In 1999, the band appeared on a split CD release with Swedish band Dozer. The Unida portion was titled The Best of Wayne-Gro EP. Later that year, they released their debut full length album entitled Coping with the Urban Coyote on the now defunct Man's Ruin Records.
Relations with their next record company in New Jersey, American Recordings, ended with legal problems. Their second album, The Great Divide, was originally scheduled for release in 2001 but is now in limbo. The album has surfaced on the internet in bootleg form. In a 2002 interview, bassist Scott Reeder spoke out about the delay in getting the full-length album released.
"Everything was set to come out on American via Columbia Records, and you know, we've been meeting a lot of people who've been working on it," he explained. "The artwork was done, everything was looking really good, and then, I guess, (American owner) Rick Rubin had a falling out with Sony, moved the whole label over to Island Def Jam, and apparently, after months of being just strung along — 'Oh, yeah, the release date got bumped back a little bit' — finally we found out that somebody at the label didn't like the record, so they didn't want to deal with it. The lawyers had to go back and forth for months and months and months — a chess game where every move takes two months... 'You have sixty days to reply to this letter'...and...so we just got out of the deal, a month ago."
Since the delay, John Garcia has released three studio albums and one live album with Hermano and toured with the band in the latter half of 2008. In 2004, Unida appeared on the High Times Records' High Volume: The Stoner Rock Collection, contributing the track Left Us To Mold. Garcia is also working on a solo album. Arthur Seay (principal song writer, guitarist) and Mike Cancino (Drums) along with their longtime friend Eddie Plascencia (who also has been filling the bass duties in Unida recently) have started a new band called House of Broken Promises (H.O.B.P.). H.O.B.P. have also filmed a video with Rick Kosick (from Jackass fame) to coincide with the release of their forthcoming album "Using the Useless".
Unida's song "Black Woman" was featured on the soundtrack to the skateboarding video game Tony Hawk's Underground.
Black Woman
Unida Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just ride all night long. yeah. (alright)
Heavy like my lady
Just fly all night long. yeah. (right on)
Some say that your crazy
That doesn't mean my face is always blue. Yeah (alright)
[Chorus]
Should it be the boy you never call your gun (yeah)?
Should it be the intro should it be the sun?
Can it be the black girl you never call at one?
So can you find my lady
Can you justify the love you see tonight? yeah. (right on)
So fly with me baby. just fly all night long. (right on) uhh
[Chorus]
You got it on, you got it on
Get it get it you got it
Black woman yeah
The lyrics to Unida's song "Black Woman" speak to the struggles and societal pressures faced by women of color. The singer implores his love interest to ride with him, emphasizing her importance and beauty by comparing her to something heavy, perhaps suggesting that she carries much weight in her life. He acknowledges that some people might think she's crazy, but this does not affect his love for her, nor does it make his face "always blue." This could be interpreted as a reference to the struggles he faces as a result of societal views towards their relationship, which he refuses to let affect his happiness.
The chorus of the song poses a series of questions, exploring the different ways in which people might perceive black women. The singer asks whether a black woman should be considered the answer to life's problems, whether she should be an object of desire, or whether she should simply be recognized for who she is - a black girl that someone can call at one in the morning. The song's powerful message is that black women should not be forced into narrow social roles and expectations, but rather seen as complete, valuable individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Ride with me baby
Come along with me, my partner
Just ride all night long. yeah. (alright)
Spend the entire night with me, being carefree and happy
Heavy like my lady
My partner may seem to be carrying a heavy burden
Just fly all night long. yeah. (right on)
Let us indulge in our differences and fly through the night
Some say that your crazy
People might believe that my partner is insane
That doesn't mean my face is always blue. Yeah (alright)
But it doesn't affect me or our relationship in any negative way, so no worries
[Chorus]
Repetition of questions about what should matter to someone and if they can recognize and value black women
Should it be the answer should it be a sun?
What should be prioritized: enlightenment or a dominant force?
Should it be the boy you never call your gun (yeah)?
Should someone prioritize relationships where they feel powerless and mistreated?
Should it be the intro should it be the sun?
Should someone prioritize a promising beginning or a sure bet?
Can it be the black girl you never call at one?
Can someone recognize the value and worth of a black woman who might not fit the traditional standards of beauty?
So can you find my lady
Can someone acknowledge and appreciate my partner?
Can you justify the love you see tonight? yeah. (right on)
Can someone explain and make sense of the love we share tonight?
So fly with me baby. just fly all night long. (right on) uhh
Continue to engage with me and enjoy the night with me
You got it on, you got it on
You're doing great, you have it covered
Get it get it you got it
Make the most out of everything that's happening
Black woman yeah
Emphasis on the beauty, strength, and importance of black women
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind