As well as music, Common has worked as an actor, on films such as 'Smokin' Aces' (as Sir Ivy) 'American Gangster' (as Turner Lucas), 'Wanted', and 'John Wick: Chapter 2'. He may also be seen in cameo roles in films such as 'Brown Sugar'.
His debut was the 1992 album Can I Borrow A Dollar, but he achieved little critical or commercial success until 1994's Resurrection, an instant classic. He produced several more albums, notably Like Water For Chocolate and the highly experimental Electric Circus, before releasing the Kanye West and J Dilla-produced Be in 2005, which was his first album to receive widespread mainstream appeal and radio playtime.
Common is considered a "cred" artist, which has lead him to collaborations with the likes of De La Soul, Jadakiss, T.I, Talib Kweli, The Roots, Kanye West, Lily Allen, Erykah Badu, and Fort Minor.
The 2007 album Finding Forever was produced mainly by long-time collaborator, Kanye West. Common released his eighth album Universal Mind Control in 2008, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album but lost to the Eminem album Relapse. He released his ninth album The Dreamer/The Believer in 2011. Nobody's Smiling, his tenth album, was released in 2014. The concept of the album was inspired by his troubled hometown of Chicago.
Come Close Remix
Common Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are we living in a dream world?
Are your eyes still green girl?
I know your sick and tired of arguing
But you can't keep it bottled in
Jealousy, we got to swallow it
Your heart and mind baby follow it
And when you feel opposite
I just want you to know
Your whole being is beautiful
I'm going to do the best I can do
Cause I'm the best when I'm with you
Come close to me baby
Let your love hold you
I know this world is crazy
What's it without you
Put down your bags love
I know in the past love
Has been sort of hard in you
But I see the God in you
I just want to nurture it
Though this love may hurt a bit
We dealing wit this water love
You even give my daughter love
I want to build a tribe wit you
Protect and provide for you
Truth is I can't hide from you
The pimp in me
May have to die with you
Come close to me baby
Let your love hold you
I know this world is crazy
What's it without you
I know what you're thinking, you're on my mind
You're right, you're right, you're right
You promise so fast you just might take flight
Hope your not tired, tonight, tonight
You help me to discovery me
I just want you to put trust in me
I kind of laugh when you cuss at me
The aftermath is you touching me
It's destiny to we connected girl
You and I we can affect the world
I'm tired of the fast lane
I want you to have my last name
Come close to me baby
Let your love hold you
I know this world is crazy
What's it without you
I know what you're thinking, you're on my mind
You're right, you're right, you're right
You promise so fast you just might take flight
Hope your not tired, tonight, tonight
The song "Closer" by Common feat. J Dilla is an ode to love and the desire to be close to someone. The lyrics are a combination of verses from Common, Pharell, Erykah Badu, and Q-Tip. Common opens the song with his verse where he talks about his love for a woman and how she has changed his life. He mentions how he would go to the extreme to please her and how she completes him. He also talks about how they go through the normal ups and downs in a relationship but still come out strong. Pharell comes in next and talks about how he has changed his ways for the woman he loves. He acknowledges that she used to watch him wearing designer clothes but now he has gone back to his roots as a skateboarder. He also mentions how much he loves and desires her. Erykah Badu, in her smooth voice, talks about how she can't stop thinking about the person that she loves and how she wants to spend more time with them. Q-Tip comes in on the last verse and talks about the differences between him and his love interest but how they still manage to make it work. He expresses his love for her and how he couldn't care less about what others think.
The chorus is simple and catchy with a repetitive "Come close to me" that emphasizes the desire to be close to the person they love. The phrase "fly love" is also repeated throughout the song, which can be interpreted as a love that transcends the physical and is ethereal.
Overall, "Closer" is a beautiful song that celebrates the complexities of love and the desire to be close to someone.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't stress it baby
I don't worry about it, my love
They say you got me dressing crazy
People say you have a big influence on me and the way I dress
Eating veggies when serve sex the medium
I'm willing to do unconventional things with you, like being a vegetarian, even though I enjoy meat, because we have an amazing sexual connection
And if we break up Imam eat meat again
If we were to break up, I'll go back to my old ways
I feel complete with you
You bring me a sense of wholeness and fulfillment
Shit, I held up size up the street for you
I waited patiently for you even though it was difficult
In the street people ask about me and you
People are curious about our relationship
I tell them we go through what most people do
I reassure them that our relationship is like any other and has its ups and downs
Yes, let go of fear love
We should not be afraid to love each other
We can grow as long as my beard does
Our relationship can continue to flourish as long as we both continue to grow and develop as individuals
You push me way in the way you supposed to
You challenge and motivate me to be the best version of myself
Queen you're the one I come close to
You are my queen and the one I am closest to
Come close to me
Please come closer to me
Come close baby
Baby, come closer to me
Come close ma'
Darling, come closer to me
Baby baby
My sweet baby
Let me hold you love
Allow me to hold you, my love
I know this world gets
I understand that the world can be
It gets crazy baby
It can be overwhelming, my love
It gets crazy girl
It can be hectic, my darling
But what's it with out you you you you
It's meaningless without you in my life
I know you used to watch me
I am aware that you used to follow my fashion sense
Rock Gucci and Versace
Wear high-end designer clothes
But now I'm back to my skater roots
I have returned to my original style of dressing, like when I was into skateboarding
Still got friends in them gator boots
I still have friends who wear fancy alligator skin boots
What's up with them hater dudes?
What's the deal with the people who don't like us together?
Ma' hating is OK with you?
Are you okay with people hating on our relationship?
Why, cause they drive in them fancy cars
Is it because they are wealthy and have expensive cars?
Look, I could ride you on my handle bars
I would love to ride you on the handlebars of my bicycle
Of my BMX baby
My BMX (bicycle) is what I'm referring to
I'm creative with turrets baby
I get very imaginitive when I think about you
My testicles filled with ecstasy
I feel extreme pleasure when I think about our relationship
When I think of you naked please
I imagine you without any clothes and it excites me
I know your thinking
I understand that you must be thinking
You're on my mind
I can't stop thinking about you
Your right, your right, your right
You are correct
You promise so fast you just might take flight
You make promises so quickly and with such conviction that it seems like you could take off like an airplane
Open up time
Let's create some space
Tonight, Tonight
Let's do it tonight
You and I are from different worlds
We come from different backgrounds and cultures
You from underneath the underground
You come from the hip-hop underground scene
Where I understood my hip hop
I have a different understanding of hip hop
One two this disposition
I have this perspective on things
I don't stress it sweetie
I'm not worried about it, honey
You write in cursive I write in graffiti
We have different writing styles
Opposite not really we just customized through our turfs
Although we have different backgrounds, we still have a connection and have adapted to each other's cultures
Hey I'm expecting you listen
I want you to pay attention to what I'm about to say
I'm saying a rat's ass I couldn't give
I don't care at all
Even thought you far away in my heart you live
Even though you are physically distant, you still hold a special place in my heart
So bring your sweet face closer to me
Come nearer to me, my darling
And look into my eyes and tell me what you see
Gaze into my eyes and tell me about your feelings
Fly love
Love that's soaring high
Say what
What are you thinking about?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chad Hugo, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Pharrell L. Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BIGCATHFTALGO
2024 whos still here?
@KAs619
Who else feels like this should have been the version on the "Electric Circus" album?
@Geneiveve
Kasino Marxs
Noooo
We need Pharrell and Mary.
@Marcos_1983
Nah. I love dillas work. But the Neptune's version, with Mary was fire bro. This version is a close second though.
@ylariraaijmakers8911
💯
@meyou5789
Nope, because I would have been REALLY madd at that album lol
Imagine that?! The only dope hip hop like beat? U woulda been pissed when the rest of the album didn't Come Close lol.
At.least Neptune version was weird enough to blend un with all that other Really weird shit
@snappy_.
I’ll pay good money to put this on my Spotify playlists
@seeowins
Fuck yeah bruh
@sunshinesoul6004
Tell em again!!
@ksy4747
Even the original one isn't on Spotify 😢