Keith Sweat was born in Harlem, New York City, to Juanita Thompson, a hairdresser, and Charles Sweat, a factory worker. After Charles Sweat's passing in 1973, Juanita raised their five kids by herself. He worked as a night stock boy at Macy's Department Store, and then a mail room clerk at Paine Webber, a brokerage firm. In just four years he worked his way up to a lucrative brokerage assistant job on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.[2] Sweat also worked as a supervisor for the New York Mercantile Exchange.[1]
Sweat started his musical career as a member of a Harlem band called Jamilah in 1975.[3] With the help of Jamilah, Sweat was able to hone his craft as a lead singer by performing regionally throughout the tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The group was started by bassist Larry Peoples, guitarist Michael Samuels, and drummer Walter Bradley.[citation needed]
After leaving the group in 1984 to begin a solo career, he sang at nightclubs throughout New York City and landed a chance to record for the independent label, Stadium Records. Sweat recorded only two tunes for Stadium, "Lucky Seven", and "My Mind Is Made Up", which was their third and fourth ever release, but on Stadium's first release, he is credited as co-writer and co-producer of "You Are the One for Me", the last recording ever made by the group GQ. One of GQ's original members is his uncle, Keith "Sabu" Crier.
Later in 1987, Keith Sweat was discovered by Vincent Davis and offered a recording contract with his label, Vintertainment Records, which was founded in 1983 on the foundations of early Hip-Hop and otherwise best known for releasing Joeski Love's "Pee Wee's Dance" in 1985. Vintertainment was distributed by Elektra Records from 1985 until it ceased operations in 1990. On November 24, 1987, Sweat released his debut solo studio album Make It Last Forever, which sold three million copies. The biggest hit from this album was the song that inaugurated the new jack swing era "I Want Her"[5] (No. 1 R&B & No. 5 Pop), which was nominated for the 1989 Soul Train Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Song of the Year award, while the title track from the album hit No. 2 on the R&B charts. Sweat reached the charts again with his second album I'll Give All My Love to You (1990) which hit No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart. He released his third album, Keep It Comin' in 1991, which debuted in the Top 20 of the album chart. He produced soul singer Omar Chandler.
In 1992, Sweat discovered the group Silk, and helped craft their debut album, Lose Control, which hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart.[6]
The album's single "Freak Me" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 1, 1993. In 1993, Sweat discovered the Atlanta-based female R&B group Kut Klose. Sweat also produced the group's debut album Surrender, which produced their biggest hit single "I Like", peaking to No. 8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
Sweat released his fourth album Get Up on It in the summer of 1994, and his self-titled fifth album in 1996. Both albums reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. The single co/produced and written by Eric McCaine "Twisted" featuring R&B group Kut Klose hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Nobody" hit No. 3, which made them Sweat's biggest hits to date. "Just A Touch" was a cover of the 1979 song "Just a Touch of Love" by Slave. He produced R&B group Dru Hill in 1996.
In the fall of 1997, Sweat discovered the group Ol' Skool and helped with their self-titled debut. He was on their biggest single, "Am I Dreaming", which featured the R&B group Xscape. Sweat also formed the R&B supergroup LSG with Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill, and released their self-titled debut album Levert.Sweat.Gill in 1997.[7] That album featured "My Body", which became a hit single. The album was certified double platinum and reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
Sweat's sixth album, Still in the Game was released in 1998, hitting No. 6 on the Billboard 200, and No. 2 on the R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. It featured the singles "Come and Get With Me" (which featured Snoop Dogg) (No. 12 Hot 100) and "I'm Not Ready" (No. 16 Hot 100). Sweat's success on the charts started to diminish in 2000, when he released the album Didn't See Me Coming. None of the singles from the album reached the top forty.
On August 13, 2002, Keith Sweat released his eighth album, Rebirth. The single "One on One" reached No. 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 44 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.His 2008 album Just Me included the single, "Love U Better (featuring Keyshia Cole)". Sweat is currently signed to Kedar Records and released his tenth studio album entitled Ridin' Solo on June 22, 2010. The lead single taken from the album is "Test Drive" and featured label-mate Joe. Since 2007, Sweat has been the host of a nationally syndicated radio program based upon the Quiet storm format. The Keith Sweat Hotel (known as The Quiet Storm with Keith Sweat on WBLS in New York City) is syndicated through Premiere Radio Networks.[8]
Sweat is also the host of a nationally syndicated radio show called The Sweat Hotel, which I s produced and distributed to urban adult contemporary and classic soul radio stations across the U.S. by Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, Inc.[9]
Getaway
Keith Sweat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let’s get away, get away girl
Come on girl
Now baby, now baby, now baby, now, now ,now
Let’s get away, get away girl
Leaving the club on a Saturday night cause it’s over
And I’m feeling really good
Why you’re crying you should be all good
You had a hard day at work
Your man left you hurt
You’re better than falling away
So pack your bags in a sack
Take the first ? baby with me
Don’t you laugh girl
You deserve something so much better in your life
Baby won’t you fly with me
Making love at the sea shore
When the water hits the rocks you want some more
Girl ride with me, ride with me
You get away
You want to get away
Don’t you want to get away
You want to get away
I know you want to get away
You get away
You want to get away
Don’t you want to get away
You want to get away
I know you want to get away
The lyrics to Keith Sweat's song "Getaway" depict a narrative of escapism and a desire to leave behind the troubles and stresses of everyday life. The singer urges a woman to join him on a getaway, encouraging her to leave behind her worries and enjoy a carefree experience. The song begins with the singer leaving a club on a Saturday night, feeling good and ready to escape. He notices a woman walking beside him who appears to be upset, presumably due to a difficult day at work and the pain of a failed relationship. The singer assures her that she deserves better and invites her to pack her bags and join him on a journey of freedom and happiness.
The chorus emphasizes the theme of escapism, as the singer repeats the phrase "get away" multiple times, highlighting the desire to leave behind the current circumstances and find solace elsewhere. The lyrics suggest that the getaway will be filled with romantic and intimate moments, with references to making love at the seashore and the desire for more passion when the water hits the rocks. Ultimately, the singer wants the woman to embrace the opportunity to escape and enjoy a better life.
Line by Line Meaning
Now baby, now baby, now baby, now, now ,now
Right now, in this moment, I'm urging and encouraging you, my beloved, to take action and seize the opportunity.
Let’s get away, get away girl
Let's escape from our current reality and embark on a journey together, my dear.
Come on girl
I'm pleading for you to join me and embrace this adventurous getaway.
Leaving the club on a Saturday night cause it’s over
We are leaving the club at the end of the night, as it has come to a close.
And I’m feeling really good
I am experiencing immense joy and contentment.
I see this ?, walking beside me
I notice this woman, whose name or identity is not mentioned, walking alongside me.
Why you’re crying you should be all good
I'm puzzled as to why you are shedding tears; you deserve to be in a state of happiness and well-being.
You had a hard day at work
I am aware that you had a difficult and stressful day on the job.
Your man left you hurt
Your significant other has left you feeling emotionally wounded.
You’re better than falling away
You possess more strength and resilience than succumbing to despair and giving up.
So pack your bags in a sack
Gather your belongings and pack them in a bag or suitcase.
Take the first ? baby with me
Come with me, my dear, and venture away to a new beginning.
Don’t you laugh girl
My dear, please refrain from laughing and mocking our desires and aspirations.
You deserve something so much better in your life
You are worthy of experiencing much greater and more fulfilling things in your existence.
Baby won’t you fly with me
Would you, my beloved, be willing to soar into the unknown and embrace this journey alongside me?
Making love at the sea shore
Engaging in intimate and passionate moments of love while enjoying the beauty of the beach.
When the water hits the rocks you want some more
As the waves crash upon the rocks, you become even more eager and desirous for additional affection and connection.
Girl ride with me, ride with me
Come on, my dear, accompany me on this adventure and experience the exhilarating ride of life together.
You get away
You free yourself from the constraints and burdens of your current situation.
You want to get away
You yearn and desire to escape and find liberation from your present circumstances.
Don’t you want to get away
Wouldn't you love to break free and seek refuge in a different environment?
I know you want to get away
I am aware of your strong desire to flee and find solace elsewhere.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ADAM RYAN CHRISTOPHER LEDGISTER, CARL M DAYS, KEITH D SWEAT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind