Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part VI of a six part series of posts on a sampling of African American and Caribbean songs whose titles include the words "Get Up" or "Get On Up".
This post showcases Public Enemy's 2012 rap "Get Up Stand Up". The lyrics of this rap are given with some explanatory comments.
Although it isn't mentioned in the song, theere's no doubt that the title and phrase "Gt Up Stand Up" is a nod to Bob Marley and Peeter Tosh 's 1971 Reggae Song with that title.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/07/various-sound-files-videos-of-get-up.html for Part I of that series.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-esquires-get-on-up-example-lyrics.html for Part II of that series.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/james-brown-get-up-sex-machine-get-up.html for Part III of this series.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/jodeci-get-on-up-example-lyrics-comments.html for Part IV of this series.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/eeleeephant-man-get-on-up-and-dance.html [Elephant Man- Get Up and Dance"] for Part V of this series.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, motivational, and aesthetic purpose.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Public Enemy for their musical leegacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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EDITORIAL COMMENT
The "Get Up" songs that are showcased in this series encourage people to get up and dance. while the "Get Up Stand Up" songs encourage people to address the wrongs that they experience in oppressive societies.
I find it interesting that James Brown's “Get Up Offa That Thing" includes lyrics that encourage people to "dance 'til you feel better" and "dance to try to relieve that pressure". And I content that Black dance songs and play songs-along with Black work songs and religious songs- helped Black people survive the horrors of slavery. And dance songs along with other non-religious songs and religious songs continue to help Black people survive the oppression we've faced post slavery up to and including today, even if it's only to take our minds off of that oppression for a little while.
Part III of this series includes more comments about this subject.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE ALBUM WHICH INCLUDES THIS SONG
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_of_My_Heroes_Still_Don't_Appear_on_No_Stamp
"Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp is the eleventh studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released on July 13, 2012, by Slam Jamz. It was sold exclusively at the iTunes Store before its release to other retailers.[2] It was released on CD on November 6. The album is the first of two albums that Public Enemy released in 2012, which Chuck D described as "fraternal twins",[3] along with The Evil Empire of Everything, which was released on October 1, 2012.[4] The album features guest vocals from Brother Ali, Bumpy Knuckles, Cormega, and DMC.
Upon its release, Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp received positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its production and found its political lyrics relevant to contemporary times...
Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it four out of five stars and commended Public Enemy for "remain[ing] true to the sounds and sensibilities they laid out back in the late '80s", writing that "the music remains vital and vibrant, possibly because, despite some progress, things still haven't changed all that much and, in some respects, have gotten worse"....
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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Public Enemy - Get Up Stand Up Featuring Brother Ali [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
publicenemy, Published on Mar 10, 2013
The official video from Public Enemy for the song 'Get Up Stand Up' Featuring Brother Ali.
Get Evil vs Heroes now http://j.mp/12GXIKa
Get Up Stand Up
Produced by: Gary G-Wiz
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LYRICS: PUBLIC ENEMY - GET UP STAND UP
This song don’t give a damn
If the rhymes don’t fit
Beat don’t bounce
If the dj quit
This song
Don’t give a damn
If you can’t sing to dance to it
Can’t romance to it
This song ain’t arrogant
If you don’t try it
Buy it
If your radio deny it
Don’t care bout what who got
What’s cool on tv
Or what spots hot i forgot
I ain’t mad at evolution
But i stand for revolution
Enough is enough
Somebody stand up
Get up, stand up,
Get up, stand up
This track aint asking you a damn thing
Not the brand name bottle with your champagne
Not where you land your private airplane
How many blood diamonds shining in that chain?
How much compromise is tied to that fame?
How many more times we gotta hear that lame
Line im inspiring them
to do what?
Roll better weed and get higher than them?
Feed the needy greedy ass fire in them?
Be the same damn dog but to finer women?
They gonna tell me that im preaching to the choir than im
Sure they right but im trying to light a fire in them
Cause i was raised by the enemy
And ever since then thats been my identity
So im trying to give back whats was given me
Truth told delivery is my tendency
Youth fold to the spirit of my energy
Bottom of my feet is something that youll never see
Thats cause im standing singing the anthem
Fist on my hand, and a list of demands and
When they hear this might piss in their pants and
Try to get the children to not listen to the man
But the mighty pe is what birthed ali
So what you gonna think come after me?
Chuck d
Get up, stand up
Occupy if you denied
Protest songs cause i see wrong
Most of my heroes still dont appear on no stamp
So i rant even when they say i can’t
I rise against
Rage against
Hope i dont end up being the same thing im fighting against
Hence
I wince never on the fence
Since they think the masses powerless
Ain’t on no power list
I ball my fist w my audience
Like this
Get up, stand up,
Get up, stand up
Got so much to shout about
What the 1% is gettin out
Recession depression desperation due
Never have so many been screwed by so few
Cheapest price is to pay attention
No need to dumb down to what i mention
No need to young down how i mention
In spanish portuguese english french and
No satisfaction
Listen to the world reaction
Americas still black and white
Like an old tv set
What we gonna do about it?
Laugh sit back forget & quit?
I get racial
Just talkin about the ratio
People are no longer patient
Now the brown they dont want around
Thats why sammy got that facial
My wife says its spacial
Politics that stick way beyond baseball
I think its self hateful
Anti immigration
Disgraceful
Get up, stand up.
Source:
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EXPLANATIONS OF SOME OF THE WORDS & PHRASES
Unless another source is cited, these are my explanations of these words & phrases from Public Enemy's "Get Up Stand Up". These explanations are numbered for referencing purposes only. Additions and correctons are welcome.
1. "blood diamonds" - This phrase in this song references the protests against the sale of blood diamonds.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_diamond
"Blood diamonds (also called a conflict diamonds, converted diamonds, hot diamonds, or war diamonds) is a term used for a diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, an invading army's war efforts, or a warlord's activity".
2. "How many more times we gotta hear that lame
line" - A "lame line" is a weak line, a statement that has no substance.
3. "roll better weed" - "Weed" means marijuana. "To roll weed" means to make a marijuana cigarette.
4.Feed the needy greedy ass fire in them? - The word "ass" in this line doesn't have any literal meaning, but acts somewhat like an intensifier in that "needy greedy ass fire" conveys more emotions and also conveys more down-home nitty grittiness (soul) than just saying "needy greedy fire".
5. "Be the same damn dog but to finer women" - to continue being a man who treats women badly but doing it to more beautiful women
6. preaching to the choir - talking to people who alreeady agreee wti"th what you are saying (who are already on your side)
7. "im trying to light a fire in them" - "light a fire in them" - motivate, encourage them (even more)
8. "Cause i was raised by the enemy" - "The enemy" may mean the institutional system that creates and maintains unjust laws and inequality. To be raised by the enemy may mean that system's education system and mass media.
9. "Occupy if you denied" - This phrase refers to the "Occupy" protest movement, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement
10. "never on the fence" - never indecisive (about a cause)
11."I ball my fist w my audience" - "w" = with; This line means to make the (arm raised) clenched fist protest gesture
11. the "1%" - "directly refers to the concentration of income and wealth among the top earning 1% " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_are_the_99%25
12. "Now the brown they dont want around" - This line is adapted from Big Bill Broonzy's song "Black, Brown and White" (also known as "Get Back". The lyrics of that song apeak to the segregationist nature of the United States:
"They said: "If you was white,
You's alright,
If you was brown,
You could stick around,
But as you's black, hmm, hmm, brother,
Get back, get back, get back."
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0c1c0ZsTLA for a video and the lyrics of that song
13. "Thats why sammy got that facial" - a reference to Black baseball player Sammy Sousa who has allegedly used skin whitener to lighten his complexion.
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