So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
I flip when I kick it trippin' it
So I can check shit, not in a daily style
But once in every while, so I can
File check, file check the files of my brain (brain)
Many of meaning manage to come from the insane And the butcher (huh?), the baker (what?)
The fabulous drama maker
A cracker on a truck goin', "breaker, breaker"
Listen to everyone (uh huh), then disregard it
The meaningful shit comes back, back to where it started
In your cranium surrounded by pot like a geranium
A capital 2 burns in my mind, give me some (peace)
I looked at her I looked at him and neither one did know
Where the wild thoughts grow, check it out
[Chorus]
I look for absolutes and there absolutely none
The truth is what you shoot for, not one
Nothing brings it all together, the journey's never done
I'd sing you "Stormy Weather," but it's been sung
So let's have some fun
311 has grassroots, we warned ya
311 has grassroots, true
311 has grassroots for your money
311 has grassroots
Challenge comes and goes, and there will be another
I say bring it on
The roots that grow underground are as big as the tree
That you see, if not, it will fall down
We waste so many moments standing on convention
The only survey is when our heart pays no attention
Yada, yada-da-da, oooohh...
Move with persistence, cover much distance
Knowing no perdition, that's my game for instance
311, true to no tradition
And the 311 crew not down with convention
But a hundred different people already told what we about
So I make not attempt to try and suss the stupid out
I'd turned into a roughneck, that was not my intention
It doesn't even really matter unless I fail to mention that
Peace to all crews that want some peace
First the Mid then the West then we slide through the East
A piece to any crew that wants a piece
But peace to all crews that want peace
Check it out
[Chorus]
Attention...
Eee-da-da-day, eee-da-da-da-da-day
Eee-da-da-day, eee-da-da-da-da-day
Knowing no convention, no convention...
So I can check shit, not in a daily style
But once in every while, so I can
File check, file check the files of my brain (brain)
Many of meaning manage to come from the insane And the butcher (huh?), the baker (what?)
The fabulous drama maker
A cracker on a truck goin', "breaker, breaker"
Listen to everyone (uh huh), then disregard it
The meaningful shit comes back, back to where it started
In your cranium surrounded by pot like a geranium
A capital 2 burns in my mind, give me some (peace)
I looked at her I looked at him and neither one did know
Where the wild thoughts grow, check it out
[Chorus]
I look for absolutes and there absolutely none
The truth is what you shoot for, not one
Nothing brings it all together, the journey's never done
I'd sing you "Stormy Weather," but it's been sung
So let's have some fun
311 has grassroots, we warned ya
311 has grassroots, true
311 has grassroots for your money
311 has grassroots
Challenge comes and goes, and there will be another
I say bring it on
The roots that grow underground are as big as the tree
That you see, if not, it will fall down
We waste so many moments standing on convention
The only survey is when our heart pays no attention
Yada, yada-da-da, oooohh...
Move with persistence, cover much distance
Knowing no perdition, that's my game for instance
311, true to no tradition
And the 311 crew not down with convention
But a hundred different people already told what we about
So I make not attempt to try and suss the stupid out
I'd turned into a roughneck, that was not my intention
It doesn't even really matter unless I fail to mention that
Peace to all crews that want some peace
First the Mid then the West then we slide through the East
A piece to any crew that wants a piece
But peace to all crews that want peace
Check it out
[Chorus]
Attention...
Eee-da-da-day, eee-da-da-da-da-day
Eee-da-da-day, eee-da-da-da-da-day
Knowing no convention, no convention...
Lyrics submitted by pen1234567
Grassroots Lyrics as written by Nicholas Lofton Hexum Chad Ronald Sexton
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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grassroots..thats how they soldthe records back in the day..by underground..huge fanbase..solid i might add.....i love the intro..most uncanny intros you'kll find in music are in 311 songs
It's about keeping in touch with where you came from. If you don't....some day it might all end, and then you'll have no where to turn.
This song is great... 'Challenge comes and goes and there will be another, I say bring it on the roots that grow underground are as big as the tree that you see if not it will fall down "
i absolutly love this lyric.. it means that challenges in your life will happen, so you might as well be ready for them. grow your own roots- whatever makes you strong, and the challenges wont be so difficult to overcome.
Nick Hexum's lyrics spell out nothing less than an existential philosophy to live by. This song, like most of what he writes, is about living in the moment and accepting your life as it is. I don't think he says it any better than in this song:
"I look to absolutes and there's absolutely none", "We waste so many moments standing on convention", "Nothing brings it all together. The journey's never done."
And there's a huge error in the lyrics on this site. The correct line is "I'd sing you stormy weather but it's been sung, so let's have some fun." In other words quit dwelling on the negative and accept reality as it comes.
Clearly influenced by Buddhist thought, but also according with many philosophical traditions like Rorty's pragmatism, Nick teaches us not to look for certainty, and that all things are impermanent (to use the Buddhist term.) From his lyrics it's evident that he is a profound thinker as well as a great artist.
Ramify my man, ramify…