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
Little Things
Sweatshop Union Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
brush your sweaty palms against the side of your pants
and then forget about the world that surrounds you
close you eyes begin to dance
let the sunshine in and never let it fade away
embrace the love within it let it shed light on shades of grey
forget every single person trying to bring you down
sometimes its hard to be the lonesome smile
you close your eyes cry and drown
your not alone rise above and escape the world that you hate
take a second out from life just to
feel the breeze freeze the world and hear the __
let nobody knows it sees(not sure on this line)
it the rain starts to pour let it wash away the pain
find the beauty and the ugly let happiness be reclaimed
lift those tear stains from you pillowcase the sadness is tamed
rebirth of innocence takes place then inner peace is gained
just ride the winds within it and begin to follow the change
I have so many little things to say
but still i keep my mouth closed
out of my control
let the tides roll and enjoy the day
want more then this face in a life that wastes away
and i can pace the rat hate maze that makes the days
long lit strained but I'm out in the pouring rain
nothing seems to change although it never stays the same
"you want some action"
why not man I'm tired of the same old
livein life on the payroll tired of my rusty halo
ain't no makein art when theres no heart in your music
to those who got talent but can't chance to use it
confused and crazy lost in my day dream
follow the yellow bricks while picking the path they paved me
maybe I"m a victim to those who keep us silent
laughing at the front man when I can"t see the tyrant
in this time now its not safe to lose focus
you could life a whole life without anyone taking notice
I guess thats it think I'm burning my last wicks
so I'll sit and listen brooding to the crooning of the fat chick
you see the sky you ever sit and wonder why
wonder why the world is build on insecurities and lies
trying a set my visions high and driven by my need to lead the blind
seek and find
in all due time
a way to gain some a way to gain some peace of mind
its hard to have some freedom
in a world that I don't believe in
trying to bring the balance back
and make these crooked people even
clear the air ways
____ the stage
unlatch the cage
the pack will stray
and ignorance won't last a day
so pray for escape
now its to late to break
and what do you say
I'll say you better go and blow and kiss the face
wait til the dollar rises
and the new day arrives
forget your pride and your hate because its great to be alive
The lyrics of Sweatshop Union's song Little Things urge the listener to forget the world around them and focus on the little things in life that make them happy. The song's first verse describes a person escaping the negativity of their surroundings by dancing and embracing the sunlight. The second verse touches on the monotony of life and the desire for something more, including a longing to make art with heart. The last verse speaks of seeking freedom and balance in a world of insecurity and lies.
The lyrics encourage the listener to find their own inner peace, even when the world around them is chaotic and negative. The message of the song is to find joy in the simple pleasures and not let the negativity of the world hold you back. The artist acknowledges that society is not perfect, but calls for listeners to seek balance, freedom, and happiness within that flawed world.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold you whispers to an awkward silence
Keep your thoughts to yourself, avoid speaking in social situations
brush your sweaty palms against the side of your pants
Nervously wipe your palms against your pants to calm yourself down
and then forget about the world that surrounds you
Ignore the environment around you when needed
close you eyes begin to dance
Dance with shut eyes to enjoy the music completely
let the sunshine in and never let it fade away
Bask in the positivity and maintain it forever
embrace the love within it let it shed light on shades of grey
Accept the love, let it enlighten the dull moments
forget every single person trying to bring you down
Ignore the individuals who try to bring you down
sometimes its hard to be the lonesome smile
It's difficult to remain happy when surrounded by unhappy people
in a crowd of frowns and when no ones around
Affected by unhappy people's mood even in isolation
you close your eyes cry and drown
Seek solace in isolation and cry alone in pain
your not alone rise above and escape the world that you hate
Believe in the inner strength to get away from the environment that's hurting you
take a second out from life just to feel the breeze freeze the world and hear the
Take a quick break to feel the winds and silence all other noises
let nobody knows it sees(not sure on this line)
Don't let others know the solace you seek in isolation
if the rain starts to pour let it wash away the pain
Let the rainfall wash away the emotional pain
find the beauty and the ugly let happiness be reclaimed
Celebrate both good and bad to gain happiness back
lift those tear stains from you pillowcase the sadness is tamed
Get over the sadness and try to move on with a clean mind
rebirth of innocence takes place then inner peace is gained
Regain the lost innocence to achieve peace of mind
just ride the winds within it and begin to follow the change
Go with the flow and adapt to the change in life
I have so many little things to say
Mind is filled with various thoughts and ideas
but still i keep my mouth closed
Remain silent and keep those thoughts to yourself
out of my control
Not in control of the situation
let the tides roll and enjoy the day
Let things happen naturally and enjoy the moment
want more then this face in a life that wastes away
Desire to achieve more than just an existence without any purpose
and i can pace the rat hate maze
Struggle to navigate through life with rat-like instincts
that makes the days long lit strained
Life's challenges can make the days feel long and hard
but I'm out in the pouring rain
Facing life's difficulties bravely
nothing seems to change although it never stays the same
Although life is dynamic, everything remains the same
"you want some action"
Asking for something different to do
why not man I'm tired of the same old
Unhappy with the monotony of life
livein life on the payroll tired of my rusty halo
Living life in a mechanical format is tedious and dull
ain't no makein art when theres no heart in your music
Creativity and art don't flow when there's no passion behind it
to those who got talent but can't chance to use it
People talented but not getting a chance to showcase their skills
confused and crazy lost in my day dream
Baffled and frustrated, dreams going to waste
follow the yellow bricks while picking the path they paved me
Following others' opinions and ideas without having any of my own
maybe I"m a victim to those who keep us silent
Possibly someone trying to suppress one's voice
laughing at the front man when I can"t see the tyrant
Unable to understand the true reason behind someone being laughed at
in this time now its not safe to lose focus
Can't afford to lose concentration at this moment
you could life a whole life without anyone taking notice
Live an unnoticed life, despite one's achievements
I guess thats it think I'm burning my last wicks
The end is here, out of energy
so I'll sit and listen brooding to the crooning of the fat chick
Sit alone, lost in thought and introspection
you see the sky you ever sit and wonder why
Gaze at the sky and wonder about the secrets of the universe
wonder why the world is build on insecurities and lies
Question why there are so many falsehoods and doubts in this world
trying a set my visions high and driven by my need to lead the blind
Have grand aspirations, lead those who are unaware or ignorant of the truth
seek and find
Search for the truth
in all due time
Eventually, the search will be fruitful
a way to gain some a way to gain some peace of mind
Find a way to gain some peace of mind
its hard to have some freedom
Freedom is difficult to attain
in a world that I don't believe in
Difficult to achieve freedom in a world one does not believe in
trying to bring the balance back
Attempting to restore the balance of righteousness
and make these crooked people even
Trying to straighten out immoral people
clear the air ways
Speak out and express oneself without any confusion
____ the stage
Not able to understand the meaning of the line
unlatch the cage
Unchain oneself and be free
the pack will stray
People will breakaway from established norms
and ignorance won't last a day
Ignorance will not be able to continue for long
so pray for escape
Hope and pray for a way to escape
now its to late to break
Too late to restart or undo the situation
and what do you say
What is your response to this situation?
I'll say you better go and blow and kiss the face
Perspective of not caring about the outcomes and just doing whatever feels good
wait til the dollar rises
Waiting for the situation to improve
and the new day arrives
Hoping for better days
forget your pride and your hate because its great to be alive
Let go of negative emotions and appreciate the gift of life
Contributed by Samuel P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.