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.
Where Do We Go From Here
Charles Bradley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
Baby, I know you love me
Make me strong, don't make me weak
Give me that candy
Play with my mind
Let's make this strong
I know that you want
Baby
And I won't be too long
[Chorus]
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
Gotta make that change
We gotta all make that change
My brothers and my sisters
It's time to make this world a private place
For the generation to come
Can find love and peace
What for the last of it
So I'm gonna tell you over and over again
Brothers, sisters, let's sing to it
From the heart
Come on
Come on!
[Chorus: x2]
The song “Where Do We Go from Here” by Charles Bradley is a powerful message that speaks to the current state of the world. The lyrics of the song consist of a chorus that repeatedly asks the question “Where do we go from here?” It is essentially a call to action, urging listeners to take responsibility and work towards creating a better world for future generations. The lyrics themselves are quite straightforward and the meaning is clear. It is a reminder that the choices we make now will guide us towards our future.
The verses within the song are directed towards a loved one. Bradley sings about the love that they have for each other, but also the need for strength and support in order to make the necessary changes. The recurring theme of “candy” and “playing with my mind” can be interpreted as the distractions that we face in our lives, such as materialistic possessions and superficial desires, that ultimately lead us away from what truly matters. The chorus is then repeated, emphasizing the importance of this message.
Overall, the song is a plea for action towards a world that is loving and peaceful, rather than one that is filled with hate and violence. It is a powerful call to arms that urges us all to take responsibility for our future and work towards a place of shared love and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Where do we go from here?
Asking the question of what actions we should take moving forward
Where do we go from here?
Reiterating the question on what we should do now in the present
Baby, I know you love me
Acknowledging the presence of love and affection in a relationship
Make me strong, don't make me weak
Requesting for support and encouragement instead of leading to vulnerability
Give me that candy
Metaphorically referring to the pleasure and enjoyment in a relationship
Play with my mind
Describing the effect of someone's actions on one's thoughts and emotions
You're begging me down
Feeling restrained or held back by someone's actions
Let's make this strong
Suggesting to strengthen the relationship and overcome any obstacles
I know that you want
Acknowledge that the other person's desires and needs are important
Baby
An endearment, used to address the person the lyrics are directed towards
And I won't be too long
Declaring the intention to address and resolve any issues quickly
Gotta make that change
Stating that changes are necessary for progress and growth
We gotta all make that change
Emphasizing the collective responsibility to make changes
My brothers and my sisters
Addressing a wider community, particularly of similar background or interests
It's time to make this world a private place
Advocating for a more secure and personalized world, potentially related to privacy or protection
For the generation to come
Highlighting the importance of future generations and their needs
Can find love and peace
Aspiring for a world where love and peace prevail
What for the last of it
Rhetorically asking what is left or what will be important later
So I'm gonna tell you over and over again
Repeating the message and emphasizing its importance
Brothers, sisters, let's sing to it
Encouraging people to engage with the message and take action
From the heart
Implying authenticity and sincerity in the message
Come on
A call to action or encouragement to participate
Come on!
An intensified call to action or encouragement to participate
[Chorus: x2]
Repeating the chorus for emphasis and closure
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ADAM FEENEY, LEON MICHELS, CHARLES BRADLEY, HOMER STEINWEISS, THOMAS BRENNECK, DAVID ANTHONY GUY, DANIEL FODER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Claudia Giulietta
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
Baby, I know you love me
Make me strong, don't make me weak
Give me that candy
Play with my mind
You're begging me down
Let's make this strong
I know that you want
Baby
And I won't be too long
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
Gotta make that change
We gotta all make that change
My brothers and my sisters
It's time to make this world a private place
For the generation to come
Can find love and peace
What for the last of it…
onelove1968
This is an absolutely fucking killer song. Words can't describe how phenomenal and divine Charles Bradley is. It's like hearing REAL soul music for the very first time again. The pain in this man's heart, the raw power in his soul, and the truth in his songs could very well start a global revolution of love. We love you Charles!!!
The Psychedelic Drummer
Great comment. Agree 👍✌️
andrewmiley36
RIP Charles Bradley - awesome voice
richardburgie
I like how you can feel the strain in his voice cuz he really needs/wants to know 🎶"where do we go from here"?🎶
Pav Sharma
And Harvey Specter does it again. If you don't want to live this guy's life style. There's something wrong with you. Such great music.
Great Gatsby
They suit is good bro!!
Gokay
Facts
del_ ky
Suits are amazing, and choice of music in the whole series is perfection. Shazaming almost every episode -_-
Muhammad Bilal
Go to tunefind.com and search SUITS you'll find every possible music in every episode and every moment.
benamar BENABDERRAHMANE
After 6 years here I’m doing the same thing you did