At 18, Porter learned his most valuable musical lessons when he began touring with such jazz masters as organist Jack McDuff and saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. He matured as a player and learned how to interact with an audience. In between concerts, Porter continued his studies at the Berklee Conservatory of Music and at Virginia Commonwealth University where he became a student of pianist/educator Ellis Marsalis.
In 1992, Porter came to Chicago on a scholarship to Northeastern Illinois University, finishing with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He went to study at Roosevelt University where he earned his master's degree. In the Windy City, Porter was mentored by legendary tenor saxophonist Von Freeman and bassist James Leary. When Porter was signed to Verve Forecast, he decided that instead of jumping on the then-current neo-classical jazz bandwagon, Porter decided to make his largely self-composed debut contemporary rather than bop-revisited in style. Produced and engineered by keyboardist Jeff Lorber, Pocket City was immediately embraced by those who didn't want their smooth jazz "too smooth" in the summer of 1992. The key tracks, the heart-melting ballad "Inside Myself," a cover of Maxi Priest's "Close to You," and funky hoppin' "Pocket City" (whose video was played on VH1 and BET) were played on both smooth jazz and a few urban stations. Porter was sent on a promotional and concert tours where he built up a reputation for being very amiable and giving a high-octane performance. Porter was a whirling wonder on stage, smiling like a Chesire cat, blowing his heart out, running around the venue honking it up. On November 23, 1996, while journeying to a remote part of Thailand to perform in a jazz festival, Porter was killed when the boat he was riding in capsized.
Beside his four Verve sets, Pocket City, Straight to the Point, Undercover, Lay Your Hands on Me, and the posthumously released For Art's Sake, Art Porter appeared as a sideman on recordings by Jeff Lorber, Tom Grant, and Ramsey Lewis and was infusing a hard bop sound sensibility to smooth jazz when he was killed.
Achievements
Porter has been inducted into the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame. Porter received the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.
Meltdown
Art Porter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I broke up wit my ex I couldn't take his sarcasm
Everytime we bone I had to fake an orgasm
Moaning and groaning tried to make him feel manly
I'd rather use my toys, plus my hands come in handy
I finally told him that my heart was somewhere else
That dude that approached me at the bar the other night
That be the mister right and hot enough to melt some ice
I think I'm in love like Beyonce be with Jigga
It's not his major figure that want him to be my nigga
He got that magic stick that make my little pussy quiver
Juices running like a river slowly down my kitty litter
Boy I'm so glad I found a nigga like you
A thug like you to make a girl say - oh
Hope he feel as strong as my pohah do
With you by my side its like I'm drunk off booze
If you be my man only my man I wouldn't mind tasting your magic stick, magic stick
If you don't cheat or sleep around ain't nothing wrong wit tasting your magic stick
[Chorus]
I bet it taste like candy, meant to melt in my mouth
I know you got plenty, baby you the shit
Now what you working wit candy meant to melt in my mouth
I know you got plenty, I like the way, I like the way
[Interlude]
I like the way, I like the way
I like the way you work your stick boo
The way you work it like voodoo
The way you wind and you wind and you grind
Don't stop the way you work your stick
Baby the way you work your stick
Baby keep on and keep on and keep on keep going
My ex boyfriend had to go
He didn't know how to work that magic stick
But I found a guy that sure do love
It's so true his love is cla-hassic yeah oohhh
[Chorus]
[Interlude]
I could play Janet and you could play J.D.
If you like Beyonce you could play Jay-Z
Check for them other chicks cos they not me
They're just some copy cats there's only one Missy
M-to the I double SS don't test
I'm hard as the cushion on a bullet proof vest
But you got me whipped like slaves in the days
You're cool as the shade and ice and lemonade
I think I wanna marry you baby I will carry
Guess it's necessary and on the contrary
You be mister right and mister legendary
The more I fall in love the more it gets scary
The lyrics of Art Porter's song "Meltdown" are about a woman who describes her unhappy relationship with her ex-boyfriend and how she found a new man that makes her happy. The woman is straightforward as she admits that she had to fake an orgasm during sex because she could not take her ex-boyfriend's sarcasm. She also reveals that she has found someone new, who she refers to as her mister right. According to her, this new man has a "magic stick" that makes her feel alive and satisfied. The woman loves the way he touches her, and she compares her man's touch to the effect of voodoo magic. The chorus of the song repeats the lyrics "I bet it tastes like candy, meant to melt in my mouth" several times, which means that she is satisfied with the way her new man tastes and leaves her feeling blissful.
The lyrics also mention the comparison between the woman's new man and popular culture couples like Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri, Beyonce, and Jay-Z. She mentions that she loves her new man's swagger and that she wants to marry him. She admits that love scares her a little, but she knows that her new man is "mister legendary" and "mister right."
In summary, the lyrics of "Meltdown" are about a woman who has found a new man who satisfies her sexually and emotionally, and she compares this satisfaction to the taste of candy.
Line by Line Meaning
Bet it, bet it taste like candy
The singer believes that her partner's genitalia tastes sweet and satisfying.
I broke up wit my ex I couldn't take his sarcasm
The singer ended a previous relationship because she found her ex's sarcastic comments to be hurtful and difficult to deal with.
Everytime we bone I had to fake an orgasm
During sexual encounters with her ex, the singer was unable to achieve an orgasm and pretended to do so to avoid disappointing her partner.
Moaning and groaning tried to make him feel manly
The artist attempted to boost her partner's confidence by moaning and groaning during sex, but this was ultimately an insincere act.
I'd rather use my toys, plus my hands come in handy
The artist prefers to pleasure herself using sex toys and her own hands, as this is more satisfying for her than sex with her previous partner was.
I finally told him that my heart was somewhere else
The singer informed her ex that she was no longer in love with him and had feelings for someone else.
Whenever we sexed I wished that he was someone else
The singer daydreamed about being intimate with someone other than her ex during their sexual encounters.
That dude that approached me at the bar the other night
The artist was approached by a man at a bar recently who caught her eye.
That be the mister right and hot enough to melt some ice
The man who approached the artist at the bar may be the perfect partner for her, someone who she finds very attractive.
I think I'm in love like Beyonce be with Jigga
The artist is infatuated with the person she has met, much like Beyonce is with her husband Jay-Z.
It's not his major figure that want him to be my nigga
The singer is attracted to the man's personality and character traits, rather than his physical appearance.
He got that magic stick that make my little pussy quiver
The artist finds the man's genitalia to be highly arousing and pleasurable.
Juices running like a river slowly down my kitty litter
The singer's body is highly stimulated and aroused by the man's sexual prowess and the sexual sensations she is experiencing.
Boy I'm so glad I found a nigga like you
The singer is happy to have met her current partner, who she thinks is perfect for her.
A thug like you to make a girl say - oh
The singer finds her partner's rough, tough demeanor appealing and attractive.
Hope he feel as strong as my pohah do
The artist hopes that her partner feels as deeply in love with her as she does with him.
With you by my side its like I'm drunk off booze
Being with her partner makes the artist feel intoxicated and happy, like she has been drinking alcohol.
If you be my man only my man I wouldn't mind tasting your magic stick, magic stick
The singer is happy to perform oral sex on her partner and would not hesitate to do so if they were in a committed relationship.
If you don't cheat or sleep around ain't nothing wrong wit tasting your magic stick
The singer believes that sexual fidelity and mutual sexual pleasure are acceptable within a committed relationship.
I bet it taste like candy, meant to melt in my mouth
The artist believes that her partner's genitalia tastes sweet and satisfying, like candy.
I know you got plenty, baby you the shit
The artist is confident that her partner is highly sexually desirable and capable.
Now what you working wit candy meant to melt in my mouth
The artist is curious about and excited by her partner's sexual prowess and genitalia.
I like the way, I like the way
The singer enjoys and appreciates her partner's sexual abilities.
My ex boyfriend had to go
The artist has moved on from her previous relationship and is now involved with someone else.
He didn't know how to work that magic stick
The singer's ex was not very skilled or satisfying when it came to sexual activity.
But I found a guy that sure do love
The singer is happy to have met her current partner, who she is deeply in love with.
It's so true his love is cla-hassic yeah oohhh
The singer's love for her partner is strong and lasting, and they share a deep connection.
I could play Janet and you could play J.D.
The artist and her partner could take on the personas of Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri, who were a real-life couple at the time this song was released.
If you like Beyonce you could play Jay-Z
The artist and her partner could take on the personas of Beyonce and Jay-Z, who were a real-life couple at the time this song was released.
Check for them other chicks cos they not me
The singer believes that she is unique and special, and that her partner will not find anyone else like her.
They're just some copy cats there's only one Missy
The singer believes that other women are imitating her, and that she is the original and authentic individual.
M-to the I double SS don't test
The artist is referring to herself by her professional name, Missy Elliott, and is asserting that she should not be doubted or underestimated.
I'm hard as the cushion on a bullet proof vest
The artist is tough and resilient, like the material used in bulletproof vests.
But you got me whipped like slaves in the days
The artist is deeply in love with her partner and is willing to do anything for them, to the point of being submissive.
You're cool as the shade and ice and lemonade
The singer finds her partner to be calm, collected, and refreshing, like a drink on a hot day.
I think I wanna marry you baby I will carry
The artist is considering the possibility of marrying her partner and promises to be a supportive and devoted spouse.
Guess it's necessary and on the contrary
The singer believes that getting married is an important and worthwhile step to take, despite any potential risks or drawbacks.
You be mister right and mister legendary
The singer believes that her partner is the perfect match for her and has heroic, legendary qualities.
The more I fall in love the more it gets scary
The singer is afraid of the intensity and depth of her feelings for her partner, which have only grown stronger over time.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: ARTHUR L. PORTER, JEFFREY H. LORBER, ALEC MILSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind