Mayer Hawthorne & The County
Mayer Hawthorne grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, just outside of Detroit, an… Read Full Bio ↴Mayer Hawthorne grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, just outside of Detroit, and vividly remembers, as a child, driving with his father and tuning the car radio in to the rich soul and jazz history the region provided. “Most of the best music ever made came out of Detroit,” claims the singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, who counts Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry, and Barry White among his influences, but draws the most inspiration from the music of Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield, and the legendary songwriting and production trio of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, and Eddie Holland Jr.

The “retro” tag is added to almost any contemporary work that sounds like it was originally recorded between 1966 and 1974, and Hawthorne, among the newest contributors to the genre, is aware of how trends come and go. After being introduced to Stones Throw label head Peanut Butter Wolf by mutual friend Noelle Scaggs of the Rebirth, even his current boss was skeptical. “He showed me two songs and I didn’t understand what I was listening to,” Wolf recalls. “I asked him if they were old songs that he did re-edits of – I couldn’t believe they were new songs and that he played all the instruments.”

And after meeting in person, it was even harder for Wolf to believe that Hawthorne was also the lead vocalist. Few expect such heartfelt sentiment to come from a 29-year-old white kid from Ann Arbor, but he has caught the ear of his family at Stones Throw, as well as BBC Radio 1 host Gilles Peterson and producer/DJ Mark Ronson. Expectations are high for the admitted vinyl junkie who never planned on taking his crooning public. Hawthorne’s hanging-by-a-string falsetto and breakbeat production on his first recorded effort, the tender “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out,” are simultaneously Smokey and J Dilla – equal parts “The Tracks of My Tears” and “Fall in Love.” “It’s soul,” he explains, “But it’s new.”

Hawthorne has produced and played instruments for much of his life, but never intended to become a singer. He isn’t formally trained, and never sang in the church choir or in any of the bands he was in before founding the County (formerly the County Commissioners). But here he is, new school soul sensation, who has taken the Motown assembly-line production model and eliminated nearly every element but himself and a few hired hands. “I think Mayer is the only artist in the history of the label that I’ve signed after hearing only two songs,” says Peanut Butter Wolf. “Sometimes, you just know it’s the right thing to do.”

And for those willing to believe anything is possible, be grateful to have Mayer Hawthorne on the scene. It’s not just throwback music anymore – this revival is all about progression.

-Ronnie Reese (Wax Poetics / Rollingstone.com)
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Mayer Hawthorne Lyrics


11. Just Ain't Gonna Work Out Don't wanna see your tears Baby it'll be OK Don't wanna see…
A Long Time Oh, Henry was a renegade Never liked to play it safe One…
A Strange Arrangement We took the long and steady road And from the start…
All Better Love don't bring me down You can turn me around Love don't…
Allie Jones You held the world, like a photograph Hung up and…
Ay Bass Player Ay Bass Player, some fine lookin' women out here today! Mmh…
Back Seat Lover I can't believe what you told me You know that I'd…
Breakfast In Bed Oh I still want you Let's run it back One more time Let's…
Can I can't stop thinking about you The way you turn me…
Can't Stop I can't stop thinking about you The way you turn me…
Corsican Rosé Ooh Girl don't lie I know that Corsican Rosé stays…
Cosmic Love If I had a dollar For every dream of you and…
Crime Waterfront Sunshine A little weed A little red wine Then com…



Designer Drug Last night I tried a little Adderall It was working for…
Don't Turn the Lights On There must be another way When she's gone to a better…
Dreaming I had a dream today Somewhere I've never been before An old…
Easy Lovin The way you move your hips When your struttin' down the…
Fancy Clothes Oh oh Oh oh He takes his chances lets the chips…
Fantasy Girl I know a girl whose head is in a twirl She…
Finally Falling I used to be A soldier for the single life I used…
Fool Said you won't be back I didn't react, I was…
Get Ready All right I never met a girl who makes me feel…
Get To Know You When we spoke you were throwin' those words at me I…
Green Eyed Love My love, my green eyed love We'll watch the clouds from…
Her Favorite Song Friday night at the scene is bright at Avalon Walked straigh…
Hooked Uh baby I'm hooked ridin' back on you Maybe it looked like…
I Need You [Hypnotized, you've got me hypnotized] Ooh, when I saw you …
I Wish It Would Rain Well I wish that it would rain Heavy rain down…
Just Ain Don't wanna see your tears Baby it'll be OK Don't wanna see…
Let Me Know I'm a genuine man, don't tell me no lies And I…
Lingerie & Candlewax Can't live with you anymore Can't live with no one else Drin…
Little Person I'm just a little person, One person in a sea Of many…
Love Like That You come around, you make me sick That cool lovey-dovey shit…
M.O Heartache mender take my hand We'll bury the past forever U…
Make Her Mine Ooh, I may not drive a new Mercedes But I’ll chauffeur…
Man About Town What will you make of this life The slivers of sand…
Maybe So Maybe No Maybe so, maybe no Could it be that your love was…
Maybe So, Maybe No Ooohhh... Maybe so, maybe no Could it be that your love was…
Maybe somaybe no Maybe so, maybe no Could it be that your love was…
No Strings I saw you lookin' at me girl When I first set…
One Track Mind My baby's got a one track mind Only shopping bags with…
Only You Havin' late night conversations Got me losin' all …
Out Of Pocket You're out of pocket now You're real out of pocket right…
Over It's over, game over Love has taken me over Game over, game…
Prelude Remain A strange Arrangement…
Problematization (Female voice) Wait you're not going to tell anybody about t…
Reach Out Richard Richard, hello, I know it's 4am on New Years Day I…
Robot Love I'm a lover With robot veins Pumping Valvoline To my robo…
Shiny & New Oh girl, oh girl Hold your body close to mine Leave…
Someone Like You Da da da du dup Thank you Da da da du dup If…
Stick Around He's always fooling around on you darling Out running all o…
The Game It's over, game over Love has taken me over Game over, game…
The Ills Woo hoo A baby's born The father's gone Can't live…
The Innocent She walks into the room and all the lights Flicker violentl…
The News I've got news for you Things will never be the same What…
The Only One Does it seem like Like sometimes this life ain't what it…
The Stars Are Ours Hey, ho Sister's schoolwork is ready I was high as a kit…
The Valley Oh, oh, oh oh Oh, oh, oh oh Oh, oh, oh oh Surf…
The Walk (So long, you did me wrong) (So long, you did me…
They Don't Know You Johnny was a roller Thought he could control ya' Bought you …
When I Said Goodbye My will is torn to pieces (pick up the pieces,…
Where Does This Door Go And to think All along I was lost But not alone Now I've cro…
Wine Glass Woman I know what you're drinkin' love Tell me what you're thinkin…
You Called Me This morning In a rush to get ready for work I've spilled…
You're Not Ready (You're not ready, you're not ready) I would give my whole…
You've Got the Makings of a Lover You’ve got the makings of a lover you got a style that…
Your Easy Lovin The way you move your hips When your struttin' down the…


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