With her classy, refined brand of romantic soul, Anita Baker was one of the definitive quiet storm singers of the '80s. Gifted with a strong, supple alto, Baker was influenced not only by R&B, but jazz, gospel, and traditional pop, which gave her music a distinctly adult sophistication. Smooth and mellow, but hardly lifeless, it made her one of the most popular romantic singers of her time.
Baker was born January 26, 1958, in Toledo, OH, and raised in nearby Detroit, where she grew up listening to female jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, and Ella Fitzgerald. At age 12, she began singing a gospel choir, and by age 16 she was performing with several local bands. In 1975, she successfully auditioned for Chapter 8, one of Detroit's most popular acts at the time; the group eventually signed with Ariola and released an album in 1979, but were immediately dropped when the label was acquired by Arista (which didn't care for Baker's vocals). Chastened, Baker worked low-paying jobs in Detroit and eventually found steady work as a receptionist at a law firm. In 1982, Otis Smith -- an executive who'd worked with Chapter 8 -- contacted Baker about recording for his new label Beverly Glen. Happy with her employment benefits and skittish over the experience with Arista, Baker was reluctant at first, but eventually flew out to the West Coast to record her debut album, The Songstress, in 1983. Though it didn't gain quite enough exposure to become a hit, it did help Baker build a strong fan base through word-of-mouth and she was signed by Elektra in 1985.
Working with producer Michael J. Powell (an old Chapter 8 cohort), Baker released her major-label debut Rapture in 1986. It was a platinum, Grammy winning smash, appealing to both urban and adult contemporary listeners and producing two all-time quiet storm classics in "Caught Up in the Rapture" and "Sweet Love." Baker toured the world in 1987 and her guest appearance on the Winans track "Ain't No Need to Worry" won a Grammy. Her equally stylish follow-up album, Giving You the Best That I Got, appeared in 1988, spawning more staples in the title track and "Just Because." "Giving You the Best That I Got" also won Baker two more Grammys, for Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song. For her third Elektra album, Baker decided to handle a greater share of the songwriting, hence the title Compositions, which was released in 1990 and featured even stronger jazz inflections than Baker's previous work (not to mention all live instruments).
Following Compositions, Baker took a break from recording and touring; after having her first son in 1993, she returned to the studio to craft Rhythm of Love, which was released in 1994. In the years that followed, Baker was mostly silent, despite her fans' clamoring for a jazz album; instead, she raised her family and became embroiled in contract disputes with Elektra, which eventually led her to move to Atlantic. She began working on a new album in 2000, but had to start over from scratch due to defective recording equipment that made the original tracks unsalvageable. In 2004 it was announced that she had signed with Blue Note and still working on her new album. In the meantime, the Atlantic imprint Rhino released Night of Rapture: Live, a 1987 concert originally available on video. Baker finally returned to the studio in 2003 and issued My Everything, her first album in 10 years. Two years later she released her first holiday album, Christmas Fantasy.
Been so long
Anita Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I won't be denied
The pleasure of your kisses
The pleasure of your smile
I think you take for granted
I'll always be here
Just because I love you
Been so long, of missin' you, baby
Been so long, of missin' you, baby
Thoughts and mellow memories
Of once upon a time
Slowly creepin' on me
And they linger on my mind
Just let somebody love you
I just don't know why
Whenever I get close to you
You wanna run and hide
Been so long, of missin' you, baby
It's been so long, of missin' you, baby
It's been so long, of missin' you, baby
It's been so long, of missin' you, baby
We began lovers' dance
The road was smooth to romance
And we sang love's sweet songs every day
I believe that love would stay in my heart
Now it's torn all apart
It's gone away, I can't stay, I've got to say
I don't believe that you could do me this way
Now don't you understand
I'm in need of comfort
The comfort of your hand in mine
And what I feel inside
Why don't you come closer?
I, I can't hide (been so long)
(Been so long) can't hide
(Been so long)
(Been so long) it's too long, won't you come on, baby
(Been so long) won't you come home, see about me
Oh, see about me
(Been so long)
Come on, see about me
'Cause I, I keep tellin' you (been so long)
I can't do, I can't do without you
Without you, oh, now don't ask me to
To do without you, love, you love (been so long)
'Cause I won't do it
You can't make me do it
My baby, sweet baby
Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet baby
The lyrics of Anita Baker's song Been So Long convey a message of longing and unrequited love. The singer expresses her frustrations at being neglected and denied but still desires the pleasure of the person's kisses and smiles. Yet, she feels taken for granted and warns that just because she's near doesn't mean she won't disappear, indicating that she feels unappreciated and that the relationship lacks depth. The chorus emphasizes the repetition of the feeling of missing the person, emphasizing the extent of the longing she feels.
Further on, the song speaks of memories of what once was and reminiscing about happier times, which only accentuates the pain of the present situation. Despite wanting to love and be loved, the singer feels rejected and confused about why the person keeps pushing her away. The lyrics suggest that the singer is ready for a deeper connection, and the chorus accentuates that point once again. The verse about the lovers' dance and the road being smooth to romance is a reference to how the relationship started, highlighting how distance has caused the falling apart of their bond.
An interesting side note is that Anita Baker co-wrote the song with her collaborator Michael J. Powell, who also produced most of her music in the '80s and '90s. Additionally, the song's music video was directed by celebrated filmmaker Spike Lee. The song's lyrics were inspired by Baker's real-life experiences in several relationships, including a tumultuous marriage that ended in divorce, which affected her personal and musical identity. Despite these tribulations, Baker's artistry continued to flourish and remains a hallmark of R&B and Soul music.
Line by Line Meaning
I won't be neglected
I demand to be treated with love and respect, and not ignored or overlooked
I won't be denied
I expect to be loved and valued, and not rejected or denied affection
The pleasure of your kisses
I desire to feel the joy and pleasure of your passionate kisses
The pleasure of your smile
I long to see the radiance and happiness of your beautiful smile
I think you take for granted
I believe that you assume I will always be here for you, and don't appreciate my love and loyalty
I'll always be here
I will remain by your side and be there for you, no matter what happens
Just because I'm near you
My proximity to you does not guarantee that I will always be there or that you can take my love for granted
It doesn't mean I won't disappear
I am not invincible, and I could leave your life if you don't value me or treat me with love and care
Been so long . . . of missin' you, baby
It has been a long time since I felt your love, and I miss you terribly, my darling
Thoughts and mellow memories
Delicate and soothing recollections of our past love and memories come and go through my mind
Of once upon a time
I remember nostalgically the days when we were happy and in love
Slowly creepin' on me
These memories are gradually and steadily occupying my thoughts and emotions
And they linger on my mind
These memories remain and persistently remain in my heart and thoughts
Just let somebody love you
You should allow someone to love you and show you affection and care
I just don't know why
I am unsure why you are not receptive to my love and affection towards you
Whenever I get close to you
Whenever I try to get close to you and show you my love, you distance yourself from me
You want to run and hide
You seem to want to avoid me and not open your heart to me
We began lovers' dance
Our love story began with passion and romance
The road was smooth to romance
Our journey towards love was easy and free-flowing
And we sang love sweet song every day
Our love was like a beautiful and sweet melody that we sang together daily
I believe that love would stay in my heart
I thought that our love would last forever and remain in my heart
Now it's torn all apart
However, our love has been broken and destroyed
It's gone away, I can't stay, I've got to say
Our love has faded away, and I cannot continue pretending or staying in this relationship
I don't believe that you could do me this way
I never imagined that you would hurt me or break my heart like this
Now don't you understand
Can't you see or realize
I'm in need of comfort
I am in desperate need of love, affection, and emotional support
The comfort of your hand in mine
I want to feel the warmth and tenderness of your touch and hold your hand
And what I feel inside
The emotions and feelings that overwhelm me internally
Why don't you come closer
Can't you come nearer to me and show me your love and affection
I can't hide
I cannot suppress or hide my emotions and feelings anymore
Been so long . . . can't hide
It has been a long time since I pretended to be happy, and I cannot fake it anymore
Been so long . . . it's too long, won't you come on, baby
It has been too long since I felt your love, please come back to me and fill my life with happiness
Been so long . . . won't you come home, see about me
It has been too long since we were together, please come home and take care of me, love me and make me happy
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Anita Baker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind