Brenda's greatest success came in 1988 with the release of her third album, "Get Here". It featured the hit singles "Get Here" and "Piano In The Dark". At the 31st Grammy Awards, Brenda was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance - Female for "Get Here". "Piano In The Dark" was nominated for Song of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group (there was a duet? -- duet vocal was by Joe Esposito of Brooklyn Dreams). "Get Here" was later a huge hit covered by Oleta Adams.
Nearly all of her songs were written by herself. Some of her compositions are also performed by others like Roberta Flack, Diana Ross, Patrice Rushen, Patti Austin, Donna Summer, Chaka Khan, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Justin Guarini, and very successfully by the aforementioned Luther Vandross and Oleta Adams.
Russell is also a chief songwriter and lyricist for the hit Broadway musical "The Color Purple". In 2005 she saw a Broadway musical version of Alice Walker's The Color Purple. Produced by Oprah Winfrey, the show's score is written by Russell and lyricists-composers Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. Russell and her co-writers were nominated for a Tony Award (for Best Score) and a Grammy Award (in the Best Musical Show Album category).
Way Back When
Brenda Russell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can blame it all
On your friends and your companions
I knew you way back when
I knew you too, yeah
No disappointing
You are my favorite
You do be a success in life
A sensation
You can blame it all
On big city stimulation
But I knew you when
The small town attraction
Baby, you can't pretend
You don't need the reaction
Sophisticated friends
Now fill your moment
(Way back when)
Way back when I, I saw magic
You can blame it all
On your friends and your companions
But I knew you when
I knew you too, yeah
No disappointing end
You are my favorite, yes, you are
(Way back when)
I knew you too, yeah, baby
(Way back when)
'Cause you are my friend
(Way back when)
I know you too, yeah
I knew when
I know you too, yes, I do, baby
Oh, oh, oh
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it
Oh yeah, oh
(Way back when)
(Way back when)
I know you too, yeah
(Way back when)
Baby
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it
(Way back when)
(Way back when)
Way back when
The lyrics to Brenda Russell's song Way Back When is a nostalgic look back on a time when the singer saw "magic" in someone they knew. The opening line is "way back when I saw magic" and the singer goes on to acknowledge that the person they're singing about has changed, blaming it on big city stimulation and sophisticated friends. Nonetheless, the singer still sees that spark of magic in the person and acknowledges that they are still their favorite.
The song seems to be a tribute to a friend who has changed over time, but also a lamentation for the loss of that connection from "way back when." The repeated line "I knew you when" emphasizes the singer's knowledge of who the person used to be and their current state. They see through the facade of city life and sophisticated friends and recognize the genuine qualities of their friend from their hometown.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a longing for the past when the singer and the person they're singing about were closer and more authentic versions of themselves. It's a bittersweet song about change and nostalgia.
Line by Line Meaning
Way back when I saw magic
I remember a time when I saw something special in you
You can blame it all
You might think it's because of others around you
On your friends and your companions
Your social circle might have influenced you in some way
I knew you way back when
I've known you for a long time
I knew you too, yeah
I understood who you were and what you were capable of
No disappointing
I wasn't let down
You are my favorite
You hold a special place in my heart
I knew you had it in
I knew you had potential and ability
You do be a success in life
I believe you will achieve great things
A sensation
You will have an impact on the world
On big city stimulation
You might think it's because of the exciting city life
But I knew you when
I remember who you were before all of that
The small town attraction
The qualities that drew people to you when you were in a smaller community
Baby, you can't pretend
Don't forget who you really are
You don't need the reaction
Your worth doesn't depend on the attention you receive
Sophisticated friends
You're surrounded by successful and worldly people now
Now fill your moment
This is your time to shine
(Way back when)
Remember when things were simpler
(...) baby
I care about you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRENDA GORDON RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Moe S
Way back when I saw magic
You can blame it all
On your friends and your companions
I knew you way back when
I knew you too, yeah
No disappointing
You are my favorite
I knew you had it in
You do be a success in life
A sensation
You can blame it all
On big city stimulation
But I knew you when
The small town attraction
Baby, you can't pretend
You don't need the reaction
Sophisticated friends
Now fill your moment
(Way back when)
Way back when I, I saw magic
You can blame it all
On your friends and your companions
But I knew you when
I knew you too, yeah
No disappointing end
You are my favorite, yes, you are
(Way back when)
I knew you too, yeah, baby
(Way back when)
'Cause you are my friend
(Way back when)
I know you too, yeah
I knew when
I know you too, yes, I do, baby
Oh, oh, oh
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it
Oh yeah, oh
I know you too, yeah
(Way back when)
Baby
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it
Way back when
Richard werkNprog Hall
Damn. This track is so musically cerebral, yet so beautiful. Brenda Russell is so underrated as a songwriter.
Angel Murphey
Brenda Russell is not underrated just because you are just now hearing of her.
Therone Evans
The arrangement on this song is amazing, the classical strings in the background, the synthesizer, the beat, the flow of the music, amazing!
Charles Alston
YES!!!
jeff waghorn
A new find for me a class song
The Real Alice Snow
Love this album.Sophistication at it’s finest.She wrote for many artist and as we can see she carried her own beautifully .love you girl....
Greg Lites
Not only the greatest debut album ever made, its one of the greatest r&b albums of all time. 8 songs, all could have been released as singles. (For those that don't know - she's singing this song about Al Jeroue, the love of her life at that time.)
Barbara Knight
You are so correct 💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞 All 8
Phat 👀Katt👀
How you know so much about Miss Russell? I thought i knew everything there was too know about Brenda Russell one of my all time favorite singers
alf lazz
Estoy muy de acuerdo, es inmenso este álbum