1. A British rapper
2. A Finnis… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists with this name:
1. A British rapper
2. A Finnish rock band
1. Mike Skinner (born November 27, 1978), more commonly known by his stage name The Streets, is a rapper from Birmingham, England. He was born in Barnet in North London and that's where his accent, sometimes called 'Mockney' by the press, comes from. You can hear his actual accent on the start of 'Fake Streets Hats' from his album The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living recorded in 2006. He moved to Birmingham shortly after he was born and is a Birmingham City fan. He has suffered from epilepsy since he was five.
He signed a five album record deal in 2002, and has fulfilled his contract by releasing five albums: Original Pirate Material (2002), All Got Our Runnin's (2003), A Grand Don't Come For Free (2004), The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living (2006), Everything Is Borrowed (2008) and Computers and Blues (2011).
When playing live, Skinner is joined by Kevin Mark Trail on backing vocals, Johnny Drum Machine on drums, Wayne Fibes on guitar and bass, Chris Brown on keyboards and Magic Mike on samplers.
In January 2011, Skinner's management announced that Skinner will no longer perform as The Streets.
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2. The Streets was a band originated from Turku, Finland in the early 1980's. Their most known song is Kestääkö siivet from the album Kestääkö siivet (1980), which is also featured on the soundtrack of Mika Kaurismäki's film Arvottomat (The Worhless) 1982.
The Streets were:
Asmo Kärkkäinen, guitar
Jouni Hemberg, lead vocals
Kari Laihonen, keyboard
Tapio Vesa, bass guitar
Eero Valkonen, drums
Weak Become Heroes
The Streets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing but gray concrete and deadbeats
Grab something to eat, Mickey D's or KFC
Only one choice in the city, don't voice in my pity
Now let's get to the nitty gritty
June reminds me of my first ditty played unique
Still 16 and feeling horny
Point the sky and feel free
Smiles are front and behind me
Swim in the deep blue sea corn fields sway lazily
All smiles all easy
Where ya from, what ya on and what's ya story?
Mezmorizing tones rising pianos, this is my zone so stop cloning
Pick paper scissors or stone 'cause me and you are the same
I known you all my life I don't know your name
(The name's European Bob Sordid, anyway)
We'll have a dance now see ya later
Pleased to meet ya - likewise, a pleasure
We all smile
We all sing
The night slowly fades and goes slow motion
All the commotion becomes floating emotions
Same piano loops over, arms wave eyes roll back
And jaws fall open, see it's a focus
Enchanted is blocking the toilets
Dizzy new heights blinded by the lights
These people are for life
So, back to his place at the end of the night
Yo, they could settle wars with this
If only they will, imagine the world's leaders on pills
And imagine the morning after, falls causing disaster
Don't talk to me I don't know ya, but this ain't tomorrow
For now I still love ya, hours fly over
Sail around diamonds and pearls
Never seen so many thick girls
Discover new worlds, look at my watch can't focus
Last two hours are lost every move fills me with lust
All of Life's problems I just shake off
Yo, mad little events happen
Things might pan out in a few blue
Maddens are like the toilets
Big beefy bouncers out to reveal us
Geezers aren't easy first timers
Kids on wiz darlings on Charlie
All come together for this party
All races many faces from places you never heard of
Where ya from, what's ya name and what ya want?
Sing to the words fecks to the fat ones
The tribal drums the sun's rising
We all smile
We all sing
Then the girl in the cafe taps me on the shoulder
I realize five years went by and I'm older
Memories smolder, winter's colder
But that same piano loops over and over and over
The road shines and the rain washes away
Same Chinese take-away selling shit in a tray
Stalk all around I walk down same sights same sounds
New beats, though, solid concrete under my feet
No surprises no treats
The world stands still as my mind slushes around
The washer nut bolt in my crown
The life's been up and down since I walked from that crowd
We all smile
We all sing
Out of respect for Johnnie Walker, Paul Oakenfold, Nicky Holloway
Danny Rampling and all the people who gave us these times
And to the government, I stick my middle finger up
With regards to the criminal justice bill
For all the heroes out and on the way
We all sing
The Streets's song "Weak Become Heroes" is a narrative about the power of music, club culture, and drugs to make people forget their problems and come together as a community. The song revolves around a specific experience of the singer and his friends in the mid-1990s, when they were teenagers and used to attend raves in the UK. The song starts with the singer and his friend walking through a desolate urban landscape, stopping at a fast-food restaurant, and reminiscing about the first time he played his own music. Then, the song shifts to a rave scene, where the singer and his friends dance, take ecstasy, and lose themselves in the music. The singer describes the sense of unity and transcendence that he feels with the crowd, regardless of their social backgrounds or identities. The song ends with a melancholic reflection on the passing of time, and the realization that the moment of ecstasy captured in the song is already gone.
The lyrics of "Weak Become Heroes" are a vivid and nostalgic portrayal of the rave culture of the UK in the 1990s, which was characterized by a sense of collective euphoria, emotional release, and escapist hedonism. The song captures the sense of youthful rebellion, idealism, and freedom that were associated with the rave scene, as well as its darker aspects, such as drug use, social exclusion, and legal crackdowns. The lyrics use evocative imagery and metaphors, such as the "deep blue sea corn fields sway lazily" and the "enchanted blocking the toilets," to convey the surreal and transformative quality of the rave experience. The song also has a political message, as it expresses defiance towards the government's attempt to regulate and repress the rave scene through the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act of 1994, which aimed to criminalize outdoor festivals, drug use, and "repetitive beats."
Line by Line Meaning
Turn left up the street
Let's start walking to see what's around the corner.
Nothing but gray concrete and deadbeats
The surroundings seem dull and the people are unimpressive.
Grab something to eat, Mickey D's or KFC
We can either go to McDonald's or KFC for food.
Only one choice in the city, don't voice in my pity
This is the only good option around here, so let's not complain.
Now let's get to the nitty gritty
Let's get down to the details and talk about what we really want to do.
June reminds me of my first ditty played unique
This month reminds me of a song I wrote when I was young and creative.
Still 16 and feeling horny
I remember being young and full of energy and desire.
Point the sky and feel free
Look up at the sky and feel a sense of liberation.
See, people are all equal
Everyone has the same value and should be treated accordingly.
Smiles are front and behind me
I see happy faces everywhere I look.
Swim in the deep blue sea corn fields sway lazily
The ocean is a beautiful shade of blue and the nearby fields are moving gently in the breeze.
All smiles all easy
Everyone is happy and everything is going smoothly.
Where ya from, what ya on and what's ya story?
Tell me about yourself - where you're from, what you're up to, and your life story.
Mezmorizing tones rising pianos, this is my zone so stop cloning
The music is captivating and this is my unique space, so don't copy me.
Pick paper scissors or stone 'cause me and you are the same
Let's play a game because we're equals.
I known you all my life I don't know your name
Even though we've just met, it feels like we've known each other forever.
(The name's European Bob Sordid, anyway)
My name is Bob Sordid, a European name and nothing to be ashamed of.
We'll have a dance now see ya later
Let's dance now and say goodbye to each other later on.
Pleased to meet ya - likewise, a pleasure
It's nice to meet you too and we both take pleasure in it.
We all smile
Everyone is happy and smiling.
We all sing
Everyone is singing together.
The night slowly fades and goes slow motion
The night is ending and it feels like time is passing slowly.
All the commotion becomes floating emotions
All the excitement turns into a feeling of euphoria.
Same piano loops over, arms wave eyes roll back
The same music repeats and people start waving their arms and closing their eyes.
And jaws fall open, see it's a focus
People are amazed and focused on what's happening.
Enchanted is blocking the toilets
The atmosphere is so magical that even the toilets seem like they're enchanted.
Dizzy new heights blinded by the lights
People are reaching new heights and the bright lights are almost blinding them.
These people are for life
These are lifelong friends.
So, back to his place at the end of the night
We're going back to someone's house after the party is over.
Yo, they could settle wars with this
The power of the music is so strong that it could resolve conflicts among nations.
If only they will, imagine the world's leaders on pills
If only the leaders would join us and take drugs, they would be able to find common ground.
And imagine the morning after, falls causing disaster
But after the drugs wore off, it might lead to disastrous consequences.
Don't talk to me I don't know ya, but this ain't tomorrow
I don't know you, so don't talk to me about what's going to happen tomorrow.
For now I still love ya, hours fly over
But for now, I still care about you and time is flying by quickly.
Sail around diamonds and pearls
We're living in a world of luxury.
Never seen so many thick girls
I've never seen so many curvy and attractive women.
Discover new worlds, look at my watch can't focus
We're discovering new experiences and I'm so absorbed in them that I can't pay attention to the time.
Last two hours are lost every move fills me with lust
The last two hours have passed quickly and I'm feeling more and more passionate.
All of Life's problems I just shake off
I'm able to forget about all of my worries and problems when I'm experiencing this kind of joy.
Yo, mad little events happen
Lots of unexpected and exciting things have happened.
Things might pan out in a few blue
Things might work out for us, but it's uncertain.
Maddens are like the toilets
The craziness and energy of the party is all around us, even in the bathroom.
Big beefy bouncers out to reveal us
The security guards are trying to catch people breaking the rules.
Geezers aren't easy first timers
It's tough to be a newcomer in this scene.
Kids on wiz darlings on Charlie
Some people are taking ecstasy and others are using cocaine.
All come together for this party
Everyone is united in this celebration.
All races many faces from places you never heard of
People of all different backgrounds and cultures are here.
Where ya from, what's ya name and what ya want?
Everyone is interested in getting to know each other's stories.
Sing to the words fecks to the fat ones
We're singing along to the music and not worrying about our appearances.
The tribal drums the sun's rising
The music is getting even more intense and the sun is coming up.
Then the girl in the cafe taps me on the shoulder
Five years have gone by and someone from my past has found me.
I realize five years went by and I'm older
I'm realizing the passage of time and my own aging.
Memories smolder, winter's colder
My memories are still vivid, but the current season feels cold and distant.
The road shines and the rain washes away
The path ahead seems hopeful, even as the rain washes away the past.
Same Chinese take-away selling shit in a tray
Things might look different, but some things never change.
Stalk all around I walk down same sights same sounds
I'm surrounded by the same sights and sounds as before.
New beats, though, solid concrete under my feet
Even though there's new music, the same hard reality still exists.
No surprises no treats
There's nothing new or exciting around anymore.
The world stands still as my mind slushes around
The world might be stable, but my thoughts and feelings are turbulent.
The washer nut bolt in my crown
I have a sense of responsibility and duty that I can't shake off.
The life's been up and down since I walked from that crowd
My life has had its ups and downs since I left that party.
Out of respect for Johnnie Walker, Paul Oakenfold, Nicky Holloway
I'm acknowledging the musical pioneers who helped shape this scene.
Danny Rampling and all the people who gave us these times
I'm grateful for everyone who made these memories possible.
And to the government, I stick my middle finger up
I'm expressing my disapproval of the government's actions.
With regards to the criminal justice bill
I'm specifically referring to the government's criminal justice policies.
For all the heroes out and on the way
Here's to all the future heroes who will keep this spirit alive.
We all sing
In the end, we're all united in the power of music.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL GEOFFREY SKINNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@oliwhyte
44 year old here, off to see the Streets tonight in Perth, Australia. Been a fan for 22+ years. Skinner is a voice of our generation. Respect.
@nickhards986
I'm 33, and feel so privileged to have been 'old enough' for the era of Mike Skinner and The Streets.
@rubygrace4732
Nick Hards I agreee
@koont666
I'm 53 and still play the remix in my set total Banger.
@robinhooduk8255
lol, i guess. but the rave era he is talking about you missed.
@philll68
@@robinhooduk8255 yeah I'm the same age as the first poster. We were the nu rave generation in our early 20s. Justice, Simian Mobile Disco, Soulwax, etc. This song is more about 90s early 00s clubbing. We didn't really have raves but we had some warehouse parties in North America in the late 00s.
@DisForDave
Same here, mate. Same age as you, different country, though. Somehow made me study English and become an English foreign language teacher, haha.
@MegaMd76
Mike Skinner is a poet. He should be listened to for generations.
@lukeberrie3942
“Then the girl in the café taps me on the shoulder. I realise five years went by and I'm older. Memories smoulder, winter's colder, but that same piano loops over and over and over.”
@matthewfarris9759
Makes me instantly go back to the time