Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III (born 1979 in Orange County, California), bett… Read Full Bio ↴Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III (born 1979 in Orange County, California), better known by the stage name Aloe Blacc, is an American soul singer, rapper and musician. He began his recording career as an MC back in 1995 when he joined up with hip-hop producer Exile to form the mainstay indie rap group Emanon. Aloe released his debut solo album Shine Through on Stonethrow Records in 2006 and followed this up in 2010 with Good Things. He has also collaborated with the Cradle Orchestra under the name Bee, and they released the project Open Your Mind in 2009. His song "I Need a Dollar" is the intro song for the HBO show How to Make It in America. The I Need A Dollar Songfacts reports that after this retro soul track hit the charts throughout continental Europe, Blacc signed with major label Epic Records for the UK and Ireland release of the record.

A few years later, Aloe would “stow away” on a Lootpack European tour and become fast friends with Oh No – a relationship which led to many fruitful collaborations as a solo artist.

These days, Aloe Blacc has evolved into a true Renaissance man – dubbed “the indie R. Kelly” by online retailer Turntable Lab. Recordings like his Latin cover of John Legend’s “Ordinary People” prove that – not only can this multi-instrumentalist produce, rap and sing – but he can flip it in Spanish, too. With an amazingly broad set of influences ranging widely from the acoustic guitar stylings of folk artist Cat Stevens, to the soul-stirring sounds of the Negro Spirituals, Aloe prides himself on the spectrum of his musical roots. His sound often forays into the digital R&B realm, but always grooves with a tinge of Latin and the pulse of hip-hop.

Hey Brother
Aloe Blacc Lyrics

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Hey there, brother, watch your little lady
She's a little faster than you think
Hey there, brother, watch your little lady
She'll be sneaking 'round every time you blink

Now I don't know if she got my number
But she's been calling all through the summer
Saying she really need to see you brother

Now don't that make you wonder

Hey there brother, hey there brother

Hey there brother, watch your little momma
She's a little hand full, yes she is
Hey there brother, watch your little momma
She got herself a hand full, yes she did

Can't you see you're getting played you fool
She's letting everybody take it as cool
All up in the backyard shooting pool
And I don't mean to sound cruel

But hey there brother, hey there brother

Hey there brother, look what she's doing to you
Hey there brother, she's playing you for a fool
Hey there brother, look what she's doing to you
Hey there brother

Hey there brother, what's with your girlfriend
She ain't being loyal, no she ain't
Hey there brother, what's with your girlfriend
You should hear the things that she's been saying

Well the word on the street is that it won't be long
Before she packs up and moves on
She's just using you like a comb
Now don't you think it's wrong

Hey there brother, hey there brother
Oh, hey there brother
Look what she's doing to you
Hey there brother

She's playing you for a fool
Hey there brother

Overall Meaning

The song "Hey Brother" by Aloe Blacc is a cautionary tale to a brother to be careful about his girlfriend, mother, and a friend who seem to be playing him for a fool. The lyrics emphasize the importance of being aware of the people around us and the manipulation that can occur in relationships. The first verse talks about the brother's little lady, who is faster than he thinks, and who could be sneaking around every time he blinks. The singer does not know if she has his number, but she has been calling him all summer and saying she needs to see him. This could suggest that she is not being faithful to the brother, and she may be playing him.

The second verse focuses on the brother's mother, who is a handful, and who seems to have got herself into trouble. The brother seems to be getting played and not aware of what's happening. She is letting everyone take it as cool in the backyard while shooting pool. The chorus emphasizes that the brother needs to be aware of what these people are doing to him. The third verse talks about the brother's girlfriend, who is not being loyal and is saying things behind his back. The word on the street is that it won't be long before she packs up and moves on, leaving him behind.

Overall, the song highlights the fact that people can be manipulative, and it is important to be aware of such behavior to protect ourselves from being played for a fool.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey there, brother, watch your little lady
Brother, be careful of your girlfriend. She might be sneaky and faster than you think.

She's a little faster than you think
Your girlfriend might be acting suspiciously fast behind your back.

She'll be sneaking 'round every time you blink
Your girlfriend might be sneaking around and doing things without you noticing.

Now I don't know if she got my number
I'm not sure if your girlfriend has contacted me.

But she's been calling all through the summer
Your girlfriend has been calling me frequently during the summer.

Saying she really need to see you brother
She keeps telling me that she needs to see you, brother.

Now don't that make you wonder
Doesn't that make you suspicious?

Hey there brother, hey there brother
Brother, listen to what I'm saying.

Hey there brother, watch your little momma
Be careful of your mother. She might be a handful.

She's a little hand full, yes she is
Your mother can be quite difficult to deal with.

She got herself a hand full, yes she did
Your mother has a lot of issues and problems.

Can't you see you're getting played you fool
Don't you see that you're being taken advantage of?

She's letting everybody take it as cool
Your girlfriend is letting everyone think that everything is okay.

All up in the backyard shooting pool
Your girlfriend is hanging out in your backyard playing pool.

And I don't mean to sound cruel
I don't want to offend you, but you need to know the truth.

Hey there brother, look what she's doing to you
Brother, look at how your girlfriend is treating you.

She's playing you for a fool
Your girlfriend is taking advantage of you, brother.

Hey there brother, what's with your girlfriend
Brother, what's going on with your girlfriend?

She ain't being loyal, no she ain't
She's not being faithful to you, brother.

You should hear the things that she's been saying
You need to know what she's been saying behind your back.

Well the word on the street is that it won't be long
People are talking and saying that your relationship won't last much longer.

Before she packs up and moves on
Before she leaves you and moves on with someone else.

She's just using you like a comb
She's only using you for her own benefit and then throwing you away like a used comb.

Now don't you think it's wrong
Don't you agree that this is unfair and not right?

Oh, hey there brother
Hey, brother.

Look what she's doing to you
Take a closer look at how your girlfriend is treating you.

She's playing you for a fool
She's taking advantage of you, brother.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EGBERT NATHANIEL III DAWKINS, LEON MARCUS MICHELS, NICHOLAS MOVSHON, JEFF SILVERMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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