Thievery Corporation is on the Eighteenth Street Lounge record label named after the DC club owned by Eric Hilton, but several of their singles and EP's appear on the 4AD and !K7 labels.
Formed in the summer of 1995 at D.C.’s Eighteenth Street Lounge. Rob Garza and Lounge co-owner Eric Hilton bonded over club life, dub, bossa nova and jazz records, then decided to see what would come of mixing all these in a recording studio. From this, the duo was born and their self started label Eighteenth Street Lounge Music began to emerge on an international level.
The duo caught the ears of underground DJ’s with their first two 12" offerings, Shaolin Satellite and 2001: a Spliff Odyssey. Their 1997 debut LP, Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi began to both define a new genre of electronic music and connect with an international community of like-minded souls. Though the terminology has varied (downtempo, chill out, left field and a myriad of other permutations), they have maintained their unique musical standards for the duration of their popularity.
In 2002, they released The Richest Man in Babylon on their ESL label. This fifteen track album is similar in sound and timbre to their earlier 2000 release, The Mirror Conspiracy, and features performances by vocalists Emiliana Torrini, Pam Bricker, and Loulou.
In 2005 they released The Cosmic Game, which has a darker, more psychedelic sound than The Richest Man in Babylon. The album also featured more high-profile guest singers on it, including Perry Farrell, David Byrne, and Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips.
In 2006, the group released Versions, a selection of remixes done by Thievery Corporation for other artists and toured the United States, playing at Lollapalooza.
The group released their fifth studio album, Radio Retaliation, on 23 September 2008.
The language of the group's lyrics are as diverse as English, Spanish, French, Persian, Portuguese, Romanian and Hindi. This reflects the group's global feel and collaborative structure.
They were the opening act on August 1, 2009 for Sir Paul McCartney at FedExField in Landover, Maryland.
On July 27, 2010, Babylon Central, the cinematic directorial debut of founding member Eric Hilton, was released. Set (and shot) in Washington, D.C., the film follows tripwire events in the interconnected lives of its characters, each influencing power brokers' schemes to manipulate international currencies.
In June 2011, Thievery Corporation released their sixth album, Culture of Fear.
In January 2012, Thievery Corporation launched a remixes contest in conjunction with Dubspot.
A Warning
Thievery Corporation Lyrics
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Thievery Corporation
Thievery Corporation
The song "A Warning" by Thievery Corporation is a commentary on the current state of American politics and society. The lyrics speak of a warning sign that is being ignored, a call to wake up before it's too late. The repeated lines "It's a warning, a warning, a warning" emphasize the urgency of the message and the need to pay attention.
The verses of the song paint a bleak picture of the reality we are facing, with lines like "The rise of fascism is too clear" and "Our nation's leader is a lying thief". The lyrics also touch on issues like police brutality, climate change, and the erosion of civil liberties. The chorus serves as a reminder that we have the power to create change, stating "We've got to fight, we've got to win, we've got to rise up again".
Overall, "A Warning" is a powerful call to action that encourages listeners to be aware of the challenges we face and to take action to make the world a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
You want to change the world
You have the desire to make a positive impact on the world
It's alright, have you seen the world?
It's okay to want to change the world, but have you truly experienced and observed the current state of the world?
What about all those promises?
What about all the promises made by leaders and authorities to bring change and improvement?
That you made for me
Promises made to the listener, the common people
Can't you deliver on your statements?
Why can't those promises be fulfilled?
Goodness knows what I believed
The listener had high hopes and expectations, but now doubts if those promises will ever come true
And all the haters
Referring to critics and opponents of change
You're seeing make me feel
The negative reactions and resistance from critics make the listener feel discouraged or doubtful
Like maybe I'm somebody
Despite the setbacks, the listener still has hope that they can make a difference and be someone important
But what's the use?
The listener questions the worth of trying to make change when faced with so much resistance and obstacles
You think you've won
To those in power, it might seem like they have succeeded in maintaining the status quo and keeping power
But history reeks of foreign tongues
However, history shows that empires and power shifts are not permanent and there will always be outsiders with different ideas and beliefs
The babbling speeches of your screeching drums
The empty and meaningless speeches of the powerful are akin to the noise of screeching drums
Are just the beginning
These speeches are not the end of the story, but rather the start of the push for change
Like maybe I'm somebody
Despite the challenges, the listener still has faith that they can make a difference and be somebody significant
Like maybe I'm somebody
Repeating the refrain to emphasize the hope and determination to make a difference
Like maybe I'm somebody
Repeating the refrain once more to drive home the message of hope and conviction
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICHARD ERIC HILTON, ROBERTO MANUEL GARZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Will Cline
One of your fans from the beginning right here. Loving everything you've been uploading lately. This track is needed by me tonight.Thanks for the tune.
matt smith
@Thievery Corporation I would give up a limb to actually meet you guys!!!!!!!!!! Huge fan here!!!!!
Thievery Corporation
Thanks for the years of support.
pc3
YES!!! So glad to hear this. Brings back a ton of great memories.
martzooo
This one introduced one of my favorite album of all time, when we all listened to music from first song to the last, all in repeat on the HiFi system. Big love Thievery Corporation !
Saul Sbedia
Another fan from the beginning of time ;-) The bass in this song (as always) sounds amazing. Congrats for all these years of great work.
matt smith
@Thievery Corporation give me a HEART!!!! it will make my life complete!!!!!!!!!
matt smith
@Thievery Corporation I am a HUGE fan of yours!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thievery Corporation
Big love and thanks, Saul.
Bill Bevan
I often included a Thievery Corporation track or remix in my dub chillout sets during the early years of this century when I played as DJ Unity Dub.