“I was always a writer," says the man formerly known as Aaron Livingston. "Before I really learned music, I was serious about writing. Didn’t matter what it was. Just playing with words.”
Considering how long he's been making music, that's saying something. Born in Los Angeles to a preacher and a teacher, as a kid he absorbed songs from dusty family records and learned saxophone and piano, though he felt more at home inventing his own language on those instruments rather than following the lesson plan. Adapt or die, as they say.
Cycling through jazz, rock and R&B history, the hungry young son was beginning his true education. A few years later, the Livingstons moved to Queens, introducing Aaron to the active arts of hip-hop, basketball and city life. High school in suburban Jersey left him wanting more, so he headed to Manhattan and Columbia University, where he discovered art, recreational substances, and girls, girls, girls. He dropped out, got a job, got sad, kept journals. He moved to Philly, enrolled at Temple University, met the legendary Roots crew, even played music with them; they put his voice on an album, undun. He had a daughter, then a son. He was happy, still writing all the while.
Then, slowly, the music stalled. Faded. He got another dead end job. He checked out of days. He got sad again. He forgot how to adapt.
But, as it has the ability to do, the songwriting saved him. It was in his blood, he remembered. Coltrane. Hendrix. Santana. Tribe. And this time he vowed to never let it go. That's not to say he's always happy; he's human, after all. But making music helps keep things in perspective.
"I feel the weight of life as I always did, as everyone does," he says. "But I feel the weight lifted, because I love doing this. And the more I do it, the more I love it."
Son Little writes everywhere, every day, finding inspiration on the train, in a car, on the street, in the supermarket, with his children. Sometimes the ideas are fresh. Sometimes a tune comes from his past, a single spark. Nothing is off limits.
"It could be just a thought, and everything else comes from that," he says. "In one of my books could be a phrase that later is a song, and then the song becomes a whole catalog. It’s gotta germinate from somewhere."
Inspiration firmly struck, the song begins to bloom. There are many channels to Son Little's broadcast, varied stops on the dial, from blues to soul to funk to folk, and jook-joint jazz and chamber pop and back again. His voice—raw, weary yet alert, grave and gravelly, Marvin and Otis and Stevie all at once—soars and creeps, cracks and moans. His songs haunt, thrill, yearn and stomp like all the best work of his heroes.
And the learning never stops. Little has collaborated with highly respected artists like The Roots and the producer/DJ RJD2, mentoring under the former and creating a duo with the latter called Icebird, which allowed him to flex his considerable vocal chops and song arrangement skills.
"I've always loved the studio, but RJ helped me see how I can use it more effectively and find ways to challenge myself, and be inventive with sound. And The Roots, it’s hard to quantify what I’ve learned from them. Everything from how to rehearse to how to occupy the stage and command it…two things that are very fundamental in this business, and they are masters."
This fall sees the release of the first recorded output from Son Little for Anti- Records, an EP called, wouldn't you know it, Things I Forgot. Six songs: three babies (released first as videos), two twins, and an RJD2 remix. It's all there, all those misremembered things: Triumph and trophies, hardship and heartache, soft sentences, loud chapters, facts and birthdays, faces and places and scrapes and scales, nights and weeks and years all lost, gone into the ether, slipped away, out-sizing our normal human bandwidth.
"The singles, 'Cross My Heart' and 'Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches' and 'The River,' were more or less written consecutively," he says. "And so I think they were sort of internal responses to one other, complements. It's harder to place but I’ve been tinkering with the other two, 'Joy' and 'Alice,' for a long time. They’re sort of akin to one another in terms of mood. This is a small collection and maybe it's not as much a singular vision...it's more of a handful.”
A grip of memories; Things He Forgot. Son Little writes to remember, matching the disparate vibes of his full, full life with a patchwork blanket of sound, experience and inspiration. Inventing, observing, adapting. And still, it grows.
"I don’t see any end to the learning," he says. "And to understanding more of something that you immerse yourself in. Could be anything, again. Right now I’m immersed in this music and I feel that my understanding appreciates and changes scope and perspective. It's really rewarding in its own way."
MAD ABOUT YOU
Son Little Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feel the vibe, feel the terror, feel the pain
It's driving me insane
I can't fake for God's sake, why am I
Driving in the wrong lane
Trouble is my middle name
But in the end I'm not too bad
Can someone tell me if it's wrong to be
So mad about you, mad about you, mad
Are you the fishy wine who will give me
A headache in the morning
Or just a dark blue land mine
That'll explode without a decent warning
Give me all your true hate
And I'll translate it in our bed
Into never seen passion, never seen passion
That's why I am
So mad about you, mad about you, mad
Trouble is your middle name
But in the end you're not too bad
Can someone tell me if it's wrong to be
So mad about you mad about you
Mad about you mad about you, mad
Give me all your true hate
And I'll translate it in your bed
Into never seen passion
That is why I am
So mad about you, mad about you
Mad about you, mad about you
Mad about you, mad about you, mad about you
Son Little's "Mad About You" is a song about the tumultuous and addictive nature of love. Through vivid imagery and powerful metaphors, the song explores the intense, conflicting emotions that can arise in a passionate relationship. The opening verses express the singer's overwhelming feelings of anxiety and confusion, as he compares his love to a dangerous, unexpected explosion waiting to happen. He feels like he's driving in the wrong lane and struggling to keep up with the rollercoaster of emotions he's experiencing. However, despite the pain and chaos, he can't deny the intense connection he feels with his partner, who is both the source of his true hate and his never-seen passion.
The lyrics use rich imagery and metaphors to create a sense of both danger and excitement. The "fishy wine" and "dark blue land mine" are both symbols of the intense and unpredictable nature of love. The contrasting images of the headache-inducing wine and the explosive landmine evoke the idea that love can be both intoxicating and dangerous. However, the song also suggests that these risks are worth taking, as the passion and connection they bring are unparalleled.
Overall, "Mad About You" is a powerful and nuanced exploration of the addictive nature of love. The song captures the ups and downs of a passionate relationship and the intense emotions that can arise when two people connect on a deep, visceral level.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel the vibe, feel the terror, feel the pain
I am completely overwhelmed by the emotions I am experiencing
It's driving me insane
These overwhelming emotions are impacting my mental health
I can't fake for God's sake, why am I
I can't pretend that these feelings aren't real, and I am questioning why I feel this way
Driving in the wrong lane
I feel like I am going in the wrong direction in life
Trouble is my middle name
I am used to having problems and complications
But in the end I'm not too bad
Despite my struggles, I am a decent person
Can someone tell me if it's wrong to be
I am unsure if my intense feelings are justified
So mad about you, mad about you, mad
But I can't deny that I am intensely in love with you
Are you the fishy wine who will give me
I am uncertain if our love will leave me with negative consequences
A headache in the morning
I fear that our relationship will cause me pain
Or just a dark blue land mine
I am questioning if our love is dangerous
That'll explode without a decent warning
And may end suddenly without any indication
Give me all your true hate
Even the negative aspects of our relationship are worthwhile to me
And I'll translate it in our bed
I can turn our disagreements into passion in the bedroom
Into never seen passion, never seen passion
And experience a level of passion with you that I have never had before
That's why I am
This is the reason why I am
So mad about you, mad about you, mad
So incredibly obsessed with you
Trouble is your middle name
You, too, are a bit of a complicated person
But in the end you're not too bad
But ultimately you are still a good person
Give me all your true hate
I am willing to accept any negativity you have towards me
And I'll translate it in your bed
And, just like before, I can turn it into passion
Into never seen passion
And experience new levels of intimacy with you
That is why I am
This is why I feel
So mad about you, mad about you
So completely in love with you
Mad about you, mad about you, mad about you, mad about you
So intensely obsessed with you
Writer(s): A Livingstone
Contributed by Lucas D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.