Neville charted again, in 1989, when he collaborated with Linda Ronstadt on three consecutive duets: Don't Know Much, All My Life, and When Something Is Wrong with My Baby, the first two reached Number One on the Adult Contemporary charts. Neville has released more than 20 singles, including three Number Ones on the Adult Contemporary format, and a fourth on the R&B format.
His other hits have included Everybody Plays the Fool, his successful 1991 cover of the 1972 Main Ingredient song, that reached #8 on the Hot 100; Don't Take Away My Heaven, Hercules and Can't Stop My Heart From Loving You (The Rain Song). Neville's biggest solo successes have been on the Adult Contemporary chart, where "Don't Know Much," "All My Life," and "Everybody Plays the Fool" all reached Number One.
Aaron signed to SonyBMG's new Burgundy Records label in late 2005 and recorded an album of songs by Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and others for Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics, released on September 19, 2006. The album, produced by Stewart Levine, features collaborations between Neville and Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples, Chris Botti, David Sanborn, Art Neville, and others. The album's first single was a remake of The Impressions' 1963 classic It's All Right.
On October 27, 2006, Neville made a guest appearance on an episode of the soap opera The Young and the Restless. He sang Stand By Me" and Ain't No Sunshine, from his album, Bring It on Home … The Soul Classics. In 2008 he released Gold, which includes a double album of his hits.
http://www.aaronneville.com
Angola Bound
Aaron Neville Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh Lord, and eat my breakfast by the light of 'de moon
Oh Lord, by the light of 'de moon
If you see my Momma, tell her this for me
Oh I've got a mighty long time, Lord knows I'll never go free
Oh Lord, I'll never be free
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
I got lucky last summer when I got my time, Angola bound
Well my partner got a hundred, I got ninety-nine, Angola bound
You been a long time coming but you're welcome home, Angola bound
And go to Louisiana get your burdens on, Angola bound
Oh Captain, oh Captain don't you be so cruel, Angola bound
Oh you work me harder than you work that mule, Angola bound
If it wasn't for the Captain, oh Lord, I'm shaggin' house
I'd be with my woman, yeah, before the sun goes down
You come up here skippin' and a' jumpin', oh Lord, it won't last long
Gonna wish you was a baby boy, in your mother's arms
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
Don't want no gal-boy lovin' cause I got my load, Angola bound
Don't want no trouble out 'de boys I know, Angola bound
Oh they always talkin' 'bout dangerous blue, Angola bound
If I had my shank I'd be dangerous too, Angola bound
Oh Captain say walk and the boss say run, Angola bound
If I had my pistol I would do 'nere one, Angola bound
If it wasn't for the Captain, oh Lord, I'm shaggin' house
I'd be with my woman, yeah, before the sun goes down
You come up here skippin' and 'a jumpin', oh Lord it won't last long
Gonna wish you was a baby boy, in your mother's arms
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
If it wasn't for the Captain, oh Lord, I'm shaggin' house
I'd be with my woman, yeah, before the sun goes down
You come up here skippin' and 'a jumpin', oh Lord it won't last long
Gonna wish you was a baby boy, in your mother's arms
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
If I'd always listened to what my Momma said, Angola bound
I wouldn't be deep down in the trouble this way, Angola bound
Oh my Momma, she told me, leave that junk alone, Angola bound
Got hooked to the habit, had to carry on, Angola bound
The jury found me guilty cause they wrote it down, Angola bound
Judge said, junkie boy you're penitentiary bound, Angola bound
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
The lyrics in "Angola Bound" by Aaron Neville deal with the idea of imprisonment and the loss of freedom. The song tells the story of a person who is incarcerated and is now Angola-bound. They are about to leave for the Angola prison farm in Louisiana, which was known as one of the most notorious prisons in the US in its time. The singer says that he has to wake up early and eat breakfast by the light of the moon, suggesting that he has to work hard every day in the prison.
The singer also mentions that he is never going to be free and that he has a mighty long time to spend in Angola prison. The song describes the harsh conditions and treatment that prisoners face, as well as the harshness of the guards or "captains" who run the prison. The singer also mentions that if it wasn't for the captain, he could be with his woman before the sun goes down, suggesting the loss of a lover or partner because of his incarceration.
The singer notes that he got lucky and only received a 99-year sentence compared to his partner's 100-year sentence. The song is a sad reflection of the singer's situation and the harsh reality of the prison system that he finds himself in.
Line by Line Meaning
Too many mornin' gotta wake up soon
The singer is tired of waking up early every morning.
Oh Lord, and eat my breakfast by the light of 'de moon
The singer has to eat breakfast in the moonlight.
If you see my Momma, tell her this for me
The singer wants to send a message to his mom through anyone who sees her.
Oh I've got a mighty long time, Lord knows I'll never go free
The artist has a very long sentence and knows he will never be set free.
Oh Lord, I'll never be free
The artist feels trapped and knows he will never be free.
Angola bound, now, Angola bound
The singer is being sent to Angola prison.
I got lucky last summer when I got my time, Angola bound
The singer feels fortunate to have received a shorter sentence last summer, but is still being sent to Angola prison.
Well my partner got a hundred, I got ninety-nine, Angola bound
The artist received one year less than his partner, but they are both being sent to Angola prison.
You been a long time coming but you're welcome home, Angola bound
The artist is sarcastically saying that although they are finally going to Angola, they are not actually 'welcome home'.
And go to Louisiana get your burdens on, Angola bound
The artist is saying that going to Louisiana and being sent to Angola prison is going to be a heavy burden.
Oh Captain, oh Captain don't you be so cruel, Angola bound
The singer requests the captain to be kind to him and not be unnecessarily cruel.
Oh you work me harder than you work that mule, Angola bound
The artist complains that he's being worked harder than a mule.
Don't want no gal-boy lovin' cause I got my load, Angola bound
The singer doesn't want any romantic relationship since he has his own problems to deal with being sent to Angola prison.
Don't want no trouble out 'de boys I know, Angola bound
The singer wants to avoid trouble with the other prisoners he knows in Angola prison.
Oh they always talkin' 'bout dangerous blue, Angola bound
The singer hears the other prisoners talking about 'dangerous blue', which refers to the authorities at Angola prison who wear blue uniforms.
If I had my shank I'd be dangerous too, Angola bound
The artist is saying that he would be as dangerous as the guards if he had a homemade knife.
Oh Captain say walk and the boss say run, Angola bound
The artist is confused because the captain tells him to walk, but the boss tells him to run.
If I had my pistol I would do 'nere one, Angola bound
The singer is saying that if he had a gun, he would shoot either the captain or the boss.
If I'd always listened to what my Momma said, Angola bound
The singer regrets not following his mother's advice.
I wouldn't be deep down in the trouble this way, Angola bound
The artist believes that if he had listened to his mother, he wouldn't have gotten into the trouble that led to him being sent to Angola prison.
Oh my Momma, she told me, leave that junk alone, Angola bound
The artist's mother had warned him to stay away from drugs.
Got hooked to the habit, had to carry on, Angola bound
The artist couldn't stop using drugs and had to continue doing so.
The jury found me guilty cause they wrote it down, Angola bound
The singer was found guilty by the jury and is now being sent to Angola prison.
Judge said, junkie boy you're penitentiary bound, Angola bound
The judge sentenced the artist to prison because of his drug addiction, and he is being sent to Angola prison.
Gonna wish you was a baby boy, in your mother's arms
The singer is saying that life in Angola prison is going to be so hard that one will wish they were a baby again in the arms of their mother.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AARON JOSEPH NEVILLE, CHARLES NEVILLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind