While she had been playing guitar since childhood, it wasn’t until 2015 that Oladokun quit her job and took a shot at realizing her dream of making music full-time. She dropped a solo acoustic EP, Cathedrals, that year, and followed it up with 2016’s Carry, a full-band effort that included the single “Shelter,” which introduced her to a wider online audience.
Raised in a small rural community in Arizona, Joy Oladokun began playing guitar when she was ten years old. Inspired by artists like Tracy Chapman, Lauryn Hill, Bob Marley, and singer/songwriters of the ‘70s, Oladokun began writing songs but initially had no intention of pursuing music as a career, preferring to perform for family and friends, sometimes writing them new tunes as gifts. After completing college, Oladokun got a job and was planning to settle into her new position when a friend asked her what she would be doing if money were not a consideration. Oladokun replied writing songs and traveling, and her friend urged her to follow her muse before it was too late.
Oladokun relocated to Los Angeles, and initially landed gigs as a backing vocalist while she honed her craft and played occasional solo shows. In April 2015, Oladokun released a solo acoustic EP, Cathedrals, and later that year launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise the money to record a full-length album. Oladokun was able to raise more than her $30,000 budget, and Carry, featuring backing from a full band, was released in April 2016. Full of personal, emotionally powerful songs, Carry helped Oladokun expand her audience, and she followed it up with touring in the United States and the United Kingdom. The fiercely independent Oladokun continued to record and release new material in a series of singles, with “Memphis” appearing in October 2016, “No Turning Back” in April 2017, and “Sober” in June 2018.
Purple Haze
Joy Oladokun Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not trying to sound emotional
But I've seen waters rise and strong men fall
It's just good to have a hand to hold
Every day, there's a sad a twist of fate
And it's easy to think there's no way we can make it
But I swear you and I can stay strong through the fight
Sure there's purple haze in the sky
And they say maybe we're running out of time
But I don't care, 'cause you and I
Know that love is all we need to survive
Came up from nothing, oh, nothing at all
And you stood by my side (you stood by my side)
Oh, you can count on me if ever you fall
Until the end of time (until the end of time)
Every day, there's a sad a twist of fate
And it's easy to think there's no way we can make it
(There's no way we can make it)
But I swear, you and I (you and I)
Can stay strong through the fight (through the fight)
If we hold on long enough to face it
Sure there's
Purple haze in the sky
And they say maybe we're running out of time
But I don't care, 'cause you and I
Know that love is all we need to survive
If the world (if the world) is on fire (is on fire)
I don't care, 'cause you're down for the ride (for the ride)
We'll survive, we'll get by (we'll get by)
From now on 'til the end of time
'Til the end of time
Oh, oh
Oh, until the end of time
Yeah
Purple haze in the sky
And they say maybe we're running out of time
But I don't care, 'cause you and I
Know that love is all we need to survive
Love is all we need to survive
The song "Purple Haze" by Joy Oladokun is a powerful ballad about the strength of love in the face of adversity. The title itself is a reference to the psychedelic song by Jimi Hendrix, but the lyrics in this song are more about overcoming life's obstacles with the help of a loved one. The opening line, "Rather have us than have nothing at all," sets the tone for the rest of the song as Oladokun sings about the importance of having someone by your side, especially during hard times.
Throughout the song, Oladokun underscores the idea that life is unpredictable and difficult, but with the right person to lean on, you can face anything. She sings, "Every day, there's a sad twist of fate / And it's easy to think there's no way we can make it / But I swear you and I can stay strong through the fight / If we hold on long enough to face it." Oladokun's voice is raw and emotional, adding an extra layer of intensity to the lyrics.
The chorus of "Purple Haze" repeats the idea that even if the world is falling apart, love is enough to get us through. Oladokun highlights that she is not fazed by the chaos around her: "Sure there's purple haze in the sky / And they say maybe we're running out of time / But I don't care, 'cause you and I / Know that love is all we need to survive." The song ends with the repeated line "Love is all we need to survive," hammering home the underlying message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Rather have us than have nothing at all
I'd rather have a relationship with you than nothing at all
Not trying to sound emotional
I don't want to come across as too emotional
But I've seen waters rise and strong men fall
I have witnessed great adversity and people struggle and fall as a result
It's just good to have a hand to hold
It's comforting to have someone to rely on
Every day, there's a sad a twist of fate
Every day, something unexpected and disappointing can happen
And it's easy to think there's no way we can make it
It's easy to feel like we won't be able to overcome these challenges
But I swear you and I can stay strong through the fight
But I am confident that we can remain strong and persevere through this difficult time
If we hold on long enough to face it
If we can endure and face these challenges head on
Sure there's purple haze in the sky
Although there may be challenges and uncertainties in our future
And they say maybe we're running out of time
And some may argue that our time together is limited
But I don't care, 'cause you and I
But I am not concerned, because as long as we have each other
Know that love is all we need to survive
We have everything we need in our love and commitment to one another
Came up from nothing, oh, nothing at all
We started from humble beginnings with nothing
And you stood by my side (you stood by my side)
And throughout it all, you have remained by my side
Oh, you can count on me if ever you fall
You can always depend on me if you ever face hardships or struggles
Until the end of time (until the end of time)
I will always be there for you, no matter what happens
If the world (if the world) is on fire (is on fire)
Even if everything around us seems to be falling apart
I don't care, 'cause you're down for the ride (for the ride)
I am not worried because I know you are committed to our relationship
We'll survive, we'll get by (we'll get by)
We will make it through these challenges together
From now on 'til the end of time
For the rest of our lives, we will be there for each other
Oh, until the end of time
Forever and always
Purple haze in the sky
Uncertainty and challenges in our future
And they say maybe we're running out of time
Some may believe our time together is limited
But I don't care, 'cause you and I
But I am not worried because we have each other
Know that love is all we need to survive
Our love is strong enough to help us overcome any obstacle
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Olubukola Oladokun, Lukasz Gottwald
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jay
Featuring this song on "And Just Like That" was the cherry on top of the entire episode. Such a beautiful song! <3
Greg Nelson
obsessed. xoxo samantha
mlifsi
I was brought here by the same episode. Very nice song.
debra bigica
Me too, what an amazing song to end that episode, obsessed!!
Anabel E
"And Just Like That" brought me here. This is such a beautiful song. 💜 🎵
Athena M
Same here! 👌🏾🌸💕
Aj Quigley
It sure is beautiful.Just like that love this show .
Joy Frazier
Me too!❤
Janet Butler
Me too! I'm glad they featured this artist.
Pam Gawluk
That how I found this song too