Widely regarded as one of the early architects of the neo-soul era, Brian J… Read Full Bio ↴Widely regarded as one of the early architects of the neo-soul era, Brian Jackson's enduring sound is capturing the hearts and souls of yet another generation. Today, Brian is not only a respected jazz artist but also a frequent collaborator with emerging artists who carry on the Tradition of inspiring and informing the masses through conscious music.

The Tradition started in 1970 when the Brooklyn-born producer, composer, and musician Jackson began writing songs with another prodigy, 20-year-old Lincoln University classmate and poet Gil Scott- Heron.

Jackson remembers his first encounter with Gil, "He had this way with words and I thought to myself, 'People have to hear this stuff.' What I had to offer was the music and I figured if we can take his words and make this tribal knowledge rhythmic and musical, we can draw people to hear it."

Their partnership produced some of the most fiercely poignant, politically charged, and significantly soulful albums of the seventies. Pieces of a Man, Free Will, Winter in America, First Minute of a New Day, From South Africa to South Carolina, Bridges, Secrets and 1980 are coveted by collectors and conscious-minded music fans alike. Tracks like The Bottle, Johannesburg, It's Your World, Angel Dust, Willing, and 95 South (All the Places We've Been), while highly relevant back-in-the-day, have taken on heightened new relevance today by serving as an inspirational and musical Rosetta stone for the neo-soul movement.

Having produced ten top-selling albums with Gil, Brian decided to continue evolving his musical talents in the eighties by collaborating with Kool and the Gang, Phyllis Hyman, George Benson, Gwen Guthrie, and Roy Ayers. In 1988, Brian co-produced Will Downing's self-titled and UK gold-selling debut album.

Brian welcomed the turning of a century with his long overdue first solo album, gotta play. "No one could have told me when I was recording my first album, Pieces of a Man (with Gil Scott-Heron), that it would be the 21st century before I recorded a solo album. But this collection of music represents my offerings of new friendship, fresh perspective, and a new life."

With his rekindled spirit to continue the Tradition and reach a new generation, Jackson, for his next album, is collaborating with new voices and translating their lyrical visions into powerful neo-soul musical statements. For his next new-day-making-change album, Jackson is soulfully aligning with Ladybug Mecca (Digable Planets), Radio Free Brooklyn's Pete Miser, poet/songwriter Masauko of South Africa's Blk Sonshine as well as with other lyrically brilliant new artists worldwide.

Asked about his motives, Brian reflects, "This music isn't mine and the minute I start trying to own it, it's all over. It's my responsibility to pass on what I've learned. That's living the Tradition".

Back Home
Brian Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's been a whole lot said about your city living
They told us that the streets were paved with gold
And some of us believed 'em, left our home and came looking
But that was just another story they told
I got to get back and see my people
Someday and someway

My old Uncle Henry don't believe in those airplanes

Lord knows you sure been good to me
Gave me piggy back rides down them dusty highways
When I came just up to his knees
I got to get back and see my people
Someday and someway

I never thought I'd be lost and start searching for warmth and a smile
I never thought I'd be running through the city streets like a newborn child
No, no, no

I never thought I'd be lost and start searching for warmth and a smile
I never thought I'd be running through the city streets like a newborn child
But here I am
And I got some people and I know that they love me
And I know just where to look this time
Collar greens and cornbread on my Sunday dinner
And don't you know that makes me think it's working out fine
When I get back to see my people
Someday and someway

Someday and someway
And someday, and someway

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Brian Jackson's song "Back Home" reflect the singer's longing for his hometown and the people he left behind. He starts by acknowledging the hype surrounding city living and the false promises of success and fame that it offers. Some people, including the singer, fall for this trap and end up leaving their homes to pursue a better life. However, the reality is quite different, as they soon discover that they miss the warmth and love of their families and friends. The singer expresses his desire to return to his roots and reconnect with his people someday.

The second verse of the song talks about the singer's uncle, who doesn't believe in airplanes. The reference is to the old-fashioned ways of the singer's hometown, where people lived a simpler life and enjoyed the small pleasures of life. The uncle, who gave the singer piggyback rides on dusty highways when he was a child, represents the singer's past and the memories he cherishes. The singer realizes that he needs to go back and see his people, including his uncle, to regain his lost innocence and find his way home.

The chorus of the song repeats the lines "I never thought I'd be lost and start searching for warmth and a smile" and "I never thought I'd be running through the city streets like a newborn child." These lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and regret, as the singer realizes that he has lost touch with his authentic self and his roots. However, he also acknowledges that he has found some people in the city who love him and accept him for who he is. The final lines of the song mention "collard greens and cornbread," which symbolize the comfort and familiarity of the singer's hometown cuisine. The singer concludes that he will return to his people someday, somehow, and find his way back home.

Line by Line Meaning

There's been a whole lot said about your city living
People talk a lot about the life in the city

They told us that the streets were paved with gold
People said that life in the city would be easy and full of opportunities

And some of us believed 'em, left our home and came looking
Some chose to believe these stories and left their homes to pursue city life

But that was just another story they told
But in reality, it was just a fantasy

I got to get back and see my people
I need to go back home to see my loved ones

Someday and someway
Somehow, sometime in the future

My old Uncle Henry don't believe in those airplanes
My Uncle Henry doesn't trust modern technology like airplanes

Lord knows you sure been good to me
God has been kind to me

Gave me piggy back rides down them dusty highways
Uncle Henry used to carry me on his back when we traveled on the unpaved roads

When I came just up to his knees
I was just a child then, and Uncle Henry was much taller than me

I never thought I'd be lost and start searching for warmth and a smile
I never expected to feel lonely and lost, looking for comfort and happiness

I never thought I'd be running through the city streets like a newborn child
I never imagined myself running through the busy streets of the city like a child

But here I am
But now I am here, and this is my reality

And I got some people and I know that they love me
But I have some loved ones who care for me here

And I know just where to look this time
I know where to find the love and care I crave for in the city now

Collar greens and cornbread on my Sunday dinner
Southerners eat greens and cornbread for their Sunday meals

And don't you know that makes me think it's working out fine
And this makes me feel like my life is getting better

When I get back to see my people
When I eventually return home to see my loved ones

Someday and someway
Somehow, sometime in the future

And someday, and someway
And in due time, somehow

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEPHEN LEE CROPPER, DONALD V. DUNN, AL JR. JACKSON, BOOKER T. JR. JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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