1) A Danish r… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists with the name Ladysmith
1) A Danish rock band (active from 2009 to present).
2) A male choral group from South Africa know as "Ladysmith Black Mambazo" (active from the early 1950s to present).
1) In 2008, Anders Cederblad and Nikolaj Dalsgård started sowing the seeds for what was to become Ladysmith. In a small one-bedroom apartment in Copenhagen, the first sketches began seeing the light of day, and the wish steadily increased to put together a committed band. After a lengthy search, this was finally achieved in early 2009. Their first demo, “Where Should We Go?” was recorded at Vibe Factory with Jacob Winther in the late summer of that year. In the following year, equipped with sparse equipment and a healthy dose of patience, the band recorded their first self-produced demo “Golden Waste” in their own recording studio (The Foxhole) in the Nørrebro neighbourhood of Copenhagen. In December 2010 Ladysmith released their first EP "New Year Same War".
The sextet performs melodic alternative rock, containing strong and meaningful lyrics, with particular focus paid to the melody. The lyrics contain poetic and abstract imagery, and are a mix of seriousness and profound dreamlike melancholy. The acoustic image is characterized by simple, emotional, pensive passages, as well as enticing and imposing rock structures, where the compositions make their way from darkness to light.
In March 2010 the band won a first place in the music competition Playmakers, where about 40 bands from the Copenhagen underground participated.
2) Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal style of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards. They were formed by Joseph Shabalala in 1960 and became one of South Africa's most prolific recording artists, with their releases receiving gold and platinum disc honors. The group has now become a mobile academy, teaching people about South Africa and its culture.
Ain't No Sunshine
Ladysmith Lyrics
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It's not warm when he's away
Ain't no sunshine when he's gone
And he's always gone too long
Anytime he goes away
Wonder this time where he's gone
wonder if he's gone to stay
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime he goes away
Ain't no sunshine when he's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime he goes away
And I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, yes I know,
Anytime he goes away
The lyrics of Ladysmith's song Ain't No Sunshine convey a deep sense of loss and emptiness that comes with the absence of someone important. The opening line, "Ain't no sunshine when he's gone", establishes the theme of the song as the singer laments the absence of a loved one. The subsequent lines, "It's not warm when he's away" and "And he's always gone too long", further emphasize the loneliness and longing that the singer experiences when the person is not around. The repetition of the phrase "Anytime he goes away" emphasizes the cyclical nature of this absence and the repetitive, ongoing pain.
The second verse, "Wonder this time where he's gone, wonder if he's gone to stay", further amplifies the uncertainty and the sense of being left behind. The line, "And this house just ain't no home anytime he goes away", is particularly poignant as it captures the feeling of discomfort and unease that comes with the missing presence of someone.
Overall, the song speaks to the common human experience of losing someone important and the resulting emptiness and longing. The simple yet powerful lyrics are delivered in the signature Ladysmith vocal style, creating an emotional resonance with the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't no sunshine when he's gone
The warmth and light he brings in my life are gone when he's not around
It's not warm when he's away
The feeling his presence brought in me is missing when he's not around
And he's always gone too long
He's never around for too long and the absence is felt for a prolonged period
Anytime he goes away
Every time he's not with me, I feel the loss deeply
Wonder this time where he's gone
I'm curious as to where he has disappeared this time
wonder if he's gone to stay
I'm anxious if he'll come back or if he has left for good
And this house just ain't no home
The feeling of homeliness is gone since he's no longer here
And I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, yes I know,
The feeling of his absence is very well-known to me
Anytime he goes away
I experience this sense of loss every time he leaves
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Bill Withers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind