Get all 15 Ari Lesser releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Yehudith, Animal Raps, Kabbalat Shabbat, The Hippie, Tzfat Reggae, Acoustic Bluegrass, Three Weeks, More Psalms, and 7 more.
1. |
The Hippie
02:50
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The Hippie
When I was young my parents raised me right
My dad sang me Beatles songs every night
Mom cooked organic meals, with homemade desserts
Everyday I went to school wearing tie-dyed shirts
I was taught to love and taught not to hate
I learned consumerism’s bad, and G-d is great
I’m anti-war, and I’m all about peace
For a welfare-system, can’t stand the police
If you can’t dig it, you can get bent
That’s how it is, I’m from hippie descent
From a family of hippies, even uncles and aunts
And at parties we all do the hippie dance
First you close your eyes and sway to and fro
Get your mind in the music and let yourself go
Now move your arms like the waves of the ocean
Keep it up don’t stop this motion
Put a bend in your knee and a smile on your face
And the last step of all is to spin in place
Keep your arms gyrating and your body rotating
And now you’re doing the Hippie
Well, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
And being raised by hippies rubbed off on me
I don’t think being a hippie’s a crime
I been called a dirty hippie more than one time
Call me a hippie I’ll take it as praise
I’m going to be hippie till the end of my days
Sickened by violence, disgusted by killing
My heroes are Lennon, Marley, and Dylan
I don’t discriminate against people in any way
I think cigarettes are bad, but drugs are okay
So take some magic mushrooms start getting trippy
Take off your shoes and dance like a hippie
First you close your eyes and sway to and fro
Get your mind in the music and let yourself go
Now move your arms like the waves of the ocean
Keep it up don’t stop this motion
Put a bend in your knee and a smile on your face
And the last step of all is to spin in place
Keep your arms gyrating and your body rotating
And now you’re doing the Hippie
Well, I’m a vegan so I don’t eat dairy or meat
And I like to sing songs when I walk down the street
If I see a bum I always leave some change
He’s a human too although he looks kind of strange
I don’t watch TV, I play hackey-sack
And for about ten years I’ve had the same backpack
I got peace and love in my bloodstream
And I’d love to kick it if you’re on the same team
What’s mine is yours if what’s yours is mine
So come be my house and we’ll drink some wine
But recycle your bottles, don’t throw them in the trash
And we’ll all get together for a hippie bash
First you close your eyes and sway to and fro
Get your mind in the music and let yourself go
Now move your arms like the waves of the ocean
Keep it up don’t stop this motion
Put a bend in your knee and a smile on your face
And the last step of all is to spin in place
Keep your arms gyrating and your body rotating
And now you’re doing the Hippie
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2. |
The Oath
02:00
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The Oath
It was a beautiful day in the city of Eugene
I was laying on the lawn just smoking some green
The sky was blue and the air was breezy
And me and my homies were just taken it easy
It seems like that’s all we ever do these days
Maybe we’ll grow out of it, maybe it’s a phase
Sleep in every morning, smoke and drink day and night
We’re killing lots of brain cells but it feels alright
So I’m laying on the grass, just bathing in the sun
Not doing much at all, having a little bit of fun
Everything is good, but I feel like something’s lacking
Life seems empty, I want to get something cracking
I’m politically aware but I’m sitting on my ass
I need to get involved, stop smoking so much grass
The world’s fucked up and I won’t let it be
So if you want to change things repeat after me
I will stand up, stay left, speak truth, be proud
Never shut up, I’m gonna shout out loud
Be a critical thinker, not a sheep in the crowd
Til death I will never break this oath that I vowed
I will stand up, stay left, speak truth, be proud
Never shut up, I’m gonna shout out loud
Be a critical thinker, not a sheep in the crowd
Til death I will never break this oath that I vowed
Lets all get together and start a revolution
The new generation needs a new constitution
So question society, question the media
Question the bullshit that politicians feed to you
Break out of the system get your brain rewired
Get empowered, educated, intrigued, and inspired
Oil will be gone by the time of my retirement
So lets create a world with a sustainable environment
Gender and racial equality is a must
I want to live on a planet that is socially just
Free of hate, greed, and fear, and instilled with trust
Full of so much love its about to bust
This is the kind of world that I want to build
The entire population being spiritually fulfilled
Some want peace, some progression, I want them both
And everyone whose with me just repeat the oath
I will stand up, stay left, speak truth, be proud
Never shut up, I’m gonna shout out loud
Be a critical thinker, not a sheep in the crowd
Til death I will never break this oath that I vowed
I will stand up, stay left, speak truth, be proud
Never shut up, I’m gonna shout out loud
Be a critical thinker, not a sheep in the crowd
Til death I will never break this oath that I vowed
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3. |
Don't Be Dumb
03:14
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Don’t Be Dumb
Next time you buy something don't be dumb
Do you have any idea where it's from?
Or when you’re done using it, where it will go?
Figure it out if you don't already know
When people buy things they focus only on the cost
While some of the most important information is lost
If you want to determine what a products really worth
Then you need to understand is impact on the Earth
Because the price of a product is much more than you paid
When you look at the materials from which it was made
Is it organic? Is it fair trade?
Can it be recycled? Can it biodegrade?
How far has it traveled, how many miles?
Before it came to rest in your supermarket's aisles
Was it manufactured here, or shipped from overseas?
Was it made by Americans, or by the Chinese?
Next time you buy something don't be dumb
Do you have any idea where it's from?
Or when you’re done using it, where it will go?
Figure it out if you don't already know
Before you decide to buy something it is key
To determine its effects on sustainability
Does it meet the needs of our nation's population
Without infringing on the rights of future generations?
If I watched what you buy, what kind of message would it send?
Next time you go shopping at the store just pretend
That you're voting with every single dollar you spend
Cause in reality, that's what you're doing my friend
Examine what you buy the implications can be grave
How much money have you saved buying products mad by slaves?
Do you support foreign nations and big corporations
Or local businesses and family run operations?
Next time you buy something don't be dumb
Do you have any idea where it's from?
Or when you’re done using it, where it will go
Figure it out if you don't already know
When you buy groceries the same rules should be applied
Did the food on your plate grow naturally outside?
Has it been genetically altered and modified?
Was it sprayed with a bunch of chemicals and pesticide?
I'm a vegetarian, but if you eat meat
Do you ever think about what the animals eat?
Are the injected with hormones, or something else strange?
Are they certified organic, kosher, or free range?
Cause if they aren't, I sure as hell would buy it
I don't care if you grill it, or roast it, or fry it
If I don't know what's in it, I don't want to try it
You can never be too careful with the food in your diet
Next time you buy something don't be dumb
Do you have any idea where it's from?
Or when you’re done using it, where it will go
Figure it out if you don't already know
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4. |
Give Thanks
02:29
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Give Thanks
Hi my name’s Ari I’m a child of the Earth
Been around the sun 21 times since birth
Feel at home everywhere cause the Earth is my mother
So if you’re from this planet you can call me brother
Primary concerns are having water to drink
Food to eat, air to breath, and some time to think
A notebook to write in, a pen to write
And a pillow I can rest my head on each night
I don’t worry too much when conditions are adverse
No matter what happens things could always be worse
I got to move forward can’t move in reverse
And so I go with the flow of the universe
I try to give thanks that my life is so blessed
Every single morning when I wake from my rest
Cause I love being me, my eyes still see
My lungs still breath, and I still can pee
In the bathroom, I give thanks for sacred Mayim
Whether it's from a river, a lake, or a stream
I'm so lucky clean water comes to my sink
Allowing my to wash my hands and take a drink
No matter where I am before I hit the road
I give thanks for shelter as I leave my abode
Mansion, apartment, house, tent, or shed
How wonderful it is to have a roof overhead
I'm grateful for clothes not for material reasons
But because they protect me no matter the season
Keep me warm in the winter, shade me from the sun
Let me focus my mind on thoughts of the One
I try to think of others and not only of myself
Pursue happiness instead, of seeking wealth
Speak the words of a lover not the words of a hater
Remember that my life is just part of something greater
It’s to the oneness of all things that I pray
I do it everyday in my own special way
Knowing there is something greater helps me realize
I don't know much, and I’m not that wise
I'm grateful and blessed just to be who I am
Living in a free country and born a free man
With hands that can work, and legs that can walk
A mind that can think, and a mouth that can talk
I can hear, I can touch, I can taste, smell, and see
All five of my senses, they work properly
Parents taught me the difference between right from wrong
My mind, my body, and my spirit are strong
Got water to drink, got food to eat
Got clothes on my back, got shoes on my feet
I can do arithmetic, I can write, I can read
What more could I ask for I have all I need
So look at your own life and if the same is true
You should probably give thanks too
Be grateful that your basic needs are met
Cause when your living the good life it’s easy to forget
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5. |
Wild
02:18
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Wild
I’ve had a dream ever since I was a child
That I could eat, run, sleep, breath and live in the wild
You know everyday I’d wake up at the crack of dawn
Rub my eyes, stretch my limbs, raise my head with a yawn
Build myself a fire and begin to forage
Like I do for every meal cause I don’t put shit in storage
Free of possessions I don’t own any stuff
I eat when I’m hungry, there’s always enough
Moving from place to place, always on the roam
I don’t own any land, the whole forest is my home
When it rains I get wet, when its sunny I’m dry
And I never get upset about what comes from the sky
Living in the woods makes me strong and wise
Improves my hearing and sharpens my eyes
My life is simplistic, it’s animalistic
Going with the flow and always staying optimistic
I don’t wear no deodorant, I smell kind of funky
But I run like wolf and I climb like a monkey
Jump like a rabbit swim like a fish
I don’t have a schedule so I do what I wish
Skip stones across the river to pass away the time
No need to worry about hate, greed, or crime
There’s no violence, poverty, murder, or war
And everyone is equal there’s no rich and no poor
No painful politics, racist religion
Ignorant radio, or dumb television
Moronic magazines, no bigoted books
No cutthroat, capitalistic, crack smoking, crooks
No lying lawyers, or unjust judges
Inflated prices, or unbalanced budgets
Cell phones with flashy, fucking useless, features
No red-neck, bible-thumping, prejudice, preachers
Everything is peaceful and everyone’s in love
I pay my respects to the sun up above
As well as mother earth right below my feet
Just grateful to be blessed with this life so sweet
And when the time is right, I’ll find myself a mate
Together we’ll see what kind of life we can create
I want sons and daughters, I’ll father many a child
And teach them all the secrets of surviving in the wild
Keep your body, your mind, and your spirit strong
Always do what is right, never do someone wrong
It’s not about winning it’s about having fun
And be kind to all creatures cause they’re part of the One
And when I’ve passed to my children all the knowledge that I knew
And I’m old, and tired, and my time here is through
I’ll die and decompose and return to the earth
Continuing the cycle of death and rebirth
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6. |
Rose
03:04
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Rose
A man and a woman who are in their mid-twenties
Together 5 years and happy indeed
They aren’t very rich no they don’t have plenty
But they love each other and have what they need
The two live a simple and peaceful life
The husband is kind and he loves wife
The wife is beautiful and cares for her man
They haven’t had a fight since their marriage began
The wife looks at her partner with a tender gaze
She knows they’ll be together ‘til the end of their days
Approaches him one day and asks him if maybe
He would be ready to for them to have a baby
He’s thrilled with the idea, he’d been wanting one too
So he told her, “Honey of course I do
Why wouldn’t I want a family member that’s new?
Especially if they’ll be anything like you”
So for weeks they go at it night and day
The two to begin to wonder what’s the delay
Then finally one morning the wife is relieved
The test comes up positive, at last she’d conceived
She told her man, and what a grin he smiled
In just a few months they would have their first child
The two were so happy, they told all their friends
But happily is not how this story ends
Several months go by and the woman’s belly grows
It’s going to be a girl and they’re going to name her Rose
The husband buys a crib, paints the extra room pink
The whole nine months the wife doesn’t take a drink
Instead she binges on ice cream and pickles
Sometimes the baby kicks and it kind of tickles
The husband goes to bed with his hand on her stomach
Boy the nine-month mark sure did come quick
Wife goes into labor the very next morning
With back pains contractions and other signs of warning
Her body aches, and she gets the shakes
And a couple minutes later her water breaks
The soon to be father helps his wife to the truck
She’s in so much pain all she can say, “Fuck!”
They make it to the hospital and lay her on table
Husband at her side saying, “Push if you’re able”
She pushes and pushes and with a final shout
She is able to push her first baby out
The beautiful girl was the perfect size
She had her mommy’s nose and her daddy’s eyes
But her eyes didn’t blink, and her mind didn’t think
And she never got to sleep in the room painted pink
Some roses are red, some roses have thorns
This Rose was dead, it was a stillborn
There was no chance of medical revival
Because the couple’s baby was dead on arrival
I never got to meet her and I’m sad that I missed her
Cause the couple is my parents and Rose was sister
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7. |
Life
02:40
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Life
Focus on what’s there, not on what there wasn’t
What happens, happens, and what doesn’t happen doesn’t
Love your fellow woman and love your fellow man
And remember, always live your life the best that you can
When it’s raining, skies are gray and your feeling bad
Think for a minute about what’s making you sad
You might be short on money, what’s that really worth
All the money in the world couldn’t buy you birth
In a race of millions you’re the only sperm that scored
You passed the hardest test already, life was your reward
Stop feeling down and out and start having a ball
Because being alive is the greatest gift of all
You can sing and dance you can smoke and drink
You can run, jump, eat, sleep, walk, talk, or think.
So cheer up smile, laugh away your sorrow
Today it might be raining but the sun will shine tomorrow
And focus on what’s there, not on what there wasn’t
What happens, happens, and what doesn’t happen doesn’t
Love your fellow woman and love your fellow man
And remember, always live your life the best that you can
So you didn’t get the job, you didn’t make the grade
Last night you got shut down and couldn’t get laid
But there will be more jobs, and you’ll take more tests
And you were tired anyways so you needed the rest
You can’t change what happened, you can’t go back in time
So start living life bcause you’re in your prime
Life’s the peak of existence and that’s no lie
So your prime is going to last until the day you die
It started on your birthday when you left the womb
It won’t end till the day that you reach your tomb
Don’t worry about the future and don’t live in the past
The present’s all there ever is so try to make it last
And focus on what’s there, not on what there wasn’t
What happens, happens, and what doesn’t happen doesn’t
Love your fellow woman and love your fellow man
And remember, always live your life the best that you can
So your beat up car looks kind of lame
And your girlfriend or boyfriend is not that hot
I’m telling you man don’t be ashamed
Just try and be grateful for all that you got
Thank G-d you have food, cause some people don’t
Thank G-d your getting educated, some people won’t
Thank G-d you can see, some people are blind
And thank G-d for all of the friends that you find
Thank G-d for the weekend, to snap the daily grind
Thank G-d you can sleep each night and rest your mind
Thank G-d for the books of Moses, one through five
But most of all, Thank G-d you’re alive
And focus on what’s there, not on what there wasn’t
What happens, happens, and what doesn’t happen doesn’t
Love your fellow woman and love your fellow man
And remember, always live your life the best that you can
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8. |
Today
02:41
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Today
Don’t forget to remember, that it’s always today
No matter what you do and no matter what you say
It’s always today, cause today always lasts
There’s no such thing as the future or the past
Listen up people, I can assure you
No one else is going to live you life for you
You’re strong and powerful, not timid and weak
And your life is going on today as we speak
If you want something done, you’d better do it now
You don’t know how to do it? well figure out how
Heed the words of Yoda, a master Jedi
“Do, or do not, there is no try”
You can do anything that you want anywhere
So if you aren’t doing it you don’t really care
You can’t do it tomorrow, I don’t care what you say
Tomorrow don’t exist, there is only today
Don’t forget to remember, it’s always today
No matter what you do and no matter what you say
It’s always today, cause today always lasts
There’s no such thing as the future or the past
Earlier today you weren’t even around
And later today, you’ll be buried in the ground
Live your life to the fullest and don’t reminisce
Cause today is the only day that exists
If you don’t like today, well the outlook is bleak
Forecast says it will be today all week
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
All are part of today, which is the only one day
Often when it’s dark and there’s very little light
I accidentally call today, tonight
But then I go to bed and when I awaken
It’s still today so I was happily mistaken
Don’t forget to remember, that it’s always today
Not matter what you do and no matter what you say
It’s always today, cause today always lasts
No such thing as the future or the past
Today is the day that we stop always competing
Today is the day we don’t obsess about wealth
Today is the day that we stop overeating
Today is the day that we care about our health
Today is the day that we stop binge drinking
Today is the day that we turn off the TV
Today is the day we start critically thinking
Today is the day that we set our minds free
Today is the day that we stop procrastinating
Today is the day that we make a contribution
Today is the day that we quit masturbating
Today is the day we start a revolution
Don’t forget to remember, it’s always today
Not matter what you do and no matter what you say
It’s always today, cause today always lasts
No such thing as the future or the past
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9. |
H2O Flow
03:48
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H2O Flow
Everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Water makes up more than half of me
So my identity is split like the red sea
Polish as the ice caps melting real slow
And Russian like river with a rapid flow, so
You get to pick how you want your drink
I can flow hot and cold like the kitchen sink
As soon as I hear the beat drop like rain
Make the crowd get down like water in the drain
You know that we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know that we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know that we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
I’m mostly water if you get scientific
With lyrics deeper than the floor of the Pacific
Making tidal waves with the rhymes I spray
Moving back and forth like the sea level sways
Cause music is to me as the moon to the ocean
Pulling on my body and keeping me in motion
North to the south move like the Mississippi
Flowing everywhere go and dancing like a hippie
You know that we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know that we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know that we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Can’t always Manage the flow man
When I make plans I’m Flaky snowman
Though my fate has taken me here
I’ll evaporate and disappear
So I can have fun and play today
Then like a river run off on my way
Loving and Living my life having fun
Til I return, to the ocean of the one
Cause everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
Everyone know we H2O
So move like water and go with the flow
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10. |
Sunshine
02:50
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Sunshine
When skies are blue and the whole world’s sunny
I can laugh at stuff that aren’t even funny
I feel so pleasant I don’t want to be rude
Cause sunshine puts me in a happy mood
Wake up in the morning with the sun in my eyes
A little hung over from the previous night
The warm daylight is a welcome surprise
I rush out the door to get into light
The sun is so great nothing can beat it
I open up my arms in an attempt to greet it
When the sun comes out I forget my strife
And remember that it gave me gift of life
I’m not doing much but it’s lots of fun
Everything is better in the glow of the sun
And you get a friendly greeting from who ever you meet
If you’re walking on the sunny side of the street
When skies are blue and the whole world’s sunny
I can laugh at stuff that aren’t even funny
I feel so pleasant I don’t want to be rude
Cause sunshine puts me in a happy mood
All I can see is sunshine for miles
The people outside are wearing happy smiles
I’m going to find a spot at the edge of a brook
Where I can skip some stones or just read a book
Take a dip in the water if it gets to hot
Smoke a joint with my friends if they bring some pot
I might whistle a tune, or sing a little song
Everything is perfect and nothing can go wrong
I don’t have a car I walk everywhere I go
It gets me where I’m going even though it’s kind of slow
A car might be nice if the skies were gray
But who needs to move fast on such a beautiful day
When skies are blue and the whole world’s sunny
I can laugh at stuff that aren’t even funny
I feel so pleasant I don’t want to be rude
Cause sunshine puts me in a happy mood
The sun is shining there’s no chance of showers
And I’m feeling great like I got solar powers
I could be on a mountain, I could be on the coast
Sunny is the weather that I love the most
I love the sun when its hot, love the sun when it snows
Love the sun when it rains, and it makes rainbows
I love the sun, summer, fall, winter, spring
I love the sun and all the life that it brings
I love the sun’s heat, I love the sun’s light
I love the sun all day and I miss it at night
One thing in our solar system can’t be outdone
And everybody knows that thing is the sun
When skies are blue and the whole world’s sunny
I can laugh at stuff that aren’t even funny
I feel so pleasant I don’t want to be rude
Cause sunshine puts me in a happy mood
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11. |
Money/Consumerism
07:48
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Money/Consumerism
It ain’t about the money man, its about the sound
If you about the money man don’t even hang around
It ain’t about the money man, its about the flow
If you about the money man I think you better go
I was offered a deal, but had to change my sound
I’d tell those fuckers, I’d rather stay underground
Cause I’m not about the money and I’m not about the fame
I’d much rather have a message than I celebrated name
I won’t make shitty music just make a few bucks
I’d rather make no money than a record that sucks
To me it doesn’t matter how much money you shell-out
There’s no amount of cash that could cause me to sell-out
I love saying what I feel, and I’m never going to risk it
You want sign a sell-out go talk to Limp Bizkit
I’m not someone’s bitch, I don’t take any orders
Rather rap on the and street make a pocket full of quarters
Cause it ain’t about the money man, its about the sound
If you about the money man don’t even hang around
It ain’t about the money man, its about the flow
If you about the money man I think you better go
I try to keep things simplistic my writing’s realistic
The music on the radio’s materialistic
I’m sick of all these rappers talking about greed
You don’t need to make money in order to succeed
You think you a star cause you wearing new timbs
And you drive a new car with some 20” rims
I don’t want to hear a song about your mouth full of gold
Cause it doesn’t take long for that shit to get old
I don’t care about your bling, I don’t care about your stuff
I don’t care about your things, I got more than enough
You think that your wealth is what makes you impressive
Stop talking about yourself and say something progressive
Cause it ain’t about the money man, its about the sound
If you about the money man don’t even hang around
It ain’t about the money man, its about the flow
If you about the money man I think you better go
Fuck Wal-Mart, Budweiser, T-Mobile, and the Gap
I’m sick of all these advertisements selling useless crap
Using special effects along with corny humor
To turn every one of us into a consumer
Featuring airbrushed models that make us feel insecure
To make us buy some product, which everyday seems more obscure
Like an SUV that you can use to mow your lawn
There’s only ninety million left, you’d better get one fore they’re gone
You don’t really need love from your family and friends
You’ll get everything you need from a new Mercedes Benz
So buy some new clothes, jewelry and some other shit that’s crappy
Cause in our material world it doesn’t matter if you’re happy
Actually it does, if your sad you must be sick
But pop a couple Zolofts, that should do the trick
Nobody will see through your drug-induced smile
So if you’re feeling sad call us today for a free trial
We’re getting everyone hooked on pharmaceutical medication
If you aren’t happy all the time, and want erectile stimulation
If you’re fat, ugly, stupid, depressed, or hyperactive
Take our miracle drug and you’ll be instantly attractive
Side effects may include back pains, and bad breath
Nausea, vomiting, impotence, and death
So if you hate yourself and want to be someone new
Call your doctor now and ask if this drugs right for you
Fuck Pfizer and their fellow pharmaceutical thugs
Making millions and millions of dollars dealing drugs
Curing your diseases that before were never there
Then you saw their ad and you were suddenly aware
Oh shit I’m not perfect like those people on the tube
Cause I’m not ripped like G. I. Joe and I don’t have massive boobs
My hair’s not blonde and my eyes aren’t blue
And I don’t have a car at all let alone one that’s new
So I decided that I’d buy one, and wow, it’s really cool
Spent more money than I had on it so I can’t afford school
Plus I got breast implants, then I got a breast reduction
Bought colored contacts, dyed my hair, and then got some liposuction
That wasn’t enough so I’m also anorexic and bulimic
People often ask if I’m okay or think that I’m anemic
But I know that I’m beautiful just like people on TV
And everyone who talks behind my back just wants to be me
I’m in debt up to my eyeballs but I need a few more things
Some gold chains and diamond earrings, my essential bling
Plus I need a case of Miller Light if I want to have some fun
And I’d better get some Nike Shocks if you want to run
I’ll wear Axe body spray so girls chase me down the street
Then since I’m broke I’ll go to Burger King to eat some cheap-ass meat
I’ll shove down my throat a bunch of food greasy and fried
Cause I don’t care what goes in me its about what’s on the outside
It doesn’t really matter if I’m happy or healthy
As long as maintain the appearance of being wealthy
Which, by the way, is completely untrue
I have about as much debt as one person can accrue
But I have a great plan to get all my money back
I’ll have more cash than Scarface after I start slanging crack
On second thought drug dealing might be kind of spotty
I’d be able to make more money if I just sell my body
Since my body was free all my revenue is profit
So I can carelessly spend all the cash that I make off it
It don’t really matter if I get another STD
I love money too much cause I’m so fucking greedy
If I had a million dollars, then I’d want a million more
Cause there’s really nothing in the world worse than being poor
I noticed some of you laughing and that’s okay
But before I let y’all go I just have to say
Consumerism and greed are horrible habits
The only carrots that you need are the kind you feed to rabbits
Love is all that matters, not diamond rings
So try not to obsess about material things
Cause it ain’t about the money man, its about the sound
If you about the money man don’t even hang around
It ain’t about the money man, its about the flow
If you about the money man I think you better go...
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12. |
Pablo Escobar
06:12
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Pablo Escobar
My name’s Escobar but my friends call me Pablo
Y espanol es la idioma yo hablo
Born to a poor family in the slums of Medellin
The most powerful criminal that this world’s ever seen
Was an outlaw ever since I left my mamma’s womb
At a young age I started smuggling stones from peoples tombs
Not long afterwards I became a car-jacking thug
Before I found my calling in the business of drugs
In the 70’s I entered the cocaine trade with a mission
I was poor, and ruthless, and filled with ambition
Got my start in the drug business running coca paste
And I knew I wanted more after I had that little taste
Saw Kilo’s of cocaine went for 35 grand
I could make big money if I came up with a plan
Saved up cash for a plane so I could move weight by air
Within a few flights I was a multi-millionaire
Everyday I was pulling in like 500 grand
Had no shortage of cash so I invested in land
My Hacienda had 20 square kilometers out back
With a private airport, and private race track
Had so much cash, I didn’t know what to do
So I bought a helicopter and a private zoo
Had a bunch automobiles shipped in from afar
From Chicago I even imported Al Capone’s car
I was the biggest drug lord around, but there were others
My fiercest competition were the three Ochoa Brothers
Instead of fighting we chose to cooperatively sell
And formed a group known as the Medellin Cartel
We ran five flights a week to and from the USA
I was personally earning a million dollars a day
Used some of my vast wealth to promote social good
Becoming known by poor people as a modern Robin Hood
Built soccer fields, homes, schools to teach the kids
Helped way more than the Columbian Government ever did
So when I entered my name in a Congressional race
The barrios of Medellin became my power base
I was elected to the Congress in 1982
Paid off tons of politician, and told them what to do
I was a cold-blooded businessman, brutal and violent
Using money and bullets to keep the opposition silent
They choose Plata o Plomo, Silver or Lead
They took my bribes or they wound up dead
And whenever an official tried to stop my operations
I’d quickly make an order for a mass assassination
Kill whole families right down to grandmothers
Nieces, nephews, parents, kids, wives, sister and brothers
My friends lived in luxury, my enemies in fear
My cartel was pulling in 300 billion a year
So I gladly took lives of anyone who interfered
If I ever got indicted, always managed to get cleared
Killed like 200 judges and 1,000 cops
Cause it always seemed to help me get my charges dropped
I was treated like a prince everywhere that I went
Cause I paid off like half a dozen different governments
Everything was going fine until somebody squealed
A smuggler turned informant by the name of Barry Seal
Took a photo of me loading up a shipment of cocaine
With a CIA camera he hid on his plane
Before this I had tried to keep my work subliminal
But this photo made me an international criminal
The first thing on my agenda was an act of restitution
Immediately ordered Barry Seal’s execution
Once he was dead I began the next phase of my mission
Get the Columbian government to ban extradition
That’s what the US wanted but I wouldn’t take that fate
Better a grave in Columbia then a cell in the States
So I killed presidential candidates everyone respected
To make sure my man Ceaser Gaviria got elected
He did what I wanted, changed the constitution
Banned extradition, I avoided prosecution
But I was in the spotlight I couldn’t get no peace
Getting bombed my rivals and shot at by the police
I saw one way out of my difficult position
I decided to turned myself in on one condition
That being I got to choose the place I was confined
Built on land that I owned to my own designs
Known as the cathedral, called it Club Medellin
It might be the nicest prison that this worlds ever seen
Built for maximum comfort, not security
Didn’t keep me in but kept enemies out assuredly
Even when I was in prison I lived like a rock star
My suite had a Jacuzzi, a discotheque and a bar
And I was still getting paid every time a crack fiend sparked it
Controlling 80% of the world’s cocaine market
Forbes magazine called me the world’s seventh richest man
My empire was still running according to plan
Until four of my lieutenants tried to steal some of my money
I brought them in to tell them that I didn’t find it funny
Had them tortured and murdered while still behind bars
Columbian Government said I finally went to far
“You’re going in the normal prison system” they said
I told them, “No thanks, I think I’d rather wind up dead”
Soldiers surrounded the cathedral made my gang look measly
But I had paid so many off, that we walked out easily
For 17 months they searched for me around the clock
11,000 warrants, 4,000 roadblocks
Had the best technology donated by foreign nations
If I was on the phone three minutes they could pinpoint my location
One day I got careless, talked to my son for too long
The cops were there in minutes and the gunfight was on
Chased me to the roof where my bodyguard went down
They were shooting from behind they were shooting from the ground
Took bullets in my leg, back, and head as I was fleeing
And died in the crossfire on that roof in Medellin
So just one day after I had turned 44
December 2, ’93, I was alive no more
When Medellin’s masses found out they mourned my loss
They had lovingly called me El Patron, The Boss
I had done many bad things but also lots of good
And they would always remember me as their Robin Hood
So whether you think my legacy’s a blessing or a scar
There will never be another man like Pablo Escobar
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13. |
Survival Of The Fittest
02:43
|
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Survival of the Fittest
A tiger is a quarter-ton killing machine
Anywhere from eight feet long to thirteen
Four muscular legs give it great power
Allowing it to reach speeds of forty miles an hour
Or leap thirty feet taking prey by surprise
Bringing down buffalo six times it’s size
With retractable five inch claws on it’s paws
And razor sharp teeth in it’s flesh tearing jaws
So if you had to bet on a competition
Between a grown man in peak physical condition
And a Bengal tiger brought straight from the wild
The choice would be simple, even to a simple child
A UFC master of mixed martial arts
Would be done for, minutes after the match starts
An unarmed man would not just be beaten
He’d be really disarmed when his arms were eaten
The boldest of men would be quick to admit
The big cat is far more physically fit
But if Darwin was right and the fittest survives
Why are tigers endangered, while the human race thrives
Tigers are stronger, so one would think
It should be us humans going extinct
While the fierce felines atop the food chain
Maintain their reign over earth’s domain
Obviously, that’s not going on
But that doesn’t mean that Darwin was wrong
Instead, I would like to submit
That strength alone does not make one fit
You see humans are social, quite contrary
To tigers who tend to be very solitary
They don’t live together or form coalitions
They even kill their own cubs to avoid competition
And because of that the tiger will die
Though it is stronger than you and I
It is not as fit as us all together
So as a community, humans are better
From this one could draw the conclusion
That individuality is an illusion
The idea of going it alone is a lie
Without community, we would all die
It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor
You’re more dependent on society than ever before
You might not like it but you can’t ignore
That we all get food from the grocery store
Our produce was grown in foreign soil
Transported here using foreign oil
We didn’t plant the wheat or pave the street
But we each end up with some food to eat
In a way we were all naturally selected
To run the earth by being interconnected
A human can’t make it just by being strong
We can only survive by getting along
It’s not about strength when push comes to shove
To be fit as a human is all about love
Love has literally kept us alive
Building communities that let us survive
To go it alone is unrealistic
You can’t survive being individualistic
So before you do something selfish, just think
About the all those tigers going extinct
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14. |
CCIA
04:12
|
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CCIA
Somewhere deep inside the forest is our command center
A secret place which few people have entered
New agents who visit can see we’re not your average spies
We don’t wear the shiny shoes, black suits and neck ties
We rock blue jeans, tie-dyes, and Birkenstock sandals
And keep our headquarters smelling fresh with scented candles
And unlike some other countries’ liberation fronts
We spend our free time rolling up and smoking fat blunts
But usual we’re busy in a state of upheaval
Fighting against the forces of corruption and evil
Working hard for the people trying to change the status quo
We’re the good secret agents in case you didn’t know
When the corrupt hear about me they be getting kind of nervous
I’m a double 0 agent for the hippie secret service
Counter Culture Intelligence, the CCIA
If you plot against the people, better watch what you say
You’ll never see us coming we can spy like spiders
We’re hackey sack assassins, Frisbee flinging freedom fighters
Sharp as sharks’ teeth and hard as granite
Protecting this earth like captain planet
We’re the type of people that a corporation hates
Stopping illegal practices in all 50 states
We’re peaceful people don’t want to cause any harm
But we got a full arsenal of non-lethal arms
Sound guns, smoke grenades, tear gas, and mace
Commit a crime against the earth and your sure to get a taste
So corporation watch out if you be polluting
Or else we’ll storm your headquarters with tranquilizers shooting
Round up the executives of your company
And take you to a public park for everyone to see
Tie you up naked, arms wrapped around a tree
Then you’ll be a tree-hugger, just like me
When corporations hear about me they be getting kind of nervous
I’m a double 0 agent for the hippie secret service
Counter Culture Intelligence, the CCIA
If you plot against the people, better watch what you say
You’ll never see us coming we can spy like spiders
We’re hackey sack assassins, Frisbee flinging freedom fighters
Sharp as sharks’ teeth and hard as granite
Protecting this earth like captain planet
Our countries politicians got some kind of nerve
Liberals don’t liberate, conservatives don’t conserve
That’s why the CCIA has taken on the mission
Of hunting down and taking out these crooked politicians
It seems like illegal activities the norm
Politicians taking bribes in so many different forms
Our country’s screwed cause you people are so greedy
Representing the rich, instead of helping out the needy
Sick of this shit, we’re going to settle the score
Steal all your money and give it to the poor
So think twice before you do some corporations bidding
Take a bribe and test us if you think that I’m kidding
When politicians hear about me they be getting kind of nervous
I’m a double 0 agent for the hippie secret service
Counter Culture Intelligence, the CCIA
If you’re plotting against the people, better watch what you say
You’ll never see us coming we can spy like spiders
We’re hackey sack assassins, Frisbee flinging freedom fighters
Sharp as sharks teeth and hard as granite
Protecting this earth like captain planet
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15. |
Che
05:45
|
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Che
You know I rocked a full beard and a beret with a star
You know I smoked the occasional Cuban cigar
You’re all wearing my t–shirt, but what’s that really good for
You all know my face now let me tell you what I stood for
Born in 1928, Rosario Argentina
My daddy was an Irishman, my mom was a Latina
Being diagnosed with asthma didn’t stop me from success
Strong as I was smart, I played rugby and chess
I was blessed with both mental and physical powers
My friends called me pig, cause I rarely took showers
I liked to write poetry, I liked to read philosophy
In my teens I developed a keen interest in photography
Then in ‘48, cause I thought medicine was cool
I attended the Buenos Aires Medical School
In ‘51 my friend suggested that we take a trip
So we bought a motorcycle and decided we should dip
Packed up our supplies, gear, clothes, and food
Said goodbye to our families and headed for Peru
You may have heard of these adventures in my motorcycle diary
I saw horrible things that got me passionate and fiery
There was disenfranchisement, poverty, and oppression
Armed Marxist revolution became my obsession
All these people shared the same Mestizo culture
Slowly being killed by a capitalistic vulture
It was time for society to begin its evolution
So I devoted my life to Marxist revolution
I met Fidel Castro in 1955
And discovered that we shared the revolutionary drive
I joined his 26th of July Movement
His target was Cuba, which needed much improvement
The US installed government would be overthrown
The dictator Batista would be kicked off his throne
Our ship set out from Mexico the very next year
And so began my revolutionary career
As soon as we landed Batista’s army attacked
We fled to the mountains with just half our men intact
As we fled we were forced to drop many supplies
I carried my medicine, but some ammo caught my eyes
There was ammo or medicine I could only carry one
So I left behind the medicine got ammo for the guns
This was the final act in my transition
I became a combatant no longer a physician
We regrouped in the mountains, started working as a team
And fought guerrilla war against Batista’s regime
I showed my military prowess again and again
And soon I became the unofficial leader of the men
I led the successful attack on Santa Clara
Havana fell next bringing the end to an era
Generals made peace with rebels to Batista’s dismay
And with no support at all he was forced to run away
Though I was not a Cuban, I had proved my worth
And I was proclaimed a Cuban citizen by birth
After Fidel Castro I was second in command
But I couldn’t stay put I had much greater things planned
In ‘64 I went to Ireland, New York, and Paris
Peoples Republic of China, Ghana, and Guinea
Tanzania, Mali, Prague, Egypt,
And this is the message that I spread throughout my trip
We must not tacitly comply with exploitation from the west
Cause, “There are no frontiers in this struggle to the death.”
Every victory is ours, as well as each defeat
Until all people are free the revolution’s incomplete
So I’m a revolutionary at home and overseas
It’s “Better to die standing, than to live on your knees.”
We cannot let imperialists, bully us with bombs
We all must take up arms and “create many Vietnams”
And words are unimportant if they don’t match deeds
So the fight must continue ‘til revolution succeeds
“I don't care if I fall, if someone else picks up my gun
And keeps on shooting.” until the battle’s won
“I‘m not a liberator. Liberators don’t exist.
The people liberate themselves”, all I do is assist
In ‘65 it was the Congo that needed my assistance
Where the Marxist Simba movement was fighting for existence
I taught the men guerrilla warfare in hopes they would succeed
But incompetence and infighting made this heard indeed
Plus our enemy was backed by the CIA
So the struggle became harder and harder everyday
I left after seven months of frustration
I was ill with dysentery in the African nation
My body was weak, and my energy depleted
My efforts had failed, and the rebels were defeated
But after just a brief rest I continued my fight
Bolivia was the next country in my sights
I went deep into the jungle with fifty of my supporters
There we trained the rebels and set up our headquarters
In both equipment and manpower we severely lacked
And once again our enemy was CIA backed
We had to move around the jungle never staying dormant
But eventually they found us with the help of an informant
Our encampment was surrounded, but a courageously defended
My legs were shot and my rifle was destroyed ‘fore I surrendered
They all wanted to kill me, I knew I was a goner
The soldier who drew the short straw received the honor
"I know you are here to kill me.” I began
“Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man."
So I was murdered on October 9 1967
My Spirit left my body and ascended to the heavens
I’m Ernesto “Che” Guevara I embodied revolution
Both during my life and after my brutal execution
My message creeps round corners under doors and through the hallways
Revolution will go on “Until victory always”
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16. |
Futbol
02:22
|
|||
Futbol
When I look at a futbol I’m reminded of the Earth
A tiny sphere orbiting on a green sea of turf
By calling it small I don’t mean to sell it short
It’s the center of attention in the single greatest sport
Many men and women have been kicking her around
Skin colors in every shade, beige to dark brown
People who came from so many different nations
North and South Americans, Africans, Austrailians
Asians; Japanese, Chinese, Koreans
Middle Eastern Arabs, and countless Europeans
Each individual wants to be better than them all
But alone not one of them can control the ball
Now no one likes losing in this zero sum game
So they divide into separate teams that go by many names
Each and every one of them is fixed with an obsession
Simultaneously fighting to retain possession
And isolated as they are onto different teams
So also is the ball separated at its seems
Each hexagonal patch is an independent nation
Defending it borders and refusing integration
Divided by color, the black and white contrast
Each piece stretched taut but trying to hold fast
In a constant state of tension because every little section
Is threatened by foreigners in six directions
But take a step back, the differences are none
The separate hexagons are gone and the ball is one
Any previous distinctions are quickly erased
It’s just a small grayish orb flying quickly through space
And just like a futbol, the Earth sometimes seems torn
Depending on our class or in what nation we were born
Divided sharply by race, gender, religion
And other social constructs that increase our division
Some of us work as nations, others work alone
Fencing off land hording precious stones
We compete for the Earth, everyone wanting more
It drives us to violence, murder, and war
Where whole nations attack nations, leaving millions dead
It seems like people will do anything, just to get ahead
They use different methods but their aim is the same
To be victorious in life, the worlds ultimate game
From a distance a futbol is one whole, we understand it
But it’s much harder to look from a distance at our planet
If we did we would see nations don’t exist
Only continents and ocean, shrouded in a cloudy mist
We are all one people, far less different than the same
Maybe that is why we have a common favorite game
But if we don’t realize that soon, we could be torn apart by hate
Just as a futbol ripped at the seem will easily deflate
|
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17. |
America
02:26
|
|||
America
Ari Lesser
11/26/06
Oregon, Ohio, Oklahoma, Arizona
Connecticut, Kansas, Colorado, California
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Dakota
Michigan, Montana, Mississippi, Minnesota
Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Missouri
New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, New Jersey
Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana
Kentucky, Arkansas, Utah, Louisiana
West Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, Georgia
Wisconsin, Carolina, Alabama, Florida
Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, Nebraska
Vermont, Virginia, Hawaii, and Alaska
I been all over Europe and Asia too
They’re nice places to visit that might be true
But my only home and the place I want to be
Is the land of the brave and the home of the free
I’m an American, baby, born and raised
Ohio is where I’ve spent most of my days
But I’ve been from southeast to the northwest
Of America the country that I like the best
When it comes to diversity, we got a lot
Everybody knows we’re the world’s melting pot
We got many different cultures from many different lands
Puerto Rican, Mexican, and African Americans
Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Koreans
Irishmen, Italians, and other Europeans
British, Polish, Swedish, Russian, French, Dutch, and German
Some people so mixed that’s it’s hard to determine
Oregon, Ohio, Oklahoma, Arizona
Connecticut, Kansas, Colorado, California
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Dakota
Michigan, Montana, Mississippi, Minnesota
Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Missouri
New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, New Jersey
Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana
Kentucky, Arkansas, Utah, Louisiana
West Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, Georgia
Wisconsin, Carolina, Alabama, Florida
Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, Nebraska
Vermont, Virginia, Hawaii, and Alaska
I got to throw it up to the real Americans to
The Cherokee, Chippewa, Choctaw, and Sioux
Cheyenne, Chickasaw, Creek, Crow
Lumbee, Shoshone, Mohawk, Navajo
Iroquois, Blackfoot, Seminole, Hopi
Pueblo, Apache, and Pottawatomie
There’s many more tribes if you want to get specific
Who used to run this country from Atlantic to Pacific
Europeans stole their land to make this great nation
Massacred the natives and put them on some reservations
Destroyed homes and families, crushed cultures and dreams
Even stole their names and gave them to our sports teams
Atrocities were committed that no words can correct
But I still want to try and give you people some respect
I think your land is beautiful, and though you didn’t chose it
I wanted to say thank you for allowing me to use it
Oregon, Ohio, Oklahoma, Arizona
Connecticut, Kansas, Colorado, California
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Dakota
Michigan, Montana, Mississippi, Minnesota
Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Missouri
New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, New Jersey
Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana
Kentucky, Arkansas, Utah, Louisiana
West Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, Georgia
Wisconsin, Carolina, Alabama, Florida
Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, Nebraska
Vermont, Virginia, Hawaii, and Alaska
|
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18. |
Bridge The Gap
03:11
|
|||
Bridge The Gap
Let’s keep Cleveland on the right track
Take a step forward not a step back
Now is our chance if we answer the call
To build a bridge that connects us all
Let’s make a mark on the national scene
Show that the state of Ohio is green
Look to the future and lead the nation
With green alternative transportation
Now is the time to make a transition
From the tradition of carbon emissions
Start reducing our auto pollution
Stead of the problem be the solution
Make our streets and bridges complete
Not just for cars, but for bikes and feet
The people have spoken make no mistake
They want a green city on a blue lake
Let’s keep Cleveland on the right track
Take a step forward not a step back
Now is our chance if we answer the call
To build a bridge that connects us all
It might be hard for some folks to see
But driving a car is a luxury
It’s not that cheap to be behind the wheel
Costs a lot to have an automobile
Each year the price of gas keeps rising
Less people driving isn’t surprising
Cause when the price of crude oil spikes
So do the number of people on bikes
And those who don’t have a car still do
Pay public infrastructure taxes too
So why can’t those who don’t have a car
Use the bridge in their own backyard?
Let’s keep Cleveland on the right track
Take a step forward not a step back
Now is our chance if we answer the call
To build a bridge that connects us all
For Cleveland to thrive we must engineer
A bridge that will bring some new people here
And make our city much more attractive
To the young, educated, and active
We’ll have a healthier population
Once we embrace healthy transportation
And give bicycles a direct connection
Not long routes through busy intersections
All kinds of traffic should be delivered
Up over the Cuyahoga River
If they drive or bike or just walk around
Give everyone a way to get downtown
Let’s keep Cleveland on the right track
Take a step forward not a step back
Now is our chance if we answer the call
To build a bridge that connects us all
|
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19. |
Malcolm X
07:21
|
|||
Malcolm X
I was born in 1925, Nebraska, Omaha
From a very young age I knew the system was flawed
My dad Earl was a civil rights activist
Supporter of Marcus Garvey a Black Nationalist
White supremacist didn’t like what he had to say
We had to move twice before my fourth birthday
Tried to elude them but they tracked us down
1929 they burnt our home to the ground
Two years later my dad went out and never came back
His body was found lying across the trolley tracks
Police ruled it an accident, the case was dropped
But we all knew white supremacists murdered my pop
My mom had a breakdown without my dad
She was committed to a mental institution it was bad
Me and my seven sibling, couldn’t go anywhere
We were split up, sent to orphanages and foster care
Life was difficult after my family collapsed
Still I graduated middle school top of my class
Told my teacher I wanted to be a lawyer, go figure
He said, that’s “no realistic goal for a nigger”
So instead I dropped out of school and got lost in
The 1942 underworld of Boston
Bounced from Boston, to Detroit, by 1943
Had a job at a nightclub in NYC
Like many young men I was examined for the draft
To ensure that I wouldn’t have to go I just laughed
“Can’t wait to kill us some crackers” to make them nervous
So I was classified mentally disqualified for service
By 1946 I lived the life of a thug
Gambling, robbing, pimping prostitutes, dealing drugs
I was wound to get in trouble with that kind of career
And I wound up in prison for eight to ten years
But I kept busy during my incarceration
I utilized the time to further my education
During that period I sharpened my mind
Reading almost every decent book I could find
My brother Reginald came to visit me in prison
Told me bout his coversion the Muslim religion
The Nation of Islam (NOI) for short
Was the organization that had his support
Studied the groups teachings and became a avid reader
Of Elijah Muhammad the NOI’s leader
He taught something I was already believing
White society actively kept blacks from achieving
He called for a black state separate from whites
After studying his teachings I decided he was right
So when I was finally paroled in 1952
I found him and asked him what he wanted me to do
I became a devoted follower of the Nation
Quickly rising through the ranks of the organization
I preached their mixed message of freedom and hate
As well as their demand for a separate black state
Saw America like coffee in a coffee pot
When you have black coffee it’s strong and hot
But if you put in too much cream it gets cool and weak
Used to wake you up, now it puts you to sleep
My slave name Little made me feel ashamed
So I changed it to X to signify my lost name
Married my wife Betty X in 1968
My hard work was paying off, everything was great
Appointed minister, articulate, intelligent, and witty
Started mosques in Detroit, and New York City
I Had conviction and charisma like nobody else
Building up the NOI almost by myself
When I first joined the group membership was few
Only 500 people in 1952
But I attracted new members and thanks to me
It was up to 30,000 by 1963
I was born to be a leader, didn’t even have to try
Became national spokesmen for the NOI
Using news radio and TV to communicate
The groups message all across the United States
Said, “I have a need for freedom, I cannot ignore it
Take freedom out your vocab if you won’t die for it
You want someone to give you freedom, no one can
If freedom’s what you want, take it, if you’re a man
I can’t separate being peaceful and being free
Cause if I don’t have my freedom, peace can never be
Non-violence is fine if it changes the institution
But I’m for violence when non-violence postpones the solution
I want human rights by any means necessary
Someone puts his hand on me, send him to the cemetery
Don’t even call it violence when it’s self-defense
No I believe, my friends, that is called intelligence
Sure, I believe in the brotherhood of all men
But brotherhood’s a two-way street my friend
Won’t waste my brotherhood, as I’m sure you’ll agree
On anyone who doesn’t want to practice it with me”
Even more than Elijah Muhammad I became
An influential leader and a household name
I was a media magnet, but as my fame grew
The government started paying more attention too
Because our membership rates were so high
The group was infiltrated by the FBI
They wiretapped and monitored the NOI
Even turned out my own bodyguard was a spy
And while dealing with the government spying on me
At the height of civil rights in 1963
I also found out my mentor was a hypocrite
Outside of marriage, he taught one should be celibate
But Elijah Muhammad was having secret relations
With six different women in the organization
Some of these relationships resulted in kids
And Muhammad asked me to cover up what he did
Before I believed he was a prophet of God
Now I realized that he was nothing but a fraud
I refused to cover up his affairs and lie
And in 1964 I left the NOI
Went on a pilgrimage to Mecca later that year
The trip altered my life, made everything clear
I’d only preached to African Americans before
But in Saudi Arabia, I saw so much more
I visited many other countries in the area
Travelling to Egypt, Ethiopia, Algeria
Ghana, Guinea, Tanzania, Liberia
Sudan, Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria
I’d focused on my race, ignoring all others
Now I met blonde, blue-eyed men I could call brothers
Had a new message when I returned to the states
Integration and hope, not segregation and hate
I wanted truth, I didn’t care who told it anymore
And I wanted justice, no matter who it was for
I saw human rights as something we all have at birth
Rights that should be recognized all over earth
But the head of my former organization
Elijah Muhammad marked me for assassination
He even joked that he would cut off my head
His people told my wife I was as good as dead
When I returned to America they repeatedly tried
Couldn’t leave home without bodyguards at my side
I was stressed, but not the type of man to run
Instead I peered out my window with my hand on my gun
They firebombed my home in 1965
Luckily my family and I escaped alive
But I knew that I couldn’t hold them off forever
A week later they succeeded in their ruthless endeavor
While speaking in Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom
In front of a four hundred supporters I met my doom
When three men with guns rushed up to the stage
And shot me sixteen times at close range
Hospital said I was dead before I arrived
On Februrary 21, 1965
My name is Malcolm X, freedom is my dream
So in defense of liberty, I had to be extreme
I admit that my views were not always correct
But by being sincere I gained people’s respect
Six days after my life had ended
My funeral was held and fifteen hundred attended
Afterwards my friends sent the gravediggers away
And buried me themselves on that mournful day
But my message lives on, though my body is buried
Human rights for all by any means necessary
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20. |
I Have A Dream
03:15
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I Have A Dream
This event will go down as the greatest demonstration
For freedom in the history of our entire nation
Long ago Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation
And yet we still face segregation and discrimination
We have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check
Promised to us in the words of our republic’s architects
It was a promise that all men, black men as well as white
Would be guaranteed certain unalienable rights
Life, liberty, and happiness are the ideals that were exalted
But it is obvious today that America has defaulted
Instead of honoring this obligation as it should have done
We got a bad check that came back marked insufficient funds
The bank of justice is not bankrupt, I refuse to believe it
We’ll demand a check that gives us the riches of freedom until we achieve it
So when you return to the racist south, or the ghettos of the north
Know that somehow a better future will come forth
Let us not wallow in the valley of sorrow
Though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow
I still have a dream, to you my friends I say
Deeply rooted in America, I have a dream today
I have a dream that the truth will no longer be debated
It will be evident that equal is how all men are created
I have a dream that former enemies will not see themselves as others
And sons of slaves and slave-owners will sit together as brothers
I have a dream that Mississippi, sweltering in the heat of injustice
Will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice
I have a dream that in this nation my four little children
Will be judged by their character, not the color of their skin
I have a dream that in Alabama, that vicious racist land
Little black and white children will come together and join hands
I have a dream for every valley and mountain beneath the sun
That all the people of this earth will see the Lord as One
And I know that some day if I keep on dreaming
God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning
‘My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my father's died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!’
If America’s to be a great nation, this is required
Let freedom ring from Pennsylvania, New York, and New Hampshire
Let freedom ring from the slopes of Colorado and California
Let freedom ring from the mountains of Tennessee and Georgia
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi
Let freedom ring from every hamlet, village, state, and city
Let freedom ring from Jewish Synagogues and Catholic Mass
And then we’ll sing, ‘Thank God Almighty, we are free at last’
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21. |
Hypocrisy
03:19
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Hypocrisy
I look in the news and I’m shocked to see
That the US is fighting for democracy
Take a look at the war in Iraq, you’ll agree
It’s all just a bunch of hypocrisy
They say 9/11 was a terrorist attack
And we couldn’t let it go we just had to react
That makes some sense but they left out the fact
That 9/11 had nothing to do with Iraq
Even Bush said the culprit was Osama Bin Laden
But our entire country seems to have forgotten
And after five years of Iraqi abuse
The leader of Al Queda is still on the loose
They say Saddam had to go cause he tortured and gassed
Which seems pretty bad until you contrast
A US installment Abu Ghraib Prison
Where undisputed acts torture have arisen
So the Bush Administration fights insurgencies
Using their advanced military expertise
Committing many murders in the first degrees
Just to help save Iraq from the Iraqis
I look in the news and I’m shocked to see
That the US is fighting for democracy
Take a look at the war in Iraq, you’ll agree
It’s all just a bunch of hypocrisy
The Iraqis had it bad being ruled by Saddam
So we gave them freedom in the form of some bombs
Killing children, old people, fathers, and moms
I thought the US learned its lesson after Vietnam
Oh wait that’s right our president didn’t go
He was to busy doing lines of blow
Maybe he’d make choices that we’re less naïve
If he went to war, not away without leave
Our military’s in the hands of a deserter
Who is currently committing an act of mass murder
And thousands are dead both foe friend
In this worthless war which seems to have no end
We’re in the Middle East, dropping bombs for peace
Saving people from Saddam by leaving them deceased
And over a million people to date
Have been killed by the US attack on their state
I look in the news and I’m shocked to see
That the US is fighting for democracy
Take a look at the war in Iraq, you’ll agree
It’s all just a bunch of hypocrisy
So listen up Mr. Bush cause I’m taking a stand
I completely disagree with this war that you’ve planned
I don’t trust the judgment of those few in command
And I think that this conflict’s now entirely out of hand
I say bring our troops home from this war in a foreign land
For over five years they’ve been stranded in the sand
Pre-emptive wars of oppression should forever be banned
I’m not making a request, I’m making a demand
How can you spread democracy when we don’t have it here
You want to overthrow a dictator look in the mirror
You cheated to be president that fact is clear
Then attempted to control us with fraudulent fear
I support our troops, I say bring them back here
They’re dying from your lying before they can drink a beer
You need to be impeached from your current career
That’s all I have to say thanks for lending me your ear
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22. |
Natalie
03:01
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Natalie
There’s a lot more to this story but this is where I’m going to enter
Downtown Portland, Oregon, in front of the Justice Center
The block is lined with policemen, all wearing riot suits
Black helmets, black vests, black pants, black clubs, black boots
Across the street, the cops stare at us, a mob of angry youth
Equipped with just our voices, a bullhorn, and the truth
They had arrested some of our own earlier that day
And somewhere in the Justice Center they were locked away
At the top of our lungs we all shouted, “Let them go!”
But we got no response from the cops, not even a simple “No”
They kept repeating that the road was for cars, not our feet
But a few brave individuals stepped into the street
Then the riot cops came charging like some horrible parade
Us young people were beaten with batons and pepper-sprayed
More cops came from behind us, riding in on horses
Showing us the full power of Portland’s police forces
We yelled, “The world is watching,” and they started pulling back
We shouted, “shame, shame, it is shameful how you act
We have committed no crimes; we’ve broken only silence
We ask you to free our friends, and you respond with violence”
I was filled with an anger like I’d never felt before
I was angry at the cops, I was angry at the war
I was angry at the government and the Media too
I was angry at the world, but then I saw you
I knew that you were special, right from the very start
You wore four peace pins just above your heart
Sexy white boots that looked somewhat out of place
In that sea of anarchy all I could see was your face
You introduced yourself to me, and we started talking
Decided to sit down cause we were tired of walking
We sat beneath a tree, your leg leaning on to me
We discussed the international political economy
I graciously accepted when you offered me some bread
We talked of the Iraq war and the thousands it left dead
Every time you opened your mouth to speak, I truly wanted to hear it
You aroused not just my body, but my mind and my spirit
For all eternity I could have sat beneath that tree
Until everybody else went home and left just you and me
I didn’t want to rap no more, just wrap my arms around you
I forgot about the protest, I was just so glad I found you
The most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, both inside and out
I finally learned what love at first sight is all about
But then my friend was leaving cause it was getting late
It was my only way to Eugene that night, I had a final at eight
I almost chose to stay and fail my class because of you
And if I could have that night back, that’s exactly what I’d do
Cause on that long ride home there was just one thing on my mind
I’ll have many tests throughout my life, but you’re one of a kind
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23. |
The Lion And Gazelle
03:53
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Lion & Gazelle
There was a lion without pride
Young and innocent inside
Who heard the older lions say
How much they loved consuming prey
They loudly roared about the meat
That they would pursue and eat
Each of the lions tried to boast
He alone had caught the most
The young one envied them inside
Because they seemed so satisfied
Making flesh sound so great
That he began to imitate
He could not escape their words
Soon he prowled around the herds
Hunting just like the rest
But he did not have success
His days ended with disaster
Older cats were much faster
They would always steal the meat
Right out from beneath his feet
But then one night when it was late
Either by accident or fate
He finally caught his first prey
Or did it catch him that day?
Then he was just like the rest
After he tasted that flesh
It was always on his mind
He left his innocence behind
Now there was no turning back
His world melted into black
Left the light and prowled all night
To feed his endless appetite
His cravings never seemed to cease
Even asleep he found no peace
Seeking flesh in every dream
Over his mind it reigned supreme
He loved it more than anyone
But most nights he got none
Hungry he returned home
And roared angry and alone
Some nights he had success
Hunting and consuming flesh
Sleeping when he had his fill
But he would wake up empty still
His hunger never disappeared
Day after day year after year
No matter how hard he tried
He was never satisfied
One night while on the prowl
He came across a young gazelle
A piece of thick juicy meat
The kind of flesh he loved to eat
He gazed at her from far away
Then slowly crept up on his prey
Ready to sink his teeth right in
He could almost taste her skin
He thought that she couldn’t see
For she did not try to flee
But the gazelle, to his surprise
Turned and looked into his eyes
In those eyes he saw her soul
A fragment of the greater whole
He saw the spark of God above
For the first time the lion loved
He could not eat her like the rest
For in those eyes he saw not flesh
She was no prize to lose or win
Instead he saw the One within
In the eyes of that gazelle
He could see himself as well
Though his mane looked the same
Beneath the surface he had changed
And from that moment on
His desire for flesh was gone
He felt only joy inside
Finally he was satisfied
And the gazelle was not afraid
Before the lion’s eye she stayed
Their souls then became entwined
For a moment, yet for all of time
The lion bowed his head down
And kissed her feet upon the ground
From his touch she did not run
The two then became one
The other lions saw him after
And they all roared with laughter
Saying, “Just eat that flesh
And then find some meat that’s fresh
And when the gazelles did see
How they begged her to flee
Crying, “There is no denying
That you cannot trust a lion”
But this constant stream of doubt
Was so easily drowned out
For nothing could be heard above
The rushing river of their love
She was approached many times
By predators of every kind
But that gazelle, she could fly
None could even catch her eye
The lion watched passing waves
Of the herds he used to crave
Now it just made him yawn
The taste he had for flesh was gone
So together they now dwell
The young lion and gazelle
Never are they found apart
With only love between their hearts
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Ari Lesser Cleveland
Ari Lesser is a singer, songwriter, rapper, and spoken word artist from Cleveland, Ohio. He has performed all over the world, and written hundreds of songs on a wide range of subjects. Ari’s repertoire is expansive, touching on everything from history, to animals, to Star Wars, but now his focus and passion is making music based on the Torah. ... more
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