Enter some of the finest talents on the contemporary African scene: world-class guitarist/vocalist Louis Mhlanga, bassman/vocalist Concord and vocalist/trombonist Siya Makuzeni. A few jams later and the project GRASSROOTS is born. The first album, "African Moods" continues in the spirit of those first few jams - a collaboration of highly skilled artists exploring new landscapes and textures, embracing everything from ancestral roots elements to the present and looking deep into the future.
Gained three South African Music Award nominations including best duo/group and best adult contemporary African, sold out premier shows at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, the ground-breaking video "Emakhaya", a hit single on "the African Top Ten" on South African radio Kaya FM, a Xitsonga Music Award nomination on Munghana Lonene radio in South Africa, and a documentary entitled "Fresh Sounds from Southern Africa".
Personnel:
Louis Mhlanga (guitar & vocals) Dave Reynolds (steelpans & additional instruments) Concord (Bass & vocals) Jeff Maluleke (vocals & chants) Siya Makuzeni (vocals & trombone) Gito Baloi (Bass, vocals & chants) Sello Montwedi (drums) Kathy Van Rensburg (vocals) Sam Mataure (drums) Chris Tokalon (flute, sax, vocal effects, chants) Koffi (Bass & vocals) William Mudau (Kalimba) Ronan Skillen (digeridoo)
feelings
Grassroots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girl it seems to me
That you will always be
Very close to me, close to me
Very close to me now
No need to tell you now
That a time like this
My feelings can't be helped
Ah that's the way it is now
I've never known till now, the feelings i've had inside
The feelings you never known
The feelings you never found
Na na na na naaa na
Na na na na naaa na
Na na na na naaa na
I will live for a long time
And then you'll see
Just how sad a man can be
Oh girl, can't you see?
That it's me, can't you see it's me now
I've never known till now, the feelings i've had inside
The feelings you never found
Na na na na naaa na
Na na na na naaa na
Na na na na naaa na
The Grassroots song "Feelings" is a poignant expression of deep emotions that have been quieted for a long time. The first verse of the song talks about the familiar feeling of being close to someone since childhood. The lyrics suggest that this person will always be close to the singer, and there is no need to say that out loud. However, in the second verse, the lyrics give voice to the feelings that are brewing inside the singer. The bittersweet words reveal that these feelings are impossible to control and cannot be quenched. The repetition of the line "That's the way it is now" in the chorus signifies that the singer has accepted the way things are, even if it's not ideal.
The second verse describes the agony of unrequited love. The singer has been carrying these feelings inside without ever revealing them. The line "The feelings you never found" implies that the person the singer is in love with is unaware of their feelings. The chorus repeats, reinforcing the idea that these feelings are a permanent part of the singer's reality. The final verse predicts a long and unhappy life without the object of the singer's affection, culminating in the line "Can't you see it's me now?" which drive home the message that the singer has been waiting for far too long.
Overall, the song poignantly describes the feelings of love that must be kept hidden without ever being expressed, the pain of yearning for someone who doesn't feel the same, and the sorrow of never having one's love fulfilled.
Line by Line Meaning
I have known you all my life
I've grown up with you and have known you for a long time.
Girl it seems to me
From my perspective, it's clear that...
That you will always be
It's inevitable that you'll
Very close to me, close to me
Be someone I'm deeply connected to
Very close to me now
Currently and in the near future
No need to tell you now
I don't need to mention it at this moment
That a time like this
During times of...
My feelings can't be helped
I can't control my emotions
That's the way it is, way it is ah
This is just how it is, there's no changing it.
Ah that's the way it is now
Yes, this is how it is currently.
I've never known till now, the feelings I've had inside
Up until now, I didn't realize that I had certain emotions within me.
The feelings you never known
The feelings that you never figured out.
The feelings you never found
The emotions that you were never aware of.
Na na na na naaa na
Na na na na naaa na
Na na na na naaa na
This line is non-verbal and has no logical meaning.
I will live for a long time
I plan on living for an extended period
And then you'll see
At a later moment in time, you'll understand
Just how sad a man can be
The amount of misery a man can endure
Oh girl, can't you see?
Don't you realize...
That it's me, can't you see it's me now
That it's me who's feeling this way, you should recognize it.
Contributed by Eva T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@EugeneCHolly
I have known you all my life
Girl it seems to me
That you will always be
Very close to me, close to me
Very close to me now
No need to tell you now
That a time like this
My feelings can't be helped
that's the way it is, way it is ah
Ah that's the way it is now
@chrisj2539
How many remember hearing this performed (by the Roots themselves) in the Doris Day/Brian Keith comedy "With Six You Get Eggroll"?
@sczen
I had this '45.
@lindastarr4699
Yes, I love that movie!
@TerriBarber
Yes, one of my favorite movies
@_s_4412
Yes ❤️
@GereDJ2
I had the cutest girlfriend in 1967 and she really liked this song. Seriously sensual. I always thought the Grassroots were under-appreciated.
@timothypaulo7060
Yeah me too. I didn’t like many American bands back in the day. I mostly liked the British blues /psychedelic stuff. But the grassroots , the byrds , and iron butterfly we’re definitely the best American groups back then. No doubt about it!
@mikemyers6233
Feel fortunate to have been in my teenage years growing up with this group. Great music back then and still is.
@jeanne2221
This should have been a number one song. Fantastic vocal arrangement. Robs voice was so smooth and sexy.
@joletty1793
Jeanne Sumstine Totally agree, SO DEEP, so intense! Makes me shiver! 😉👍💖💕