Throwback: Ben Harper-Ground On Down

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Ben Harper’s Fight For Your Mind was his 1995 sophomore album. “Ground On Down” is from FFYM and Harper’s blend of funk, folk and rock endeared him to college radio and several audiences abroad. His quirky slide guitar playing was another thing about his style that set him apart from the majority of ’90s pop musicians. The video was a dedication to his love of skateboarding. Fight For Your Mind also had a strong spiritual inspiration behind it which is heard in the lyrics from “Ground On Down” referencing a belief in the divine. This idea of divinity and the devil was also heard in other songs on the album like “Power Of The Gospel” and “God Fearing Man.” The music of Fight For Your Mind expanded Harper’s fanbase after a successful debut album and provided permanent music to his touring catalog. Harper exclusively produced and wrote all the songs for Mavis Staple’s 2019 album We Get By. In 2020 Harper released his first instrumental album, Winter Is For Lovers. 

 

was in its gospel-influenced last three songs on the album. 

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