<?xml version="1.0"?>
<atom:feed xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><atom:id>http://calabashmusic.com/</atom:id><atom:title>New Music From Michael Franti and Spearhead on Calabash Music</atom:title><atom:updated>2008-12-02T12:15:10Z</atom:updated><atom:link href="http://calabashmusic.com//world/publisher/artistView/action/getfeed/item_id/78035/feedtype/102/output/feed/atom.xml" rel="self"/><atom:author><atom:name>The Calabash Music Team</atom:name><atom:email>support@calabashmusic.com</atom:email></atom:author><atom:entry><atom:title>Yell Fire!</atom:title><atom:id>http://michaelfranti.calabashmusic.com/#album_78051</atom:id><atom:updated>2006-12-12T07:40:55Z</atom:updated><atom:link href="http://michaelfranti.calabashmusic.com/#album_78051"/><atom:summary>Music from Yell Fire!</atom:summary><atom:content type="html"><![CDATA[<img src='http://files.calabashmusic.com/images/78051/yell_fire.jpg'>Franti has created a searing, reflective new album of original songs titled Yell Fire! 14 new songs inspired by the trip to Iraq, Israel and Occupied Territories of Palestine. Recorded in Kingston, Jamaica and Franti&rsquo;s hometown of San Francisco, California.<br /><br />&ldquo;The thing that I found when I was in war zones was that nobody wants to hear songs about war. They want to hear songs about connection to people, and songs about love and life, songs that make them dance.&rdquo;<br /><br />- Michael Franti]]></atom:content></atom:entry><atom:entry><atom:title>Rock The Nation - CD5</atom:title><atom:id>http://michaelfranti.calabashmusic.com/#album_92701</atom:id><atom:updated>2006-12-12T07:40:55Z</atom:updated><atom:link href="http://michaelfranti.calabashmusic.com/#album_92701"/><atom:summary>Music from Rock The Nation - CD5</atom:summary><atom:content type="html"><![CDATA[<img src='http://files.calabashmusic.com/images/92701/rock_the_nation_-_cd5.jpg'>]]></atom:content></atom:entry><atom:entry><atom:title>Stay Human</atom:title><atom:id>http://michaelfranti.calabashmusic.com/#album_92707</atom:id><atom:updated>2006-12-12T07:40:55Z</atom:updated><atom:link href="http://michaelfranti.calabashmusic.com/#album_92707"/><atom:summary>Music from Stay Human</atom:summary><atom:content type="html"><![CDATA[<img src='http://files.calabashmusic.com/images/92707/stay_human.jpg'>The Album begins...
THE CASE OF SISTER FATIMA

Every year hundreds of important events go under-reported, or get completely and intentionally ignored by the mainstream media. The case of Sister Fatima is one such 
case. The fact of the matter is that even within circles of the most aware social justice 
advocates and underground media journalists, Sister Fatima's name is rarely uttered or 
discussed. I have not been able to pinpoint exactly why.
  
Over the past thirty years there have been a large number of high profile cases 
involving African American political prisoners in the United States, that while grossly 
unreported and biasly slandered still received at least a modicum of media attention. So 
why is it that the case of this one revolutionary woman has received no media attention?  How is it that one Governor could almost single-handedly send to death row a sixty-one year old woman simply as a means to get re-elected? And most shockingly, why is it that the general public has become so desensitized to capital punishment that only a handful of people have even bothered to make themselves aware of the case of Sister Fatima?

For those of you who do not know, Sister Fatima was accused and convicted of the 
1991 slaying of prominent business couple James and Ellen Buchanan. There was very 
little physical evidence submitted in the trial, as their bodies have yet to be located and no murder weapon was found. The evidence used to condemn Sister Fatima was the testimony of "eyewitnesses" who claimed to have seen Sister Fatima having an argument with the Buchanans the week of the murder. According to witnesses the nature of the argument was over the lease agreement of the medical marijuana office Sister Fatima ran, which was housed in a building owned by the Buchanans.

At a later date, blood was found and an anonymous note was mailed to police officials from someone claiming to have shot and buried the Buchanans.
  
Many now believe Sister Fatima, who had been a police target since the late Sixties because of her outspoken views on racial equality, police violence, environmental issues, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender rights, and the compassionate use of 
medical marijuana, was framed as a means of silencing her.

Since the trial, all six of the "witnesses" have come forward and have completely recanted their testimonies, stating for the record that they had been coerced at the time of interrogation and had never seen Sister Fatima arguing with the Buchanans 
on any occasion.

In spite of the fact that Sister Fatima's case was clearly an organized set-up, and there is now overwhelming evidence to clear her of all charges, neither the Governor's office nor the judicial system will allow her case to be retried. Rather they are intent on executing her as quickly as possible as a means of acquiring votes from a deceived and paranoid public.
  
An innocent woman, only few have heard of, awaits death by lethal injection...why?
 

Oh My God
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti, R. Lazo

(chorus)
Oh-my, oh-my God!
out here mama they got us livin' suicide
singin' oh-my, oh-my God!
out here mama they got us livin' genocide

Slam bam I come unseen 
but like gasoline you can tell I'm in the tank 
like money in the bank 
I smell appealing, but I'm toxic, can send ya reeling 
without an inklin', keep ya thinkin'
'cause you gave cash to the feds, left your school district for dead
fucked you up in the head, but still they sayin' nothin's wrong
sellin' firewater but outlawing the bong
still believing the system is workin'
while half of my people are still outta workin'
anonymous notes left in the pockets and coats
of judges and juries from 'Frisco to Jersey
threats and protests politicians mob debts
trumped up charges and phony arrests
stage a lethal injection, the night before the election
'cause he got donations from the prison guard's union
(chorus)

Listen in to my stethoscope on a rope
internal lullabies, human cries
thumps and silence, the language of violence
algorithmic, cataclysmic, seismic, biorhythmic
you can make a life longer, but you can't save it
you can make a clone and then you try to enslave it?
stealin' DNA samples from the unborn
and then you comin' after us 
'cause we sampled a James Brown horn?
scientists who's God is progress
a four-headed sheep is their latest project
the CIA runnin' like that Jones from Indiana
but they still won't talk about that (Jim) Jones 
(People's Temple mass suicide) in Guyana

This ain't no cartoon
no one slips on bananas
do you really think that that car killed Diana
hell I shot Ronald Reagan, I shot JFK, 
I slept with Marilyn (Monroe) she sung me happy birthday
singin'
(chorus)
 

Well politicians got lipstick on the collar
the whole media started to holler
but I don't give a fuck who they screwin' in private
I wanna know who they screwin' in public
robbin', cheatin', stealin',
white collar criminal
McDonald eatin', you deserve a beatin'
send you home a weepin', with a fat bill for your
Caribbean weekend
for just about anything they can bust us
false advertising sayin' "halls of Justice"
you tellin' the youth don't be so violent
then you drop bombs on every single continent
mandatory minimum sentencin'
'cause he got caught with a pocket fulla medicine
do that again another ten up in the pen
I feel so mad I wanna bomb an institution
singin'
(chorus)

"Solomon's law of an eye for an 
eye blurs our vision of greatness. 
Is that how justice got blind?"   
KRIST NOVOSELIC/ Nirvana

Stay Human (All the freaky people)
Lyrics: M Franti / Music: M. Franti, C. Young

Starvation is a creation of the devil
a rebel
I'm bringin' food to the people like a widow
bringin' flowers to a grave in the middle
of the city isolation is a riddle
to be surrounded by a million other people
but feel alone like a tree in the desert
dried up like the skin of a lizard 
but full of color like the spots of a leopard
drum and bass pull me in like a shepherd
scratch my itch like a needle on a record
full of life like a man gone to Mecca
sky high like an eagle up soaring 
I speak low but I'm like a lion roaring
baritone like a Robeson recordin'
I'm givin' thanks for bein' human every morning...

(chorus)
Because the streets are alive with the sound of Boom Bap
can I hear it once again!
Boom Bap tell your neighbor tell a friend
every box gotta right to be boomin'
because the streets are alive with the sound of Boom Bap
can I hear it once again!
Boom Bap tell your neighbor tell a friend
every flower gotta right to be bloomin'!
Stay Human!

Be resistant
the negativity we keep it at a distance
call for backup and I'll give you some assistance
like a lifesaver deep in the ocean
stay afloat here upon the funky motion
rock and roll upon the waves of the season
hold your breath and your underwater breathin'

To be rhymin' without a real reason
is to claim but not to practice a religion
if television is the drug of the nation
satellite is immaculate reception
beaming in they can look and they can listen
so you see don't believe in the system
to legalize you or give you your freedom
you want rights ask 'em, they'll read 'em
but every flower gotta right to be bloomin'...
stay human...
(chorus)

All the freaky people make the beauty of the world

You see Y2K ya know is a moment
in time we find that we can open 
up a heart that's locked or been broken
by the pain of words not spoken
or shot by guns a still smokin'
Cartwrights out on the Ponderosa
or drive by bang in Testarossa
we need to heed the words of Dalai Lama
or at least the words of yo mama
take a mental trip to the Bahamas
steam your body in a stereo sauna, sauna, comma...
(chorus)

With the passage of time, the number 
of executions has increased exponentially in the U.S.A.,
 from one in 1977, to 74 in 1997, to 610 in 1999.

I've been against the death penalty 
since I was a very small child, for 
one simple reason. What if they've got 
the wrong person? And what if it happens 
to be me?   Jello Biafra
Rock The Nation
Lyrics: M. Franti, Radio(Active) / Music: M. Franti, C. Young 

We livin' in a mean time and an aggressive time
a painful time, a time where cynicism rots the vine
in a time where violence blocks the summer shine
lifetimes, go by in a flash
in a search for love, in a search for cash
everybody wanna be some fat tycoon
everybody wanna be on a tropic honeymoon
nobody wanna sing a little bit out of tune
or be the backbone of a rebel platoon
it's too soon to step out of line
you might get laughed at you might get fined
but do you feel me when I say I feel pain everyday
when I see the way my friends gotta slave
and never get ahead of bills they gotta pay
no way no way!
some make a living doing killing Colombian penicillin
some are willing to play the villain they just chillin'
to pass the time, pass the information
or pass the wine
pass the buck or pass the baton
but you can't pass the police or the pentagon
the I.R.S. or the upper echelon
I think it's time to make a move on the contradiction

(chorus)
Bom-Bom, rock the nation
take over television and radio station
Bom-Bom the truth shall come 
give the corporation some complication!                                

This is the dawning of our time I say it one more time
to emphasize the meaning of my rhyme
to rise above all the dirt and grime
add the right spice at the right time
fuck the constitution
are we part of the solution or are we part of the pollution
sittin' by and wonderin' why,
things ain't the way we like to find them to be, to be
for you and for me the people over there and the ones in between
check our habitation are we a peace lovin' nation
peace lovin' nation
I have a reasonable doubt I think I'll just spell it out
there's no need to scream or to shout
the N.R.A. just bought a man's soul
then he jumps up and shouts gun control
the government says that killin's a sin
unless you kill a murderer with a lethal syringe
so I ask again "are we peace lover's then"
some of them slang guns when they six years old 
some of them end up in some six foot hole
this whole damn place seems to, lost control
so I raise my voice before I lose my soul
(chorus)

This is the way I'll express my feelings
vibe revealed and revolved spinnin on a record y'all
try to confiscate take what I communicate with 
it's ancient gift of the lip steady creating
activating passin vocal vibrations to the blind plus the seeing 
human doesn't mean just being

be coming don't believe it just belife it 
belongings or beloved rehearse it or recite it 
while shining drop your guns and move your tongues
battle motivation in no time lyrics come
sometimes fun others run their mouth or away
my minds co beaming like an early sunray
one day we'll get the picture and all combine
less the talking bout mines is mine and become one mind
every piece of the puzzle has its place
to build the piece of the puzzle called the human race
  
taking it long enough we crush the formal journalistic 
dyslexic critters talk backwards to rap words
I'm sure raising my hands with questions and demands
statements and a plan with a map of the land
(chorus)

Sometimes
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti, D. Shul

(chorus)
Sometimes, I feel like I can do anything and
sometimes, I'm so alive
sometimes, I feel like I can zoom cross the sky and,
sometimes, I wanna cry

Most people try to aim to please
but a lot a them are kinda weak in the knees
learnin' late about the birds and the bees 
fallin' in love and wanna be set free
playin' ball at the age of thirteen
everybody's growin up with a dream
I never noticed what could happen to me 
time flies when you're walkin' the streets
one minute gotcha holdin' an ace
the next minute gotcha fall on yer face
a mean city is a nasty place
only a rat can win a rat race!
peace to the people who be fallin' away 
to make it home today
and peace to the people who be tryin' to find
some kinda life
(chorus)

Sound body and sound of mind
sound of the rhythm and sound of the rhyme
somebody marchin' all out of time
biggest mistakes are the humanest kind
judge not, lest you be judged
the court room or the billy club
blood bubblin' thicker than mud 
the heart beat rub-a-dub-dub
show love and love who you know
family wherever you go
Tokyo to Acapulco
bravissimo, magnifico
peace to the people who be losing their head
peace to the people who be needin' a bed
love to the people who be feelin' alone
spreadin' love upon the microphone
hope to the people who be feelin' down
smile to the people who be wearin' a frown
faith to the people who be seekin' the truth y'all
all of the time, and I say
(chorus)

"It doesn't matter what you think of 
the death penalty in the abstract; 
in the real world, race and class determines
who lives and dies in death penalty 
cases. So until racism and economic
 inequality are gotten rid of in America, they 
should get rid of the racist death penalty, 
which targets minorities and the poor."  
TOM MORELLO/ Rage Against the Machine
Do Ya Love
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti, C. Young

So many times, people turn they backs to you
'cause they don't wanna see, what's inside of you
'cause lookin' inside of you
they might realize there's something inside of them
they might not wanna find

But it ain't about who ya love, (who ya love)
see it's all about do ya love, (do ya love)

(chorus)
Well well well well
sunshine, and loveliness, 
ain't nobody feeling no ugliness tonight
ain't it fine like sippin' sweet Georgie wine
see I'm just chillin' with these friends of mine

I ain't tryin'a bother you 
so why ya gotta bother me
what goes on in your bedroom ain't no mess to me
you say your God don't like my God
'cause you don't like my friends
but your friends tryin' to kill a man
and I don't understand

'cause it ain't about who ya love, (who ya love)
see it's all about do ya love, (do ya love)
(chorus)

Ooh one two three
say yeah say yeah feels so good to me
ooh! and ya one two three, say yeah, say yeah
feels so good!!!!

I say do it at home or on the street
with a drag queen don't matter to me 
it ain't about sex or having degrees
your pedigree don't matter to me 
about who ya love, (who ya love)
see it's all about do ya love, (do ya love)
(chorus)

"The death penalty sucks. It's absolutely 
barbaric. It's wrong, period. It's proven 
not to deter murder, it's racially and 
socio-economically biased, and it's cruel."  
AMY RAY/ Indigo Girls

Soulshine
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti

The world around
gotcha down
you got high blood pressure people pushin' you around
and some wanna tell you how you should behave
cut your hair the right way, tell you what to say, hang out with the right folks,
become a fashion slave

But do you wanna feel free
but do you wanna feel freaky and free
but do you wanna feel free
do you wanna feel free, free, free, freaky and free

(chorus) 
Take ya time
unwind ya mind
we all need a little soulshine
take ya time
unwind ya mind
we could use a little soulshine

9 to 5, people tryin'a stay alive
hard livin' in the city
find a diamond in the sewer but the gas bills rise
but I got to say to them what's it all mean
ya got to take a loan
to pay the bill on the phone
educated, graduated but you can't get a job

But do you wanna feel free
but do you wanna feel freaky and free
but do you wanna feel free
do you wanna feel free, free, free, freaky and free
(chorus)
 

"One in 27 people 
executed are later 
found to be innocent
-- at least two a year. 
There is no evidence 
that it is an effective deterrent. 
And it is twice as expensive 
to administer the death 
penalty as it is to offer 
life without parole."
KENNETH COLE/activist 
& designer

Every Single Soul
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti, C. Young, D. Shul, R. Lazo, R. Quintana

(chorus)
No matter where I roam
whoa-oh I know every single soul is a poem
written on the back of God's hand

Ya see Moms and Pops be copulatin'
plantin' seeds and pickin' weeds for another season
another reason for livin' another reason for givin'
another reason for lovin' and tryin'a stay out of prison
'cause everything in life can't be nice and 
everything you want can't be got
but the lessons on being patient be causing the pressure to rise 
and make some people suicidal
Oh no! another soul, has lost control
we pull him back into the fold
he got strung out on the material
all the superficial initials
upon his clothes
they make me wanna go Sprewell
every time I see my family locked in jail
uh-huh, the economic can be demonical oh!
keep love in your soul
(chorus)

Ya see people are so beautiful in love
that's why I'm reminded of life's precious moments every time
I see lovers walkin' by in the park 
close my eyes and I stop reminisce
to see a little baby suckin' on his mama's
milk-ey silky smoothness of a lovin' caress holdin' baby to breast
and blessin' the world with another to test, test, test
oh-yes, oh-yes Bom-bom!
I'd like to sing a little song
dedicated to the people who would like to sing along
'cause every little song has little beats and notes
like every little lake has little trees and boats
all people deserve a safe and warm home 'cause every single soul is a poem
(chorus)

Right from the start in a world torn apart
a baby's love leaves finger prints upon the heart
so many think it, but never say it
"why bring a child to this planet full of hatred?"  
they might not make it like the youngest departed
or worst of all they might become a part of it
involved in it, perpetuating violence, violence
and growin' up in silence...
seein' things they don't know how to deal with
and learnin' ways, to try to cope with it,
cope with it, cope with it.....and not lose hope.
(chorus)

"I really hope that the 
USA will soon ban the 
death penalty so that they 
can be an example for the 
rest of the world and so 
that they will be leaders 
not just in economy and in 
democracy but also in the 
respect of the human life 
and in the quality of the 
human life."
LORENZO JOVANOTTI/
Italian Hip Hop artist

Love’ll Set You Free
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti,  D. Shul, C. Young

Seems like everyday gets a little bit longer
seems like yesterday I was a little bit stronger
but there ain't nothin' 
nothin' I can do 
but to hold my ground
try not to come unwound
don't wanna be let down
but it ain't easy, no! it ain't easy  
doin' hard time
for somebody else's crime

(chorus)
Hate is what got me here
but I know that love sweet love is gonna set me free
all the hatred in the world is what got me here today
but I know that love is gonna set me free

Man I been away for so long now
I ain't seen no daylight for God knows how long now
I come out fightin' when I hear that bell ring
I always hear my name
but I'd love to feel the rain come down one mo time
wash away my pain
love like a hurricane
(chorus)

"Questions about capital punishment often tend to revolve 
around tangential issues - whether, for example, death 
should be painful or not. So that now, death by lethal injection 
is represented as the best, least painful, and thus most humane 
death. This doesn't [confront] the real issue, which is whether 
there is not something profoundly wrong with giving the state 
the right to kill. No method of state death can eradicate the 
fact that capital punishment is racist and class-biased." 
ANGELA DAVIS/ prison industrial complex activist

Thank You
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti, C. Young, D. Shul, R. Lazo

When I was a younger man 
people say don't dream to tall
'cause if you live your life that way
you set yourself up for big falls
I stay up late in my room at night
play my heroes on the turntable
opened me to pure phat groove
help my soul break down them walls

(chorus)
I thank you 
I thank you for all the music that you've shown to me
I thank you 
'cause you set me free
free to simply just be me

You don't know 
all the influence
the subtle positives 
that you had on me
came about like a renaissance
like a little happy dance 
got into my feet
but in your time
the roads you chose
led you to your hard luck blues
I always feared what it was like 
to live inside your big old shoes
(chorus)

Do ya love music? "I Do!!!"
Do ya love music? "I Do!!!"

"In order to stop murderers 
from murdering, you must 
execute the mentality that causes 
murderers to murder. Down with 
this rotten-assed system. The 
death penalty is dead wrong."  
PAM AFRICA/ MOVE

We Don’t Mind
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti,  R. Lazo

(chorus)
We don't mind
see we been doin' it all the time
but if you want us to sacrifice 
you will not get it without a price  
we don't mind
see we been doin' it all the time
but if you want us to sacrifice 
you gotta give something back to life

You think I'm vulnerable to your pressure tactics
because I shed a tear, 'cause I shed a tear
you think I'm vulnerable to your violence
just 'cause I'm sittin' here
but my babies came into this world
without a single fear, say they had no fear
'cause the seven generations before me
they all fought to get us here
(chorus)

You can't just come in here like that no more 
and snatch up our childhood
you can't just walk on up
and replace it yo, with your Hollywood
but I see now 
how all of the words I say you'll take and misconstrue
and I'm prepared now
to suffer the penalties for speakin' the truth
and I speak the truth when I say
(chorus)

People if you hear me now I wantcha to say
naa, na-naa, na-naa, naah
people if you hear me now I wantcha to say
naa, na-naa, na-naa, naah

Over sixty nine people have been released 
from death row since 1972 as a result of 
being wrongly convicted...

...that is more than one wrongly 
convicted person for every hundred 
people on death row

Speaking Of Tongues
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti

(chorus)
You don't have to be so scared to share what's inside
'cause you're Daddy's little superstar, and you're Mama's little butterfly
Fly high...

A strange strange litany of verses and reverses
ad-libs and rehearses
clouds burst and words cursed
an argument breaks out 
it's one we've all heard before, it's boring 
had us all snoring from the first line
one after another chimed in perfect time
tired rehashes of petty cashes and mismatches
you shoulda coulda's
and "why didn'tcha dida's"
crippling snippets aimed at the heart 
to inflame and impart blame
framed like Mumia
verbal diarrhea spasms
creating chasms between the souls of two
or two billion
nations torn apart,
station to station damnation,
with much deliberation and very little consideration
to the return on the damage from the altercation,
collateral condemnation, 
then denyin' like colorization of an old black and white
create a revision of the recent last night
the fight that started with two words "I'm right"
(chorus) 

But of course the fight ends with no resolution
merely a vow for retribution, substitution, execution, electrocution
ruthless, toothless, and truthless
mumbling through page after page of excuses
abuses of the gift of gab
Gabriel the trumpeter
bestowed upon us a voice with a choice,
and a tongue kept moist by years of salivating
for oysters...pearls and aphrodisiacs
locked in an ugly shell always too chewy and gooey
so they get swallowed whole,
but a tongue is so much more than a vehicle for greed
or the decipherer of feed,
a tongue is for washing fur
or for licking wounds 
or for welcoming newcomers into a room,
or cleansing those fresh from the womb
without a tongue there'd be no croons,
swoons, Junes under the moon,
no bees pollinating no flowers to bloom,
no recitation of words at the foot of a tomb 
or wills read allowed of the family heirlooms
you probably couldn't even blow up a balloon,
and that would be a shame, 
because to exhale's the name of the game
exhale from the heart, not from the lungs
speak from the heart , not from the tongue
(chorus)

Listening is understanding
and finding compassion, love is the action
of soul satisfaction
a tongue can make wishes and also fine kisses
taste a sweet cake and also cast disses
but nothing compares to the voice from within, 
without it we might just be mannequins,
up to no darn good shenanigans
learn to be skillful movers of the stones
that block the heart and turn humans to clones
learn to forgive, set free the bones,
touch with your flesh, take off the rubber gloves
love like your life depends on it
because it does!!!!!!
(chorus)

"What is the death penalty? It's 
a lot of things. It's when we turn 
the justice system into a criminal.
It's becoming a monster. It's not 
right; it's not smart."  Bono/ U2

The average murder rate per 
100,000 population in 1997 
among death penalty states 
was 6.6; the average murder 
rate among non-death penalty 
states was only 3.5

Listener Supported
Lyrics: M. Franti, M. Daulne / Music: M. Franti

Six foot six above sea level
I grab the mic because I like to take you to 
anotha mental level
low power frequency radio modulation
the big sound from underground anotha pirate station
we bring the truth to places truth is never heard before
we bring the sound communication of our tribal war
dark vision fly by helicopters in the night
attempt triangulation of our station in the fight
straight from the bass the deep down low precision
high crime treason we broadcastin' sedission
like the wall street mornin' afternoon edition
commandeering airwaves from unknown positions

(chorus)
Live and direct we comin' never pre-recorded
with information that will never be reported
disregard the mainstream media distorted
whoop! whoop! 
we comin' listener supported
 

Don't take no prisoners if you can't afford to feed none
don't start no fights if you cannot predict the outcome
don't make donations where you cannot get your dough back
fuck the apathetic bullshittas send 'em all your prozac
I will not climb into your telephone tree
and "hell no you can't put me on hold!!!" 
it's the same recorded message you been singin' all along
keep handin' us the bible while you walkin' off with all the gold
the bureaucratic office sends you merry-go-rounding
while the KKK police the streets by blood hounding 
interest on the credit card just keeps on compounding
but the FCC can neva shut this pirate sound down
(chorus)

In 1995, prison building expenditures 
jumped by $926 million while university 
construction dropped by $954 million.

Skin On The Drum
Lyrics: M. Franti / Music: M. Franti

I was born botanical
the soul of an animal
deep beneath the layers, I sink my roots,
no need for mechanical
I come strictly organical
when I need to feast, I look to the East
that's why I'm never scared of the beast
even though they try to prey upon me
I'm protected by the one always greater than me
so now I reveal to thee
because you wanna see
the contour of my mystery
the strength of my arches
the color of my conscience
and the way that I process my diction
some fact some fiction some mystery
and some future fantasy
I'm the trunk that holds the branches
the leaves who do the dances
my flowers romantic 
my love gigantic
from Africa, transplanted transatlantic
in the heat of the sun
I bring shade for everyone
like the beat on the one
I'm the skin on the drum

(chorus)
I keep on living with the fullness of the one
like the heat of the sun or the skin on the drum

I'm fully marinated and now I'm ready for the fire
so you can fire one!!!!
fire one!!!
fire two....!!!

See I been fully marinated 
and now I'm ready for the fire
see I'm beginning to perspire
from deep within to the skin
yo, the feminine and the masculine
the pieces of the puzzle
see me reflections in the puddle
after the storm the purple of the sky
brings to mind another time
when we resided
below the water line
life was fine there human, divine
but in the years following
evil men came, swallowing
everything in sight
some learned to run, some stayed to fight
I kneeled at the tomb of the soldier
said I would love to behold her
the magic in store there
she touched me on the shoulder
she said,"in time all is revealed, Box of light be unsealed...
...now listen to me son, be like the skin on the drum."
(chorus)

And as all the pepper gas clears 
and police and protesters go home
just as the morning dew, are tear drops of the night,
my emotions are always there for you  
and will never leave you dry...Bless....

"What justifies anybody taking 
another's life today? What you 
have is a whole system of people 
thinking they have the upper hand 
on death and nobody really does."  
Chuck D/ Public Enemy

Although the story 
of Sister Fatima is 
fictitious, it is based
on the horrific reality 
of our time. Stay Human, 
Michael Franti

the sugar shack, sf, ca.    

Produced by Michael Franti
 

Spearhead:
Michael Franti: Vocals, Programming, Guitars
Carl Young: Bass, Keys, Flute, Sax
Dave Shul: Guitars
Roberto Quintana: Drums, Percussion

Additional Musicians:
Ramon Lazo: Keyboards, Fender Rhodes
Mary Harris: Background vocals
Vocals on “Listener Supported” featuring Zap Mama.
Zap Mama appears courtesy of Virgin Records Belgium 
Radio(Active): Vocals (track 5)
Josh Klor: Background vocals (track 10) 
Caitlin Cornwall: Background vocals (track 13)
Tanya Saw: Vocals (track 20)
Al Marshal: Drums (tracks 1, 5, 7, 11 and 13)
Troy Lampkins: DJ Cuts (tracks 11 and 16)
Jay Lane: Drums (track 16)
Victor Castro: Trombone
Gordon Ramos: Saxophone
Bob Crawford: Keyboards (track 10)

Strings arranged by Randy Miller
Violins:
Evan Price
Cecily Ward
Tom Stone
Sarah Knutson
Ann Gregg

Cellos:
Jennifer Kloetzel
Sigrid Anderson

Background vocals arranged by Mary Harris on "Every Single Soul" and "Thank You"

Radio Voices: 
Nazelah Jamison: The Nubian Poetess
Woody Harrelson: Gov. Franklin Shane
Kiilu Nyasha: Sister Fatima
Ano’i: Supportive caller
Carl Young: Brother Jilaal
and Brother Soulshine as himself

Recorded at The Sugar Shack, San Francisco, CA. 
Engineered by Michael Franti
Assistant Engineers: Josh Klor and Todd Garrison 
Mixed by Mark Willsher
Except songs 5, 10 and 18 mixed by Michael Franti
Mastered at Classic Sound Inc., NYC, by Scott Hull
Edited by Paul Stubblebine at Stubblebine Mastering, SF, CA.
 

Additional production: D.J. Choco, drum programming (track 18)
Additional mix equipment provided by Dave Denny and 
Stephen Jarvis Audio Consulting Services, SF, CA.

Graphic design by Wonder Knack, www.wonderknack.com
Front cover photography by Tara Franti-Rye
Other photography by Wonder Knack & Tara Franti-Rye
Web design: Fred Knack, www.knackimaging.com
WEB: www.spearheadvibrations.com
E-mail: stayhuman@spearheadvibrations.com
Tour Manager: Albert "Papa Pretty" Cooke
Management: Catherine Enny/Guerrilla Management, 
3470 19th St., San Francisco, CA. 94110 USA

CP 2001/Boo Boo Wax. All lyrics written by Michael Franti, 
except; song 5 written by M. Franti and W. Farguheson, and 
song 20 written by M. Franti and M. Daulne 
Frantic Soulutions/Universal Music/ASCAP
Carl Young/c-ya-later-sounds/BMI
Dave Shul/ShulD Music/BMI
Roberto Quintana/RobertoQ Music/BMI
Ramon Lazo/Ramon Lazo Music/ASCAP
Marie Daulne/Kesia Editions Scrl/SABAM
Radio(Active)/the world of hitropolitz/ASCAP
Legal: Nathan “All Nation” James/Seifer, Murken, Despina & James, SF, CA.
US Booking: Cara Lewis/William Morris Agency, NYC
Europe Booking: Paul Buck/The Agency Group, UK

Special thanks: Tara, Cappy and Ade’, The Frantis, Mieko Rye, The Ryes, Selma, Ernesto and Jossi Comodo, The Cookes,  Carl's entire family, Anabel Ibañez & family, Eli & Natalia Shul and family, Andy & Tina Shul, R. J. & Jackie Quintana, Mike D., Mark Pistel, Josh Klor, The Harrelsons, Nathan James, Todd Garrison, Alicia Guzman, Arno Ghelfi, Tracie de Angelis, Marco & the whole Baobab Posse, Suemyra Shah, Gina Gallo, Inia Taylor, George Nuku, Tame Iti, Lili Tuwai, Tina McKenzie, D.L.T., Katy J., Monica & Roberto at Soleluna, Willow and Rosalie, MagmaVox, Dan Merkle, Bob Siegel, Tony Moses, Timothy White, Tony Perez, Happy Sanchez, Keith Hollar, Sylvie LeMer, Dave Denny, Robert Preston, Roanna Gillespie, Rene Ameling, Judd & Nikki Schwartz, Pete Jenner, John Baldi, Ty Braswell, Julia Butterfly, Todd McCormick, Cara Lewis, Davey D., Francesco Fazio, Donna Caseine, Weyland Southon, KPFA, WBAI, Hard Knock Radio, MOBE, Vent Noir Music, Modulus Guitars, Wayne Jones Amplification, Larrivée Guitars, Dean Markley Strings, Remo, D.J. Yohai, Cougar Rainbow and the
whole "stay human & 911" tour family.
michael franti]]></atom:content></atom:entry></atom:feed>
