Michael Franti: Top 40 Songs

Michael Franti Top 40 Songs

Singer born 4/21/1966 in Oakland, California. His music blends reggae, hip-hop, funk, soul, jazz, folk, and rock. He has also been an outspoken advocate for peace and social justice issues. He was born to a white mother and black father and given up for adoption because his mom feared her racist family wouldn’t accept him. He was adopted by Finnish American couple Carole Wisti and Charles Franti. Before launching his solo career (with his backing band Spearhead) in 1994, Franti was with the Beatnigs (1986-90) and Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (1991-93). For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry. Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists.

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Spotify Podcast:

Check out the Dave’s Music Database podcast The Best of Michael Franti, 1994-2022 based on this list. Debut: June 14, 2022, at 7pm CST. Tune in every Tuesday at 7pm for a new episode based on the lists at Dave’s Music Database.

Top 40 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to singles charts.) DMDB Top 10%: 1. The Sound of Sunshine (2010) 2. Say Hey (I Love You) (2008) DMDB Top 20%: 3. Everyone Deserves Music (2003) 4. Once a Day (with Sonna Rele, 2015) 5. Hey Hey Hey (No Matter How Life Is Today) (2010) 6. Life Is Better with You (2013) 7. I’m Alive (Life Sounds Like) (2013) 8. I Got You (2020) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 9. Sometimes (2001) 10. Nobody Cries Alone (2018) 11. The Flower (with Victoria Canal, 2019) 12. Good Day for a Good Day (2021) 13. 11:59 (2013) 14. This World Is So Fucked Up But I Ain’t Ever Givin’ Up on It (2019) 15. Rock the Nation (2001) 16. Ganja Babe (1997) 17. I’ll Be Waiting (2010) 18. Brighter Day (2022) 19. The Only Thing Missing Was You (2019) 20. People in tha Middle (1994) 21. Stay Human (All the Freaky People) (2001) 22. Good to Be Alive Today (2016) 23. Good Shit Happens (2020) 24. Bomb the World (2003) 25. Light Up Ya Lighter (2006) 26. You’re Number One (2019) 27. Work Hard and Be Nice to People (2020) 28. I’m on Your Side (2020) 29. Hey World (Don’t Give Up) (2008) 30. I Got Love for Ya (2016) 31. Oh My God (2001) 32. I Know I’m Not Alone (2006) 33. Soulshine (2001) 34. Hello Bonjour (2006) 35. Just to Say I Love You (2018) 36. Yes I Will (2003) 37. We Don’t Stop (2003) 38. Hole in the Bucket (1994) 39. Little Things (2019) 40. Love Invincible (2003) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Michael Franti Dave’s Music Database (7/11/2017). “In Concert: Michael Franti” Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 6/8/2022; last updated 6/14/2022.

Michael Franti Follow Your Heart released

Follow Your Heart Michael Franti & Spearhead

Released: June 14, 2022 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: alternative rock/hip-hop/reggae

Tracks: Song Title [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Follow Your Heart [3:05] (4/22/22, --) Better [3:19] Baby Let Your Soulshine [2:57] Brighter Day [3:13] (4/5/22, --) Life Is Amazing [2:54] No Makeup [3:10] Good Day for a Good Day [3:10] (7/1/21, 24 AA) Best at Loving You [2:54] People Need People [3:24] Trying to Keep the Lights On [3:02] Life Reminds Us We’re Alive [3:04] Total Running Time: 34:12

Rating: 3.593 out of 5.00 (average of 3 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: There are two distinct descriptors which have followed Michael Franti since the onset of his career. First, he makes music which integrates multiple genres. Second, he makes music with a social conscience. NPR describes Michael Franti as “equal parts musician and activist” RL while Classic Rock magazine notes how he “re-frames rock, pop, and hip-hop tropes in a seamless alchemical compendium of ear worms, resilience and unifying positivity.” RL Regarding Franti’s 12th album with Spearhead, Mojo magazine says, “the feel here is of unstinting human positivity.” RL Franti himself says this is his favorite album they’ve ever done. He said, “it’s about how we get through this crazy time that we’re living in; how we find the optimism and the joy, but mainly to follow our hearts and listen to the voice inside you to find passion and purpose.” RL He adds that he hopes “Follow Your Heart gives fans the courage to continue looking for and holding onto that perseversence.” SR He learned in recent years “that people need people.” RL He “wrote many songs about connection, resilience, and finding the light, even in the midst of all the crazy.” RL He said, “I wanted to make a record that was uplifting and vulnerable. These songs have all been written during the pandemic, a time in which I lost my father to Covid, lost my job (as a touring musician) and leaned on my wife, family and friends and found a closeness with them that I never knew before. I laughed louder, played harder, cried deeper, and danced with more freedom than I’ve ever felt during this crazy time – the music reflects it all.” HG He says of the single Brighter Day that it is “a song about never giving up, even when life feels overwhelming. When the issues of the world seem impossible to fix, and when your heart feels like it’s being ripped into pieces, lean into those you love for strength and support.” RL

Resources and Related Links: AMG All Music Guide HG HomeGrownMusic.net RL Rocknloadmag.com SR SirenRecords.com Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 6/14/2022.

In Concert: Michael Franti & Spearhead

Michael Franti & Spearhead Grinders at Crossroads; Kansas City, MO July 11, 2017

image from entrepreneur.com Opening Act: Kawehi Review: Wow. Wow. Wow. I posted earlier this week about the dilemma of whether to see Robert Cray or Michael Franti tonight. I chose the latter and, boy, did I choose right. I've seen maybe 40-50 shows in my life - more than some people, a lot less than others. This, however, was a transformative experience. I've never seen a performer more dedicated to making a connection with the audience. He had maybe an 8YO kid up on stage with him about 2 songs in singing and dancing. I figured it would be the highlight of the show. Boy, was I wrong. There was much more to come. He told plenty of stories which evoked both tears and laughter. He wandered out into the audience for about a six-song set and then came back out again several more times during other songs. He often asked the crowd to raise their hands in the air, jump up and down, hug someone, or introduce yourself to a stranger. At one point he pulled nearly a dozen kids on stage to sing and dance with him. Oh, and this was all done as he sang songs with a very distinct "let's all love one another and get along" hippie vibe. After the show, as the crew packed up the stage, Franti hung around talking to fans and taking selfies. When I left he was still at it and I imagine he doesn't leave until anyone who wants to hug him, take a picture, or share a story gets their chance. Sorry all other performers I'll see in the future. Michael Franti has set a new bar which none of you may ever reach. Click here to see other concerts I’ve attended. Set List * 1. Light Up Ya Lighter 5 2. Hey Hey Hey (No Matter How Life is Today) 7 3. Yell Fire! 5 4. Hello Bonjour (w/ I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For) 5. The Sound of Sunshine 7 6. Stay Human (Family Affair) 3 7. I Got Love for You 9 8. Crazy for You 9 9. Good to Be Alive Today 9 10. Summertime Is in Our Hands 9 11. Get Myself to Saturday 9 12. We Are All Earthlings 9 13. Hey World (Don't Give Up Version) 6 14. Enjoy Every Second (new song) 15. Life Is Better With You 8 16. I'm Alive (Life Sounds Like) 8 17. 11:59 8 18. I Don’t Belong (new song) 19. Say Hey (I Love You) 6 20. My Lord 9 * Setlist for show at Rose Music Hall in Columbia, Missouri on July 10, 2017. Discography: 1 Home (1994) 2 Chocolate Supa Highway (1997) 3 Stay Human (2001) 4 Everyone Deserves Music (2003) 5 Yell Fire (2006) 6 All Rebel Rockers (2008) 7 The Sound of Sunshine (2010) 8 All People (2013) 9 Soulrocker (2016) Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Michael Franti Setlist.fm (setlist for 7/10/2017 show at Columbia, Missouri’s Rose Music Hall) Last updated 6/14/2022.

Michael Franti Soul Rocker released

Soul Rocker Michael Franti & Spearhead

Released: June 3, 2016 Peak: 38 US, -- UK, 96 CN, 65 AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: alternative rock

Tracks: Song Title [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Crazy for You [3:39] (5/8/17, --) My Lord [3:55] Get Myself to Saturday [4:18] Summertime Is in Our Hands [3:48] (5/27/17, 28 AC) We Are All Earthlings [3:44] Still Standing [3:46] Good to Be Alive Today [4:14] (5/29/16) My Favorite Wine Is Tequila [4:08] Once a Day [3:57] (6/22/15, 30 A40, 17 AA) We Do This Every Day [4:14] I Got Love for Ya [3:58] Do You Feel the Way That I Do? [4:56] Love Will Find a Way [3:42] (11/5/16, --) All songs written by Michael Franti. Total Running Time: 52:19

Rating: 3.952 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: A reviewer on Amazon called Michael Franti “the Bob Marley of our times,” AZ praising him a “a champion for peace, love, veterans, and all ‘earthlings’ in general.” AZ Another reviewer said, “there’s really NOTHING that can compare to a live Michael Franti and Spearhead show. You will leave that show a better person. You will want to help others. You will want to make a difference in the world.” AZ I saw him in concert for the first time in the summer of 2017 when he was supporting the Soul Rocker album. The reviewers on Amazon nailed it. Michael Franti is a modern-day Bob Marley, desperately trying to bring the world together through his message of peace in his music and the communal spirit of his concerts. It is the best show I’ve ever seen. The album is stocked with songs begging to be played in front of an audience. My Favorite Wine Is Tequila has a definite party vibe. It “may go the full Jimmy Buffett, but a classic, vintage reggae sample makes it the right kind of cheeky.” AMG Get Myself to Saturday showcases “honest and vulnerable lyrics coming from a man who kicked off his career with the political attack squads the Beatnigs and the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy.” AMG Franti is also a consummate activist using his songs to spotlight various causes. He somehow manages, however, to keep the atmosphere light and fun instead of preachy. “We Are All Earthlings is like a Greenpeace sticker plastered over a Recycle sticker stuck on a flyer for clean water, and Franti covers the same ground (grew up confused, got mad at the world, then things got better) on a couple autobiographical songs.” AMG Perhaps no song showcases Franti’s message of peace and love more than Once a Day. The lyrics have a positive, hippy vibe that dares the listener not to sing along: “Everybody oughta hug somebody, at least once a day / And everybody oughta kiss somebody, at least once a day / Everybody’s gonna miss somebody, at least once a day / And everybody gotta love somebody, every day.” Franti seamlessly melds multiple genres together, tapping into reggae, hip-hop, alternative rock, and even electronica. My Lord, a “chugging EDM-meets-rootsy-music tune.” AMG “Bright dance music is an easy fit” AMG for Franti considering how much he is “aiming for a crowd singing in unison.” AMG “If the strings on Love Will Find a Way are synthetic, the song and the performance are still angelic, connecting immediately and giving Franti his own ‘Redemption Song.’” AMG The album is “inspired, warm, and inviting, plus in parts, it is diminutive in the best sense of the word.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Michael Franti Dave’s Music Database (7/11/2017). “In Concert: Michael Franti & Spearhead” AMG All Music Guide review by David Jeffries AZ Amazon WK Wikipedia First posted 8/20/2021; last updated 2/5/2022.

Michael Franti “Once a Day” released

Once a Day Michael Franti & Spearhead with Sonna Rele

Writer(s): Michael Franti (see lyrics here) Released: June 22, 2015 First Charted: August 1, 2015 Peak: 30 A40, 17 AA, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 1.6 video, 3.53 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Michael Franti was born in 1966 in Oakland, California. After high school, he went to the University of San Franciso on a full basketball scholarship. While at school, he started writing poetry after a priest taught him to write stories. He also started making music inspired by the campus radio station, KUSF. His music was a blend of alternative rock, reggae, hip-hop, and punk. In 1986, he launched his career with the Beatnigs, an industrial punk/spoken word band. After releasing an album in 1988, Franti went on to be part of the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy from 1991-93 before forming his own band, Spearhead, in 1994. They released their debut album, Home, in 1996. Franti didn’t reach the Billboard album chart until 2006, when Yell Fire! reached #125. His next four albums reached the top 40. The last of those was 2016’s SoulRocker, an album which AllMusic.com’s David Jeffries referred to as Franti’s “electronic effort, where bass-drops and EDM ideas mesh with guitars and flip-flop music.” AMG “It is electro, but SoulRocker is also inspired, warm and inviting.” AMG The album featured the song “Once a Day,” which Franti explained was “a mantra within my own family, as a way to approach the unexpected moments in life.” WL He talked about his son being diagnosed with kidney disease and thinking it might pull the family apart. Instead, he said, “We all decided to celebrate and love life. A reminder to hugh, kiss and cherish each other every day.” WL He said the song then “transformed from a hopeful personal message for our family into an actual daily practice of gratitude and celebration of life throughout our social community. I love when the message of a song takes on an even bigger message than was originally intended. That is the awesome power of music.” WL Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Michael Franti AMG All Music Guide review of SoulRocker by David Jeffries WL Wanderlust.com “Put Your Best Love Forward: Michael Franti’s ‘Once a Day’” Related Links: First posted 2/22/2024.

 

Michael Franti released “Everyone Deserves Music”

Everyone Deserves Music Michael Franti & Spearhead

Writer(s): Michael Franti, D. Shul, C. Young (see lyrics here) Released: June 17, 2003 (album cut) First Charted: 2003 Peak: 39 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.26 video, 2.05 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: July 11, 2017. I discovered Michael Franti. My friend Paul and I were debating over going to a concert at the last minute – Robert Cray or Michael Franti? We opted for the latter because we knew nothing about him other than a handful of minor hits on adult alternative radio. It was the best concert I’ve ever seen. Franti completely encapsulates a throwback, “why can’t we all just get along?” hippy vibe. He certainly looks the part with his bare feet and dreadlocks, but the music is completely on point as well. Not only do his songs tirelessly incorporate that theme, but the concert experience is all about bonding with the audience. Franti brings kids up on stage with him. He wanders out in the audience to sing with fans. He implores fans to hug and dance. He hangs out and chats after the show. I’ve seen him twice in concert and, ironically, he didn’t play “Everyone Deserves Music” either time. The song is the perfect Franti mantra; the title says it all. It’s a celebration of the power of music to connect people – all people. The message that all human beings are worthy of dignity comes through vividly, thanks to lines like, “Even our worst enemies, Lord, they deserve music.” “In a perfect world, this would be a future classic played out of every car stereo, boombox, and apartment for generations to come.” AMG “Everyone Deserves Music” isn’t just the perfect representation of the diversity in Franti’s message, but in the music he uses to deliver it. In an All Music Guide review of the album, Rob Theakston says Franti’s “politically and socially charged hip-hop is a breath of pure, fresh air.” AMG However, Franti & company also make “a deliberate attempt to stray from the typical hip-hop beats and go for something a bit more organic and acoustic.” AMG Indeed, the song includes elements of reggae and funk while also sounding completely at home amongst adult alternative staples like Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson. Everyone deserves Michael Franti. Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Michael Franti Dave’s Music Database (7/11/2017). “In Concert: Michael Franti & Spearhead” AMG All Music Guide album review by Rob Theakston First posted 5/7/2020; last updated 2/24/2024.