Born Peter Nitollano, of African-American/Filipino parents, Joe Bataan grew up in Spanish Harlem, where he ran with Puerto Rican gangs and absorbed R&B, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Rican musical influences. His music career followed a pair of stints in Coxsackie State Prison. Self taught on the piano, he organized his first band in 1965 and scored his first recording success in 1967 with "Gypsy Woman" on Fania Records, . The tune was a hit with the New York Latin market despite the English lyrics sung by Joe, and exemplified the nascent Latin Soul sound. In early anticipation of the disco formula, "Gypsy Woman" created dance energy by alternating what was fundamentally a pop-soul tune with a break featuring double timed hand claps, . Joe would take this tendency even further on his influential Salsoul, which fused funk and latin influences in slick yet soulful orchestrations. Salsoul remains influential as a rare groove cult item, but pointed to the future at the time of its release. The LP embodied the artist's highly deliberate and culturally aware musical concept. Bataan theorized the '70s next big thing as a hybrid: an Afro Cuban rhythm section playing Brazilian influenced patterns over orchestral funk. In many ways, his vision was on the money, though most of the money would go to others, and mainstream stardom would elude him. He did, however, get in on the ground floor of the new trend as an early hit maker. His biggest commercial move was a Salsoul production released under the Epic umbrella, and promoted to the new disco market as Afrofilipino, which included 1975's "The Bottle", a much anthologized classic that drives an R&B horn arrangment with a relentless piano montuno.
Always in touch with the street, Joe Bataan picked up on rap very early in the game. His minor rap hit, "Rap-O, Clap-O" was a bit more successful in Europe than in the States, and is remembered as rap's debut in the European market. Nevertheless, his legacy remains his gritty and realistic Latin soul lyrics, his self identification as an "Ordinary Guy", and his highly personal and prophetic merger of Latin and soul influences.
Cycles of You
Joe Bataan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I pass your doorstep on my way to a world with no pain
Do I see you as you smile at me through your window
In shades of blue, I turn away 'cause it's all in my mind
It's a world that I created
On the day that you moved on
All my suffering has been traded
For the lie that you're not gone
Things are always what they seem
But my whole world, just a dream
Just a dream
Just a dream
Why not tell me
As you act if I should see you
Am I losing?
Or do I even have something to lose?
But you know me, I am someone who doesn't like changing
And I'm sorry, I don't think I could change anyway
People ask me what I'm doing
And I know it's not sincere
Watching my life turn to ruin
Just pretending you're still here
Am I slowly going blind?
My eyes are open, I can't see
I can't see
I can't see
In the evening, as I'm gazing at all of the rooftops
I start walking across all of them to get to you
And it haunts me, 'cause I know that you're out there somewhere
I call your name, but it doesn't make a difference now
In my hand I held a diamond
And I tossed up and down
Didn't pay it much attention
Till' it fell right through the ground
Who did I think I was fooling
It was merely only me
Only me
Only me
The lyrics to Joe Bataan's song "Cycles of You" are a reflection of the painful and difficult process of moving on from a past relationship. The singer in the song is seen struggling with memories and emotions associated with a lost love. Each day as they make their way down the sidewalk, they pass by their ex's doorstep, hoping to see them even as they know that they've moved on. The singer struggles to let go of their pain, creating a world in their mind where their ex is still around, but realizes that they can't keep holding on to this fantasy. They long to be with their past love and even in their dreams, they call out for them, but reality hits when they realize that they're only holding on to something that doesn't exist anymore.
Throughout the song, the singer is seen struggling with their inability to let go of their past. They're unwilling to change despite knowing that their behavior is hurting them, and they're in denial about the state of their life. They're almost blinded by their memories of their ex and their love for them, unable to see the beauty of the present. The diamond mentioned in the song represents how they're holding on to something precious but not realizing its value until it slips away. The song ends with the singer realizing that the cycle of pain and longing will continue until they accept that their past love is gone and that they need to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
In the morning, as I make my way down the sidewalk
Starting the day, I walk past your house, taking the path towards a world without pain.
I pass your doorstep on my way to a world with no pain
As I walk by your house, I dream of a place without any agony.
Do I see you as you smile at me through your window
When you smile at me through the window, I wonder if you're really there or just a figment of my imagination.
In shades of blue, I turn away 'cause it's all in my mind
I turn away in blue hues since you're only a creation of my thoughts.
It's a world that I created
I built a fictional world in my mind.
On the day that you moved on
The day you departed from my life.
All my suffering has been traded
My agony was transferred for a misconception that you never left.
For the lie that you're not gone
I lied to myself that you never departed.
Things are always what they seem
I am aware that appearances can be deceiving.
But my whole world, just a dream
However, my entire world is a dream.
Just a dream
Only a dream.
Why not tell me
Is it not possible to inform me?
As you act if I should see you
As you pretend that you are still here, should I believe?
Am I losing?
Perhaps I am losing touch with reality.
Or do I even have something to lose?
However, do I have anything else to lose?
But you know me, I am someone who doesn't like changing
As you know, I am resistant to change.
And I'm sorry, I don't think I could change anyway
Sadly, I am incapable of changing my mindset.
People ask me what I'm doing
People inquire about my actions.
And I know it's not sincere
But I understand their motives are insincere.
Watching my life turn to ruin
Observing my life crumble.
Just pretending you're still here
Only pretending you never left.
Am I slowly going blind?
Am I becoming blind to reality?
My eyes are open, I can't see
Though my eyes are open, I am unable to see past my illusions.
In the evening, as I'm gazing at all of the rooftops
As the day concludes, I stare at the rooftops.
I start walking across all of them to get to you
I imagine crossing all those rooftops to reach you.
And it haunts me, 'cause I know that you're out there somewhere
It troubles me since I am aware that you are in existence somewhere.
I call your name, but it doesn't make a difference now
I call out your name, yet it makes no difference anymore.
In my hand I held a diamond
I have a diamond in my hand.
And I tossed up and down
I toss it up and down.
Didn't pay it much attention
I didn't give it much thought.
Till' it fell right through the ground
Until it slipped through my fingers and crashed to the ground.
Who did I think I was fooling
Whom did I think I was deceiving.
It was merely only me
It was all just me.
Only me
Just me.
Writer(s): O'malley Luke Riverside
Contributed by Avery L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Greeneflower
Lyrics (as far as I know, there are no known translations online that I can find):
In the morning, as I make my way down the sidewalk
I pass your doorstep on my way to a world with no pain
Do I see you as you smile at me through your window
In shades of blue, I turn away ‘cause it’s all in my mind
It’s a world that I created
On the day that you moved on
All my suffering has been traded
For the lie that you're not gone
Things are always what they seem
But my whole world, just a dream
Just a dream (x2)
Why not tell me
As you act if I should see you
Am I losing?
Or do I even have something to lose?
But you know me, I am someone who doesn't like changing
And I’m sorry, I don’t think I could change anyway
People ask me what I’m doing
And I know it’s not sincere
Watching my life turn to ruin
Just pretending you're still here
Am I slowly going blind?
My eyes are open, I can’t see
I can’t see (x2)
In the evening, as I’m gazing at all of the rooftops
I start walking across all of them to get to you
And it haunts me, ‘cause I know that you're out there somewhere
I call your name, but it doesn’t make a difference now
In my hand I held a diamond
And I tossed up and down
Didn’t pay it much attention
Till’ it fell right through the ground
Who did I think I was fooling
It was merely only me
Only me (x2)
@mashupgal
What a wonderful song. I've only just heard this one by chance today & have played continuously. This is no Ordinary Guy... Brilliant!
@nickduffy373
Can't go a day without playing this. Utterly outstanding.
@muhidintahir3194
I met Joe Bataan with his wife at london Heathrow airport had a good chat with him what a beautiful gentleman very down to earth
@mashupgal
Brilliant song. This is no Ordinary Joe!
@rlenes5150
I adore Joe Bataan....thanks for this one...*****
@death6x6
Candela Bataan candelaaaa!!! ❤
@soulcarrot
2-31, what a break
@JH-kv1vh
come here for no reason and wath i found is , just great musik , i like metall but this is outstanding good
@allenbeech4651
Tune
@nathaliecolin7141
Joe Bataan 🎼🎼❤ NYork , une belle surprise, j ' ADORE !!! Merci pour ce partage Soulbiscuits 😉