Born India Arie Simpson on 3rd October 1975 in Denver, Colorado, she tried various musical instruments at school there, but it was after moving to Georgia when her parents divorced that she took up the guitar. This led her into song writing, and from there into a professional career as a musician.
She co-founded the Atlanta-based independent music collective GroovmentEarthseed (Groovement was the collective artists' name and Earthshare was their independent label name), and began to perform publicly. A Universal Records/Motown music scout spotted her and introduced her to Motown CEO Kedar Massenburg. The consequent album, Acoustic Soul (2001), involved a wide mixture of styles, and thus attracted a wide audience. It entered the Billboard albums chart at number ten, and at number three on the R&B album chart., eventually going double platinum.
India.Arie also features on Stevie Wonder's 2005 album A Time to Love. She and Wonder duet on the title track "A Time to Love", which Arie wrote, and 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", written especially for the show. She 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.
Little Things
India Arie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothin' like my neighborhood
And of all the fancy satin and silk
My white cotton feels so good
Searched high and low for a place
Where I can lay my burdens down
Ain't nothin' in the whole wide world
(It's the little things) It's the little things
And the joy they bring
(The little things) It's the little things
And joy they bring
As simple as a phone call just to make it known
That you're gonna be a little late
Pure as a kiss on a cheek in a word
That everything will be okay
Call in the mornin' from my little sister
Singin' to me, "Happy Birthday"
In the quest for fortune and fame
Don't forget about the simple things
(It's the little things) It's the little things
And the joy they bring, yeah
(The little things) It's the little things
And joy
Give me some good food, give me cute shoes
Give me some piece of mind
Bring me some sunshine, bring me some blue sky
Runnin' 'round in circles, lost my focus
Lost sight of my goal
I do this for the love of music
Not for the glitter and gold
Got everything that I pray for
Even a little more
When I ask to learn humility
This is what I was told
(It's the little things) It's the little things
And the joy they bring, it's the little things
(The little things) It's the little things
Give me my guitar, give me a bright star
Give me some good news, give me some cute shoes
Give me Atlanta, give me Savannah
Give me my peace of mind
Give me some Stevie, give me some Donny
Give me my daddy, give me my mommy
Pour me some sweet tea, spoonful of honey
I don't need no Hollywood
India Arie's "Little Things" is a song that embraces life's little joys and pleasures, reminding us of the importance of simple moments in a world that is ever-changing and fast-paced. The opening lines "Been around the whole world, still ain't seen nothin' like my neighborhood," reveals that, regardless of all the different places she has been and people she has met, there's nowhere more like home than her own neighborhood. Arie speaks to the comforts of familiarity and simplicity we crave amidst the chaos of life.
The second stanza highlights the importance of finding a place where you can lay your burdens down and the peace that comes with it. She reminds listeners that it's the small acts of kindness, like a phone call or a kiss, that can bring immense joy into our lives. The joyful love and small gestures from those we care about can outweigh any material things that we have achieved in our lives.
In the final verse, the song emphasizes the importance of never forgetting the simple things that bring us joy in our lives. Arie draws attention to the simple pleasures that fill our lives, such as good food, sunshine, and Stevie Wonder's music. In our never-ending pursuit of worldly achievements, it's the little victories, connections and small rituals that we must cherish and never let go of.
Overall, "Little Things" is a powerful reminder of the importance of appreciating what surrounds us in our everyday life. It encourages listeners to take a step back and appreciate the small pleasures that bring us joy, a message that is especially important in our society today.
Line by Line Meaning
Been around the whole world, still ain't seen
Nothin' like my neighborhood
And of all the fancy satin and silk
My white cotton feels so good
I've traveled far and wide, but nothing compares to the comfort of my hometown. Even though I've seen the luxuries of satin and silk, nothing beats the simple and pure feel of my white cotton clothing.
Searched high and low for a place
Where I can lay my burdens down
Ain't nothin' in the whole wide world
Like the peace that I have found
I've searched everywhere for a place that gives me peace, but there's nothing in the world that compares to the comfort and tranquility I've found in being able to let go of my burdens.
(It's the little things) It's the little things
And the joy they bring
(The little things) It's the little things
And joy they bring
It's the little things in life that bring joy and happiness that cannot be found in material possessions or extravagant experiences. These little things are what truly matter.
As simple as a phone call just to make it known
That you're gonna be a little late
Pure as a kiss on a cheek in a word
That everything will be okay
Simple gestures like a phone call to let someone know you'll be late or a kiss on the cheek with a comforting word can bring pure joy and peace to someone's life.
Call in the mornin' from my little sister
Singin' to me, "Happy Birthday"
In the quest for fortune and fame
Don't forget about the simple things
The simple act of receiving a phone call from a loved one on your birthday can bring immense joy. In the pursuit of success and recognition, it's important not to forget about the value of the little things in life.
(It's the little things) It's the little things
And the joy they bring, yeah
(The little things) It's the little things
And joy
Once again, it's the little things in life that bring immense joy and happiness, and that cannot be replaced by material possessions or achievements.
Give me some good food, give me cute shoes
Give me some piece of mind
Bring me some sunshine, bring me some blue sky
What truly matters to me are simple things like good food, comfortable shoes, and peace of mind. Sunshine and blue skies are also things that give me comfort and happiness.
Runnin' 'round in circles, lost my focus
Lost sight of my goal
I do this for the love of music
Not for the glitter and gold
I sometimes get lost and overwhelmed with life, losing sight of my goals. However, it's important to remember that I pursue my passion for music out of love and not for money or fame.
Got everything that I pray for
Even a little more
When I ask to learn humility
This is what I was told
I've been blessed with everything I've asked for and even more. When I wanted to learn humility, life taught me that it's the little things in life that truly matter.
(It's the little things) It's the little things
And the joy they bring, it's the little things
(The little things) It's the little things
Once again, I learn that it's the little things in life that bring immense joy and happiness that cannot be replaced by material possessions or achievements.
Give me my guitar, give me a bright star
Give me some good news, give me some cute shoes
Give me Atlanta, give me Savannah
Give me my peace of mind
What truly matters to me are simple things like my guitar, a bright star, good news, comfortable shoes, my hometown of Atlanta and Savannah, and most importantly, my peace of mind.
Give me some Stevie, give me some Donny
Give me my daddy, give me my mommy
Pour me some sweet tea, spoonful of honey
I don't need no Hollywood
What's truly important to me are the people who love me, like Stevie and Donny, my parents, and the simple pleasures of life like sweet tea with a spoonful of honey. I don't need the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to be happy.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Anthony Lamar Roberson, India Arie Simpson, Shannon B. Sr. Sanders
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blackcosmos
"Runnin round in circles
Lost my focus
Lost sight of my goals
I do this for the love of music
Not for the glitter and gold
Got everything that I prayed for
Even a little more
When I asked to learn humility
This is what I was told"
India writes the BEST lyrics🖤
@MsKnights11
Been around the whole world, still ain't seen
Nothin' like my neighborhood
And of all the fancy satin and silk
My white cotton feels so good
Searched high and low for a place
Where I can lay my burdens down
Ain't nothin' in the whole wide world
Like the peace that I have found
It's the little things
And the joy they bring
(The little things) It's the little things
And joy they bring
As simple as a phone call just to make it known
That you're gonna be a little late
Pure as a kiss on a cheek in a word
That everything will be okay
Call in the mornin' from my little sister
Singin' to me, "Happy Birthday"
In the quest for fortune and fame
Don't forget about the simple things
It's the little things
And the joy they bring, yeah
(The little things) It's the little things
And joy
Give me some good food, give me cute shoes
Give me some piece of mind
Bring me some sunshine, bring me some blue sky
Runnin' 'round in circles, lost my focus
Lost sight of my goal
I do this for the love of music
Not for the glitter and gold
Got everything that I pray for
Even a little more
When I ask to learn humility
This is what I was told
It's the little things
And the joy they bring, it's the little things
(The little things) It's the little things
Give me my guitar, give me a bright star
Give me some good news, give me some cute shoes
Give me Atlanta, give me Savannah
give me my peace of mind
Give me some Stevie, give me some Donny
Give me my daddy, give me my mommy
Pour me some sweet tea, spoonful of honey
I don't need no Hollywood
@shortfuse75
Some people will think I am nuts, but this is actually gospel music. Her messages are divinely inspired. No doubt in my mind.
@LadyCharity
Agreed! Even my parents said her music is really inspirational/gospel because it is so positive. The gospel is the good news of the Lord. She is saying she is grateful for the little things and it reminds me during the New Year to be grateful :)
@brittcole9807
I concur my brother!! It is music from the Soul...God wants us to love and appreciate the little things in life...it is those things that some overlok but are so valuable in life! Love is the essential focus. :)
@everythingisaprocess
That doesn't sound nuts to me. Makes perfect sense. The lyrics, truth and feeling it gives you - there are important messages to be learned in India Aries music.
@CassieJazz96
That's why I love her music and what she stands for so much...............
@alexiab.9394
If you pay close attention you'll see a cross in the background, toward to end of the video. Great that we can feel the light, through her words.
@graceoakinbode
I don't understand how some people have disliked this.... This is beautiful music for the soul
@angelacrapps8078
Because those people are not tune in
@alishamoss6801
We All Know Who DisLiked It Rhymes With Like 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
@thalialopez4331
Only kind hearts be touched by her music😊😇