Matisyahu - King Without a Crown
I finally got around to listening to Matisyahu this last week. All I can say is I never thought that Hasidic Jews could rap (and whatever it is you call it that Reggae singers do… groove?) like this.
Far and above the rest of the songs however is his current single (which at present is at #13 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts) King Without a Crown. Wow, what a song.
Part of me wants to say that this song is more heartfelt and genuine than a lot of Christian Rock (and maybe a bit more deep, and theologically accurate as well…) I’m not sure that’s a fair statement though. But hey, I guess I kinda said it (tentatively). He’s only missing 1 piece… (a big piece, like, the cornerstone piece…
Listen to the song on his MySpace… space…
Here are the lyrics (as posted on his Web site hasidicreggae.com)
King Without A Crown
Chorus:
What’s this feeling?
My love will rip a hole in the ceiling
Givin’ myself to you from the essence of my being
Sing to my G-d all these songs of love and healing
Want Moshiach now so it’s time we start revealingVerse 1
You’re all that I have and you’re all that I need
Each and every day I pray to get to know you please
I want to be close to you, yes I’m so hungry
You’re like water for my soul when it gets thirsty
Without you there’s no me
You’re the air that I breathe
Sometimes the world is dark and I just can’t see
With these, demons surround all around to bring me down to negativity
But I believe, yes I believe, I said I believe
I’ll stand on my own two feet
Won’t be brought down on one knee
Fight with all of my might and get these demons to flee
Hashem’s rays fire blaze burn bright and I believe
Out of darkness comes light, twilight unto the heights
Crown Heights burnin’ up all through till midnight
Said, thank you to my G-d, now I finally got it right
And I’ll fight with all of my heart, and all a’ my soul, and all a’ my mightBridge:
I lift up mine eyes where my help come from
See it circling on down from the mountain
Thunder! You feel it in your chest
You set my mind at ease and my soul at restVerse 2
Strip away the layers and reveal your soul
Got to give yourself up and then you become whole
You’re a slave to yourself and you don’t even know
You want to live the fast life but your brain moves slow
If you’re trying to stay high then you’re bound to stay low
You want G-d but you can’t deflate your ego
If you’re already there then there’s nowhere to go
If you’re cup’s already full then its bound to overflow
If you’re drowning in the water’s and you can’t stay afloat
Ask Hashem for mercy and he’ll throw you a rope
You’re looking for help from G-d you say he couldn’t be found
Looking up to the sky and searchin’ beneath the ground
Like a King without his Crown
Yes, you keep fallin’ down
You really want to live but can’t get rid of your frown
Tried to reach unto the heights and wound bound down on the ground
Given up your pride and the you heard a sound
Out of night comes day and out of day comes light
Nullified to the One like sunlight in a ray,
Makin’ room for his love and a fire gone blaze
Check out the single at iTunes: 
.
View details for “Matisyahu - Live At Stubbs” at Amazon.com.
A few terms to define from the lyrics above:
Moshiach = Messiah = “The Annoited One” = A utopia of sort… check out a good definition at moshiach.com
HaShem = “God” = “The Lord” = “The Word” = What Jews say as they are reading Torah and come across the not-to-be-pronounced tetragramaton (YHWH = God’s name).
Sinsemilla = essentially, gourmet pot. Marijuana that is taken from an unpolinated female plant (supposedly more potent than normal. I wouldn’t know.)
We’re playing it this week at The Rock!
Also, the band is going to rock at rendition of it at… The Rock this week. It… will… rock… come see us.
Technorati Tags: lyrics, matisyahu, reggae, hiphop
the odd part is i could probably explain why the sinsemilla part is plausable even without first hand knowlege… and yes the first post on this topic is related to weed.
i found with much listening that each song grew with depth and value in my mind. “chop ‘em down” is my favorite, actually.
this guy is becoming one of the best “sleeper” musicians i’ve seen in a long time. everyone is talking about him now.
props to teege for finding him a few months ago!
this post makes me happy, I can’t wait for the Rock this week=)
and yes, I think that his music has more depth than a lot of christian music out there. Lyrically its solid, but also because you get the sense that what he sings he actually believes heart and soul, it affects him. Maybe next week you could do the track “beat box”, I bet Pat could pull it off.
Props to Teege for pointing me to this guy before anyone had heard of him. Too bad it took me months to get around to listening…
Please help me understand what you mean by the “cornerstone” is missing?
Beth - If the link above didn’t make sense to you, perhaps this one is more direct…
Matt - Thanks, I am sure you were not surprised that Matisyahu sees G-d and not Jesus as his cornerstone. Perhaps he will inspire the creation of some good Christian rock.
Speaking of deep christian music, I would recommend Sufjan Stevens. His music comes as a great relief to me because I have been searching for christian-themed music that is more subtle and challenging, yet fun and melodic. Of his songs, I would recommend:
“To be alone with you”
“Chicago”
“Casimir Pulaski Day”
“The tallest man, the broadest shoulders”
Stevens is already a giant in the independent music scene, and his growing popularity is causing quite a stir because of his christian-themed lyrics. Both believers and unbelievers are loving his albums.
bloody hell! Is this the second coming! This guy should sweep the world - music with meaning - how long have we been without it! Like water in the desert.
music box…
Very Interesting indeed….
To Beth, this guy is not Christian nor is he singing Christian rock…he’s far from it! This guy - Matisyahu - his real name is Matthew from Brooklyn. Matisyahu is his Hebrew name from birth! OMG people you people are ignorant! Please ask questions about one’s faith if you are not.