Hollywood (Africa) (Extended Dance Mix)

Song Meaning

The lyrics immediately plunge into an urgent, almost primal desire for return. The speaker repeatedly pleads to be "take me back" to a place called "the brotherland," a destination imbued with deep personal significance. This isn't a casual wish but a deeply felt, almost spiritual invocation. A clear tension emerges between the speaker's current location, hinted at by references to Hollywood and East L.A., and the idealized "the brotherland." This isn't just a physical journey; it's a yearning for a specific kind of belonging or authenticity. It's a place where the speaker's "funky ass band" and their unique musical expression truly belong. The relentless repetition of "take me back" and "the brotherland" creates a hypnotic, almost chant-like quality throughout the song. This urgency is palpable, with phrases like "fast as I can" and "slidin' on back" suggesting an unstoppable momentum towards this desired home. The recurring "Lord, Lord, Lord" further elevates this yearning, adding a spiritual dimension to the plea for return. The lyrics become particularly striking when the "brotherland" is finally described, not just as a place, but as a state of being. The lines about where "the woman is the woman / And the man is the man" reveal a longing for a perceived fundamental order or authenticity. This specific, almost archetypal definition suggests a desire for clarity and established roles, contrasting sharply with the implied complexities or fluid identities of Hollywood.