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
Try
Sweatshop Union Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hard as ya' can
To understand
This runnin' in circles
Got me wonderin'
I- I- I don't know why
We pay it any mind
Baby I'm blind
If we don't even
Try
Ever since the ninth of July to the day that
I faded tonight in the sky
'Cause I never wanna be the thing that you hear many say
Like "I coulda been, I shoulda been, but never did it anyway"
Livin' day to day a nickle spent a penny saved
Feelin' homeless always lookin' for some change
Change o' mind, my mind is gone I want it back
Trainwreck rapper keep my life on the track
Anyone is everyone an' anything is everything
An' no one is a nobody I know it in my brain
Heard a wise man say an' I'll say it the same
It ain't how many times you fall but if you get back up an'
Try
Hard as ya' can
To understand
This runnin' in circles
Got me wonderin'
I- I- I don't know why
We pay it any mind
Baby I'm blind
How would we know
If we don't even
Try
I'm tryin' to get up, get out, an' get some thin'
An' still live up to what I've said
What's important to me 's not a fortune please
Still don't feel I need a Porshe, Beemer to fulfill my dreams
'Cause I remember the reason that I got into this thing in the
First place wasn't ever to be rich
All I wanted was to say my peice and make enough at least
To have a place to sleep 'til I'm done that I won't sit down
An' I can't quit now I'm addicted to the drum kit's poundin'
An' now an' then it might feel like I'm runnin' in circles
I just gotta keep jumpin' the hurdles and
Try
Hard as ya' can
To understand
This runnin' in circles
Got me wonderin'
I- I- I don't know why
We pay it any mind
Baby I'm blind
How would we know
If we don't even
Try...
Well maybe I'm older
Maybe my heart's cold
Or maybe it's yours
Tell me to get over
This chip on my shoulder
That's bringin' me down
Well I got my word and my pride no job an' no credit
Found my one true love but got co-dependant
I got no things I got no image
Got a lot more goals an' not close to finished
I got a dream an' a pipe that's it
A drum machine an' a mic to spit
Got a career that made me cheat on my wife and mistress named life
An' I ain't treatin' her right either
Vice versa got some tight verses
Hope the first of the month some thin' might surface
It just might and it might just not
It's a flip o' the coin I suppose I just gotta
Try
Hard as ya' can
To understand
This runnin' in circles
Got me wonderin'
I- I- I don't know why
We pay it any mind
Baby I'm blind
How would we know
If we don't even
Try
Hard as ya' can
To understand
This runnin' in circles
Got me wonderin'
I- I- I don't know why
We pay it any mind
Baby I'm blind
How would we know
If we don't even
Try...
In Sweatshop Union's song Try, the artists explore the theme of striving towards understanding and purpose in a world that often feels overwhelming and confusing. The chorus urges people to try their hardest to understand the complexities of life, even when it feels futile. The verses add layers to this message, with the artists referencing personal struggles and the pursuit of artistry as a way to make sense of the world.
The first verse discusses feeling lost and unsure, with the singer wondering why people even bother paying attention to the chaos around them. The second verse speaks to the artist's struggles as a rapper, with the pressures of success and the temptations of substance abuse threatening to derail their life. The third verse is the most reflective, with the singer acknowledging that they may be part of the problem and grappling with a sense of purposelessness.
Overall, the song urges listeners to keep pushing forward and seeking understanding even when it feels impossible. It acknowledges the difficulty of this task, but ultimately advocates for the power of trying to make sense of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Try
Effort to achieve success
Hard as ya' can
Put forward maximum effort
To understand
Seeking clarity in life
This runnin' in circles
Aimlessly wandering
Got me wonderin'
Thinking about the point of it all
I- I- I don't know why
Confused about the purpose of life
We pay it any mind
Giving attention to things that may not matter
Baby I'm blind
Unable to see the true meaning of life
How would we know If we don't even Try
If we don't make an effort, we will never know
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, TuneCore Inc.
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