In the 1970s, he moved away from his previous hard-bop jazz base and began to record jazz fusion and rhythm and blues. Teaming up with the Mizell Brothers, he produced Black Byrd, which was enormously successful and became Blue Note Records' highest-ever selling album. The follow-up albums, Places and Spaces, Stepping Into Tomorrow, and Street Lady, were also big sellers, and have subsequently provided a rich source of samples for hip-hop artists such as Us3.
He has taught music at Rutgers University, the Hampton Institute, New York University, Howard University, and Oberlin College. In 1974 he created The Blackbyrds, a fusion group consisting of his best students. They scored several major hits, including "Walking In Rhythm" and "Blackbyrds Theme".
Think Twice
Donald Byrd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before we start something nice
No need to sacrifice the spice
In our lives, ooh
Your love's like fire and ice, pretty baby
That's why we oughta think twice
Before we start something nice
I really love you
You know I do
I really love you
You know it's true
I really love you
You know I do
I really love you
You know it's true
Maybe we oughta think twice
Before we start something nice
No need to sacrifice the spice
In our lives, ooh
Your love's like fire and ice
That's why we oughta think twice
Before we start something nice
Think twice, think twice
I really love you
You know I do
Said I really love you
You know it's true
I really love you
You know I do
I said, I really love you
You know it's true
I really love you
You know I do
I said, I really love you
You know it's true
You know, I love you, baby
You know I do, think twice
I really love you, baby
You know I do, think twice
I really love you, baby
You know it's true, think twice
You know, I love you, baby
You know I do, think twice
The song "Think Twice" by Donald Byrd is a cautionary tale about the importance of thinking through decisions before acting on them. The lyrics suggest that starting something "nice" without considering the consequences can result in sacrificing the "spice" in our lives. The use of the metaphor "your love's like fire and ice" highlights the contradicting and unpredictable nature of love, and that it is crucial to take the time to reflect on whether to pursue a relationship or not.
The repetition of the phrase "I really love you, You know I do" emphasizes the sincerity of the message and hints that the love being referred to is romantic. Donald Byrd is urging the listener to think twice about their romantic decisions and not to rush into anything they may regret later. The song is delivered with smooth soulful vocals and backed by an equally smooth funk jazz instrumentals which adds to the persuasive and persuasive effect of the song's message.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe we oughta think twice
We should consider the consequences before making a decision
Before we start something nice
Before we begin a new endeavor
No need to sacrifice the spice
We don't need to give up enjoyment or excitement
In our lives, ooh
In our individual experiences and existence
Your love's like fire and ice, pretty baby
Your love can be both passionate and cold
That's why we oughta think twice
This is the reason we should consider the consequences
Think twice, think twice
We need to be cautious and thoughtful
I really love you
I have strong feelings of affection for you
You know I do
Our love is not one-sided
You know it's true
It's not just a passing feeling
You know, I love you, baby
I want you to be aware of how I feel
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Larry Mizell, Sigidi Bashir Abdullah, Bradley Ridgell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johanericsson2403
The chord progressions in this are insane
@Kvngshvy
Thank you Dilla. Rest in Beats! 1974 to infinity
@chucke2319
Also Armand van Helden sampled the last end of the song for his track Flowerz
@WillRobinsonDanger
@imreallytired that's right. As I said on my post, a lot of bangers comes from this song!!!!!!! ATCQ, Main Source, Armand Van Helden, Erika Badu, the list goes on starting from 4:45 on!!!!!!!
@craigmoreland9569
Gary Bartz on saxophone, legendary.
@MrBlkkat23
Hip Hop wouldn't have been soo hard without the power of these GET DOWNS to sample ....
Main Source lookin @ Front Door 🚪 and Black Moon 🌙 🌚 sample off of Wind Parade ... tight joints for next generation...
@ksudduth814
All I can say is WOW!!! I am feeling this song!!! Mr. Byrd R.I.P
@christophersantana5895
THIS SONG IS STILL A PURE JAZZ CLASSIC AFTER 45 YEARS.
@WillRobinsonDanger
So many hits from this single song!!! From ATCQ to Armand Van Helden!!!!
@daworse72
It is my firm belief that Large Pro and Q-Tip worked together on Midnight Marauders to make a truly classic album