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
Us
Sweatshop Union Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With billions of parts working as a massive machine
The goal, keep the masses passive between
Self, cash, limousines and other fabulous things
But, we gotta wake up and notice it's a load of shit
It's all about ownership of your soul and who's controllin' it
It's not about the gold you get, not about the clothes you're in
It's not about oil, but we're killing each other over it
It's a new world order, and they're bombin on Iraq
And it's so fucking heartless, the whole country's starved
And yet they've been targeted as a threat regardless
This all started in days prior to ours
They arrived from the stars, and survived in the dark
Now it's time for the hearts of men
To march against it
And realize that the cycle starts and ends with?
[Chorus]
Us, we're the ones that paid for the bombs
Us, we built the planes that they're on
Us, it's insane all of the ways they conned us
But we can change it today, it's just all on
Us, we're the ones that paid for the bombs
Us, we built the planes that they're on
Us, it's insane all the ways we've been conned
Into killing millions of innocent people, but it's all on?
Us.
Trust me friends, it could never just be us, or just be them
Sometimes I think it just depends, it's just pretend
You can never trust the trends
Don't rub your eyes, I'd rather you'd adjust the lens
Look up to them? Tell me, who the fuck are they?
When did they ever give a damn about what you say?
For what you stand? That's why you gotta trust me man
Trust a Bush? That's like saying trust Sadam
But for real, I mean you gotta love the fam
Ask his dad the ex-prez how many drugs he ran
So trust us, the shit's about to flood the land
Cause government hands can no longer plug the dam
So fuck the news, fuck the critics, fuck their views
And if you sit and let it happen then fuck you too
It's up to you, I can't tell you what to do
But touch the truth, and don't just judge the few
But judge?
[Chorus]
Us, we're the ones that paid for the bombs
Us, we built the planes that they're on
Us, it's insane all of the ways they conned us
But we can change it today, it's just all on
Us, we're the ones that paid for the bombs
Us, we built the planes that they're on
Us, it's insane all the ways we've been conned
Into killing millions of innocent people, but it's all on?
Us.
But it's all on Us
But it's all on Us
But it's all on Us
But it's all on Us
But it's all on Us
But it's all on Us
The song Us by Sweatshop Union has a strong message about the state of the world, politics and society. The first verse points out the sad fact that we are all a part of a massive machine that relies on billions of people working like parts in a sweatshop or fascist regime to keep the masses passive, obsessed with material possessions and self-interest. However, the lyrics also point out the importance of waking up and realizing the truth, that it is not about the gold or clothes you have, but about who is controlling your soul. The cycle starts and ends with "us".
The chorus is a call to action for everyone to take responsibility for their actions. It highlights the fact that it is us who have paid for the bombs that have killed millions, and it is us who have built the planes that drop these bombs. It is all in our hands to make a change for the better. The second verse of the song emphasizes the importance of not trusting trends, the media or politicians as they have never cared for the people they serve. The song encourages people to touch the truth and not judge each other but work towards making a change.
Line by Line Meaning
The whole world's a sweatshop, a fascist regime
The world operates like a sweatshop and is controlled by a fascist government.
With billions of parts working as a massive machine
Every individual is a part of a larger system that runs like a machine.
The goal, keep the masses passive between
The objective is to keep the masses distracted and passive.
Self, cash, limousines and other fabulous things
Individuals prioritize their own desires for wealth, luxury, and material possessions.
But, we gotta wake up and notice it's a load of shit
We need to be aware that this system is flawed and corrupt.
It's all about ownership of your soul and who's controllin' it
The primary concern is about who controls and owns our lives.
It's not about the gold you get, not about the clothes you're in
Material possessions are not important; it's about self-determination and freedom.
It's not about oil, but we're killing each other over it
Violence and conflict arise over resources, even though the resource itself is not the root of the problem.
Like a Doberman, chompin on a cat
The powerful are consuming the powerless, much like a dog consuming a smaller animal.
It's a new world order, and they're bombin on Iraq
The powerful are imposing a new order, which includes violent attacks on certain countries including Iraq.
And it's so fucking heartless, the whole country's starved
The situation is cruel and lacking in compassion, leaving the entire nation starving.
And yet they've been targeted as a threat regardless
Despite the fact that they are suffering, they are still seen as a threat.
This all started in days prior to ours
This problem has been ongoing for generations.
They arrived from the stars, and survived in the dark
Referring to the powerful elite who have always been in control.
Now it's time for the hearts of men
It is time for all individuals to take action.
To march against it
To take part in a collective movement against the system.
And realize that the cycle starts and ends with?
Recognize that the cycle of oppression begins and ends with us.
[Chorus]
Reiterating the idea that it's all on us to make a change.
Us, we're the ones that paid for the bombs
As a society, we are responsible for funding and creating the bombs used in wars.
Us, we built the planes that they're on
We are responsible for building and manufacturing the machines used in warfare.
Us, it's insane all of the ways they conned us
The manipulation and deception by the powerful is mind-boggling.
But we can change it today, it's just all on
However, we have the power to change it all.
Us, it's insane all the ways we've been conned
We have been greatly deceived about many things.
Into killing millions of innocent people, but it's all on?
Therefore, we as a society are responsible for the senseless killing of people through warfare.
Trust me friends, it could never just be us, or just be them
We must recognize that the situation is much more complex than just us vs. them.
Sometimes I think it just depends, it's just pretend
The situation is highly variable and sometimes seems like a facade.
You can never trust the trends
We must be cautious about blindly following the current trends.
Don't rub your eyes, I'd rather you'd adjust the lens
We must look at everything through a different perspective and adjust our focus.
Look up to them? Tell me, who the fuck are they?
We cannot blindly trust and follow the powerful elite.
When did they ever give a damn about what you say?
The powerful elite have never truly cared about the opinions of the masses.
For what you stand? That's why you gotta trust me man
It is important to stand for something true and meaningful.
Trust a Bush? That's like saying trust Sadam
It is foolish to blindly trust certain politicians.
But for real, I mean you gotta love the fam
We must love and support our family and communities.
Ask his dad the ex-prez how many drugs he ran
The actions of the powerful are often more corrupt than we realize.
So trust us, the shit's about to flood the land
The situation is about to get worse for all of us.
Cause government hands can no longer plug the dam
The government can no longer prevent the impending crisis.
So fuck the news, fuck the critics, fuck their views
We must reject the mainstream news and criticism.
And if you sit and let it happen then fuck you too
If we do nothing and let the situation continue, we are also part of the problem.
It's up to you, I can't tell you what to do
Ultimately, it is up to each individual to take action.
But touch the truth, and don't just judge the few
We must pursue the truth and avoid only judging a few individuals.
But judge?
The final line of the verse leaves the audience hanging, encouraging them to continue contemplating judgment on their own.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Billy Pace
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind