His affinity for R&B melded with his own personal style, and he quickly became a local legend. He moved to New York City, where he met George Benson, the guitarist for Jack McDuff's band. Benson and Smith connected on a personal level, and the two formed the George Benson Quartet featuring Lonnie Smith in 1966. After two albums (It's Uptown and Cookbook), Smith recorded his first solo album (Finger Lickin' Good) in 1967, with George Benson on guitar, Ronnie Cuber on bass, Melvin Sparks and Marion Booker on drums. This combination remained stable for the next five years. In 1967, Smith met Lou Donaldson, who put him in contact with Blue Note Records. Donaldson asked the quartet to record an album for Blue Note, Alligator Boogaloo. Blue Note was so impressed by the album that they signed Smith for the next four albums, all of which are now considered classics of Soul Jazz. This highly influential period produced Think (with Melvin Sparks, Marion Booker, Lee Morgan and David Newman) and Turning Point (with Lee Morgan, Benny Maupin, Melvin Sparks and Idris Muhammed). The latter is largely regarded as his most seminal studio album.
Smith toured the Northeastern United States heavily during this period, proving himself to be one of New York's finest musicians. He concentrated largely on smaller neighborhood venues during this period, playing SRO shows that boosted his credibility and allowed him to develop his style more intimately in front of his audience. His sidemen included Ronnie Cuber, Dave Hubbard, Bill Easley and George Adams on sax, Donald Hahn on trumpet, George Benson and Larry McGee on guitars, and Joe Dukes, Sylvester Goshay, Phillip Terrell, Marion Booker, Jimmy Lovelace, Charles Crosby, Art Gore, Norman Conners and Bobby Durham on drums. Smith's next album Move Your Hand was recorded at the Club Harlem in Atlantic City, New Jersey in August of 1969. This surprise hit spread allowed his reputation to grow beyond the Northeast. He would record another studio album Drives and one more live album Live at Club Mozambique before leaving Blue Note. Live at Club Mozambique was recorded in Detroit on 21 May 1970, and is considered to be his finest live recording.
Dr. Smith continues to tour and produce albums (his latest work is Too Damn Hot, and rumour has it that he is due to release another one this fall), but he still comes back to the Buffalo and Rochester areas to play small venues as a tribute to the area he considers his home. When asked why he calls himself 'Doctor', he calmly states that it is for the same reason why he now wears a turban to all of his shows: "No particular reason." Dr. Smith has been awarded the Organ Keyboardist of the Year award in 2003, 2004 and 2005 by the Jazz Journalist Association
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Dr. Lonnie Smith Lyrics
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Ya
Ya
Ya
Look
Poet to poet
You know I be flowing
I’m learning your love languages
Poets in autumn
Think I know where this is going
But we can be poets together in autumn and winter and spring into summer
I know you write for me
No pun
I wanna write for you too
But it’s been a while since I wrote one
I traded in poems and wrote songs instead
But tonight I got slow bars
And this lil buzz
No liquor
Go figure
With you I be catching myself staring
No cars
On God
You make me wanna write
Make me wanna write songs
Make me wanna write poems
Make me wanna right wrongs
You messing with the right one
You make me wanna ride
Left hand on the steering wheel
No cares
Just you up under my right arm
Look
Make me wanna write
Make me wanna write songs
Make me wanna write poems
You make me wanna right wrongs
You messing with the right one
You make me wanna ride
Left hand on the steering wheel
No cares
Just you up under my right arm
Look
Poet to poet
You know I be flowing
(I know you do)
Life can be painful and you can be so ibuprofen
(Facts)
We killing time
My condolences
Father forgive us and give us more
Father forgive us
And give us more moments like this
And please let it flow in slow motion
Amen
Bliss is my potion
You on my skin is like lotion
(Uh)
I wish your skin was my lotion
(Listen)
Think about you when my phone is vibrating
As slowly as I’m tryna take it, I’m smitten
Inhaling your fragrance is wild
(This what you do)
Chanel on my mind
Ya
Chanelle No. 5
(Bars)
You make me wanna write
Make me wanna write songs
Make me wanna write poems
You make me wanna right wrongs
You messing with the right one
You make me wanna ride
Left hand on the steering wheel
No cares
Just you up under my right arm
Girl
Make me wanna write
Make me wanna write songs
Make me wanna write poems
You make me wanna right wrongs
You messing with the right one
You make me wanna ride
Left hand on the steering wheel
No cares
Just you up under my right arm
Spoken words with no concerns of saying too much
Yours was one page short of Aaliyah’s
More than a lover
There’s more to discover between us
But taking it slow with this
No kisses between us...yet lol
Always looking for a reason to distance any distance between us
See men are from Mars
But I took trips to Venus to see what your world is like
And when I’m with you I feel like the world is right
I think this is the way it’s supposed to be
These lyrics are a depiction of a deep connection between two individuals, described as poets, who are exploring their love for each other. The singer acknowledges their ability to understand each other's emotions and communication styles, referring to it as "flowing" and learning each other's "love languages." They express a desire to reciprocate the same level of affection and creativity in their relationship.
The lyrics mention the changing nature of their artistic expressions. The singer admits that they have shifted from writing poems to writing songs, but tonight they feel inspired to write poetry again. This change in their creative outlet is attributed to the presence and influence of the person they are addressing. Their admiration and attraction towards this person are strong, as they acknowledge the desire to write, both songs and poems, as well as the determination to right any wrongs in their life.
The lyrics further emphasize the strong attraction and longing the singer feels for this person. They mention the intense desire to be close to them, using imagery of driving a car with their left hand on the steering wheel, implying a carefree and intimate connection. The singer acknowledges the impact this person has had on them, with the mention of "no cares" and feeling the need to write and ride alongside them.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea of finding solace and peace in the presence of the person they are addressing. The singer asks for forgiveness and more moments like the ones they are currently experiencing, savoring them in slow motion. They describe the person's effect on them as a form of bliss, almost like a potion. The singer longs for physical closeness, comparing the touch of the person's skin to lotion, indulging in their scent and fantasizing about intimacy.
The lyrics conclude by talking about the depth of their connection, emphasizing that it goes beyond just being lovers. The singer expresses a desire to explore and discover more with this person, while also acknowledging the need to take things slow and not rush into physical intimacy. The lyrics conclude on a hopeful note, suggesting that their relationship feels right and aligns with their expectations of how love should be.
Line by Line Meaning
Ya
Expressing excitement or agreement
Look
Pay attention
Poet to poet
As fellow poets
You know I be flowing
You understand my way of expressing myself
I’m learning your love languages
I'm understanding how you express love
Lemme know when I’m fluent
Inform me when I understand it completely
Poets in autumn
As poets during the autumn season
Think I know where this is going
I have an idea of where this relationship is heading
But we can be poets together in autumn and winter and spring into summer
We can continue our poetic connection throughout all seasons
I know you write for me
I'm aware that you write about me
No pun
No hidden meaning or double entendre intended
I wanna write for you too
I also want to express my feelings through writing
But it’s been a while since I wrote one
It has been some time since I wrote a poem
I traded in poems and wrote songs instead
I shifted from writing poems to composing songs
But tonight I got slow bars
Tonight, my song has a slow tempo
And this lil buzz
And this slight feeling of intoxication
No liquor
Without consuming alcohol
Go figure
Surprisingly
With you I be catching myself staring
When I'm with you, I find myself gazing at you
No cars
No distractions
On God
Honestly, without a doubt
You make me wanna write
You inspire and motivate me to write
Make me wanna write songs
You make me want to express my emotions through songs
Make me wanna write poems
You make me want to convey my feelings through poetry
Make me wanna right wrongs
You make me want to correct my past mistakes
You messing with the right one
You are involved with the right person
You make me wanna ride
You make me want to go on a journey
Left hand on the steering wheel
Operating the vehicle with my left hand
No cares
Without worries or concerns
Just you up under my right arm
Having you close by my side
Life can be painful and you can be so ibuprofen
Life can be difficult, but you act as a pain reliever
We killing time
We're spending time together
My condolences
Expressing sympathy for the passage of time
Father forgive us and give us more
Seeking forgiveness and requesting more moments together
And please let it flow in slow motion
Desiring the moments to pass gradually
Amen
So be it
Bliss is my potion
Happiness is my remedy
You on my skin is like lotion
Having you close to me feels soothing
I wish your skin was my lotion
I desire to have your touch on my skin
Think about you when my phone is vibrating
I think of you when I receive notifications on my phone
As slowly as I’m tryna take it, I’m smitten
Even though I want to take things slowly, I'm infatuated with you
Inhaling your fragrance is wild
The scent of you is intoxicating
Chanel on my mind
Thinking about the brand Chanel
Ya
Expression of agreement or confirmation
Chanelle No. 5
Referring to the perfume Chanel No. 5
Spoken words with no concerns of saying too much
Speaking freely without worrying about being too open
Yours was one page short of Aaliyah’s
Your message was similar to Aaliyah's song 'One in a Million'
More than a lover
Our connection is deeper than just a romantic relationship
There’s more to discover between us
We have more to explore and learn about each other
But taking it slow with this
However, I want to proceed at a relaxed pace
No kisses between us...yet lol
We haven't kissed each other yet, but it may happen soon
Always looking for a reason to distance any distance between us
Trying to avoid creating distance in our relationship
See men are from Mars
Referring to the book 'Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus'
But I took trips to Venus to see what your world is like
I made efforts to understand your perspective and experiences
And when I’m with you I feel like the world is right
Being with you makes everything feel perfect and in harmony
I think this is the way it’s supposed to be
I believe this is how things are meant to be between us
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: D'Arthana Burrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind