Supreme Beings of Leisure is an electronic/trip-hop band. Current members o… Read Full Bio ↴Supreme Beings of Leisure is an electronic/trip-hop band. Current members of SBL are Singer/Songwriter Geri Soriano-Lightwood and Multi-Instrumentalist/Programmer Ramin Sakurai. SBL was formed from the remains of the band Oversoul 7 in 1998 when they signed to Palm Pictures.

In 1996, Oversoul 7 came together as members Geri Soriano-Lightwood, Ramin Sakurai, (Bassist)) Kiran Shahani, and (Guitarist) Rick Torres released "Nothing Like Tomorrow" and "What's the Deal" on two compilations on the Moonshine Music dance label. After the Moonshine releases, Oversoul 7 signed a demo deal with A&M records recording demos of "Truth From Fiction", "Never the Same", and "Last Girl on Earth", all songs which ended up on the now classic "Supreme Beings of Leisure" debut album (released on Palm Pictures label).

The release of the first Supreme Beings of Leisure album sold over 250,000 units with very little promotional touring. Instead, SBL opted to use the internet to market and promote the album, becoming the first band ever to do a "Virtual Internet Tour", and was among the first to use Flash animation for their videos, making them the first true "Internet Band" of the new millennium.

After the release of their debut album, the group disbanded. The core duo of Soriano-Lightwood and Sakurai, however, released the second SBL album "Divine Operating System" shortly thereafter in 2002. In 2003, SBL left Palm Pictures, taking a three year hiatus, releasing various remixes and appearing on various other artists' albums. In 2006, Supreme Beings of Leisure started writing material which coalesced into a new album, the highly anticipated 11i.

Ghetto
Supreme Beings Of Leisure Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When your Daddy lies and your Mama cries
Never giving you reprieve
And your circumstance is a sinner's dance
Gotta fight what you believe

You've been infected, you lost respect and
And now you're wanting out
That nagging voice has come to bite you

Come to fight you all through the night

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
From what's in your mind, it's a ghetto
There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
From what's in your mind, better let go

Will they crucify and you justify
Never giving up your gun
For an empty chance at a loaded dance
Spinning circles watch them run

Your soul is worn, your will is torn
There's nothing you won't do
Deaf to your cries, your savior's blind
'Cause this state of mind, who will save you?

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
From what's in your mind, it's a ghetto
There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
It's all in your mind, better let go

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
From what's in your mind, it's a ghetto
There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
It's all in your mind, you better let go

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
There's nowhere to go, your mind can set you free
There's nowhere to run, your mind can set you free

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
From what's in your mind, it's a ghetto
There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
It's all in your mind, you better let go

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
From what's in your mind, it's a ghetto
There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
It's all in your mind, you better let go

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
From what's in your mind
There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide
It's all in your mind

There's nowhere to run, your mind can set you free

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Supreme Beings Of Leisure's song "Ghetto" describe the struggles of someone trapped in difficult circumstances. The first verse talks about a family situation where the father lies and the mother cries, leaving the singer with no relief. The circumstances are described as a sinner's dance, a recurring pattern of behavior that is not easy to break away from. The fight takes place primarily in the individual's mind, with the nagging voice attacking them all through the night.

The second verse describes a situation where the individual has lost respect, and they feel like they are infected. They want out of the situation, but there seems to be no escape. They have lost their will, and their soul is worn. The person has given up on hope, and even their savior is deaf to their cries. The chorus of the song proclaims that there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide from what's inside their mind. It's all in their mind, and they better let it go. The final verse revisits the theme of the mind and how it can set one free.

The song is about the power of the mind and how it can control a person's life, leaving them in a ghetto, whether it be figuratively or literally. The lyrics are poetic, and the words are carefully chosen to convey the emotions of someone who is trapped in a seemingly hopeless situation.

Interesting facts about the song:
1. "Ghetto" was released as the first single from Supreme Beings of Leisure's self-titled album in 2000.
2. The song was written by Ramin Sakurai, who is the co-founder of Supreme Beings of Leisure and also serves as their keyboardist and drummer.
3. "Ghetto" was used in a 2002 episode of the teen drama "Dawson's Creek".
4. The song was also featured in the 2001 movie "Ghosts of Mars".
5. The music video for "Ghetto" features lead singer Geri Soriano-Lightwood walking through the streets of downtown Los Angeles.
6. The song was a hit in Australia where it reached #9 on the ARIA charts.
7. "Ghetto" was remixed by a number of DJs and producers, including Armand Van Helden and Pete Lorimer.
8. The album "Supreme Beings of Leisure" received generally positive reviews upon its release, with critics praising its blend of electronic and trip-hop music styles.
9. The band's name was inspired by a quote from the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, "The wise find pleasure in water, the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active, the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful, the virtuous are long-lived.".
10. "Ghetto" features a memorable, looping guitar riff that is often cited by fans as one of their favorite elements of the song.

Possible chord progression:
Verse: F#m - D - E - F#m
Chorus: A - E - F#m - D - A - E - Bm - D (repeat)

Line by Line Meaning

When your Daddy lies and your Mama cries Never giving you reprieve And your circumstance is a sinner's dance Gotta fight what you believe
Growing up in a household with a deceitful father and a mother who constantly cries without any relief, living in a wicked and hopeless environment that is like a dance with the devil, requires one to stand up for what they believe in and fight against the negativity surrounding them.

You've been infected, you lost respect and And now you're wanting out That nagging voice has come to bite you Come to fight you all through the night
Feeling influenced by the negativity around you, you begin to lose respect for yourself and your values and desire to leave this destructive environment. However, that voice inside, which continuously pulls you back to the ghetto, fights you all night long.

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide From what's in your mind, it's a ghetto There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide From what's in your mind, better let go
Escaping the ghetto seems impossible because the negativity and hopelessness have taken over your mind. It's important to understand that there's no escape until you let go of these thoughts and beliefs.

Will they crucify and you justify Never giving up your gun For an empty chance at a loaded dance Spinning circles watch them run
Sometimes, people don't understand why you feel the need to hold onto something that gives you strength in difficult times. They judge and criticize you for your actions instead of empathizing and trying to understand you. At times like these, people are dancing on the thin line between a risk and a deadly fall.

Your soul is worn, your will is torn There's nothing you won't do Deaf to your cries, your savior's blind 'Cause this state of mind, who will save you?
Your spirit is worn out and your will to persevere is shaken, yet there's nothing you won't do to escape the ghetto. No matter how much you cry out for help, your savior, who could have saved you from this mindset, is mute because of their own blindness.

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide From what's in your mind, it's a ghetto There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide It's all in your mind, better let go
Once again, there's no escape from the mindset that is holding you back from reaching your full potential. Accepting this and letting go of these negative thoughts and beliefs is the only way to escape the ghetto in your mind.

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide From what's in your mind, it's a ghetto There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide It's all in your mind, you better let go

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide There's nowhere to go, your mind can set you free There's nowhere to run, your mind can set you free
Even though there seems to be no escape from the ghetto, it resides in your mind. You have the power to free yourself from the mental trap if you let go of negative thoughts and beliefs.

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide From what's in your mind, it's a ghetto There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide It's all in your mind, you better let go

There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide From what's in your mind There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide It's all in your mind
The true prison of the ghetto is one's own mind, and there's no escape from it. Recognizing that the struggle exists within your mind is the first step to overcoming it.

There's nowhere to run, your mind can set you free
The mind can be both the root of the problem and the solution to the problem. Once you understand this, you are free to break free from the ghetto that shackles the mind.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SEAN MICHAEL ANDERSON, TERIUS YOUNGDELL NASH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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