Roots

Album: Witness (2006)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Roots" was written by Steve Knightley; according to Emma Hartley writing in the Daily Telegraph blog of January 11, 2009, its inspiration was "a daft remark made by Kim Howells MP in 2001, while he was a culture minister, that listening to three folk singers in a pub in Somerset was his idea of hell." The song actually alludes to this statement.
  • Like many songs, "Roots" was subject to both reinterpretation and misinterpretation. For reasons that had more to do with racially taboo ideologies than folk music, the British National Party identified with it strongly and began plugging it on their website. Although Knightley and Show of Hands were not happy about this, they were told there was little that could be done to prevent it.
  • Race aside, "Roots" is about loss of identity in a world of urban sprawl, mind-numbing soap operas, and equally mind-numbing music where people are famous for being famous. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 3

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Grateful Dead Characters

Grateful Dead CharactersMusic Quiz

Many unusual folks appear in Grateful Dead songs. Can you identify them?

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.