Harper grew up listening to blues, folk, soul, RnB, and reggae. Harper's blend of groove-laden funky soul and folky handcrafted acoustics helped him to gain cult status during the course of the 1990s and widespread attention toward the end of the decade. Harper combines elements of classic folk singers, blues revivalists and jam bands and is embraced by critics and college kids alike. Harper's body of work sells consistently and he tours constantly, building a solid, dedicated fan base.
Harper began playing guitar as a child in his hometown of Claremont, California (in California's Inland Empire). He eventually specialized in the acoustic slide guitar (Weissenborn guitars). As a young man, he recorded an LP (Pleasure and Pain) with fellow folk guitarist Tom Freund. After this limited edition record, Harper got a record deal with Virgin Records, who released his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World (1994).
This was followed by the incendiary Fight For Your Mind (1995) which became a college radio favorite and generated an abundance of songs which still fill his set list to this day.
In 1999 at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Harper met Jack Johnson, who was unknown at the time and had not recorded. Harper obtained a demo tape of 12 of Johnson's songs that he forwarded to his producer, J.P. Plunier, with whom Johnson recorded his first album.
From early on in his career, his music received more attention in Europe than it did in his home country. While he was a well-known and respected figure in the States, in countries like France, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, and The Netherlands he was a star, receiving a great deal of airplay and critical acclaim. His popularity in Europe is such that he was French Rolling Stone Magazine's "Artist of the Year" (Artiste De L'Année) in 2003, and his tour that year for Diamonds on the Inside played to packed arenas across the continent.
In 2004, Harper recorded the album "There Will Be a Light " as the collaboration Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama.
In October 2004, Harper participated in the Vote for Change concert tour organised to benefit Moveon.org and encourage people in the swing states to vote during the 2004 U.S. presidential election.
Over the summer of 2005, when the Zooma tour scheduled with Trey Anastasio and various side stage performers was cancelled, Harper took on a tour of more private clubs/venues such as the Avalon Ballroom in Boston, the Tabernacle in Atlanta, and a full-band acoustic performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. This series of concerts saw the debut of a number of new Harper songs, such as "Get It Like You Like It" and "Dressed In Black."
In 2006, Harper released the double album Both Sides of the Gun which debuted at #7 on the Billboard charts.
Next Harper did a worldwide tour, with support from Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley on the North American leg.
In 2007, Harper released the album Lifeline, recorded in Paris just after his tour.
In 2009, Harper recorded the album "White Lies for Dark Times", as the collaboration Ben Harper and Relentless7.
In 2014, Harper recorded the album "Childhood Home" as the collaboration Ben & Ellen Harper.
In 2018, Harper recorded the album "No Mercy in This Land" as the collaboration Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite. At the 40th Blues Music Awards ceremony, Harper's joint composition with Charlie Musselwhite, "No Mercy In This Land", was named as 'Song of the Year'.
Please Me
Ben Harper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Matter of fact why don't you do yourself a few
Your presence, it ain't nobody's blessing
I've got plenty of other things that I could do
Oh no, not another excuse
Your tired silly games
For me are just no use
You're with somebody
That you don't want to be
So won't you
Please please me like you want to
Not like you have to
Or won't you just go on and leave me
You know leaving me is the least that you could do
You know leaving me is the least that you could do
You could have spared me so much misery
And told me you just wanted a friend
Believe me there is a difference
When you mean it
And when you pretend
Or was I just your habit
'Cause I know a habit is a hard thing to break
But won't you spare me, a little mercy
There's only so much that I can take
So won't you
Please please me like you want to
Not like you have to
Or won't you just go on and leave me
You know leaving me is the least that you could do
Leaving me is the least that you could do
I said leaving me is the least that you could do
The lyrics to Ben Harper's song "Please Me Like You Want To" discuss a dysfunctional relationship where one person is not fully invested and the other is left feeling unsatisfied. The first stanza sets the tone for the song, with the singer telling his partner that he doesn't need any favors, and that they can do themselves a few. He acknowledges that their presence is not a blessing, which indicates that he is unhappy with the relationship.
The second stanza expresses frustration with the partner's games and excuses. The singer can see that his partner is not invested in the relationship, and may even be with someone they don't want to be. He pleads with them to put in effort and please him like they want to, not like they have to, or to just leave him if they are not willing to do so.
The final stanza shows the singer grappling with the realization that the relationship may have been one-sided, and questioning whether he was just a habit for his partner. He pleads for a little mercy, knowing that he can only take so much.
Overall, the lyrics convey feelings of frustration, dissatisfaction, and the need for honesty and effort in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't do me any favors
Don't try to do good things for me if you don't truly mean it
Matter of fact why don't you do yourself a few
Instead of doing things for me, why don't you do things that benefit yourself
Your presence, it ain't nobody's blessing
Your being here is not a blessing to anyone
I've got plenty of other things that I could do
I have plenty of other things to do besides dealing with your unwanted presence
Oh no, not another excuse
I don't want to hear another excuse from you
Your tired silly games
I'm tired of your childish and pointless games
For me are just no use
Your games serve no purpose for me
And now it's plain for me to see
It's now obvious to me
You're with somebody
You're with someone else
That you don't want to be
You're not happy with them
So won't you
I'm requesting that you
Please please me like you want to
Treat me kindly and lovingly as you would truly want to
Not like you have to
Don't do it out of obligation, but because you truly want to
Or won't you just go on and leave me
If you can't please me the way I deserve to be pleased, you should just leave me
You know leaving me is the least that you could do
If you don't truly want to be with me, the least you could do is leave me alone
You could have spared me so much misery
You could have saved me from a lot of pain and suffering
And told me you just wanted a friend
You could have been honest with me and told me you only wanted a platonic friendship
Believe me there is a difference
There is a distinct difference between friendship and a romantic relationship
When you mean it
When you truly feel it
And when you pretend
Vs. when you're pretending to feel something you don't
Or was I just your habit
Was I just someone you were used to being around, regardless of your feelings for me?
'Cause I know a habit is a hard thing to break
I understand it can be difficult to end a habit, but you need to be honest with yourself and with me
But won't you spare me, a little mercy
Please show me a bit of kindness and mercy
There's only so much that I can take
My emotional limit has been reached
Leaving me is the least that you could do
If you really can't be honest or kind to me, then at least leave me alone
I said leaving me is the least that you could do
Reiterating that leaving me alone is the best course of action if you can't treat me with respect and kindness
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BEN C HARPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind