Raised To Be Lowered
Raised To Be Lowered (Instrumental)
"Raised To Be Lowered" was produced and co-composed by Trent Reznor for Saul Williams' third studio album, The Inevitable Rise And Liberation Of NiggyTardust!.
Song Credits
- Music by Trent Reznor (Leaving Hope) and CX KiDTRONiK (Boykins Bar B Que Music/SESAC)
- Add. Programing by CX KiDTRONiK (Boykins Bar B Que Music/SESAC)
- Words by Saul Williams (Punk Rock of Gibraltar/EMI)
- Vox: Saul Williams
Appearances
Versions
Raised To Be Lowered
This version is heard on The Inevitable Rise And Liberation Of NiggyTardust!.
Raised To Be Lowered (Instrumental)
This version was leaked on an internal industry promo CD.
Saul Williams on "Raised To Be Lowered"
Another one of the original 14 [A compilation CD of outtakes provided by Reznor] and it reeeeeaaaaalllly grew on me. I'm pretty sure this is another case where I took a part of another track and mixed it into this one (the break after the 2nd chorus). I asked CX to program some southern style drums under this section and then began writing. Lyrically, this may be the most focussed track on the album. Its a series of maxims that kinda make me feel like a motivational speaker. I orginally titled this song "Hallelujah" and imagined Mos Def singing the chorus which at the time was simply "Hallelujah". You can get the gist of my orginal idea in the break. "Blessed be the virgin, especially if she's nice and thick"..... I added the gun claps for the "get got" section. Don't remember how I came up with 'was I raised to be lowered', but I liked it as soon as I did. This and Skin of a Drum may be my two favorite choruses that I've written. This was a monumental track for me and was my favorite for a long time. The outro singing style was Trents idea. One of the few vocal choices that he suggested. I hated it at first but went along 'cause I had a sneaking suspition [sic] that it might grow on me. It did.
Lyrics
To manifest your dreams before you manifest your fears.
To navigate beyond the treachery of self despair.
To find the balance between all you sense and all you see.
To find the patience and the strength it takes to let it be.
To stand amongst the crowd and have the strength to hold your own.
To throw away the pen and pad and simply be the poem.
To rise above hatred to love through seeming contradiction.
To seldom take a side and learn to compliment the friction.
To bring about the change within that we can’t live without.
To shift and re-arrange ideals and learn to deal with doubt.
To voice the victory and unlearn ways of self-defeat.
To learn the value of, “yo, fuck the words just ride the beat”.
To leave the comfort zones of all you know to all you feel.
To step beyond the void and realize the unknown is real.
To re-imagine every obstacle as just means of honing craft and learn to laugh at failures funny dream.
There has to be some other way to stop the fight.
I was raised to be lowered. Was I raised to be lowered?
Each day we sing and pray for guidance through the night.
I was raised to be lowered. Was I raised to be lowered?
To not allow the worshippers to take up all the space.
To dance at funerals and grieve when true love shows its face.
To meditate upon the lesser things like hair and nails.
To find new meaning in your freedom when your freedom kills.
To walk the runway on the one day when you’ve lost your stride.
To show your face when you feel more inclined to run and hide.
To keep it gutter when you utter.
No, it won’t stop until the ones that point their guns at NGHs get got!
YOU’RE GONNA GET GOT!
You let them NGHs get got. You’re gonna get got.
Get popped. Get Cocked.
You let them NGHs get got. Let them NGHs get got!
There has to be some other way to stop the fight.
I was raised to be lowered. Was I raised to be lowered?
Each day we sing and pray for guidance through the night.
I was raised to be lowered. Was I raised to be lowered?
Hallelujah, all these other suckas make me sick.
Inshallah we’ve come this far. The past can suck my dick.
Blessed be the virgin, especially if she’s nice and thick.
May your first time be full of grace, respect, and not a trick.
First communion. Sacred as the day you were conceived. Born in sin? Nah, think again. Repent and disbelieve.
Heaven is between your thighs. There lies the trick. Deceived.
Holy blood shed once a month until you nurture seed.
Was I raised to be lowered?