Liquid Swords (song)

Last updated
"Liquid Swords"
Single by GZA
from the album Liquid Swords
ReleasedOctober 10, 1995
Genre Hip hop
Length4:32
Label Geffen
Songwriter(s) Gary Grice, Robert Diggs, Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere, Joe Zawinul [1]
Producer(s) RZA
GZA singles chronology
"I Gotcha Back"
(1994)
"Liquid Swords"
(1995)
"Cold World"
(1995)

"Liquid Swords" is a song by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA. It is the second single and title track of his second studio album (1995). The song contains background vocals from RZA, who also produced the song.

Contents

Background and composition

The song opens with sampled dialogue from the film Shogun Assassin . It also samples "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" and "Groovin'" by Willie Mitchell. [2] In an interview with Wax Poetics , GZA spoke about the song's composition:

This track is just braggadocios. It isn't meant to stand for anything. I'm talking about my skills and how I'm better than the rest. Usually I take a beat home and write to it for a few days, but it wasn't like that with this track. I think RZA played the beat for me and I just spit to it right there. The hook was actually a routine from around '84 that me RZA and Ol' Dirty would do: "When the emcees came, to live out the name." Just like that. [3]

Track listing

Side 1

  1. "Liquid Swords" (Late night radio)
  2. "Liquid Swords" (Clean)
  3. "Liquid Swords" (LP version)

Side 2

  1. "Labels" (Clean)
  2. "Labels" (GZA mix)

Charts

Chart (1995)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [4] 48
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [5] 33
US Hot Rap Songs ( Billboard ) [6] 3

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wu-Tang Clan</span> American hip hop collective

Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Close affiliate Cappadonna later became an official member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U-God</span> American rapper

Lamont Jody Hawkins, better known by his stage name U-God, is an American rapper and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He has been with the group since its inception, and is known for his deep voice and rhythmic flow that can alternate between gruff and smooth.

<i>Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)</i> 1993 studio album by Wu-Tang Clan

Enter the Wu-Tang is the debut studio album by the American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on November 9, 1993, by BMG, RCA Records and Loud Records. Recording sessions took place during late 1992 to early 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and the album was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA. Its title originates from the martial arts films Enter the Dragon (1973) and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).

<i>Liquid Swords</i> 1995 studio album by GZA

Liquid Swords is the second solo studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, released on November 7, 1995, by Geffen Records. Recording sessions for the album began midway through 1995 at producer RZA's basement studio in the New York City borough of Staten Island. The album heavily samples dialogue from the martial arts film Shogun Assassin and maintains a dark atmosphere throughout, incorporating lyrical references to chess, crime and philosophy. Liquid Swords features numerous guest appearances from the other eight members of Wu-Tang Clan along with Wu-Tang affiliate Killah Priest.

<i>Tical</i> (album) 1994 studio album by Method Man

Tical is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man. It was released November 15, 1994, by Def Jam Recordings. It was the first Wu-Tang solo album released after the group's debut, Enter the Wu-Tang . Similar to all first generation solo Wu-Tang projects, Tical was mainly produced by group member RZA, who provided a dark, murky and rugged sound. The album features guest appearances from RZA, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, as well as several affiliates, who would later appear on future group projects. On October 5, 2017, Method Man revealed on the Viceland talk show Desus & Mero that the album's title is an acronym for "taking into consideration all lives."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mathematics (producer)</span> Rap music producer

Ronald Maurice Bean, better known professionally as Mathematics, is a hip hop producer and DJ for the Wu-Tang Clan and its solo and affiliate projects. He designed the Wu-Tang Clan logo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C.R.E.A.M.</span> Song by hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan

"C.R.E.A.M." is a song by the American hardcore hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on January 31, 1994 by Loud Records, as the second single from their debut studio album Enter the Wu-Tang (1993). The song was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA, and contains a sample of the Charmels' 1967 song "As Long As I've Got You" throughout. It features two verses from members Raekwon and Inspectah Deck, who discuss their upbringings while living in New York City, and Method Man, who sings its hook. Its music video, featuring all Wu-Tang Clan members in New York City, was released in 1994.

<i>The RZA Hits</i> 1999 compilation album by RZA

The RZA Hits is a compilation produced by The RZA. It contains songs featured on the first Wu-Tang Clan album and its first round of solo albums. All songs, apart from "Brooklyn Zoo", are produced by RZA.

<i>Pro Tools</i> (album) 2008 studio album by GZA/Genius

Pro Tools is the fifth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA. The album was released August 19, 2008 on Babygrande Records. It serves as his first release since his collaboration album with DJ Muggs, Grandmasters (2005), and follows six years after his last solo effort, Legend of the Liquid Sword (2002). Production for the album took place during 2008 and was handled by several record producers, including RZA, Bronze Nazareth, Preservation, Mathematics, Black Milk, Arabian Knight and True Master.

<i>Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang</i> 2011 studio album by Raekwon

Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang is the fifth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan-member Raekwon, released March 8, 2011, on Ice H2O and EMI Records. Guests for the album include Black Thought, Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Lloyd Banks, Method Man, Nas, and Rick Ross, among others.

<i>A Better Tomorrow</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Wu-Tang Clan

A Better Tomorrow is the sixth studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. The album was released on December 2, 2014, by Warner Bros. Records. The album was supported by the singles "Keep Watch", "Ron O'Neal" and "Ruckus in B Minor". A Better Tomorrow received generally mixed reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 24,386 copies in its first week of release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RZA</span> American rapper

Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA, is an American rapper, actor, filmmaker, and record producer. He is the de facto leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, having produced most albums for the group and its respective members. He is a cousin of two other original Wu-Tang Clan members: GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard. He has also released solo albums under the alter-ego Bobby Digital, along with executive producing credits for side projects. After forming the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA was a founding member of the horrorcore group Gravediggaz, where he went by the name The RZArector.

<i>Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...</i> 1995 studio album by Raekwon

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon, released on August 1, 1995, by Loud Records and RCA Records. The album was loosely composed to play like a film with Raekwon as the "star", fellow Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah as the "guest-star", and producer RZA as the "director". It features appearances from every member of the Wu-Tang Clan. The album also features debut appearances from affiliates Cappadonna and Blue Raspberry, and an acclaimed guest appearance from rapper Nas, which marked the first collaboration with a non-affiliated artist on a Wu-Tang related album.

<i>Wu-Tang Forever</i> 1997 studio album by Wu-Tang Clan

Wu-Tang Forever is the second studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released June 3, 1997, by Loud and RCA Records in the United States. Pressed as a double album, it was released after a long run of successful solo projects from various members of the group, and serves as the follow-up to their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang . Forever features several guest appearances from Wu-Tang affiliates Cappadonna, Streetlife, 4th Disciple, True Master, and Tekitha. The original run of compact discs featured an enhanced CD which allowed users to walk around the "Wu Mansion" and access additional content (see also Blue Book ).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GZA</span> American rapper

Gary Grice, better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American rapper. A founding member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is the group's "spiritual head", being both the first member in the group to receive a record deal and being the oldest member. He has appeared on his fellow Wu-Tang members' solo projects, and has maintained a successful solo career starting with Liquid Swords (1995).

<i>Digi Snacks</i> 2008 studio album by RZA as Bobby Digital

Digi Snacks is the fourth solo studio album by American rapper and producer RZA; the third album under his Bobby Digital alias. Continuing the story from Digital Bullet, the album was released on June 24, 2008, on Koch Records. The album was originally titled Digi Snax, but it was changed before release.

"Wu Tang Forever" is a song by American rapper Logic, featured as the sixth track on his 2018 album YSIV. The song is a homage to the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and features all living members of the group: Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, RZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, U-God, Masta Killa and GZA, as well as Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Jackpot Scotty Wotty; deceased member Ol' Dirty Bastard received a writing credit. The song shares the same title as the group's second studio album.

"Shadowboxin'" is a song by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, featuring fellow Wu-Tang member Method Man. It was released as the fourth and final single from GZA's second studio album Liquid Swords (1995), on March 28, 1996. The song was produced by RZA.

"I Gotcha Back" is a song by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA. It is the first single and the first song written for his second studio album Liquid Swords (1995). The song contains a dialogue excerpt from the film Shogun Assassin and samples from "As Long as I've Got You" by The Charmels and "Is It Him or Me" by Jackie Jackson.

References

  1. "Liquid Swords". AllMusic . Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  2. "GZA's 'Liquid Swords' Turns 15 Years Old - XXL". XXL . November 8, 2010. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  3. Ma, David. "Wu-Tang Clan's GZA runs down every track off Liquid Swords". Wax Poetics . Archived from the original on May 20, 2016.
  4. "GZA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  5. "GZA Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  6. "GZA Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.