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.
Sprite Commercial
The Roots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Im falling away with you
We cant always say
In the cold light of day whats through
Time will heal your wounds
Ill see you through
I thought wed create
Hearts in a sea of Blue
I said I believed in you
But Im falling away
Im falling away with you
Time will heal your wounds
Ill see you through
Your eyes may fade from view
Ill see you through.
Im torn at the seams
It pains me to breathe
You think that youre not needed
But I feel your pain, its alway the same
But let′s not feed it
You're here in my soul
I want you to know
Ill never leave
Theres nothing to say
No more charades for fools
I came here to stay
Im falling away with you
Im falling away
Im falling away with you.
Time will heal your wounds
Ill see you through
Your eyes may fade from view
Ill see you through
Time will heal your wounds
Ill see you through
Im falling away
Im falling away with you
Im falling away
The Roots's song "Sprite Commercial" is a hauntingly beautiful song about falling away and the struggle to maintain a relationship when life becomes difficult. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they seem to be about two people who have fallen out of love and how they are coping with the aftermath. The song’s melody is very subtle, and the vocals are smooth and gentle, creating a melancholic and introspective mood.
The song opens with the line “I’m falling away, I’m falling away with you,” which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer seems to be acknowledging that they are drifting apart from their partner, but they are still falling away together. The next line, “We can’t always say in the cold light of day what’s through,” suggests that the two people are struggling to communicate their feelings and thoughts to each other. The singer promises that time will heal their wounds and they will get through this difficult time together.
The chorus repeats the lines “I’m falling away, I’m falling away with you” and “Time will heal your wounds, I’ll see you through.” These lines reinforce the idea that the two people are experiencing a difficult time in their relationship, but they are committed to each other and will work through it. The song ends with the lines “I’m falling away, I’m falling away with you” repeated once again, suggesting that the two people are still together but still falling away from each other.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm falling away
I'm drifting apart from you
I'm falling away with you
We're both going in different directions
We can't always say
We don't always express our feelings
In the cold light of day what's through
In the clarity of daylight, we confront the reality of our situation
Time will heal your wounds
Over time, you'll feel better
I'll see you through
I'll be there to help you
I thought we'd create
I believed we would bring something to fruition
Hearts in a sea of blue
Feelings of sadness and melancholy
We'd give and not take
We'd be generous and selfless
I said I believed in you
I had faith and trust in you
Your eyes may fade from view
You might disappear from my sight
I'm torn at the seams
I'm emotionally distraught and struggling to cope
It pains me to breathe
It hurts to take a breath
You think that you're not needed
You feel unimportant and insignificant
But I feel your pain, it's always the same
I understand your suffering, it's consistent and ongoing
But let's not feed it
But let's not dwell on it or make it worse
You're here in my soul
You're deeply ingrained in my being
I want you to know
I need you to understand
I'll never leave
I'll always be here for you
There's nothing to say
We don't need to speak
No more charades for fools
We don't need to pretend or play games
I came here to stay
I'm committed and dedicated to this relationship
I'm falling away with you
I'm falling apart alongside you
Time will heal your wounds
In time, you'll recover
I'll see you through
I'll be there to support you
I'm falling away
I'm losing connection with you
I'm falling away with you
We're both drifting away from each other
Contributed by Charlie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
darkeclipse420
AWESOME. i wish had commercials had cool music like this now
TNT
Embracin' the cylinder can
Obeyin' my thirst command when it's too much to withstand
'Cause, man, summer got me in a pool
I sweat, time to rearrange this whole set and get cool
I'm on the brink, thinkin' I need a chill drink to replenish
Then will drink Sprite until it's finished
Relaxin' the mind, takin' off the summer edge
In emergencies, first obey what ya thirst says
GreenBlaze
What Had Happened Was podcast