She absorbed musical skill early in life, encouraged by both parents: her mother, Joyce, herself a former singer, and now India Arie's stylist; and her father, former ABA and NBA basketball player Ralph Simpson (not former NBA star player Ralph Sampson, as has been mistakenly reported in some media). She had taken up a succession of musical instruments throughout her schooling in Denver, Colorado, but her interest in the guitar while attending the Savannah College of Art and Design led to a personal revelation about songwriting and performing. "When I started tapping into my own sensitivity, I started to understand people better. It was a direct result of writing songs," she said at the press release of her debut album, Acoustic Soul.
Co-founding the Atlanta-based independent music collective GroovmentEarthseed (Groovement was the collective artists' name and Earthshare was their independent label name), her one-song turn on a locally released compilation led to a second-stage gig at the Lilith Fair. Their Universal Records/Motown music scout spotted her and made an introduction to Motown CEO Kedar Massenburg. Sidestepping all the devices of flavor-of-the-month record-making, Acoustic Soul acquainted listeners with a brave and eloquent new voice, drawing an uncommonly broad swath of listeners from hip-hop, the so called neo-soul, blues, folk, and classic troubadour-style singer/songwriting, all at once. The album, released in 2001, debuted at number ten on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart and number three on the R&B album chart. Within months, without the concentrated radio play that typically powers pop and rap albums, Acoustic Soul was certified double-platinum.
India.Arie also features on Stevie Wonder's album A Time To Love which was released on October 18, 2005. India.Arie and Stevie Wonder duet on the title track "A Time To Love" that India wrote, which was nominated in the 2006 forty-eighth Grammy Awards, for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration with Vocals.
On the September 2005 premiere of The Tyra Banks Show, Arie performed "Just 4 2day". She wrote this song especially for Tyra's show. Arie also wrote "What About the Child", a song that did not air but was made available as a $1 internet download to support child victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Voyage to India
India.Arie followed the success of her debut in 2002 with the release of Voyage to India. Debuting at number six on the Billboard 200 and number one on the R&B chart, the album eventually earned a 2003 Grammy for Best R&B Album. The single "Little Things" also won a 2003 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. Soon after its release, Voyage to India was certified gold; and it was certified platinum on Friday 4 August 2006.
Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
India.Arie's third studio album, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, was released on June 27, 2006. Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship gave India.Arie her first number-one on the Billboard 200 and was her second chart-topper on the U.S. R&B album chart. This album was also the first #1 album for the Motown record label in 33 years since Diana Ross's #1 Lady Sings the Blues Its first week sales of 161,000 copies is Arie's best sales week to date and was certified gold on Friday, August 4, 2006.
Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics was released on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.
Songversation (2013)
Christmas with Friends (2015)
Worthy (2019)
Summer
India.Arie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, oh, oh
Goodbye, Summer, hate to see you go
I wasn't ready for autumn wind to blow
So lonely
We had a fine time holding hands in June
Warm in a sunshine, watching love in bloom
My heart is frozen in this place
Waiting for another summer's day
To bring you back my way
Ooo
Hello, Winter, watch the swirling snow
I didn't have a blanket for the cold
So lonely now
My heart is frozen in this place
Waiting for another summer's day
To bring you back my way
Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo
[Bridge:]
I'll be waiting under the poplar tree
Anticipating when you'll come back to me
In the spring
Oh, in the spring, yeah
Hello, Summer, a kiss from my old friend
Been such a long time, tell me how you've been
So lonely now
Yeah
My heart is frozen in this place
Waiting for another summer's day
To bring you back my way
Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo
Goodbye, Summer, I hate to see you go
The lyrics to India.Arie's song "Summer" are an ode to the changing of seasons and the emotions that come with it. The song starts by saying goodbye to the summer season and expressing disappointment at the arrival of autumn, which brings colder weather and the end of warm, sunny days. The lyrics are filled with nostalgia as the singer reflects on the happy memories of holding hands in June and watching love grow in the sunshine. Despite the sadness of saying goodbye to summer, the singer is excited for the promise of new beginnings that come with the changing of the seasons.
As winter arrives, the singer laments the absence of a warm blanket to shield her from the cold, emphasizing the feeling of loneliness that can come with the change in weather. The heart is frozen in this place, aching for the return of another summer's day, hoping for the opportunity to bring back the joy and warmth that comes with it. The bridge serves as a reminder that even though things may be tough in the present, there is always the hope of the future, and one can anticipate the potential return of love and happiness.
As the song comes full circle, the singer welcomes the return of summer with open arms, greeting it like an old friend. Despite the loneliness that comes with the other seasons, there is a sense of hope that with the return of summer, there is a chance to create new memories and bask in the warmth of the sunshine once again.
Line by Line Meaning
Goodbye, Summer, hate to see you go
The singer is sad to see the summer season end.
I wasn't ready for autumn wind to blow
The singer was not prepared for the weather change from summer to fall.
So lonely
The singer feels alone without the warmth and companionship of summer.
We had a fine time holding hands in June
The singer reminisces on a happy summer memory of holding hands with a loved one in June.
Warm in a sunshine, watching love in bloom
The singer remembers a beautiful moment of seeing love grow and develop in the warmth of summer.
Where are you now?
The singer wonders where the person from that happy memory is now.
My heart is frozen in this place
The singer's heart feels cold and unmoving without the warmth of summer and love.
Waiting for another summer's day
The singer longs for another day of summer and love to come.
To bring you back my way
The singer hopes that this next summer will bring the return of the loved one from the happy memory.
Hello, Winter, watch the swirling snow
The singer is acknowledging the arrival of winter with its snowstorms.
I didn't have a blanket for the cold
The singer was not prepared for the cold winter weather.
So lonely now
The singer feels even more alone and cold in the winter season.
I'll be waiting under the poplar tree
The singer will wait for the return of the loved one under a specific tree in the spring.
Anticipating when you'll come back to me
The singer eagerly awaits the return of the loved one in the spring.
In the spring
The singer is looking forward to the arrival of spring when everything becomes renewed and full of life.
Hello, Summer, a kiss from my old friend
The singer is happy to see the return of summer and welcomes it with a kiss.
Been such a long time, tell me how you've been
The singer hasn't seen summer in a long time and is curious to know how it has been.
So lonely now
The singer still feels lonely despite the return of summer.
My heart is frozen in this place
The singer's heart is still cold and unmoving without the presence of the loved one.
Waiting for another summer's day
The singer still hopes for the return of the loved one on another summer day.
To bring you back my way
The singer still longs for the return of the loved one to their life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVIDE MARANI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind