Brighter Day

Dark As Night

Manifesto II (Acoustic)

23. Greater Love

I got a weight in my chest like Mississippi clay
Settles when I sleep, won't wash away
Got a voice in my blood says I'm already gone
Says the game was rigged before I was born
And I'm tired of the preacher in my head
Spitting fire 'bout the life I ain't led
Got a judge and a jury made of smoke
And they sentence me daily for sins I never spoke

Done, done, done
Drownin' in shallow water
Done
Being my own cannon fodder
Done

This is a mud gospel, sung from the deep
For the ones who can't pray and the ones who can't sleep
I got dirt in my lungs and a war in my veins
But I'm still here breathin' through the weight of the chains
This is a mud gospel, low and slow
For the broken who rise from the undertow

I got a mirror full of faces I don't recognize
Got a past that whispers like it's still alive
There's a current underneath pulling me back down
To a version of myself I thought I'd drowned

Yeah, I'm sick of the voices like vultures circling my mind
Sick of the weight on my shoulders like I'm buried alive
Got a cage made of doubt and I forged every bar
Got scars on my scars from a self-inflicted war

I been drowning in the shallow, call it pride, call it fear
Call it whatever keeps me paralyzed here
But I see the serpent now, coiled in my spine
Feeding on the part of me that's terrified to shine
So I'm ripping through the mud with my teeth if I gotta
Every lie I believed getting buried in the water
I got a pulse, I got a voice, I got a reason to scream
I got a life underneath all this weight I've been carrying

So here's the gospel from the bottom of the deep
If you're still breathing, then you're still in the fight, don't sleep

I see the river now, black as ink and bone
See it runnin' through my thoughts, tellin' me I'm alone
But maybe drowning's just the way you learn to swim
Maybe breaking's just the crack that lets the light back in
I see the river now
And I'm walking in

But I'm done
Breathing in all this smoke
Done
Tightening my own rope
Done

This is a mud gospel, sung from the deep
For the ones who won't bow and the ones who won't keep
Quiet anymore, no, we're done with the chains
We got fire in our chests and we're flooding the plains
This is a mud gospel, dark and true
For the fighters still standing when the storm comes through

Mud Gospel

Yo, cities rise, machines hum deep, Signals fly where towers leap. Yet behind the glass and flashing screens, The struggle stays—it still repeats.

Money rules, and wealth divides, Freedom promised, yet denied. They dress it up, they change the name, But the world still plays the same old game.

They suit up sharp, walk with pride, Claim they lead, claim they guide. Yet outside, hunger bites, Cold hands grasp through shattered nights.

A wage exchanged, a shelter bought, Traded hours, stolen thought. They call it work, they call it grind, But history moves in the same old lines.

Rules are written, laws are signed, Yet power stays where wealth aligns. Systems shift, yet chains remain, A modern world—yet forged the same.

They tell the tale of mankind’s rise, Yet shadows stretch behind their lies. They name it new, they call it bright, Yet war and greed still claim the night.

They craft new tech, they shape new tools, Yet minds still break beneath their rules. They fear the end, they fight for ground, Yet history speaks—the past is bound.

Land is taken, wealth is stored, Kings don’t vanish, just change form. Policies shift, but truth is set, Power exists where gold is met.

Armies march, the banners wave, They pledge for peace, yet build more graves. They claim a throne, they mark their reign, Yet cavemen played the same campaign.

The numbers climb, the towers grow, Yet hunger stays, the streets still know. They name it progress, they craft the dream, Yet history lingers, unseen, extreme.

They teach the past, they show the change, Yet war still speaks, its voice remains. Resources claimed, the battles spun, Yet underneath—it’s all undone.

They speak of minds, they push AI, Yet fear still clouds the question "why?" They build the tools, they shape the steel, Yet hesitate to break the wheel.

The cycle turns, the myth repeats, They forge new chains, disguise defeats. History laughs, it knows the call— Mankind stands, yet still will fall.

You name it growth, you call it new, Yet struggle shapes what you construe. Look beyond the silver screens, The past still lives in modern means.

This isn't the future, it’s the past refined, Another empire, another grind. Until the pattern breaks for real, It’s only progress in name, not feel.

Ancient Echoes

My Name Is Bear

Kirby Joe

Work Hard and Be Nice

Start Small Think Big

Michael Franti is a globally renowned musician, humanitarian, and activist, celebrated for his high-energy live performances, socially conscious music, and unshakable optimism. With three Billboard No. 1 hits—“Sound of Sunshine,” “Say Hey (I Love You),” and “I Got You”—and a track record of six Top 30 Hot AC singles, 10 Top 25 AAA singles, and three Billboard Top 5 albums, Franti has built a career on music that uplifts and unites. His concerts break down barriers between artist and audience, transforming venues into spaces of joy, connection, and shared humanity.

On March 28, 2025, Franti released his 14th studio album, Welcome to the Family, a collection of 13 new songs that embrace themes of inclusivity, self-discovery, and resilience. The lead single, “Break Up With Everything,” is currently climbing the US AAA charts, setting the tone for an album that channels personal and global challenges into anthems of hope and change. “Every one of us has a family—whether by birth, circumstance, or choice. When you put all those together, they form the world family. Right now, the world is filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and division. This album is about taking those emotions—what I experience every day—and turning them into music that reminds us we are never alone.”

To bring this message of connection to life, Franti will embark on the Welcome to the Family Tour, a nationwide summer trek with stops at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Pier 17, and more. Known for his immersive concert experience—where he often performs from the crowd, invites fans on stage, and fosters a true sense of togetherness—each show is more than just a performance; it’s a celebration of unity and positivity.

Beyond music, Franti is the founder of Soulshine Bali, a forty-room, five-star boutique retreat in Ubud, Indonesia, dedicated to wellness, creativity, and human connection. He and his wife also founded Do It For The Love, a nonprofit that grants live music experiences to individuals facing life-threatening illnesses, veterans, and children with severe challenges. Since its inception, the foundation has granted over 3,500 wishes, touching more than 15,000 lives worldwide.

Franti’s career is defined by his ability to turn hardship into hope, fostering unity through music, activism, and philanthropy. Whether on stage, at his Bali retreat, or through his foundation, his purpose remains the same: to bring people together, lift spirits, and remind us all that we are part of something bigger. With Welcome to the Family, he continues to create not just music but a movement of love, inclusivity, and transformation.

Start Small Think Big

Michael Franti & Spearhead

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