Canadian hip-hop heavyweights Sweatshop Union, one of the hardest working ensembles to ever emerge from British Columbia, have been making righteous, politically charged music for over a decade but on their newest album Infinite (summer 2013), they’re ready to really enjoy themselves.
The 6-member crew took their time with this album, spending a year to gather sounds and lyrics, whereas previous records have been completed in mere months. It bridges the gap between conscious music and fun party jams, exploring heavy themes but it’s also built for kicking back and vibing. The group believes that the record’s strength lies in this dichotomy.
Infinite (nominated 2014 WCMA) follows 2011’s Bill Murray EP, which won the Western Canadian Music Award for Hip-Hop Album of the Year, and raised their profile beyond their grassroots following, some time after pair of Juno nominations from their previous work together (Natural Progression & United We Fall | 2004 & 2006).
The new LP contains a range of sounds, combining old-school hip-hop with futuristic, electro headbangers, not to mention some ballads and spoken word interludes. It accomplishes the tricky task of reflecting the outfit’s individual tastes, as they inform SSU’s collective vision.
The group is prolific and moves quickly but as of this moment, Infinite stands as the most eclectic record in the Sweatshop Union catalogue. Listeners will find it tricky to categorize but it’s clear the collective had a lot of fun making this music and they hope it’s contagious. After all, despite its title, Infinite reflects a group of men who know that life is short and that they need to savor all the joyful moments that making music together provides.
Discography
* Sweatshop Union 2001
* Local 604 2002
* Natural Progression 2004
* United We Fall 2005
* Water Street 2008
* Bill Murray EP 2011
* Infinite 2013
Goldrush
Sweatshop Union Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
praisin' the dollar just like it's a goddess
Now, process the thought you could say yo' it's not us;
we're cautious so as not to get caught up on products
bull shit so full of McDonalds you need calonics
No honest, they've got us just how they've got us so that we want it
and will it stop?—No!
Not since your self-strength went through the window.
Hook
Look at the pop kings and queens,
stop think and see that the tug of marketing beneath those hot pink caprees
got you talkin' and bein' like all the Hollywood phony shit
better watch what you're preachin' now days not even only just that
I need a pony it's that
I need a Nokia-teen-barbie phone with a monthly credit loan
because it's family stuff
and we love to be nice parents
but you ought to know your daughter's growin' up to be like Paris
And they don't care it's in your homes or your own minds
They got you when your born so it's in your bones
like a kiddie-farm goldmine
generation so blind
we don't need to think, that's the whole nine
And you can hide, but they got million-dollar spin-doctors
workin' through the night to get a million out your thin pockets
Got a bottom line, big profits, big willy wanna brainwash the world
Gonna make a killing off it
Hook
I remember being thirteen, diggin' in my moms purse.
Fiendin' to get the name brand, shirts,
jeans, and anything else I thought was cool
Wanted to show off my shoes once I got to school
to make the other kids jealous
Tryin'a front like I bought 'em at Footlocker when I got 'em at Zeller's
But what the hell was I supposed to say man.
These girls'll ignore you unless your clothes are name brand, shit
But by the time I turned seventeen
realized that almost everything I thought was important had never been
and a lot of what I taught was true just wasn't
so by then i rarely got to school
started seeing it's a consumers world,
perpetuating greed that consumers the world
and everybody's over obsessed with their possessions
getting loaded with debt
got us climbing out a hole till we're old and decrepid
The song "Goldrush" by Sweatshop Union speaks about the negative impact consumerism has on society. The opening lines criticize the worship of money, where people value it like a goddess. The song then goes on to criticize the effects of consumerism on the mind, with people getting fascinated with brand names, and talking and behaving like Hollywood stars. It highlights how advertising has penetrated so deep into people's minds that they don't even realize that they are being manipulated. The younger generation is growing up with the same mindset, where their materialistic desires overshadow their ability to think clearly. The song argues that the world is perpetuating greed, and people are now becoming obsessed with their possessions to the extent that they are willing to go into debt.
Through this song, Sweatshop Union is trying to highlight the harmful effects of consumerism and how it has become a part of our daily life. The song aims to draw people's attention to what they value in life and whether they have been subconsciously influenced to give too much importance to their possessions. The song highlights the need to break free from the chains of consumerism and to focus on more meaningful aspects of life.
Overall, the song "Goldrush" provides a critical analysis of the impact of consumerism on society, encouraging people to take a step back and reconsider their values.
Line by Line Meaning
Mothers and sons, fathers and daughters you're praisin' the dollar just like it's a goddess
You worship money like a deity, and this applies to every member of society.
Now, process the thought you could say yo' it's not us; we're cautious so as not to get caught up on products
You might argue that you don't fall prey to consumerism, but you're careful not to be overtaken by the constant bombardment of ads and products.
bull shit so full of McDonalds you need calonics
The media is so clogged with advertisements for products like McDonald's that it's unbearable.
No honest, they've got us just how they've got us so that we want it and will it stop?—No!
Companies have manipulated us into wanting their products, and the cycle won't stop anytime soon.
Not since your self-strength went through the window.
We've lost our ability to resist the constant marketing and consumerism because corporations have successfully stripped us of our self-strength.
Look at the pop kings and queens, stop think and see that the tug of marketing beneath those hot pink caprees got you talkin' and bein' like all the Hollywood phony shit
The media is controlling the pop culture narrative, and we've been brainwashed into wanting the same things as the fake Hollywood elite.
better watch what you're preachin' now days not even only just that
It's essential to be mindful of what you're promoting these days, and this doesn't just apply to products.
I need a pony it's that I need a Nokia-teen-barbie phone with a monthly credit loan because it's family stuff and we love to be nice parents but you ought to know your daughter's growin' up to be like Paris
Families feel pressure to buy their children extravagant things like expensive phones and horses, so they'll be perceived as good parents, but it's leading to a generation obsessed with material possessions.
And they don't care it's in your homes or your own minds They got you when your born so it's in your bones like a kiddie-farm goldmine generation so blind we don't need to think, that's the whole nine
The industry doesn't care if their messages are in our homes or minds; they've been brainwashing us from birth, and it's become a profitable business leading to a generation too caught up in consumerism to think for themselves.
And you can hide, but they got million-dollar spin-doctors workin' through the night to get a million out your thin pockets
Companies have invested in powerful marketers to convince you to spend more money than you have.
Got a bottom line, big profits, big willy wanna brainwash the world Gonna make a killing off it
The ultimate goal for corporations is to make a profit, no matter what the cost, and they'll do so by brainwashing society into craving their products.
I remember being thirteen, diggin' in my moms purse. Fiendin' to get the name brand, shirts, jeans, and anything else I thought was cool Wanted to show off my shoes once I got to school to make the other kids jealous Tryin'a front like I bought 'em at Footlocker when I got 'em at Zeller's
As a teenager, the artist was desperate for name-brand merchandise and pretended to have bought them from the expensive Footlocker store, rather than the more affordable Zeller's, to impress others.
But what the hell was I supposed to say man. These girls'll ignore you unless your clothes are name brand, shit
The singer felt like they had no choice but to buy expensive clothing to fit in and attract attention.
But by the time I turned seventeen realized that almost everything I thought was important had never been and a lot of what I taught was true just wasn't so by then i rarely got to school started seeing it's a consumers world, perpetuating greed that consumers the world and everybody's over obsessed with their possessions getting loaded with debt got us climbing out a hole till we're old and decrepid
As the singer matured, they became aware of how misguided their priorities were and how false most of the lessons they'd been taught in life were. They see now that society is obsessed with consumption and material possessions, leading to a lifetime of debt and misery.
Contributed by Joseph V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.