Sweet Honey in the Rock was founded in 1973 by Bernice Johnson Reagon who formed the group out of the strongest singers from a vocal workshop she was teaching with the D.C. Black Repertory Company. The name of the group comes from a religious parable that tells of a land so rich that when rocks were cracked open, honey flowed from them.
The music of Sweet Honey in the Rock challenges its listeners with songs on topics including motherhood, spirituality, freedom, civil liberties, domestic violence, and racism.
Over the years, more than twenty individuals have lent their voices to Sweet Honey in the Rock. Beginning as a quartet, Sweet Honey in the Rock is now comprised of six African American women (including a professional American Sign Language interpreter who accompanies the group on concert tours). The ensemble tackles difficult five-part harmonies and composes much of their own music.
Sweet Honey in the Rock has received several Grammy Award nominations, including one for their children's album Still the Same Me which received the Silver Award from the National Association of Parenting Publications. They won a Grammy in 1989 in the category of Best Traditional Folk Recording for their version of Leadbelly's "Grey Goose" from the compilation album Folkways: A Vision Shared.
Time
Sweet Honey In The Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get around, oh where in time
Seems my mind goes like when
Good times are coming back again
People say that I'm wrong
A man can't travel back alone
I got to travel like life
What I've done wrong
[Chorus]
Beat my mind
See my sign
Help me find, time
Some things are thing's that I've done
For no one a reason I will be hung
I've got to go on the same
Somewhere or something I clear my name
[Chorus: x2]
Beat my mind
See my sign
Help me find time
Time, time, time, time
Time, time, time, time
The lyrics to Sweet Honey In The Rock's song Time speaks to the unpredictable twists and turns of life. The first stanza refers to the confusion that can come with trying to navigate life's challenges. The singer reflects on how the passage of time has a tendency to blur the past and present, making it difficult to keep track of where they are in life. The line "Seems my mind goes like when / Good times are coming back again" speaks to this sense of disorientation, where the mind jumps back and forth between memories of the past and hopes for the future.
The next stanza suggests that the singer has made mistakes in the past, and is now seeking to make amends. They acknowledge that they must take responsibility for their actions if they are to move forward. The line "A man can't travel back alone / I got to travel like life" suggests that the singer sees the journey to redemption as a kind of journey through life itself. They cannot simply erase the past, but must work to overcome it through personal growth and perseverance.
The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the urgency of the singer's plea, as they call out for help in finding the time to set things right. The line "Some things are things I've done / For no one a reason I will be hung" speaks to the idea that our actions can have consequences that we may not fully understand, and that we must be accountable for our choices, even if they were made without malicious intent.
Overall, the lyrics to Time are a reflection on the complex nature of time and human experience. The song speaks to the difficulties of navigating life's challenges while also recognizing the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
We are spend about life
We are all living our lives, experiencing and trying to make the most of it
Get around, oh where in time
We are trying to navigate through our lives, questioning where we are and where we are going
Seems my mind goes like when
Sometimes my thoughts revolve around the past and I wonder 'what if' or 'if only'
Good times are coming back again
Despite difficult times, I have hope that things will get better
People say that I'm wrong
Others may disagree with my choices or actions
A man can't travel back alone
You can't change the past by yourself, sometimes you need support from others
I got to travel like life
I have to keep moving forward, keep living life
What I've done wrong
I have made mistakes
I must make right
I need to take responsibility and make amends for my mistakes
[Chorus]
Refrain: calling out for help and guidance to find the right path in life
Beat my mind
Quiet the noise in my head, find clarity and focus
See my sign
Looking for a sign or direction to guide me
Help me find, time
Asking for help to manage my time and make the most of it
Some things are thing's that I've done
There are things that I regret or wish I could change
For no one a reason I will be hung
Sometimes you make mistakes for no logical reason, but you still feel guilty and responsible for the consequences
I've got to go on the same
I have to continue living and dealing with the consequences of my actions
Somewhere or something I clear my name
I hope to find a way to make amends and redeem myself for my mistakes
[Chorus: x2]
Refrain: calling out for help and guidance to find the right path in life, repeated twice
Time, time, time, time
Emphasizing the importance of time and the urgency to make the most of it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RICKY ROSS, CARA ROBINSON, DAVID SCOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Barbara Barnett
on Young and Positive
what are the lyrics to im young and im positive
Amado Mc. G
on The little Shekere
The Little Shekere Lyrics: I Use to be a squash in Aminatta’s field Until the day she decided to collect her yield I was so afraid that she would come and choose me but since I couldn’t run away, I had to wait and see She went back and forth and up and down every row then without choosing me she decided to go I was so relieved I began to shout! Which made her turn around and see me so she picked me out! When she wrapped me in her sack and place me on her head and started walking toward her village, I was filled with dread Many of my friends and family had left the land but never knowing where they went I did not understand That a whole new life was just ahead of me as a calabash, moraccas, agbe, axatse. I never knew a squash could be so many things full of colors and designs and beaded down with strings When we reached the house they took me out of the sack I wanted to go home! (somebody take me back!) But as I look around I just could not believe my eyes I saw my friends and family, what a nice surprise! They were happy to see me and they were looking good and when they started to talk, that’s when I understood Even though each one was different in color and shape when they all played together the music was great. My life was just beginning in the musical world I’d be a shekere for these young boys and girls A Shekere! (A Shekere!) A Shekere! (A Shekere!) So listen everybody to my family and friends we’re gonna sing this song for you from begin to end A Shekere! (A Shekere!) A Shekere! (A Shekere!) *Shekeres Playing* Shekere!
Ahfor Taitu
on I Be Your Water
I BE YOUR WATER-LYRICS
i————
i be your shelter
i be your rain
i be your everything
i be your friend
i be your water
when your thirsty and dry…
i woke up mourning in a crowded sick place
surrounded by evil, protected by grace
there were these hands, hundreds reaching for me
they knew exactly who and what i should be
each way i turned, had me stronger than the last
which would i choose & how could i pass
then i heard whispers (be still -be still -be still)
from deep inside me (be still -be still -be still)
then i heard whispers (be still -be still -be still)
from deep inside me (be still -be still -be still)
as i gave power to the sound of my own voice
a way broke before me, i followed my choice
i walked along the way others lives had been
til’ i came to what seemed like an end
again these hands, reaching beckoning for me
they knew exactly who and what i should be
again the whispers (be still -be still -be still)
keeping me steady (be still -be still -be still)
again the whispers (be still -be still -be still)
keeping me steady (be still -be still -be still)
way before me was mine to make
there was no road, no path to take
as i had my life, through this muddy walk way
others toiled beside me for a justice new day
still i have felt lonely most of the time
walking this sweet freedom struggle of mine
still i have felt lonely most of the time
walking this sweet freedom struggle of mine
saved by the whispers (be still -be still -be still)
keeping me steady (be still -be still -be still)
saved by the whispers (be still -be still -be still)
keeping me steady (be still -be still -be still)
yesterday i stumbled around the bend
i saw you standing, you reached me your hand
i seen you before, oh many of times
why your life had plowed the road, right next to mine
now you make the sun rise in my sky
you rock my cradle hunny, you make me fly
you keep me company
now you make the sun rise in my sky
you rock my cradle hunny, you make me fly
you keep me company
i————
I be your shelter
i be your rain
i be your everything
i be your friend
i be your water
when your thirsty and dry…
Brenda Nelson
on Long Journey Home
Does anyone have lyrics for this song...long journey home ....by sweet honey in the rock?