Gregory Porter was born in Sacramento and was raised in Bakersfield, California, where his mother was a minister. A 1989 graduate of Highland High School, he received a "full-ride" (tuition, books, medical coverage, and living expenses) athletic scholarship as a football lineman to San Diego State University (SDSU Aztecs), but a shoulder injury during his junior year cut short his football career.[3] At the age of 21, Porter lost his mother to cancer, but only after she entreated him from her death bed: "Sing, baby, sing!"
Porter moved to the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn in 2004, along with his brother Lloyd. He worked as a chef at Lloyd's restaurant Bread-Stuy (now defunct), where he also performed. Porter performed at other neighborhood venues including Sista's Place and Solomon's Porch, and moved on to Harlem club St. Nick's Pub, where he maintained a weekly residency. Out of this residency evolved what would become Porter's touring band.[4]
Porter released two albums on the Motéma label together with Membran Entertainment Group, 2010's Water and 2012's Be Good, before signing with Blue Note Records (under Universal Music Group) on May 17, 2013. His third album, Liquid Spirit, was released on September 2, 2013, in Europe and on September 17, 2013, in the US.[5] The album was produced by Brian Bacchus.[6] The album won the 2014 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album.[7]
Liquid Spirit enjoyed commercial success rarely achieved by albums in the jazz genre, reaching the top 10 on the UK album charts. It was certified gold by the BPI, selling over 100,000 units in the UK.[8]
In August 2014 Porter released "The 'In' Crowd" as a single.[9] On May 9, 2015 Porter participated in VE Day 70: A Party to Remember, a televised commemorative concert from Horse Guards Parade in London, singing "As Time Goes By".[10]
His fourth album, Take Me to the Alley, was released on May 6, 2016.[11] In UK's The Guardian it was Alexis Petridis's album of the week.[12]
On June 26, 2016, Porter performed on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival 2016. Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Neil McCormick said, "The portly middle-aged jazzer may be the oddest pop star on the planet but he is a refreshing testament to the notion that the most important organ for musical appreciation should always be our ears. And Porter has one of the most easy-on-the-ear voices in popular music, a creamy baritone that flows thick and smooth across a rich gateaux of juicy melody. It's a voice that makes you want to lick your lips and dive right in."[13]
In September 2016 Porter performed at Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park from Hyde Park, London. He would go on to perform in the annual BBC Children in Need show in November, a night dedicated to Sir Terry Wogan, who hosted it in previous years and was a fan of Porter.[14]
In January 2017 Porter performed the song "Holding On" on BBC One's The Graham Norton Show.[15] In September 2017 he performed as part of the Later... with Jools Holland: Later 25 concert at the Royal Albert Hall.[16]
In October 2017 he performed the song "Mona Lisa" on BBC One's The Graham Norton Show with Jeff Goldblum on piano.[17]
Long List of Troubles
Gregory Porter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like a orange peel left all day in the sun
I've got no feel that's done left me scarred
What don't kill me has done made me hard
Whoa
Whoa
Just like love feels when you thought she was the one
From the school of hard-knocks
Trapped between a rock and a hard place
What don't kill me has done made me hard
I've learned to breathe underwater
And lay fire to bed
I'm just a man under pressure
Like Muddy Waters said
Disappointment can drop me
From a thousand stories high
I got a spare set of wings
Watch me fly, oh
Just like storms feel when you've no place to run
Just like love feels when you thought she was the one
The school of hard-knocks
Right between a rock and a hard place
What don't kill me has done made me hard, ooh
I've learned to breathe underwater
And lay fire to bed
I'm just a man under pressure
Like Muddy Waters said
Disappointment can drop me
From a thousand stories high
I've got a spare pair of wings, oh
Watch me fly, oh
Yeah
Yeah
Yeah
Woo
Taxes are due
And I'm through with you
I've been lonely a long time
I'm hungry now
And I was hungry then
I've gotta know them
I've got a notice just the other day, mm-hmm
They said that I'm underwater
I'm underwater
In "Long List of Troubles," Gregory Porter paints a picture of someone who has been through a lot and has become hardened by life's challenges. Comparing himself to cold steel shot and an orange peel left out in the sun, Porter conveys a sense of roughness and resilience. He sings of feeling trapped between a rock and a hard place and being a man under pressure, but he also emphasizes his ability to adapt and overcome obstacles. He has learned to breathe underwater and lay fire to bed, and he has a spare set of wings that he can use to fly.
Porter alludes to the blues musician Muddy Waters, who famously sang about hard times and disappointment. Like Waters, Porter acknowledges that disappointment can be overwhelming, but he is determined not to let it defeat him. He is like a storm with nowhere to run or a lover who thought he had found "the one." He is a product of the "school of hard-knocks," but what hasn't killed him has only made him stronger.
In the final verses, Porter brings the focus back to the present. He has taxes due and is "through with" whoever or whatever has been causing him trouble. He has been "lonely a long time" and is now "hungry," both literally and figuratively. He has received a notice that he is "underwater," which could refer to financial debt, emotional distress, or a combination of both. Regardless of the specific source of his troubles, Porter suggests that he will find a way to stay afloat and keep flying.
Line by Line Meaning
Just like cold steel shot hot out of a gun
I am tough and unrelenting, like a bullet fired from a gun.
Just like a orange peel left all day in the sun
I have been through struggles and hardships which have left me hardened and weathered.
I've got no feel that's done left me scarred
The pain and hardship I have experienced has numbed me emotionally and left me with scars.
What don't kill me has done made me hard
The hardships I've faced have only made me stronger and more resilient.
Just like storms feel when you've got no place to run
I am caught in a difficult situation with no escape, like a storm that traps you.
Just like love feels when you thought she was the one
I have felt the pain of heartbreak when I thought I had found true love.
From the school of hard-knocks
I have learned hard lessons from the struggles and difficulties I have faced.
Trapped between a rock and a hard place
I am stuck in a difficult situation with no easy way out.
I've learned to breathe underwater
I have adapted to difficult situations and learned how to endure them.
And lay fire to bed
I am able to overcome any obstacles and challenges that come my way.
I'm just a man under pressure
I am under a lot of stress and facing a lot of challenges.
Like Muddy Waters said
I can relate to Muddy Waters and his struggles.
Disappointment can drop me
Setbacks and disappointments have the power to bring me down.
From a thousand stories high
Even after achieving great success, I am still vulnerable to failure and disappointment.
I got a spare set of wings
I have found new strength and resilience to overcome my challenges.
Watch me fly, oh
I will rise above my hardships and succeed.
Taxes are due
I am facing financial difficulties and obligations.
And I'm through with you
I am done dealing with a difficult situation or person.
I've been lonely a long time
I have been feeling isolated and alone for a while.
I'm hungry now
I am motivated and driven to succeed.
And I was hungry then
I have always had a desire to succeed and overcome my challenges.
I've gotta know them
I am facing difficult challenges and obstacles that I must overcome.
I've got a notice just the other day, mm-hmm
I have received a notification or reminder of my financial obligations.
They said that I'm underwater
I am facing financial difficulties and may not be able to meet my obligations.
I'm underwater
I am in a difficult financial situation where my debts outweigh my assets.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Gregory Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind