Their music is strongly influenced by bluegrass sounds, as well as forays into rock, pure improv, calypso, country, funk, jazz, Latin, reggae, and occasional psychedelia.
Black and White
String Cheese Incident Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Books that we've been told to
Are we catching the meaning?
Are we really supposed to?
It's time that we start seeing
The shades of color between the lines
Find a true way of being
Have you heard of Douglas town?
And the Irish of another skin
A million people have died there
How come we never heard a thing?
You envision a world without chains
Listen do you hear the call?
Dr. King and those who rise and fall
Fought so hard to bring peace to all
[Chorus: ]
Can't you see
That not everything is black and white?
Can't you see,
That we need each other's strength and might?
In this world of illusion
It's so easy to be blinded
Out of created confusion
Separation in minded
See if we can believe in
The truth that all our children know
It's about time we start thinking
It's not all about what we're told
Can't you see
That not everything is black and white?
Can't you feel
That we need each other's strength and might?
When we believe
That there's no need for these walls to grow
We'll all see
That it takes all colors to make this rainbow
Higher, higher, higher....(and so on)
The lyrics of String Cheese Incident's song Black and White explore the themes of perception and bias in our lives. The opening lines address the concept of reading and education, and how we often blindly follow what we're told without questioning the true meaning behind it. The song then moves on to challenge our worldview and prejudices, asking us to see beyond the black and white divides we've created, and find a true way of being.
The second verse is particularly powerful, as it raises the issue of historical atrocities that often go unacknowledged or ignored. The reference to Douglas town and the Irish of another skin is likely a reference to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, where sectarian violence claimed countless lives. The fact that a million people have died there, and yet many of us have never heard of it, speaks to the selective nature of history and how it's used to reinforce our biases.
The chorus of the song drives home the main message, that not everything is black and white, and that we need to recognize and embrace the diversity of the world around us. The final lines of the song, "We'll all see that it takes all colors to make this rainbow," serve as a reminder that unity is only achieved when we embrace our differences and work together.
Line by Line Meaning
Spend our lifetime reading
We spend most of our life reading books
Books that we've been told to
We read books that we are instructed to read
Are we catching the meaning?
Do we understand the message the books are trying to convey?
Are we really supposed to?
Are we actually supposed to read these books and learn from them?
It's time that we start seeing
It is time for us to start observing with open eyes
The shades of color between the lines
The various nuances and hidden meanings between the lines
Find a true way of being
Discover our true selves
Don't you think we're wasting time
We may be wasting our time and potential
Have you heard of Douglas town?
Are you aware of the Douglas Town mentioned earlier?
And the Irish of another skin
The Irish people with different skin color and features
A million people have died there
A large number of people have lost their lives there
How come we never heard a thing?
Why are we unaware of such a tragedy?
You envision a world without chains
You desire a world free of bondage and slavery
Listen do you hear the call?
Can you listen to the voice for change?
Dr. King and those who rise and fall
Dr. King and others who have struggled and fought for equality
Fought so hard to bring peace to all
Have struggled and campaigned for peace and freedom for everyone
Can't you see
Can you not see the truth?
That not everything is black and white?
That not everything can be simply categorized as good or bad
Can't you see,
Can you not see
That we need each other's strength and might?
That we need to depend on each other's strength and support
In this world of illusion
In a world full of illusions and delusions
It's so easy to be blinded
It is easy to be misled or confused
Out of created confusion
A confusion that is purposely created
Separation in minded
To be divided in thought or beliefs
See if we can believe in
Let us test our beliefs and convictions
The truth that all our children know
The truth known by all children
It's about time we start thinking
It's high time we start reflecting and contemplating
It's not all about what we're told
It is not only about what we are instructed to believe
Can't you feel
Can you not feel
That we need each other's strength and might?
That we need to depend on each other's strength and support
When we believe
When we have faith
That there's no need for these walls to grow
When we realize that we should not construct walls between us
We'll all see
We will all recognize and understand
That it takes all colors to make this rainbow
That we need all colors and types of people to make this world beautiful
Higher, higher, higher...
An exclamation to soar higher
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RICHARD MITCHELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@caseyleemcatee
Music has always been and will always be about connecting to your audience. That feeling you get when you close your eyes and listen to the Dead isn't any different than all those smiles on the faces of Cheese fans hoola-hooping somewhere in a field. It's all about that relationship. The diversity of all this music is what draws all of us to it. Fell the love man!
@AZJuggling
5 incredibly talented musicians playing music that can only be a distant desire for most bands. They are the epitome of cool.
@ashleysman09
Ah, just think of all the talent it takes to make music like this! It's rare that bands with this much talent occur. Yay for talent!
@suemeredith1284
My favorite band ever! This is such a gem!💎🧀💎
@dawhiteguy622
you def should check them out...such a versatile band too....bluegrass, funk, rock, jam, phsychadelic...they do it all!
@didjndrums
One of the greatest live shows to come down the pike in 20+ years. Truly a joy to see. I will miss their shows.
@PooNagoo
Why!? You can still see them!? :)
@ronbunn1349
@@PooNagoolol that comment was from 15 years ago dude. Cheese was on hiatus in 2008
@PooNagoo
@@ronbunn1349 Just in case he wasn't aware :) lol
@kriswoppert
One of the best bands out there hands down. Can't wait for whats next. Would love to see this whole episode.