Subsequently, she collaborated with Eric Benet, Will Smith, Lupe Fiasco, Common and broadened her performing experience by touring Canada in a production of the Broadway musical Rent. Signed to Steve McKeever's newly formed Hidden Beach Recordings label, she released her debut album Who Is Jill Scott: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 in July 2000. The following summer she released Experience:Jil Scott 826+ after she released the single "A Long Walk." Scott continued to gain more recognition, eventually earning a Grammy nomination in early 2003 for Best Female Vocal Performance for "A Long Walk". Jill Scott also won a Grammy award at the 2005 Grammy awards for Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male or Female.
Jill Scott appears in David Chappelle's Block Party performing with The Roots and Erykah Badu.
Scott released a new album, entitled Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 in 2004. Her book of poetry, The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours was released in April 2005.
Recently, Scott was prominently featured on hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco's 2006 single "Daydreaming" which also appeared on a new Scott collection called Collaborations on January 30, 2007.
The Collaborations collection served as "an appetizer" for her next studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 released September 25, 2007. A clip of the title track was released on a bonus disc from Hidden Beach Records and included with Collaborations. The lead single, "Hate on Me", gained airplay in May 2007 with a video released in mid-July. In advance of the album's release, Hidden Beach released a 17-minute album sampler through their forums. Interspersed between the dozen songs previewed on the sampler was a personal explanation from Jill for the inspiration behind some of her songs.
Jill Scott is also an accomplished actor, appearing as detective Precious Ramotswe in the BBC's dramatisation of Alexander McCall Smith's series of books: "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency". Scott also appeared as "Sheila" in the Tyler Perrry film, "Why Did I Get Married" (2007) and its sequel, "Why Did I Get Married Too" (2010) .
My Petition
Jill Scott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you don't do it
You say you have a plan but you just don't go through with it
You say you know the way to go
And I should follow
But all of your empty promises
Leave me hollow
How do I trust you
How do I love you
When you
Lie to me repeatedly
And oh
How do I have faith, in you
When you just don't come through
Like you say you could
Oh, say can you see
Oh, say can you see
You say that I'm wrong for
Stating my opinion to you
You say that I'm wrong and there'll be quiet consequences too
But I know my rights babe
There'll be no law abridging
The freedom of my speech
Or the right for me to petition for a remedy of grievances
And I want to trust you
I want to love you yeah
But you lie to me repeatedly
And oh I want to have faith in you
But you just don't come through
Like you said you could
Oh say can you see
Hm
I want fresh fruit, clean water,
Air that I don't see
I want the feeling of being safe on my streets
I want my children to be smarter than me
I want, I want to feel
I want to feel, I want to feel free
For real y'all
I'm just telling you so you know
I want to, I want to have faith in you
I really do but you keep lying to me
And it hurts
I believe, I believe you owe it me
Give it to me like you said you would
Hm
Oh say can you see
Hm
Oh say can you see
Oh say can you see
Hm
By the dawn's early light
In "My Petition," Jill Scott describes the struggle of trusting someone who repeatedly lies and fails to follow through on promises. The first verse addresses the frustration of being told one thing, yet experiencing another. Scott's use of repetition in "you say" emphasizes the discrepancy between words and actions. The chorus poses the question of how she can trust, love, and have faith in someone who repeatedly deceives her. The repetition of "Oh" before each thought emphasizes the depth of emotion and desire for understanding.
The second verse speaks to the right to free speech and the ability to voice opinions and concerns without fear of retribution. The use of "babe" and "consequences" suggests a personal relationship in which one party is attempting to suppress the other's voice. The repetition of "I want" expresses Scott's desires for basic necessities such as safety, security, and education. The final plea for honesty and for the other party to fulfill their promises demonstrates the importance of trust and integrity in any relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
You say you mean good for me
You claim to have good intentions for me
But you don't do it
But you fail to follow through on your promises
You say you have a plan but you just don't go through with it
You talk about having a plan, but fail to execute it
You say you know the way to go
You act as though you have all the answers
And I should follow
Expecting me to blindly follow your lead
But all of your empty promises
However, your unfulfilled promises
Leave me hollow
Leave me feeling empty inside
How do I trust you
How can I have faith in you
How do I love you
How do I express love to you
When you Lie to me repeatedly
When you keep being dishonest with me
How do I have faith, in you
How can I trust in your abilities
When you just don't come through
When you don't deliver on what you said you would do
Like you say you could
Like you've claimed you are capable of doing
Oh, say can you see
A rhetorical question asking if there is any hope for the situation to improve
You say that I'm wrong for
You rebuke me for
Stating my opinion to you
Expressing my thoughts to you
And there'll be quiet consequences too
Threatening me for speaking up
But I know my rights babe
But I am aware of my entitlements
There'll be no law abridging
No legislation that restricts
The freedom of my speech
My liberty to express myself
Or the right for me to petition for a remedy of grievances
Or the authority I possess to request justice for wrongs suffered
I want fresh fruit, clean water,
I desire uncontaminated fruits, purified water
Air that I don't see
Unpolluted air to breathe
I want the feeling of being safe on my streets
I long for assurance of security on the streets
I want my children to be smarter than me
I aspire for my offspring to surpass my intellectual prowess
I want, I want to feel
I yearn to experience
I want to feel, I want to feel free
I want to experience liberation
For real y'all
This is a genuine request
I'm just telling you so you know
I'm expressing this so you understand
I believe, I believe you owe it me
I think you are obligated to provide it to me
Give it to me like you said you would
Follow through on your promises
By the dawn's early light
At the start of a new day, a new beginning
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDRE HARRIS, JILL H. SCOTT, VIDAL DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind