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.
Soul Inspiration
Anita Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It would take my heart from me
I can't imagine life without you
The love of you, baby
Lately I confess
I've been short on tenderness
Too much time on work, I guess
Not enough on you
I really got no excuse, no excuse
Because you're beautiful, my one desire
You're my soul's inspiration
And if I didn't say it, well I do now
You're my sweet inspiration- baby, baby
If I'm feelin' low
I've only got myself to blame
'cause I can always share the load
When I'm near you- uh, huh
You can rescue me, baby
You bring out the best in me
I'm the girl I want to be
When I'm near you, huh
I may need reminding to say I love you
But heaven know that I do, yes I do
Because you're beautiful, my one desire
You're my soul's inspiration
And if I didn't say it, well I do now
You're my sweet inspiration- baby, baby
From the day I met you, baby
Yes, I knew instinctively
Whatever our future
Together we were gonna be, baby
Huh, my baby
Nothin', nothin's sweeter to me than you, baby
You, baby
Yes sir I love you, baby
Hey-now, I love you baby
Hey, ahh yahh
Ad lib
The lyrics to Anita Baker's "Soul Inspiration" are a love letter to a significant other, expressing how much they mean to the singer and how much they enrich her life. The song begins with a confession from Baker, admitting that she has been neglecting her partner lately and has not been as attentive as she should be. She acknowledges that her partner is the love of her life and that she cannot imagine living without them. She then goes on to reaffirm her feelings, telling her partner that they are her one desire, her soul's inspiration, and her sweet inspiration.
Throughout the song, Baker emphasizes the importance of her partner in her life. She notes that whenever she is feeling low or needs help, her partner is always there for her. She also acknowledges that she may need reminding to express her love, but that she always feels it deeply. The song ends with a vow of love from Baker to her partner, expressing her certainty that they will be together forever.
Line by Line Meaning
If I lost you now
Losing you would cause me to lose my heart, my entire being
It would take my heart from me
Your absence would take away the very core of my existence
I can't imagine life without you
My life would not have any value or meaning without you
The love of you, baby
Your love is the most important thing in my world, my dear
Lately I confess
I admit I have been at fault
I've been short on tenderness
I have not been showing the kind of affection you deserve
Too much time on work, I guess
I have been consumed with work more than my love for you
Not enough on you
I have not been giving you the attention you need, deserve and crave for
Now if I forgot to tell you I love you
In case I have been neglecting to express my love for you
I really got no excuse, no excuse
I have no valid reason for neglecting you
Because you're beautiful, my one desire
I love you purely for who you are, my one and only desire
You're my soul's inspiration
You inspire me deeply; your love is the fuel that drives me
And if I didn't say it, well I do now
If I haven't been clear before, know that I am saying it now and forevermore
You're my sweet inspiration- baby, baby
You are my sweet, lovely source of inspiration, my darling
If I'm feelin' low
If I am feeling down or troubled
I've only got myself to blame
It's my own fault, I cannot blame anyone else
'cause I can always share the load
However, I know that I can lean on you for support
When I'm near you- uh, huh
Your presence uplifts me and makes me stronger
You can rescue me, baby
You can save me from despair and give me hope, my love
You bring out the best in me
You make me feel better about myself and encourage me to be my best version
I'm the girl I want to be
I feel like I'm a better person because of you and your love for me
I may need reminding to say I love you
I may forget to express my love for you verbally at times
But heaven know that I do, yes I do
However, rest assured that I truly and deeply love you with all my heart
From the day I met you, baby
Ever since I've met you, my dear
Yes, I knew instinctively
I knew from the first moment that you were the one for me
Whatever our future
Regardless of what may come in our future
Together we were gonna be, baby
We will always be together, my dear love
Huh, my baby
My dear, beloved one
Nothin', nothin's sweeter to me than you, baby
There is nothing sweeter to me than you, my love
You, baby
You are the one and only love of my life
Yes sir I love you, baby
I love you deeply and purely, my darling
Hey-now, I love you baby
Yes, I am declaring my love for you, my dear
Hey, ahh yahh
Expressing my love and joy through ad lib vocals
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GRAHAM HAMILTON LYLE, TERRY BRITTEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
josez1
My favorite female artist. She has class, elegance, soul, and a voice that no female today can match.
Debra Sealey
That’s because she didn’t sale her soul to devil
Bklyn70
She has a voice that no female can ever match, PERIOD! A class of her own!
altima119487
You better say that 🙌🙌🙌🙌
Terrence Warthen
Wrong It's Patti La belle
Lefty Strat
Anita Baker is one of if not the most underrated and underutilized female vocalists of the past 40 years.
E Block
Her and Sade.
Francisko
Multiple Grammy wins, a Vegas residency, one of the signature voices of the Quiet Storm era of radio & generations of fans who cleaned their houses on Saturdays with her voice as the soundtrack..Anita Baker is NOT nor has she ever been underrated. lol
I really wish y'all would stop saying this for every single musician just because you may have been born after their initial mainstream success. Anita is one of the most celebrated vocalists of the 20th century
Johnnie Jones, Jr.
@E Block Definitely
JVM3
I love this woman!