- When you over in American Samoa, whatâ?¦what surprised you the most?
- I guess what hit me the most is the condition of the factory that the workers were in:
The factory was surrounded by a fence and barbed wire on top and on the bottom. And they have a chain-linked fence surround the whole factory and, and dormitory compound. The gate has aâ?¦has a guard shack, where the guard sit there and control the worker movement in and out of the.. of the factory
- The factory are made of ahm.. tin panels with tin roof. It's really hot. The temperature over there is verily ninety degrees and inside the factory or the dormitory it reaches way over a hundred degrees.

[Verse 1]:
Yeah
It's the contemporary form of slavery, they call it slave labour
But they don't prosecute them 'cause it's how they make paper
When you rocking that fly shit that's made in China
By an eight year old child tryna feed his mama
He exposed to contamination and disease
And only fifty-five percent of them will get degrees
And the women have to try to placate the boss
Because it's sex discrimination in the labour force
The slave master only let them speak in sign language
And they're suffering from lung disease and eye damage
Fourteen hour shifts, seven days a week
Two shitty meals a day, very little sleep
Human life only worth three cents an hour
All human right laws loose sense of power
What did four hundred years in the grave passes?
Only the improved cleverness of slave masters.

[Chorus]:
Is life worth living if you living in hell?
When the mind is confined to a prisoner's cell?
And the lies they devise in the system that fail
But I expect the system to fail!
Is life worth living if you living in hell?
When the mind is confined to a prisoner's cell?
And the lies they devise in the system that fail
But I expect the system to fail!

- Many Chinese workers are forced to sign secret agreements, known as shadow contracts, before they leave China, severely and, in some ways, illegally restricting their activities while on American soil. Workers are forbidden to participate in any religious or political activity or to ask for a salary increase or even to fall in love or get married.

[Verse 2]:
It's one point six million people locked in jail
They do new slave labour force trapped in hell
They generate over a billion dollars worth to power
And only getting paid twenty cents an hour
They make cloths for McDonald's and for Apple Bee's
And working fourteen hour shifts in prison factories
And while we sit around debating who the wack emcee is
They have to work when arthritic pain attack the knees
Slavery is not illegal, that's a fucking lie!
It is illegal, unless it's for conviction of a crime
The main objective is to get you in your fucking prime.
And keep the prison full and not give you a fucking dime
But they the real criminal keeping you confined
For a petty crime but they give you two-to-nine
And ain't nobody there to protect ya
Except a bunch of incompetent human rights inspectors

[Chorus]:
Is life worth living if you living in hell?
When the mind is confined to a prisoner's cell?
And the lies they devise in the system that fail
But I expect the system to fail!
Is life worth living if you living in hell?
When the mind is confined to a prisoner's cell?
And the lies they devise in the system that fail
But I expect the system to fail!

- The sweatshop situation's kind of cohesive and kind of take advantage on the people that are poor and at an economic disadvantage.
- This Chinese woman made T-shirts and pants at the factory until she became pregnant.
- When I told them I was pregnant, they told me to have an abortion..
- Tu Xiao Mei says she refused to have the abortion and has now been barred from entering the factory.
- To allow them to bring that on to US soil is a very deep concern. We've now documented the facts that management coerces female workers who become pregnant into having abortions.
- But human rights workers say it's common practice
- Inside that factory Chinese law applies, and Chinese law isâ?¦ is supreme
- Even though it's the United States of America?
- The flag doesn't fly inside there.






Lyrics submitted by B-line

Shadow Business Lyrics as written by Vincent Luviner Kevin Gorman Baldwin

Lyrics © Songtrust Ave

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Shadow Business song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

2 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    Only one comment? Seriously? I'm a not a huge fan of Jedi Mind but I do enjoy a bunch of their tracks. I just stumbled across Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell in my brother's CD case and this track caught me. Deep lyrics, tight beat.

    This2x4Skeletonon April 25, 2009   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.