Michael Franti & Spearhead

Skin On The Drum

Michael Franti & Spearhead


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 colour of my conscience 
and the way that I process my diction 
some fact some diction some mystery 
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 translantic 
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've 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 my 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 the pepper gas clears 
and police and protestors 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