Although Dwele has had somewhat of a short career as a commercially avaliable artist, he has a vast catalogue of material currently unreleased that die-hard fans revere as some of his best work, considerably superior to his material released as a signed artist that showcases the true depth of his artistic and diverse talent, displayed without constraint.
Gardner was raised on the west side of Detroit in a musical family. He played piano from the age of six, later taking up trumpet, bass and guitar. He was deeply affected by the fatal shooting of his father outside his home when he was age ten, later stating "I learned to put my emotions into music; it was my therapy."
He cites Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Roy Ayers, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard as favorite artists, and took inspiration from hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, becoming an MC, and working with Slum Village. Gardner recorded a demo in his bedroom, called, The Rize, and sold it out of the trunk of his car. He had about 100 copies, which sold out within a week. He caught the ears of local heroes Slum Village and more specifically their world-renowned producer J Dilla. Slum Village invited Dwele to sing the hook of the song "Tainted" for their album Trinity (Past, Present and Future). It became an instant classic and led to more high profile work with female rapper Bahamadia, the all-star group Lucy Pearl and London's New Sector Movement. Dwele signed to Virgin Records in 2003, who released his debut album, Subject, which mixed neo soul and hip hop. In a 2005 review in The Independent, his style was summed up: "Dwele's rooted in vintage soul but isn't stuck in the past, overly reverential or an exercise in pastiche - there's a major hip-hop edge which betrays his original incarnation as a rapper." A second album, Some Kinda..., followed in 2005. He then later signed with RT Music Group and KOCH records in March, 2008. He is coming out with his fourth album titled, W.W.W. (W.ants. W.orld. W.omen) coming out June 29, 2010. Dwele was recently featured on the first single off of Kanye West's fifth studio album, Good Ass Job. The song was entitled "Power" and was leaked on May 28, 2010.
Wake the Baby
Dwele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down the hall in the room alone
The baby
(Hooh)
Sleeps so peacefully
(Hooh)
Of pieces of dreams
Only to be awakened by
(Hooh)
Momma's sound
(Hooh)
Daddy's sound
(Hooh)
When he around
Oh, won't you come
With me to wake the baby
The baby
The baby
The baby
In the still of night
The baby
(Hooh)
Sleeps so
(Hooh)
Silent, only to be
Awakened by
(Hooh)
Smackin'
(Hooh)
Taggin'
(Hooh)
Squeakin'
Oh, won't you come
With me to wake the baby
Oh, woo, woo, woo
The song 'Wake the Baby' by Dwele is a heartfelt ode to a sleeping baby who is adored and cherished by the parents. The song opens with the depiction of a peaceful night when the baby is sleeping undisturbed. The baby's room is in the hall and the lyrics describe the scene as being cold and lonely, but the baby is sleeping so soundly, oblivious to their surroundings. The use of onomatopoeia in the form of the repeated "Hooh" gives the impression of the baby's soft breathing and adds to the overall dreamy and soothing atmosphere of the song. However, the peace is broken by the sound of either the momma or daddy, which alerts the baby and makes them stir.
In the second verse, the song continues with the same soft and gentle melody as before, but this time the tone becomes more playful. The baby is still sleeping in the still of the night, but this time the lyrics suggest that the baby can be awakened by sounds that are more lively and energetic. The words 'smackin', taggin and squeakin'' convey the image of parents playing with the baby and making them laugh, and it is suggested that the parents are calling out to each other to come help wake the baby. The chorus of the song is a plea to the listener to join in and share in the joy of waking the baby.
In conclusion, the song 'Wake the Baby' by Dwele is a beautiful and tender tribute to the joys of parenthood and the love that parents have for their children. The song's melody, lyrics, and use of onomatopoeia all work together to create a mood of calmness, playfulness, and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
In the cold of the night's glow
Amid the darkness of the night
Down the hall in the room alone
Far away in a separate room
The baby
The infant child
(Hooh)
Sound of breathing or snoring
Sleeps so peacefully
Rests calmly and without disturbance
Of pieces of dreams
Little fragments of subconscious thought
Only to be awakened by
But likely to be disturbed by
Momma's sound
The noise originating from the mother's presence
Daddy's sound
The noise emanating from the father's activities
When he around
During the father's occurrence
Oh, won't you come
Please accompany me
With me to wake the baby
Wake up the child together
In the still of night
During the tranquil and motionless night
Silent, only to be
Quiet, but apt to be
Awakened by
Disturbed by
Smackin'
Sound of hitting, smacking, or slapping
Taggin'
Noise of tapping or colliding
Squeakin'
Squeaking sound
Oh, woo, woo, woo
Expressing enthusiasm or excitement
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDWELE GARDNER, JAMES A. OPPENHEIM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind