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.
Hurricane
Charles Bradley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a hurricane
Everybody tryin to run and hide
It's a hurricane (hurricane)
Can you feel it?
All over the southern state
It's a hurricane
Wake up!
Look after this world
It's a hurricane
On the land, aha
Look at the red blue ocean
Coming to the land
It's mad
Telling you
I'm crying
It's a hurricane (hurricane)
Can you see it? (hurricane)
Look in your heart
Round and round and round and round and round and round oh
And see the lamb of Christ
Telling you
It's a hurricane
Stop it brother
Stop it sister
Stop killing your planet
It's crime
Can you see the rain?
And thunder
It's a hurricane (hurricane)
Can you feel it?
It's a hurricane (hurricane)
Round and round and round and round and round and round oh
Can you feel it?
It's a hurricane (hurricane)
Can you feel the lightning?
Can you feel the thunder? (hurricane)
Can you feel the wind?
Can you feel the heart? (hurricane)
It's a hurricane (hurricane)
Can you see the sea?
Rushing to shore (hurricane)
Can you feel the hurt?
This is telling you something
My brothers and sisters! (hurricane)
Look at your heart
Look at your soul
Look at your heart (hurricane)
And know!
The song Hurricane by Charles Bradley Feat. Menahan Street Band is a call for people to wake up and look after the world around them. The repeated phrase "It's a hurricane" is used as a metaphor for the destruction and chaos caused by mankind's neglect and abuse of the environment. The lyrics urge listeners to stop the destruction by stopping the killing of the planet and to see the consequences of their actions. The line "Look in your heart" encourages listeners to reflect on their own values and take responsibility for their part in the environmental crisis.
The mention of the lamb of Christ suggests a spiritual message, perhaps pointing towards the idea of stewardship - the responsibility to care for the planet given to humans by a higher power. The line "Can you see the rain and thunder" is also interesting as it could allude to the idea that the natural disasters caused by climate change are a response from the earth itself, almost as if it is crying out in pain.
Overall, the song Hurricane is a passionate plea for people to wake up and take action to protect the planet before it's too late. It uses powerful imagery and metaphors to convey the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate action.
Line by Line Meaning
People, look around you
Take a moment to observe and acknowledge your surroundings
It's a hurricane
A metaphor for the overwhelming issues and crises occurring around the world
Everybody tryin to run and hide
People are struggling to cope or avoid the problems at hand
Can you feel it?
Are you aware of these issues?
All over the southern state
The problems are widespread and affecting many areas
Can everybody see?
Are people acknowledging these issues?
Wake up!
A call to action to be aware of and address these issues
Look after this world
Take responsibility for the well-being of the planet and its people
On the land, aha
These issues are happening on the ground and impacting people's lives
Look at the red blue ocean
The ocean is symbolic of the earth's natural systems and is suffering from human impact
Coming to the land
The consequences of human actions are affecting the earth and its inhabitants
It's mad
The situation is chaotic and out of control
Telling you
A command to listen and pay attention to the message being conveyed
I'm crying
Expressing emotional distress and sadness for the state of the world
Round and round and round and round and round and round oh
A repetition symbolizing the continuous cycle of problems and issues
And see the lamb of Christ
A religious allusion to Jesus Christ as a symbol of hope and salvation
Stop it brother
An exhortation to stop harmful actions and behaviors
Stop it sister
An exhortation to stop harmful actions and behaviors
Stop killing your planet
An accusation that humans are causing harm to the earth's natural systems
It's crime
The damage being done to the planet is a serious offense and must be addressed
Can you see the rain?
The rain is a symbol of the earth's natural systems and how they are impacted by human actions
And thunder
The thunder is a symbol of the power and impact of natural phenomena
Can you feel the lightning?
The lightning is a symbol of the danger and unpredictability of natural disasters
Can you feel the wind?
The wind is a symbol of the changes and instability caused by human actions
Can you feel the heart?
The heart is symbolic of the emotional and personal connection to the earth and its people
Can you see the sea?
The sea is a symbol of the earth's natural systems and how they are impacted by human actions
Rushing to shore
The sea is a force to be reckoned with and is one of the consequences of human actions
Can you feel the hurt?
Are you aware of the suffering and damage caused by human actions?
This is telling you something
The natural disasters and crises are a message to change and address the damage being done
My brothers and sisters!
An inclusive address to all humans to listen and pay attention to the message being conveyed
Look at your heart
Reflect on your personal values and beliefs in the context of the earth's crisis
Look at your soul
Reflect on your personal values and beliefs in the context of the earth's crisis
And know!
A call to action to change and address the issues at hand
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9
Written by: LEON MICHELS, HOMER STEINWEISS, NICHOLAS MOVSHON, DAVID GUY, THOMAS BRENNECK, CHARLES BRADLEY, MICHAEL DELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
xxvii4ever
Wow. If he had put this out in 1971 he'd be as well known as Marvin Gaye. Timeless music.
Daniel De Santiago
Te extraño mucho Charles, tu música me ha inspirado a la hora de tocar el bajo
Juan Carlos Sánchez Hernández
El Bajista se llama Nick Movshon, es uno de los encargados del revival del Soul & el funk de los últimos tiempos, colabora con muchisima gente, incluso los Black Keys.
jonislow
Just saw the doc on Mr Bradley, very inspirational and he's another living example of hope. Great music Dap tone!!
FERVENDO
amo amo amo muitão
steveinorygun
Got here via single of the week. Bought both albums within ten minutes and haven't stopped listening yet. This guy is freaking incredible...he's freaking 65!!!!
heezy123
Best track on the album
Ak T
Sounds already like a classic
Stylelementz
R.I.P screaming eagle of soul!!!
BigBands Doofus
2020.. legendary