Born in Gainesville, Florida, and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Bradley spent the better part of his childhood living on the streets. One of the more optimistic moments of his childhood came in 1962, when his sister took him to see James Brown at The Apollo. Brown’s energy formed a lasting impression on Bradley. He went home and immediately began practicing microphone tricks with a broom attached to a string, imitating the Godfather’s every move. With his newfound inspiration came an urgent desire to get off the streets and make something of himself.
Bradley made his way out of Brooklyn via Job Corps, a federal program for helping underprivileged families. His job placement took him to Bar Harbor, Maine where he learned to cook. While in Maine, he put together a band and began to pursue his passion for performing. He had his first taste of the stage when he was asked to perform for some female employees of Job Corps in Poland Springs. The ladies went wild and Bradley knew that he was destined to be an entertainer. Unfortunately, his fate was put on hold when his band mates were drafted in the Vietnam War, and he was forced to find work as a chef in Wassaic, New York at a hospital for the mentally ill.
After nine years cooking for 3500 people a day, being harassed by local police officers, and having no musical outlet, Bradley decided to leave Wassaic and head west in search of a dream. He had saved up enough money to buy a new Ford but soon realized that he couldn't keep up with the payments; he promptly returned it to a dealer and began hitchhiking. He caught rides all the way from New York to California and up through Canada. He persevered through the dangers of the road (including one driver who confided in him that he had just killed his wife and children) and eventually landed in Alaska where he once again found work as a chef. Though the job paid well, he was not well liked by his fellow chefs, and soon made his way back to California via airplane.
Bradley spent over 20 years in California, making his living as a chef, all the while playing music on the side. He had no regular band, but he played pick-up gigs when they came along and sat in on recording sessions to feed his musical cravings. Things seemed to be looking up for Bradley, but just as he was about to put a down payment on his first house, he was laid-off from his job of 17 years. Being fired forced him to re-evaluate his life out west. Ultimately, he decided to come home to Bushwick, Brooklyn to be with his family again. Bradley took every penny he had saved, loaded up a truck with the musical equipment he collected over the years, and drove back to New York. At this point, he was fed up with the tribulations of being a chef and took up work as a handyman to allow himself the flexibility to pursue his musical career.
Bradley finally found an audience when he began making appearances in local Brooklyn clubs performing his James Brown routines under the alter ego “Black Velvet.” At 51, he was finally making a life for himself back home. His musical career was moving forward, but he was to be tested once again.
Bradley awoke in his mother’s house one morning to the sounds of police sirens. He was devastated to find that his brother had been shot and killed by his nephew. Life did not seem worth living anymore.
Bradley was down and out when Gabriel Roth of Daptone Records happened upon him performing his Black Velvet act at the Tarheel Lounge in Bedstuy. Roth recognized his raw talent and directly brought him into the Daptone “House of Soul” studios for a session with the Sugarman 3. "Take It as It Comes" was Bradley's first single on Daptone and it proved him as a worthy vocalist. Roth eventually brought Bradley out to Staten Island to see Dirt Rifle and the Bullets, a young funk band playing James Brown and Meters influenced songs. Thomas Brenneck, songwriter and guitarist for the Bullets, hit it off with Bradley and they began working together. They released two singles on Daptone under the name “Charles Bradley and the Bullets,” but the Bullets soon dismantled in order to form the afrobeat influenced Budos Band.
However, Brenneck knew that Bradley had something more to give and after moving to Bushwick himself, he and Bradley reunited. In time, they became close friends and Bradley confided his life story in Brenneck. The young producer was moved when he heard Bradley tell the painful story of his brother’s death. Brenneck said, "Charles, we gotta put that story to music." Brenneck had put together a small bedroom studio and was working on instrumentals with a new group soon to be named Menahan Street Band. His new sound was the perfect compliment for the heartfelt and troubled lyrics that sprang from Bradley’s story. Brenneck had just launched Dunham Records, a division of Daptone, and would release Bradley’s "The World (Is Going Up in Flames)" and "Heartaches and Pain" as it’s second single. A departure from his Black Velvet act, the songs showed a new side of Bradley as a compelling artist in his own right and proved to be a great success. Many late night writing and recording sessions later, he and Brenneck completed their first full-length record, "No Time for Dreaming". Bradley always knew he was born to entertain, but in the making of this record he discovered a proclivity for songwriting as well.
The record was a labor of love for both Bradley and Brenneck. After years of working together, "No Time for Dreaming" was released on Dunham Records. After that, Bradley toured with the Menahan Street Band and honed his passion as a singer and an entertainer.
Bradley died on the 23rd of September, 2017, due to the consequences of cancer.
Golden Rule
Charles Bradley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where we started, nobody knows
It's a cold, cold world, it's a cold, cold world
How can we stop the changes going in America today
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Still see the same old thing
They still keep building more prisons
To take our kids away
Why can't we show more love to make this a better day, oh
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Come back, come back to the golden rule
The golden rule is love, my brothers
The golden rule, oh, is love, my sisters
Now you know what I'm talking about
Now you feel my heart and know I'm for real
Look into your souls and know that the truth lies within the same
Find the love that loves a woman's sister
Oh, hear my cry
The lyrics to Charles Bradley Feat. Menahan Street Band's song Golden Rule are poignant and thought-provoking. The opening lines, "Round and round the road we go again, where we started, nobody knows," evoke a sense of circularity and repetitive motion, as if America has been stuck in a never-ending cycle of social and political issues with no clear resolution in sight. Bradley notes that "It's a cold, cold world," emphasizing the harsh realities society faces, and poses the question, "how can we stop the changes going in America today?"
The chorus line, "Come back, come back to the golden rule," is a plea to return to the ideals of treating others as you would like to be treated. Bradley reminds listeners that "The golden rule is love, my brothers, the golden rule, oh, is love, my sisters," emphasizing that love and compassion are the keys to creating a better world. He acknowledges that although there are still injustices and challenges, we can make progress by showing more love and kindness to one another. Bradley's lyrics serve as a call to action for listeners to examine their own hearts and find ways to spread love and positivity in their communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Round and round the road we go again
We are constantly going in circles, never making real progress
Where we started, nobody knows
We have lost track of where we began and what we were striving for
It's a cold, cold world, it's a cold, cold world
The reality of our situation is harsh and unforgiving
How can we stop the changes going in America today
We need to find a way to prevent negative developments in society
Come back, come back to the golden rule
We need to revisit the philosophy of treating others how we want to be treated
Round and round the streets we go
We are trapped in the same pattern of issues and problems
Still see the same old thing
The situation has not changed and nothing is being done to fix it
They still keep building more prisons
The system keeps punishing instead of rehabilitating
To take our kids away
Families are being broken apart and the future is being robbed
Why can't we show more love to make this a better day, oh
We need to start demonstrating compassion to improve our present
The golden rule is love, my brothers
The fundamental basis of human interaction should be love and respect
The golden rule, oh, is love, my sisters
The same principle applies to women and all people
Now you know what I'm talking about
I hope my message is clear and understood
Now you feel my heart and know I'm for real
I am expressing genuine emotions with sincerity
Look into your souls and know that the truth lies within the same
Seek within yourself for the true solution
Find the love that loves a woman's sister
Love others as if they were your own family
Oh, hear my cry
I am pleading for understanding and change
Contributed by Gabriel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Henrique de F. Porfirio
Round and round the road we go again
Where we started, nobody knows
It's a cold, cold world, it's a cold, cold world
How can we stop the changes going in America today
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Round and round the streets we go
Still see the same old thing
They still keep building more prisons
To take our kids away
Why can't we show more love to make this a better day, oh
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Come back, come back to the golden rule
The golden rule is love, my brothers
The golden rule, oh, is love, my sisters
Now you know what I'm talking about
Now you feel my heart and know I'm for real
Look into your souls and know that the truth lies within the same
Find the love that loves a woman's sister
Oh, hear my cry
artem dubovik
Кругом и кругом дорога мы идем снова
Round and round the road we go again
С чего мы начали, никто не знает
Where we started, nobody knows
Это холодный, холодный мир, это холодный, холодный мир
It's a cold, cold world, it's a cold, cold world
Как мы можем остановить изменения, происходящие в Америке сегодня
How can we stop the changes going in America today
Вернись, вернись к золотому правилу
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Вернись, вернись к золотому правилу
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Кругом и кругом по улицам мы идем
Round and round the streets we go
Все еще вижу ту же старую вещь
Still see the same old thing
Они все еще продолжают строить больше тюрем
They still keep building more prisons
Чтобы забрать наших детей
To take our kids away
Почему мы не можем показать больше любви, чтобы сделать этот день лучше?
Why can't we show more love to make this a better day, oh
Вернись, вернись к золотому правилу
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Вернись, вернись к золотому правилу
Come back, come back to the golden rule
Золотое правило - любовь, братья мои
The golden rule is love, my brothers
Золотое правило, о, это любовь, мои сестры
The golden rule, oh, is love, my sisters
Теперь вы знаете, о чем я говорю
Now you know what I'm talking about
Теперь ты чувствуешь мое сердце и знаешь, что я на самом деле
Now you feel my heart and know I'm for real
Загляните в свои души и знайте, что истина лежит внутри одного и того же
Look into your souls and know that the truth lies within the same
Найдите любовь, которая любит сестру женщины
Find the love that loves a woman's sister
О, услышь мой крик
Oh, hear my cry
kkeelty64
The bass player is killing it. Great performance and stirring, impassioned vocals. Great stuff!
bea kittelscherz
yeah!sick bass riffs:-D
frederico pinheiro
agree man, bass is so heavy and groooove, but all are in the great vibe !!!!
Marc
This guitarist sounds truly very awesomely flawless. In may opinion he plays a major role in all songs.
MaryJo
Charles is NOT afraid to feel the music and I love love love him for it.
Charlie wood
One of the best live performances I've seen, he was a machine
Reflexões do céu, para nossos dias
Magnífico
E será lembrado mais agora que antes, pois partiu para a Eternidade
RIP Charles Bradley
Eduardo Xavier da Silveira
Triste mesmo... mais uma referência q se vai, mas graças a deus deixou um excelente exemplo
Nestor Alvarez
EL GRITO DEL ALMA ...CHARLES BRADLEY
Jenoah Bair
You know when music is "real"...............you can feel it. 1st time tonight to experience this guy and love what he does.