The Roots' original lineup included Black Thought (MC vocals) and Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson (drums), who were classmates at the Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts. As they began to play at school and on the streets, they added another MC named Malik B., bassist Leonard Hubbardand keyboardist Scott Storch. Another MC, Dice Raw, frequently made album appearances with the group from 1995 to 1999 before leaving to record a solo album. Scott Storch also left to pursue career as a producer following the Do You Want More?!!!??! album, He produced songs such as Still D.R.E. by Dr Dre. The Roots filled his void with another keyboardist, Kamal who is still a member. A beatboxer named Rahzel also joined the group and contributed from 1995-1999. Alongside Rahzel was vocal turntablist, Scratch who greatly contributed to The Roots' sound, most notably in live concerts. He left the group in 2003. Malik B. left the group in 2000. A guitarist, Ben Kenney, enjoyed a short stint with the group and contributed to their Phrenology album, but left to join Incubus. A percussionist, Knuckles, was added in 2002 and guitarist, Kirk Douglas (a.k.a. "Captain Kirk") repleaced Kenney. A vocalist, Martin Luther toured with The Roots in 2003 and 2004 and contributed to their album The Tipping Point. The current members of The Roots are Black Thought (MC vocals), ?uestlove (drums), Hub (bass), Kamal (keyboard), Knuckles (percussion), and Captain Kirk (guitar).
The Roots' debut album, Organix released in 1993, was actually a live recording from a concert in Germany that the Roots sold at their shows. The album earned enough industry buzz to earn the Roots offers from major record labels, and they signed with DGC records, which at the time was better known for its grunge music releases.
The Roots' first album for DGC, Do You Want More?!!!??! (recorded live without the use of samples), was a moderate hit on alternative radio. Their 1996 release Illadelph Halflife was the group's first album to crack the Top 40 on Billboard's album chart, spurred in part by MTV's airplay of the video for "What They Do", a parody of rap video clichés such as the "beatdown shot," and "Clones" which was their first to single to reach the top five on the rap charts.
In 1999, The Roots released Things Fall Apart (named after a novel by Chinua Achebe), their breakthrough album. The track "You Got Me", duet with R'n'B singer Erykah Badu, earned them a Grammy award for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group.
In 2000, Dice Raw left the group to record his solo debut album, Reclaiming the Dead.
The Roots' reputation as a hip-hop live band made Jay-Z call on them for his MTV Unplugged album in 2002. The album featured good recreations of many of his great songs, played by the band with a little help from female vocalist Jaguar Wright.
2002's Phrenology introduced a more mainstream sound for the Roots, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. The album's sales were boosted by radio and TV airplay for two duets on the album, "Break You Off" (featuring Musiq Soulchild) and "The Seed 2.0" (featuring Cody ChestnuTT). The video for "The Seed 2.0" earned a nomination for the MTV2 Award at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. "The Seed" was also featured on the soundtrack to the Mandy Moore movie Chasing Liberty. Phrenology was certified gold (signifying U.S. sales of at least 500,000 units) in June 2003.
The Roots' 2004 release, The Tipping Point, took its name from a 2000 book by Malcolm Gladwell. The album earned two more Grammy nominations: one for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the track "Star", and another for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for the track "Don't Say Nuthin'". The album was an immediate hit, debuting at #4 on the Billboard album chart and selling over 100,000 copies in its first week of release.
On November 15, 2005 The Roots released two compilation albums, Home Grown! The Beginner's Guide To Understanding The Roots, Volumes 1 & 2. These two separately sold discs are a compilation of past hits, live performances, and rare remixes compiled by ?uestlove himself. They also feature 70 pages of liner notes written by ?uestlove. These two albums marked the Roots' last releases on Geffen Records.
The Roots' album, Game Theory, was released on August 29, 2006. The album, which features a track that samples the song "You and Whose Army" by Radiohead, was released on Jay-Z's Def Jam.
The Roots next album 'Rising Down' was released on April 29th 2008. Features tracks with Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Saigon, and other greats.
The Make Me Songfacts reports that The Roots' eleventh album, undun, is their first concept album. It tells the story of a man called Redford Stephens who died in 1999 at the age of 25. We hear Redford retelling his life post-mortem and attempting to deconstruct what led to his undoing.
The Roots are also the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon airing first on March 2nd, 2009.
Lighthouse
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Passing out life jackets bout to go didown
Get down with the captain or go down with the ship
Before the dark abyss I'ma hit you wit dis
If you can't swizzim then ya bound to drizzown
Passing out life jackets bout to go didown
Get down with the captain or go down with the ship
And no one's in the lighthouse
You're face down in the ocean
And no one's in the lighthouse
And it seems like you just screamed
It's no one there to hear the sound
And it may feel like there's no one there
That cares if you drown
Face down in the ocean
Smoking cheap weed sipping on cheap vodka
You pick your poison down Davey Jones' locker
It's rum we be wanting
By the tons my consumption
Take a look at my lungs and my liver
It's disgusting
Take a look at the man in the mirror
We start fussing
Only one person gets hurt when throwing the punches
Me
And the man behind the glass just laughs
The waves come over my head and just crash
My hand start bleeding water starts receding
A feeling comes into my heart I start believing that
I actually might survive through the evening
Survive my own thoughts of suicide that's competing
With thoughts of tryna stay alive which been weakened
By the feeling of putting on a smile while being beaten
The fear of drowning still diving in the deep end
The waters carried me so far you can't reach ‘em
And it feels like there's no one
And no one's in the lighthouse
You're face down in the ocean
And no one's in the lighthouse
And it seems like you just screamed
It's no one there to hear the sound
And it may feel like there's no one there
That cares if you drown
Face down in the ocean
After the love is lost
Friendship dissolves
And even blood is lost
Where did it begin
The way we did each other wrong
Troubled water neither one of us could swim across
I stopped holding my breath
Now I am better off
There without a trace
And you in my head
All the halted motion of a rebel without a pause
What it do is done till you dead and gone
The grim reaper telling me to swim deeper
Where the people go to lo and behold the soul keeper
I'm not even breaking out in a sweat
Or cold fever but
I'm never paying up on my debt or tolls either
I'll leave the memories here I won't need 'em
If I stop thinking and lie, now that's freedom
Your body's part of the Maritime museum
Face down in the past is where I'm bein'
And no one's in the lighthouse
You're face down in the ocean
And no one's in the lighthouse
And it seems like you just screamed
It's no one there to hear the sound
And it may feel like there's no one there
That cares if you drown
Face down in the ocean
If you can't swizzim then ya bound to drizzown
Passing out life jackets bout to go didown
Get down with the captain or go down with the ship
Before the dark abyss I'ma hit you wit dis
If you can't swizzim then ya bound to dridown
Passing out life jackets bout to go didown
Get down with the captain or go down with the ship
Before the dark abyss I'ma hit you wit dis
The lyrics to The Roots's song "Lighthouse" delve into themes of struggle, survival, and the importance of perseverance. The song's title is a metaphor for finding hope and guidance in the midst of darkness and uncertainty. The lyrics begin with a warning: if you can't swim, you're bound to drown. The message here is that in life, one must be able to navigate difficult situations in order to survive.
The chorus "And no one's in the lighthouse, You're face down in the ocean" speaks to the feeling of being lost and alone, with no one to turn to for help. It's about the struggle to keep going when it feels like the world is against you. The reference to "Davey Jones' locker" reinforces this message, as this is a traditional term for the bottom of the ocean, where sailors who drown are said to end up.
The lyrics also touch on themes of addiction and the danger of self-destructive behavior. The line "Smoking cheap weed sipping on cheap vodka, You pick your poison down Davey Jones' locker" speaks to the temptations and pitfalls that can come with substance abuse. The lyrics urge the listener to choose to "get down with the captain" and make positive choices rather than succumbing to negative impulses.
Overall, the song "Lighthouse" is a powerful reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope. It urges listeners to keep pushing forward, even when the odds are against them.
Line by Line Meaning
If you can't swizzim then ya bound to drizzown
If you can't swim, then you're doomed to drown.
Passing out life jackets bout to go didown
I'm giving out life jackets because we're about to sink.
Get down with the captain or go down with the ship
Stick with the leader or face the same fate as the rest.
Before the dark abyss I'ma hit you wit dis
I'm warning you before it's too late.
And no one's in the lighthouse
There's no one watching out for you.
You're face down in the ocean
You're completely hopeless and helpless.
And it seems like you just screamed
You tried to call for help, but no one heard you.
It's no one there to hear the sound
No one is listening to your cries for help.
And it may feel like there's no one there
You feel completely alone and abandoned.
That cares if you drown
No one seems to care about your wellbeing.
Smoking cheap weed sipping on cheap vodka
Using unhealthy coping mechanisms and substances.
You pick your poison down Davey Jones' locker
You're choosing things that will ultimately lead to your downfall.
It's rum we be wanting
We're seeking temporary relief from our problems.
By the tons my consumption
We're indulging in these substances excessively.
Take a look at my lungs and my liver
My body is suffering from the effects of my choices.
It's disgusting
The consequences of my behavior are repulsive.
Take a look at the man in the mirror
Reflecting on my own choices and actions.
We start fussing
We're in conflict with ourselves.
Only one person gets hurt when throwing the punches
We're only causing harm to ourselves.
The fear of drowning still diving in the deep end
We're afraid of the consequences, but we're still engaging in risky behavior.
And it feels like there's no one
We feel completely alone and unsupported.
After the love is lost
When relationships break down.
Friendship dissolves
Even close friendships can end.
And even blood is lost
Even family ties can dissolve.
Where did it begin
Reflecting on the origins of conflict.
The way we did each other wrong
Recognizing that both sides contributed to the problem.
Troubled water neither one of us could swim across
Both parties found themselves unable to navigate the conflict.
If I stop thinking and lie, now that's freedom
Letting go of the truth can feel liberating, but it's not true freedom.
Your body's part of the Maritime museum
Your mistakes are now on display for everyone to see.
Face down in the past is where I'm bein'
I'm stuck dwelling on my mistakes and regrets.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TARIK L. COLLINS, AHMIR K. THOMPSON, RICHARD A. FRIEDRICH, KARL B. JENKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
WildfireWiffler44
After the love is lost
Friendship dissolves
And even blood is lost
Where did it begin
The way we did each other wrong
Troubled water neither one of us could swim across
I stopped holding my breath
Now am I better off
There without a trace
And you in my head
All the halted motion of a rebel without a pause
What it do is done till you dead and gone
The grim reaper telling me to swim deeper
Where the people go to -- lo and behold, the soul keeper
I’m not even breaking out in a sweat
Or cold fever but
I’m never paying up on my debt or tolls either
I’ll leave the memories here I won’t need them
If I stop thinking and lie, now that’s freedom
Your body’s part of the Maritime museum
Face down in the past is where I’m being
I don't care what anyone says, Black Thought is the greatest MC of all time
#rollerboychris Christopher Jones
If you can't swizzim then ya bound to drizzown
Passing out life jackets bout to go didown
Get down with the captain or go down with the ship
Before the dark abyss I'm gon' hit you wit dis...
And no one's in the lighthouse
You're face down in the ocean
And no one's in the lighthouse
And it seems like you just screamed
It's no one there to hear the sound
And it may feel like there's no one there
That cares if you drown
Face down in the ocean
Smoking cheap weed sipping on cheap vodka
You pick your poison down Davey Jones' locker
It's rum we be wanting
By the tons my consumption
Take a look at my lungs and my liver
It's disgusting
Take a look at the man in the mirror
We start fussing
Only one person gets hurt when throwing the punches
Me
And the man behind the glass…
Richard Jarrett
One of the best hooks i ever heard
Smoov
I loved this song as soon as I heard the hook
Paul McCann
3 dislikes? Those idiots are definitely going to hell. One of my favourite songs of the last 3 years POINT BLANK PERIOD. Dice's first verse is just absolute... poetry.
Dwayne The Coke Johnson
This man deserves to be famous.
Hawkborne
This song is my 2nd most played song in my library. The first is "One Time". Dice Raw is always going to be on their tracks, but it's a shame he officially left The Roots (due to drug problems). Stay strong, Dice!
j angel
Still sounds amazing in 2022 .. The message..still relevant. And resonates with me.
audiovandalismuk
the roots are a true live hip hop band, every instrument is played by a member! no one can touch the roots and their raw basic hip hop. been a fan since day dot, been to gigs and they produce the goods on stage!
Jon Blatz
I agree saw them the day they put out Things fall Apart album release down the Gallery in my hometown 215,saw them multiple times,simply the best of the best,,all the wat live from the 215
Discord67
Black Thought is truly the greatest MC to ever touch a microphone.
Hoops McCann
one time my buddy (a college age kid) asked who i thought were the top 5 rappers. i said: "nas, biggie, eminem, let me think about the next 2 . . . . . . black thought . . . . . big l."