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.
The World
Charles Bradley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is going up in flames
And nobody
Wanna take the blame
Don't tell me
How to live my life
When you
Never felt the pain
Oh, oh, oh
Ooh (oh, oh, oh)
Come on, babe
Ooh (oh, oh, oh)
They don't hear me cry
Ooh (oh, oh, oh)
They don't hear me try
Ooh (oh, oh, oh)
They don't hear me cry
For what I'm gonna do
Yeah, baby
Oh, I
I can't turn my head away (oh, no no no)
Seeing all these things
The world
Is burning up in flames (burning up, burning up)
And nobody
Wanna take the blame (wanna take the blame)
Is it you? Or you? (oh no)
You (no, no)
Or you (oh no)
Me, oh me
Ooh (oh, oh, oh)
They don't hear me cry
Ooh (oh, oh, oh)
They don't hear me try
Ooh (oh, oh, oh)
Don't stomp on that light
Ooh (oh, oh, oh)
Oh, it's killing me
Oh babe (oh baby)
Come on babe, get it right (oh baby)
Gotta be
A better world (oh baby)
Gotta make it baby
Gotta make it right (oh baby)
Uh
(Oh, oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh, oh)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah baby
Aha aha, oh baby
The lyrics of Charles Bradley's song The World talks about the chaos, destruction and hopelessness that is rampant in the world today. The first verse talks about how the world is burning in flames, but nobody wants to take responsibility for it. The lines “Don't tell me how to live my life when you never felt the pain” portray the helplessness and frustration of someone who is not ready to listen to the advice of others who are not feeling the pain. The chorus “They don’t hear me cry, they don’t hear me try” shows how the voices of certain people around us are not heard or listened to, and all they can do is keep trying and crying for a better future while the world burns down.
The second stanza highlights the irony of people looking who to blame for the situation without considering the role that they themselves might be playing in it. The lines “Is it you? Or you? Me, oh me” emphasize the fact that everyone is responsible for the world they live in, and that change can only begin when each individual starts taking responsibility for their actions. The last verse then calls for a better world and a better future, urging everyone to take part in creating a better world.
Overall, Charles Bradley's The World highlights the plight of people trying to survive in a world that is burning down. It is a call for action and for everyone to take responsibility for their actions in order to make a positive impact on the world we live in.
Line by Line Meaning
This world
The current state of society
Is going up in flames
The world is in crisis and despair is taking hold
And nobody
No one wants to take responsibility
Wanna take the blame
No one is willing to admit to their mistakes
Don't tell me
Do not preach to me
How to live my life
I am an individual in control of my own destiny
When you
You who
Never felt the pain
Have not gone through the same painful experiences as me
Come on babe
Come on, let's work together
They don't hear me cry
No one is listening to my pain
They don't hear me try
No one is recognizing my efforts
For what I'm gonna do
For what I still have to offer
I can't turn my head away
I cannot ignore the troubles around me
The world
Society
Is burning up in flames
Society is self-destructing
Is it you? Or you? You Or you? Me, oh me
Everyone, including myself, must question their own role in society
Don't stomp on that light
Don't shatter the remaining hope
Oh, it's killing me
The trauma of the world's problems is hard to bear
Gotta be A better world
We must strive for a better society
Gotta make it baby
We must work towards building a better future for all
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Charles Bradley, David Guy, Homer Steinweiss, Leon Michels, Michael Deller, Thomas Brenneck
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brunospricigo9678
This world
Is going up in flames
And nobody
Wanna take the blame
Don't tell me
How to live my life
When you
Never felt the pain
Oh, oh, oh
Come on babe
They don't hear me cry
They don't hear me try
They don't hear me cry
For what I gonna do, yeah baby
I can't turn my head away
Seeing all these things
The world
Is burning up in flames
And nobody
Wanna take the blame
You oh you
You oh you
Me oh me
They don't hear me cry
They don't hear me try
Don't stomp on that light
It's killing me
Oh babe
Come on babe, get it right
Gotta be
A better world
Gotta make it baby
Gotta make it right
Ooh
Yeah, yeah, yeah baby, aha aha, oh baby
@larrythelobster1595
Charles Bradly deserved far more recognition then he got. It's so unfortunate that most people have only discovered him after his passing... RIP Charles Bradley.
Edit: This comment is two years old, and yet I still get replies from all of you expressing your love for Charles Bradley and his music. That's so cool. I really appreciate y'all 🙏🏾🙌🏾 ❤️
@threalismaradona9899
I was heartbroken to find him after his death this man deserved to be bigger and more famous so damn good
@artisticskillz01
Shut up. He passed away!? No way!!!!! Discovered him because of Suits in 2011 playing his song in an episode. Love ever since
@larrythelobster1595
@@artisticskillz01 Yeah, it's a shame. He's without a doubt one of my favorite soul singers of all time.
@mundabi
i think he rests peacefully and happily knowing his heart and soul lives on in his music and continues to soften hearts and brighten days long after his mortal veil was lifted :)
@williamsmith8041
I am 1 of the people of which you speak,never heard of him until yesterday
@luisleal8472
Charles Bradley deserves so much more respect than he recieved
@threalismaradona9899
That is an understatement
@ontarth2618
true
@biguzi4217
Yes sir he does