Jesse who was born in Chicago on February 20, 1985 spent most of his childhood in Jamaica and Miami before spreading roots as a teenager in New York City. In his youth Jesse spent most of his time outside of school learning valuable life lessons from his family. His aunts and uncles taught him the value of setting goals for himself; his grandmother a respect for spirituality; his mother a sense of passion and the importance of staying dedicated and focused in order to reach his goals and from all of them was grown an adoration and reverence for music.
Jesse’s own musical creations began in the 4th grade. He developed a talent for hearing sounds in his environment and using them as a guide to create melodies that he would record on his karaoke machine. It was around this time that he began to seek out music outside of what he had been exposed to growing up. He sought out soul artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway; enigmatic artists such as Bjork, Sade and Pink Floyd and realizing from them the impact of words in their songs he began to delve into the writings of Shakespeare and Langston Hughes. From them he learned how to create depth in his lyrics. He studied their use of metaphors and imagery, and examined how they used these techniques to create stories and worked these methods into his own personal style.
At 16 Jesse was selected out of the nation to be 1 of 13 singers in the Grammy Jazz Ensemble, where he was discovered and later recruited by The New School University for Jazz and Contemporary Music. While studying at The New School University, Jesse worked on refining his skills as a writer, performer, arranger, producer and vocalist. He studied with classical trainer Kenneth Kamal Scott and soul artist Bilal. He also created bonds with other talented creative people who became integral parts of his team and dedicated musicians forming his supporting band, The Beauty Created.
In early 2008 Jesse entered into the mainstream music scene with his first release Dopamine: My Life On My Back. His first single from that album, Tabloids peaked at #2 on the Billboard Video Monitor. His ambitious follow-up release later that year, The Beauty Created affirmed critics’ acclaim for Dopamine while solidifying Jesse’s defining place in the history of soul music. With the success of both albums, music videos and many collaborations with contemporaries such as The Foreign Exchange, Theophilus London, MeLo-X, Machine Drum, and Phantom Lover he has gained international recognition and built a loyal worldwide following.
Jesse’s talent and hard work was also recognized by BET in 2010 when they tapped him to be a major component in their BET Music Matters™ campaign granting him the distinction of being one of the first Independent Artists to premiere a video on their popular show 106 & Park. Jesse was further rewarded by earning a nomination for a 2010 Soul Train Award, which can be largely credited to his release of the video, Amorous (dir. Jarrett Woo) and his worldwide Romantic Movement Tour that year.
Currently Jesse is completing his third album Love Apparatus with producer Machine Drum. With the lead single B4 the Night is Thru, released on Robert “Bobbito” García’s vinyl label Alala Records, they delighted fans and critics alike with the evolution of his sound. Jesse considers himself a musical explorer. While recording Love Apparatus Jesse traveled worldwide marking new experiences and exploring new sounds and incorporating that into the project. In his own words he says, “I create World Soul that marks moments in time. Each time I introduce new music to my fans I want it to become a defining part of their lives as much as it is a part of mine.”
Live In Me
Jesse Boykins III Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And one day I will find you
And you shall live in me
You've been searchin' for
And one day you will find me
And you shall live in me
I feel your undertones within my skin
It's mostly age
This loneliness will fade
If the quest be licked with desire flame
Rose petals on the trail
The scent crosses me in detail
It's effort and the grace in you
Flowin' down stream
The waves are too
KIss me one time
One time one time one time
Baby please don't go away
Some day I'll be there
No need to be scared
Let loose of your fear
Deep down yes I care
You can feel it in my stare
No need to be scared
One day I'll be there
I trust in the stars that shade us
Lost in the sense of your touch
Alone for the nice remembrance
You lift, spoke the words of our love
Yeah, you search for the light of reflection
I sing the songs of our connection
Love I found the magic in your eyes
Searchin' for...
The song Live In Me by Jesse Boykins III is about two people who are searching for each other with the hope that they will eventually meet and become one. The lyrics reveal a longing for a deep connection with another person that goes beyond physical desire. The idea is that when they finally find each other, they will merge into one being, and live in each other.
The imagery in the song is rich, and it speaks to the yearning and desire that comes from a deep, soulful connection with another person. The lines "I feel your undertones within my skin" and "Rose petals on the trail, the scent crosses me in detail" suggest an intense longing for the other person that goes beyond the physical. This kind of connection is rare and powerful, and when found, it is something to be cherished.
Ultimately, Live In Me is a song about the search for love and connection, and the hope that one day we will find that special someone who will complete us. It's a romantic and dreamy song that captures the essence of what it means to fall in love.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been searchin' for
The singer has been searching for something or someone.
And one day I will find you
The singer hopes to find the person they're searching for someday.
And you shall live in me
The singer wants the person they're searching for to become a part of them in some way.
You've been searchin' for
The person the artist is looking for has also been searching for something or someone.
And one day you will find me
The artist believes that the person they're looking for will eventually find them too.
And you shall live in me
Once they find each other, the singer wants the other person to become a part of them.
I feel your undertones within my skin
The singer is deeply affected by the other person's presence, as if they're experiencing them on a physical level.
My? play where to begin
Unclear lyrics.
It's mostly age
The artist suggests that this strong feeling they have for the other person might be due to their age or maturity level.
This loneliness will fade
The artist believes that the loneliness they've been feeling will dissipate once they find the other person.
If the quest be licked with desire flame
Unclear lyrics.
Rose petals on the trail
The artist envisions a romantic path that leads to the other person's embrace.
The scent crosses me in detail
The scent of something, perhaps rose petals, makes a deep and detailed impression on the singer.
It's effort and the grace in you
The singer sees value in the other person's effort and in their inherent grace.
Flowin' down stream
Unclear lyrics.
The waves are too
Unclear lyrics.
KIss me one time
The artist longs for a single kiss from the other person.
One time one time one time
The singer repeats their desire for a kiss.
Baby please don't go away
The singer begs the other person not to leave them.
Some day I'll be there
The artist promises to be with the other person someday.
No need to be scared
The artist reassures the other person that they have no reason to be afraid.
Let loose of your fear
The artist instructs the other person to let go of their fears and anxieties.
Deep down yes I care
The singer deeply cares for the other person.
You can feel it in my stare
The other person can sense the artist's care and affection when they look at them.
One day I'll be there
The singer repeats their promise to be with the other person someday.
I trust in the stars that shade us
The singer puts their faith in the universe and the stars to guide them to the other person.
Lost in the sense of your touch
The singer is deeply affected by the other person's touch.
Alone for the nice remembrance
Unclear lyrics.
You lift, spoke the words of our love
The other person has expressed their love to the artist.
Yeah, you search for the light of reflection
The other person is also searching for something, potentially a reflection of themselves.
I sing the songs of our connection
The singer feels a deep connection with the other person and expresses it through song.
Love I found the magic in your eyes
The artist experiences a magical feeling when they look into the other person's eyes.
Searchin' for...
The song ends with a repetition of the beginning lyrics, suggesting that the artist is still searching for something or someone.
Contributed by Benjamin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.