The Prodigy first emerged in the underground rave scene in the early 1990s and achieved popularity and worldwide recognition with UK number one singles such as "Firestarter" and "Breathe", both singles coming from their UK and US chart topping album The Fat of the Land (1997). A third single from the album, “Smack My Bitch Up”, was also successful. They earned titles like "the premiere dance act for the alternative masses" and "the Godfathers of Rave", and remain one of the most successful electronic acts of all time. They have sold an estimated 25 million records worldwide, and won numerous music awards during their career, including two Brit Awards for Best British Dance Act, three MTV Video Music Awards, two Kerrang! Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards, and received two Grammy Award nominations.
The Prodigy were founded in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by keyboardist and songwriter Liam Howlett. He had taken piano lessons in his youth and gained the ability to play difficult passages in just a few run-throughs. After he decided to pursue a music career, Howlett met dancer and vocalist Keith Flint in mid-1989 at a rave at which Howlett was DJing. After Flint requested Howlett make a mix tape for him, Howlett obliged, returning a cassette several days later with a collection of his own songs on the other side. Howlett had scratched the word "Prodigy" onto the cassette, the same name as the Moog Prodigy analogue synthesiser, and Howlett's moniker. The tape was well-received by Flint and keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill who developed new dance sequences to the music and suggested to Howlett they begin a group together. They were soon joined by MC and vocalist Maxim, then known as Maxim Reality, and female dancer and vocalist Sharky, a friend of Flint's. Together they became the first line-up of the Prodigy.
On 4 March 2019, Keith Flint was found dead at his home in Essex, just weeks after playing six live dates in Australia and New Zealand. On 5 March, the band announced on Twitter that "all forthcoming concerts in 2019 would be canceled, effective immediately".
Following Flint's death, fans began using the Twitter hashtag "Firestarter4Number1" on various social media platforms to get "Firestarter" to top the British singles charts again. This was done out of respect for Keith Flint and to raise awareness of suicide among men.
On 20 August 2019, one day before his 48th birthday, Liam Howlett posted on the band's official Instagram page, saying he is "back in the studio making noise [...] brand new Prodigy tunes are gonna roll", referring to his intention to keep on releasing music under the Prodigy moniker.
Along with the Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim, the Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. The Prodigy, however, is not considered entirely representative of the genre as their production "often reflected the more intelligent edge of trip-hop, and rarely broke into the mindless arena of true big beat" according to AllMusic. The Prodigy are also considered alternative dance, techno, electronica, breakbeat hardcore, and rave.
Liam Howlett cited early electro as a big influence, mentioning tunes like "Clear" by American music group Cybotron and "Al Naafiysh" by Hashim. Liam Howlett also cited The Bomb Squad, Public Enemy, and Rage Against the Machine as influences.
Veteran's Memorial
The Prodigy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I flash back we was little niggas livin most real
1989's when we first met
We first clicked over convo' gettin twisted
In dunn grand earth crib cuttin outta school
Watchin cable it seemed like the other day
Through the eyes of a stranger we was kids
But in our own minds we was grown mens
And y'all play the rock every chance y'all got
As I sat back and just watched hey, what can I say?
The same back then as I am today
I can recall me, Jemel and Jamal
In the room drinkin straight vodka with they moms
When I walk home with the big nefertiti charm
Back with the light blue camoflauge suit
God me and Hav' doin it hard, tryin to get on
We sampled songs on the box with record and pause
Killer B didn't even get his first firearm
And I was still holdin one shot derringers
[Hook]
Who would think anyone of us would cease to exist
Left with just thoughts of the past to reminisce
Sometimes I see a chick walkin past with ya kids
Or find an old flicka of some 1-2-5th
All the shit that we been through it boils to this?
Dun, I wish we could start it all over again
Ninety-five, we on top tourin the states
A lotta times we even took the click overseas
Came along way from the hallway
Sitting in the staircase with Bacardi
Bring the honeycomb speaker outside to bang
While we would share drinks with the other that came
Triple L stayed takin they cash in dice games
Killer Black grew to keep an ice grill, dunn was not playin
Yammy, the most Infamous told me one day
"Put the bogies down 'fore I pound you out P"
But it was all love, we was eash others dunns
We held each other down, borrowed each other guns
It's hard to believe that niggas so strong
Could die so easily forever be gone
I could still feel the web of your palm, against mine
'Cause we did our hand shake all the time
Why it have to be your time to go and not mines?
Spilled tears contemplating to my delf cryin
All the laughs we shared and fights we had
All the nights we would get nice, damn
Plates of food we split in half
I dedicate the rest of my life to all my niggas that passed
[Hook]
What the fuckin deal, motherfuckin Scarface nigga, killer
For Bean, Fugi, Gooey, (I can't take no more nigga), Corey
Black Ed, the fuck, knahmsayin? Ill Will burnin
Harry, fuck yo, I can't take no more man
Frankie, Spank, whattup man? Straight up
My grandmoms man, my granddad man
Grandma Brooks, straight up my pops man
Straight up man, that's it
All my dead, all my dead
Man, the little babies man, no more man
Abortion babies man, I can't take no more man
I'll never forget you, all my dead it's all love man
Motherfuckin Yambo, in a minute, we'll be there
Motherfuckin Yammy, straight up, I can't wait
You was my strength nigga, I miss why'all
I can't believe you gone nigga
What the fuck happened?
Ain't nobody else goin away man
You ain't takin nuttin else from me man
Nobody can't take nuttin else from me man that's it
I dare you! Come try, it's over man
You can't take nuttin else from us yo..
That's my word, I put my life on it
I'll be next nigga, straight up!
I stand up for that
Cause ain't none of my niggaz goin, that's enough
We had enough
It's the Veteran's Memorial right here man, straight up man
We love y'all, one love..
The lyrics of The Prodigy's song "Veteran's Memorial" tell a tale of friendship, memories, and loss. The song reminisces about the past and the experiences the singer had with their friends. The opening lines set the nostalgic tone, with memories playing back like film and flashing back to when they were young, living in a real and raw world. The year 1989 marks the beginning of their friendship, where they clicked and bonded over conversations and being rebellious.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of their childhood, cutting school, watching cable, and feeling like they were grown men even though they were just kids. The song emphasizes the strong bond they had, playing together on the block, and supporting each other. The singer recounts sitting back and watching their friends play basketball, while they observe and reflect on how they have remained the same throughout the years.
The second verse takes us to 1995, where they have risen to fame and success. They have gone from sitting in hallways and staircases, drinking Bacardi, to touring the states and overseas. However, despite their success, they still remember and cherish their humble beginnings. The lyrics mention specific friends and their personalities, highlighting their loyalty and the tough exterior they carry. The song then takes a somber turn, acknowledging the harsh reality that even strong individuals can be taken away too soon. The loss of their friends is deeply felt, and the lyrics express the pain and longing to start anew.
Overall, "Veteran's Memorial" is a tribute to the singer's friends who have passed away. It reflects on their shared experiences, the bond they had, and the memories they created together. It is a heartfelt acknowledgment of the impact these friends had on the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Memories play back like film
The memories we have are vivid and replay in our minds like a movie
I flash back we was little niggas livin most real
I remember when we were young, living our lives authentically
1989's when we first met
We became friends in the year 1989
We first clicked over convo' gettin twisted
Our friendship started during a conversation while under the influence
In dunn grand earth crib cuttin outta school
We used to skip school in my friend's large house
Watchin cable it seemed like the other day
It feels like just yesterday we were watching TV together
Through the eyes of a stranger we was kids
To an outsider, we may have looked like ordinary kids
But in our own minds we was grown mens
But in our own minds, we felt like mature adults
Outside on the block we would play the bench
We used to spend time playing basketball on the neighborhood court
And y'all play the rock every chance y'all got
And you all would take every opportunity to play basketball
As I sat back and just watched hey, what can I say?
I would sometimes just observe and enjoy the moment
The same back then as I am today
I haven't changed much since those days
I can recall me, Jemel and Jamal
I remember hanging out with my friends Jemel and Jamal
In the room drinkin straight vodka with they moms
We used to drink vodka in their room with their mothers
When I walk home with the big nefertiti charm
I used to wear a large Nefertiti charm necklace when walking home
Back with the light blue camoflauge suit
I had a light blue camouflage suit back then
God me and Hav' doin it hard, tryin to get on
God, Havoc, and I were working hard, trying to achieve success
We sampled songs on the box with record and pause
We would use a tape recorder to sample songs from the radio
Killer B didn't even get his first firearm
My friend Killer B didn't even have his first gun yet
And I was still holdin one shot derringers
I still carried a small one-shot pistol
Who would think anyone of us would cease to exist
It's hard to believe that any of us would no longer be alive
Left with just thoughts of the past to reminisce
We are now only left with memories and nostalgia
Sometimes I see a chick walkin past with ya kids
Sometimes I see a woman passing by with your children
Or find an old flicka of some 1-2-5th
Or come across an old photograph of us on 125th Street
All the shit that we been through it boils to this?
All the experiences and hardships we went through, is this what it leads to?
Dun, I wish we could start it all over again
My friend, I wish we could go back and relive it all again
Ninety-five, we on top tourin the states
In 1995, we were at the peak of our success, touring across the country
A lot of times we even took the click overseas
We even traveled abroad with our crew several times
Came along way from the hallway
We have come a long way from our humble beginnings in the hallway
Sitting in the staircase with Bacardi
We used to sit in the staircase drinking Bacardi
Bring the honeycomb speaker outside to bang
We would take a portable speaker outside to blast music
While we would share drinks with the other that came
We would all share drinks and have a good time together
Triple L stayed takin they cash in dice games
Triple L was always winning money in dice games
Killer Black grew to keep an ice grill, dunn was not playin
Killer Black developed a stern facial expression, showing he was serious
Yammy, the most Infamous told me one day
Yammy, who had a reputation for being notorious, once said to me
"Put the bogies down 'fore I pound you out P"
"Stop smoking cigarettes before I beat you up, P"
But it was all love, we was eash others dunns
But deep down, we had a strong bond and were like brothers to each other
We held each other down, borrowed each other guns
We supported and protected each other, even lending each other firearms
It's hard to believe that niggas so strong
It's difficult to accept that strong individuals like us
Could die so easily forever be gone
Could die so suddenly and be lost forever
I could still feel the web of your palm, against mine
I can still remember the feeling of your hand holding mine
'Cause we did our hand shake all the time
Because we had a special handshake that we always did
Why it have to be your time to go and not mines?
Why did you have to die and not me?
Spilled tears contemplating to my delf cryin
I shed tears and cried alone, deep in thought
All the laughs we shared and fights we had
I remember all the laughter and arguments we experienced together
All the nights we would get nice, damn
All those nights we would have a great time and get high, damn
Plates of food we split in half
We used to share our meals, splitting them in half
I dedicate the rest of my life to all my niggas that passed
I commit to honoring and remembering all of my friends who have died
What the fuckin deal, motherfuckin Scarface nigga, killer
What's going on? This is Scarface, a lethal rapper
For Bean, Fugi, Gooey, (I can't take no more nigga), Corey
In memory of Bean, Fugi, Gooey, and Corey, I can't bear losing anyone else
Black Ed, the fuck, knahmsayin? Ill Will burnin
Black Ed, what's up? Ill Will is always causing trouble
Harry, fuck yo, I can't take no more man
Harry, damn, I can't handle losing anyone else, man
Frankie, Spank, whattup man? Straight up
Frankie, Spank, how are you guys doing? Seriously
My grandmoms man, my granddad man
My grandmother and grandfather, man
Grandma Brooks, straight up my pops man
Grandma Brooks, my father, man
Straight up man, that's it
That's all, man
All my dead, all my dead
All my deceased friends
Man, the little babies man, no more man
The young children, man, no longer here, man
Abortion babies man, I can't take no more man
Babies lost through abortions, man, I can't bear it anymore, man
I'll never forget you, all my dead it's all love man
I will never forget any of you, my deceased friends, it's all love, man
Motherfuckin Yambo, in a minute, we'll be there
Yambo, we'll join you in a minute, we'll be there soon
Motherfuckin Yammy, straight up, I can't wait
Yammy, I can't wait to see you, straight up
You was my strength nigga, I miss why'all
You were my source of strength, man, I miss all of you
I can't believe you gone nigga
I can't believe you're gone, man
What the fuck happened?
What the hell happened?
Ain't nobody else goin away man
No one else is leaving, man
You ain't takin nuttin else from me man
You won't take anything else from me, man
Nobody can't take nuttin else from me man that's it
No one can take anything else from me, man, that's the end
I dare you! Come try, it's over man
I challenge you! Come try, it's all over, man
You can't take nuttin else from us yo..
You can't take anything else from us, you know
That's my word, I put my life on it
I swear on my life, I'm telling the truth
I'll be next nigga, straight up!
I might be the next one to go, I'm serious!
I stand up for that
I firmly hold that belief
Cause ain't none of my niggaz goin, that's enough
Because I can't bear losing any more of my friends, that's enough
We had enough
We've endured enough
It's the Veteran's Memorial right here man, straight up man
This is a tribute to all the veterans who have passed away, man, seriously
We love y'all, one love..
We love all of you, one love..
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: ALAN MAMAN, ALBERT JOHNSON, AL JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kenshonishimura13
When I heard that Prodigy passed, I instinctively played this song, and cried my eyes out. Prodigy Rest In Peace.
@curtiswilliams9366
Me too my G.. cried like a baby! One love bro✊🏾
@danielraul1989
Shit fucked me up too
@joemomma2913
I cried
@joemomma2913
I bump P when I drink it happens
@kenshonishimura13
@@joemomma2913 Dude had a pain that was so pure and deep, it just speaks to the darkest regions of a man's damn soul.
@jessejames1451
This breaks my heart. It resonates with a lot of us from a similar background or lifestyle. It breaks my heart that I can't have my friends back.
When they talk about all time best rappers and they leave prodigy out I smile because his music was only meant for a certain type of person.
May Allah bless your soul insha'Allah
@JayDeeDonuts
Ameen ya rab
@MhluriMkhabele
Same
@multiversalsoldier33
"Plates of food, we split in half"..it simply don't get no more realer than that‼