Goapele attended the Berkeley Arts Magnet School in Berkeley, California. During these years, she joined several groups that fought racism and sexism. She also sang in the Oakland Youth Choir and joined a group called Vocal Motion. After graduating from high school, Goapele attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where she studied music theory.
In 2001, she signed with Skyblaze Recordings/Columbia Records, and in 2002, she released her first album Even Closer, featuring the single "Closer". She co-wrote and co-produced the entire album, which is a mixture of neo soul and jazz. She also toured North America with band Spearhead.
Apart from her solo work, she has collaborated with rappers Aceyalone, E-40, Hieroglyphics, and Triple Threat, and written for jazz trio Soulive.
Her second album Change It All, featuring the single "First Love", was released in December 2005.
Undertow
Goapele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There was something about you
Just from the look in your eyes
I knew I wanted to stay
How you were licking your lips
I could tell you we're danger
Babe you're the type of boy
Not even love can change
But I'm not ready to go
About to ride that wave
Got me in your zone
Caught up in that undertow
Baby you already know
I know I should leave
But something won't let go
Caught up in that undertow
Baby you already know
I know I should leave
But something won't let go
Now when I'm around
You get a little nervous
And it's understood
Cause you're in my zone
It's getting hard to breathe
It feels like nothing can save ya
And I don't want it to seem
Like I already know
You're caught up in that undertow
Baby I already know
You know you should leave
But something won't let go
You're caught up in that undertow
Baby I already know
You know you should leave
But something won't let go
When I hear myself speak
I don't know what I'm saying
I know I'm losing my cool
And I don't want it to show
I'm trying to make it even
Boy you got me off balance
Guess we're both used to being in control
We're caught up in that undertow
Baby I already know
We know we should leave
But something won't let go
We're caught up in that undertow
Baby I already know
We know we should leave
But something won't let go
The song Undertow by Goapele is about being drawn into a dangerous but irresistible attraction to someone. From the first moment, the singer was captivated by this person, but she knows that she should leave because their relationship is ultimately unhealthy. She describes their chemistry as an undertow, or a dangerous current that pulls them both down.
The singer is aware of the dangerous nature of her attraction, but she also finds it difficult to give up. She describes feeling off-balance and losing her cool when she's around this person. She can't articulate her feelings, but she knows that something about the attraction is keeping her from leaving.
In the chorus, the singer repeats the idea of being caught up in the undertow, acknowledging that both she and her love interest are struggling to break free from their attraction. Ultimately, the song is about the push and pull of a relationship that is both dangerous and irresistible.
Line by Line Meaning
From the moment I saw you
From the very beginning, I was drawn to you
There was something about you
You have an allure that I can't explain
Just from the look in your eyes
I could see in your eyes that there was something intriguing about you
I knew I wanted to stay
I felt a desire to be near you and get to know you better
How you were licking your lips
I could see the danger and temptation in your actions
I could tell you were danger
I sensed that you may be risky to get involved with
Babe you're the type of boy
You fit a certain stereotype that I know I should avoid
Not even love can change
I know that even if I fall in love with you, it may not change the situation
So I know I should leave
I recognize that it may be in my best interest to walk away
But I'm not ready to go
Despite the risk, I am not yet prepared to leave
About to ride that wave
I am ready to jump into this newfound feeling or situation
Got me in your zone
I am caught up in the energy that you are projecting right now
Caught up in that undertow
I am stuck in a dangerous current or situation
Baby you already know
I understand that you know this as well
Now when I'm around
When we are together
You get a little nervous
I can sense your unease when we are together
And it's understood
I know why you may feel this way, given our situation
Cause you're in my zone
Because the energy around me can be overwhelming for others
It's getting hard to breathe
The situation may be feeling constricting or suffocating
It feels like nothing can save ya
The current situation seems like it may have no way out
And I don't want it to seem
I am trying not to show
Like I already know
That I am aware of the gravity of the situation
You know you should leave
You understand that you should distance yourself
But something won't let go
But you feel compelled to stay, even if it is not rational
When I hear myself speak
As I communicate with you
I don't know what I'm saying
My words may not make sense or be logical
I know I'm losing my cool
I am aware that my emotions are getting the best of me
And I don't want it to show
I am trying to hide this from you
I'm trying to make it even
I am attempting to balance the energy between us
Boy you got me off balance
You are affecting me in ways that are unpredictable
Guess we're both used to being in control
We may both struggle with relinquishing control in the situation
We know we should leave
We both understand that we should distance ourselves from one another
But something won't let go
But we still feel inexplicably attached or compelled to stay in the situation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GOAPELE K. MOHLABANE, JAMES RYAN WUIHUN HO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind