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Be who you are, nothing more... nothing less.

Michael Franti

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Michael Franti
Age: 58
Born: 1966
Born: April 21
Composer
Guitarist
Peace Activist
Poet
Rapper
Singer
Oakland
California
Less
Nothing

More quotes by Michael Franti

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When you're in Jamaica, unless you're in a tourist spot, you don't hear Bob Marley you mostly hear dance hall music.
Michael Franti
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Playing on the streets of Iraq, or in Israel or the Gaza strip, I'd sing angry protest songs against war. People would say, 'Make us clap, make us dance, and laugh and sing.' It really made me think about the importance of happy music.
Michael Franti
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I believe that in order to tackle the big issues of the world today, like environmental issues, we need everybody's involvement. We need the resources of the corporate world. We need the cooperation of governments. We need the wisdom of indigenous people.
Michael Franti
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If the first casualty of war is innocence, then perhaps with each bullet fired, bomb detonated, leader overthrown, wall built, economy destroyed and family member killed, we are not creating goodwill and harmony, but rather another child who believes violence is the only means to bring about change in the world.
Michael Franti
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The hardest part about what I do, the most vulnerable place is my relationship with my family and Sara, my amazing partner, because I'm leaving a lot. And as a touring artist, I'm constantly coming and going, but also when I'm at home, my studio's at home. I'm leaving to go into a music world in my head.
Michael Franti
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I always know when a song is good or close to finished. When I sing it, it makes me feel the emotion. My tears will start flowing or I'll start laughing. I'll start feeling whatever intensity or emotion was the seed of that song.
Michael Franti
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Music is sunshine. Like sunshine, music is a powerful force that can instantly and almost chemically change your entire mood. Music gives us new energy and a stronger sense of purpose.
Michael Franti
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Sometimes, I feel like I can do anything, and, sometimes, I'm so alive, sometimes, I feel like I could zoom across the sky and, sometimes, I wanna cry.
Michael Franti
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San Francisco has always been a haven for misfits and weirdos. I'm both of those, which is why I came here.
Michael Franti
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I've always found that the poorer the places that I go, the more smiles I see, and the more happiness I see.
Michael Franti
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The personal revolution is far more difficult, and is the first step in any revolution.
Michael Franti
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Be as radiant as the sun, as healing as the rain, as generous as a tree.
Michael Franti
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I believe that through positive thoughts, speech, action and attitudes, we change things for the better.
Michael Franti
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A lot of times we look at the whole world and think, 'it's so daunting, how can we change the whole world?' and you don't need to do that, what you need to do is change your world a little bit, and see if you can, through example, inspire others to do the same thing.
Michael Franti
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Love is the action of soul satisfaction.
Michael Franti
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I've never really been into flags of any kind, cause flags can bring people together, but they always bring people together against other people, and I don't really consider myself to be a patriot in the sense that I say, 'okay, this is my nation,' I consider myself to be a child of this whole planet.
Michael Franti
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The human interest, and the natural interest, and the spiritual interest of this planet need to begin to take a priority over the corporate interest, the military interest, and the materialistic interests.
Michael Franti
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I could be really sad and I start to cry I feel alive then. I could be at a concert and I throw my hands up in the air and I feel elation I feel alive then.
Michael Franti
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I went to Iraq because I wanted to see what one year of occupation had done to Iraqi society, and I went to the West Bank and Gaza Strip because I wanted to see what three generations of occupation had done to Palestinian society. I found a lot more hopelessness and despair in Palestine.
Michael Franti
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During my travels in Iraq, Israel, Gaza, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Europe and all over the United States, I have seen and heard the voices of people who want change. They want the stabilization of the economy, education and healthcare for all, renewable energy and an environmental vision with an eye on generations to come.
Michael Franti