Shortly thereafter he released two independent albums, Three Chords & The Truth and Red Clay Chronicles. Both albums received high critical acclaim, including Atlanta Journal & Constitution’s rave “The best record to come of this city since Usher’s,” and earned David thousands of fans nationwide. It is a combination of songs from those two albums that make up Acey Deucy. David toured relentlessly in support of his independent releases, opening for acts such as Arie and Kem before headlining tours of his own throughout Europe and Japan. “While traveling around the country and Europe playing, I was able to soak up sounds from everywhere I went. I’ve just been able to grow and expand my sound.” David explained. That sound, David refers to as “Millennium Blues” because it “all goes back to the blues. The lyrics, the music, my using everything from acoustic to hip-hop, the story telling...all of it connects through the blues like a bridge.” David feels that his song writing brings a much-needed honesty to today’s music, he explains, “Honesty in music shouldn’t be very rare but it is. Like an MC saying ‘I live the gangster life for real?’ I live the regular life for real, I just make it look and sound good.”
After time on the road, David teamed up with India.Arie once again to co-write and produce “There’s Hope” for Arie’s third Grammy nominated album before heading back out on his own again. And now the circle involving Anthony David and India.Arie begins anew with the first single from Acey Deucy entitled “Words.” The song reveals a musical relationship between Arie and David reminiscent of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway, a super natural chemistry that reminds you of music you’ve never heard before and can’t wait to hear again. “It’s great that ‘Words’ is being compared to music by Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway,” says David, “because they are both major influences on both our careers. That says a lot about the nature of our relationship and how well we work together. She heard the short version I wrote and said she had a verse for that song. The verse India wrote and her voice fit perfectly in every way.” “I love Tony’s music for how he speaks from a man’s emotional perspective in relationships and his views on learning about life as a young man of the hip hop generation,” says India.Arie. “He’s a great talent and one of my oldest friends. I have so many memories with him. Not only did he encourage me to start performing professionally, but it was Tony who suggested I use my first and middle name as an artist. There was even a time when he spent his rent money for me to experiment in the studio.” Anthony David explains that the lyrics and music are all from personal experience. “I don’t really know any other way to write. From the general to the specific, my music comes from a very personal place. That place is real life, the good and the bad. You won’t hear a lot of stuff about chilling in VIP. I don’t think a lot of people really relate to that. I don’t know where that (VIP and drinking in the club,) ranks in the importance of everyday people’s lives.” What Anthony David gives music and listeners are songs about love and life told in real voices. On Cheatin Man, David expresses a lot of inward pain and battles with self. “Cheatin Man is about a brother doing self-examination,” he explains, “It’s also about the half hearted excuses people make for what they do. The heart of the song is about judgment and falling short. The man (in the song) hates his father for what he did to his mother, but then he ends up doing the same things.” With the song Red Clay Chronicles, Anthony David turns that spotlight of truth outward, and looks at the state of everyone’s problems today. Red Clay Chronicles paints a musical mural of the “haves” and “have-nots” in a way that lets you know David has experienced life as a “have-not” and doesn’t glorify it. Red Clay Chronicles delivers both the musical goods and a fair share of responsibility for those who are able to help improve “city life.” Besides Arie, David calls on other musicians and singers he’s worked with in Atlanta to help complete the journey. On Lady, Keisha Jackson adds her sultry sound to join David’s blues-enriched voice. The track sounds like a lost recording of a song written for Bobby Womack and Gladys Knight. David discusses his partner for the duet “Keisha is Millie Jackson’s daughter. I knew this record would showcase her talent and show the world what I always heard in her voice. That’s one of the many reasons I am so excited about Acey Deucy. I get to show off all the talent here in Atlanta.” Anthony David’s Acey Deucy is a project focused on real life experience but original and passionate in presentation.
Acey Deucy is a blueprint for how to create great music in different styles, while not being diverse just for the sake of being different. Acey Deucy talks about family and friends on tracks like Kin Folk, relaxing on Smoke One and still drives home the joys and pain that we love to get from our music on tracks like Stop Playing. Acey Deucy gives listeners a little bit of what we’ve been waiting for from modern soul music and surprises us with a quality of original story telling we didn’t know was possible.
The eagerly awaited release of David's new album - As Above So Below - scheduled for release in the US in late March, has caught the imagination of many Neo-Soul fans. His silky voice, coupled with strong lyrics in his songs, have ensured a potentially Grammy award winning conjuction. Standout tracks include the religion/politics challenging "What God Said", a fantastic cover of Tears For Fears' "Rule The World" featuring Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman, and also "Backstreet" - a song based on what David witnessed in his younger years.
The album, already released in Europe, represents the Neo-Soul genre perfectly. Lyrics with meaning, no studio edits served with a side of incredible vocals, make for an unmissable album.
On & on
Anthony David Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You caught me starin at you again
While you sleepin
I promised God I'd your protection
And when you woke up and smiled at me
I jus knew that there was nobody better, no
The luckiest man on the planet is me
And I pray that we'll forever be...
On & on & on & on & on
I want us to go...
On & on & on & on & on
You bring out the painful sad in me
I'm a clown whenever your around
Oh, the tone of your voice
The frequency
I can't thing of a more pleasant sound
You got me thinkin bout you havin my babies
I'm changin from the inside, out
And at the end of our days
Wanna look around
Wanna see that you are still here with me yeah
On & on & on & on & on (on & on & on &)
And we go...
On & on & on & on & on (on & on)
On & on & on & on & on
On & on & on & on & on
I need you with me baby (need you, yeah)
Gotta get you by my side (by my side, oh)
I need your energy to make everything alright (everything)
I need you closer to me (closer to me)
It makes me comfortable (comfortable yeah, yeah)
I'm always here for ya (oh)
Always available (won't you let me baby)
Jus let me be your shelter (be your shelter, oh)
Let me protect your love
I made a deal darling (I prayed)
Comin with God above (and I'll do my part)
I'll do my part baby (oh)
To show you that I care (show you that I care)
Know we can make it
I'm positive
And I'll always here...
On & on & on & on & on
I'll always be here...
On & on & on & on & on
On & on & on & on & on
Forever and a day...
On & on & on & on & on
On & on
Oh lord...
Forever, forever yeah
Ever and a day
Forever & a day
The opening lines of Anthony David's "On & On" paint an intimate picture of the singer staring lovingly at his partner while she sleeps, expressing his gratitude to God for her presence in his life. He describes her as the most wonderful woman in the world and considers himself lucky to have her. The following verses further illustrate his devotion to her, as she brings out his happiest and saddest emotions, and he imagines them having children together. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "On & on & on & on & on," emphasizing the longevity of their love.
The lyrics of this song communicate a sweet and heartfelt message of love and devotion between two people that wish to be together forever. The song gives insight into the singer's thoughts and feelings about his partner, showing his vulnerability, admiration, and unconditional love towards her. It is a beautiful ballad that expresses a deep emotional connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning
The singer greets his loved one who is sleeping beside him.
You caught me starin at you again
The singer confesses to admiring the beauty of his loved one even when they're asleep.
While you sleepin
The singer is watching over his loved one while they sleep.
I promised God I'd your protection
The singer made a promise to God to protect the person he loves.
And when you woke up and smiled at me
The singer feels even more grateful for his loved one's presence when they smile at him.
I jus knew that there was nobody better, no
The singer is convinced that his loved one is the best person for him.
The luckiest man on the planet is me
The singer feels incredibly lucky to have found such an amazing person to love.
And I pray that we'll forever be...
The singer hopes that their love will last forever.
You bring out the painful sad in me
The singer is admitting that his loved one can also make him feel sad or insecure.
I'm a clown whenever your around
The singer is comfortable and playful around his loved one.
Oh, the tone of your voice
The singer loves the way his loved one speaks.
The frequency
The singer is enchanted by the sound of his loved one's voice.
I can't thing of a more pleasant sound
The singer can't imagine a sound more delightful than his loved one's voice.
You got me thinkin bout you havin my babies
The singer is envisioning a future where he and his loved one start a family together.
I'm changin from the inside, out
The singer feels like his loved one is having a positive influence on him.
And at the end of our days
The singer imagines growing old with his loved one.
Wanna look around
The singer wants to look back on their life together and see that they were always there for each other.
Wanna see that you are still here with me yeah
The singer hopes that their love will last a lifetime.
I need you with me baby (need you, yeah)
The singer is admitting his dependence on his loved one.
Gotta get you by my side (by my side, oh)
The singer feels incomplete without his loved one.
I need your energy to make everything alright (everything)
The singer believes that his loved one's presence can make everything in his life better.
I need you closer to me (closer to me)
The singer wants to be physically closer to his loved one.
It makes me comfortable (comfortable yeah, yeah)
Being close to his loved one makes the singer feel at ease.
I'm always here for ya (oh)
The singer promises to be there for his loved one whenever they need him.
Always available (won't you let me baby)
The singer wants his loved one to know that he's always ready to help or support them.
Jus let me be your shelter (be your shelter, oh)
The singer wants to protect his loved one from harm and provide a refuge for them.
Let me protect your love
The singer treasures his loved one's love and wants to keep it safe.
I made a deal darling (I prayed)
The singer is determined to keep his promise to God to protect his loved one.
Comin with God above (and I'll do my part)
The singer believes that God will help him keep his promise to his loved one.
I'll do my part baby (oh)
The singer promises to do everything in his power to keep his loved one safe and happy.
To show you that I care (show you that I care)
The singer wants to prove his love for his partner through his actions.
Know we can make it
The singer is confident that their love can withstand anything.
I'm positive
The singer has a positive attitude towards their relationship.
And I'll always here...
The singer promises to always be there for his loved one, no matter what.
Forever and a day...
The singer wants their love to last forever and beyond.
Forever & a day
The singer emphasizes the eternal nature of their love.
Contributed by Audrey A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kaiacane3354
One of my favorite songs for the past sixteen years..so underrated..so organic so rich so beautiful...thank you A David.
@xaviermack1449
A beautiful woman /spirit brought me here.
@xaviermack1449
I wish I could hear her voice again😊
@toya9858
Great music