She is the daughte… Read Full Bio ↴Alice Russell (b. 1975) is a British soul singer.
She is the daughter of an organist, and grew up in Framlingham in Suffolk. At the age of nine, following in her father's and sisters' musical footsteps, Russell began taking lessons on cello, and sang in choirs, before studying art and music in Brighton from 1994.
As well as the classical influences of her father, and formal music lessons, Russell listened to gospel music and soul artists such as Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin from an early age, which played a big part in the shaping of her style. Other artists such as Minnie Ripperton, Eva Cassidy, Chaka Khan, and Jill Scott are listed by Russell as influences.
She began making a name for herself in the early 2000s, contributing to recordings by Bah Samba, Quantic, TM Juke, Kushti and Nostalgia 77. Her work with Bah Samba sees Russell fusing Latin sounds with tinges of house, jazz and funk, whereas her material with the band Kushti involved a more laid back, hip-hop and soul inspired sound. Her debut album, Under the Munka Moon (2004), was an amalgamation of various singles, remixes, and collaborations.
It was followed by My Favourite Letters in 2005, her debut studio album, created in collaboration with co-writer, producer, and guitarist Alex Cowan (a.k.a. TM Juke). Her third release, Under the Munka Moon II (2006), compiled her most recent collaborations, remixes, and cover versions, including her popular interpretation of The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army. The Alice Russell – Live in Paris DVD also came out in 2006.
Russell and TM Juke have been touring together since 2006 in the U.K, Europe, Australia, the U.S., and other countries. In summer 2006, Grant Marshall (a.k.a. Daddy G of Massive Attack) asked Russell to play the main stage at The Big Chill music festival. Russell has also supported Lonnie Liston Smith, Femi Kuti and De La Soul, and has appeared on the bill with Amy Winehouse for the British showcase at the Midem Music Conference in Cannes 2007.
Hesitate
Alice Russell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because something you didn't do
We won't get to heaven unless we start to prove
We been going nowhere and they've been traveling
We won't get to heaven unless we stop the spin
'Cause this ain't going my way
This ain't going my way
This ain't going my way
But they know that you'll have to hesitate
'Cause it could be so fruitful all growing in the sun
Picking prizes off the trees, our pride all said and done
In love, my friends, hold hands till the end
Because we are all just creatures, just walking on the land
Feasting on the beauty, enough for everyone
In love, my friends, hold hands till the end
'Cause this ain't going my way
This ain't going my way
No, this ain't going my way
No, this ain't going my way
But they know that you'll have to hesitate
Hesitate, hesitate, hesitate
So why aren't we evolving? Look what's to be done
Setting back on evolution, it's up to everyone
With love my friends, let's hope we mend
Remember we are all just creatures roaming on this land
You must feast on the beauty and lend your helping hand
With love, my friends, together we must lend
No, this ain't going our way
No, this ain't going away
No, this ain't going our way no
This ain't going away
'Cause they know that you'll have to hesitate
This ain't going my way, this ain't going our way
Have to hesitate
This ain't going my way, this ain't going our way
Go, hesitate
This ain't going my way, this ain't going our way
Hesitate
This ain't going my way, this ain't going our way
Hesitate
The lyrics of Alice Russell's song "Hesitate" explore themes of regret, hesitation, and the urgency to take action. In the first verse, the singer acknowledges the weight of not taking action and the repercussions that come with it, expressed through nightmares. The lyrics suggest that we won't receive salvation unless we "start to prove" ourselves and stop going nowhere. In other words, the singer is urging the listener to take control and make something happen to move forward in life.
In the second verse, the lyrics hone in on the concept of love and unity, as the singer encourages holding hands with loved ones until the end. The idea is that all creatures on Earth should take pleasure in the beauty of the world and work together to create a better future. The lyrics posit that if everyone lent their helping hand, evolution would be set back on track. The line "Feasting on the beauty, enough for everyone" suggests that there is an abundance of love and resources in the world, but we must act together to access them.
Overall, "Hesitate" is a call to action to stop being passive and start actively working towards a better life for ourselves and the world around us through love and unity.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been getting nightmares
You've been having bad dreams lately
Because something you didn't do
Because of something you feel guilty about, even though you didn't do it
We won't get to heaven unless we start to prove
We need to start making positive changes in order to see a better future
We been going nowhere and they've been traveling
While we've been stuck, others have been making progress
We won't get to heaven unless we stop the spin
We need to break the cycle of negative behavior to move forward
'Cause this ain't going my way
Because things aren't happening the way I want them to
But they know that you'll have to hesitate
Others expect you to be hesitant or uncertain
'Cause it could be so fruitful all growing in the sun
There's potential for great things if we focus on positive growth
Picking prizes off the trees, our pride all said and done
If we work hard, we can reap the rewards of our efforts
In love, my friends, hold hands till the end
We need to support each other through thick and thin
Because we are all just creatures, just walking on the land
We are all equal and share this earth together
Feasting on the beauty, enough for everyone
There's plenty to enjoy and appreciate in the world if we take the time to see it
'Cause this ain't going my way
Because things aren't happening the way I want them to
But they know that you'll have to hesitate
Others expect you to be hesitant or uncertain
So why aren't we evolving? Look what's to be done
Why aren't we making positive changes? There's so much potential for growth
Setting back on evolution, it's up to everyone
We need to take responsibility for our own progress and not hold ourselves back
With love my friends, let's hope we mend
With love and hope, we can heal and improve
Remember we are all just creatures roaming on this land
We are all equal and share this earth together
You must feast on the beauty and lend your helping hand
We should appreciate the beauty of the world and help each other
With love, my friends, together we must lend
Together, we need to support and care for each other
No, this ain't going our way
Things aren't going the way we want them to
But they know that you'll have to hesitate
Others expect you to be hesitant or uncertain
This ain't going my way, this ain't going our way
Things aren't happening the way any of us want
Have to hesitate
We are expected to hesitate or be unsure
Hesitate
We are hesitant or uncertain
This ain't going my way, this ain't going our way
Things aren't happening the way any of us want
Hesitate
We are hesitant or uncertain
Contributed by Brody G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.