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Album: Master Of My Make Believe (2011)
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Songfacts®:

  • Just under three years after the release of her debut album, alternative American artist Santigold finally made available, on April 14, 2011, a track from her sophomore release, Master Of My Make Believe. The song features the vocals of Karen O and guitar work by Nick Zinner, whom are both from the New York band Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It was produced by London based DJ and producer Switch, A Tribe Called Quest rapper Q-Tip, and Santigold herself.
  • Master Of My Make Believe is the artist's first album under the name Santigold, having called herself Santogold during the promotion of her debut release.
  • Santigold explained the concept of the track in an interview with Life + Times: "In this song, 'GO' has a dual meaning. On one hand it's a challenge, beckoning any would-be usurpers to come show and prove. On the other, it's a call to myself to rise to the occasion. 'Go' is a 'fun' song. It's playful, but like many of my songs, lyrically it was an opportunity for me to vent. It's about the difficulties of holding onto what's yours, everything from your ideas and energy, to your confidence. As artists, we give so much and make ourselves vulnerable.

    Sometimes it's hard to stay grounded. You get so caught up in all that you have to do to constantly deliver, then suddenly you realize you're so far from where you started that you almost don't remember the way back. And that's a dangerous thing, in so many ways. So in this song, I talk about guarding what's mine. Also, this song comments on the era we live in and the NEW American dream. The dream used to be that if you worked hard, and you were good at what you did, you could pave your own way in America and the sky was the limit. It was based on the idea that there was 'opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.'

    However, things have changed. The NEW American Dream is to become rich and famous by happenstance – or sex tapes – and to get there with as little work or talent as possible. And as a result, we are suffering – though many of us don't know it – as quality becomes a notion of the past. We're ruining art, our planet, and our health, all due to our newfound obsession with instant gratification, with the short term quick-fix. So, my song's about all that in a way. I guess I know I work so hard at trying to cultivate my talent. And I get frustrated watching all these people trying to jump on and fake it. Sadly, it works. But not in my song!"

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