and work towards a better world. It speaks to the power of truth and unity in creating a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
We deserve more than lies and illusions
We as individuals and as a community deserve to be treated with honesty and fairness, rather than constantly being deceived by false information and distorted perspectives.
way more than what we're getting
We should be receiving more than what we are currently getting in terms of justice, equality, and basic human rights.
We don't remember what life is for
As a society, we may have lost sight of what really matters in life and have become disconnected from our core values and principles.
We believe in the wrong complications
We may be focusing on the wrong things, making problems more complex than they need to be and failing to address the root causes of issues.
your ties all stop at nations
Our sense of loyalty and identity should not be limited to national borders, but should extend to all people as fellow human beings.
When we could be so much more, so much more
As individuals and as a society, we have the potential to be so much more than what we currently are, but we need to recognize and act on that potential.
Let it out and if it's true, it will flow out of you
If we are honest with ourselves and express our true thoughts and feelings, it will become clear what we really believe and stand for.
It's like a river in your mind
Once we start exploring and expressing our inner selves, it can become a natural and constant flow of ideas and insights.
Because the truth will never fall
The truth will always prevail, no matter how hard people try to deny or distort it.
it's been around before us all
The truth is not something that we invent or create, but rather something that exists independently of us and has always been there.
and it's like a signature on your mind
The truth can leave a deep and lasting impression on us, shaping who we are and how we view the world.
We're the first, we're the generation
As the current generation, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to create positive change and shape the direction of society.
We are the ones to be one, this nation starts with us
It is up to us to unify and work towards a common goal of creating a better society, as we are the ones who will lay the foundation for future generations.
it doesn't end when the water does
We should not limit ourselves to the boundaries of our physical environment, but rather strive to create a lasting impact that transcends time and space.
And we can see it when we think more clearly
When we approach problems with a clear and open mind, we can often see more clearly the underlying issues and potential solutions.
and keep calm and you keep listening
By remaining calm and attentive, even in the face of opposition or adversity, we can better understand and empathize with others, leading to more constructive dialogue and progress.
or we could find ourselves past the point of no return
If we fail to act on our potential and make positive changes in society, we may reach a point where it is too late to turn back and prevent irreversible harm.
So get going with the new thought process:
We need to embrace a new way of thinking and move beyond the limitations and biases of the past.
remember birth and give away the numbness
We should remember the innocence and purity of our birth and shed the numbness and apathy that may have developed over time.
Mankind was built on conquest
Throughout history, humans have often achieved progress through force and domination, but this way of thinking must be challenged and reformed.
NOW'S the time that you give away the unrest
We should work to eliminate the unrest and discord in society that has resulted from past injustices and divisions.
Unless we can undress all of the past concepts
In order to truly move forward and create positive change, we need to confront and challenge the outdated and harmful concepts that have influenced our society in the past.
and practice a little oneness
By embracing a sense of unity and common humanity, we can work towards a more peaceful and harmonious world.
our future generations are just suspect
If we fail to create positive change and address the issues facing society, we risk leaving future generations with an uncertain and unstable world.
subject to our bullshit
Unless we challenge and overcome our own biases and harmful ways of thinking, we will continue to perpetuate the problems and challenges facing society.
Contributed by Carson B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jah Weid
Soja, I would like to address you as a whole, you are all amazing. I really feel at home with your jams playing. This song speaks volumes about the way you think and the way you understand your role as a possible influence on the general public... I love you guys so much even though we have never met... we have been in the same place at the same time around 20 times (shows, festivals, etc) but I feel like I carry you with me always... I quote you, Jacob, throughout my day to day life. I tell my pops that you are my generations john lennon... his seem like big shoes to fill but they may be too small for you Jacob
Eric Scott
Amazing work! always puts a smile on my face
Jah Weid
Looks like its just me once again ... this song is heard by many even if the comments and other stats don’t show it.... I need you guys to keep going
Keep playing keep spreading the word of positivity