In 2009, Ledisi released her fourth album Turn Me Loose , which earned her a couple more Grammy nominations.
Ledisi's fifth album, Pieces Of Me, was released on June 14, 2011 debuting at #8 on the Billboard 200, her first entry on the top 10 of the album chart.
She and her band are from a new breed of modern soul singers (that fall into the New Organic Soul movement in the U.K.) that do not bow to the formulated 'pop' format that permeates the national charts of the U.K. and the U.S.A.
Her mother sang in an R & B band and opened her daughter's ears to classical music, then to jazz and gospel.
‘My mother is an inspiration to me because she was an R & B singer when I was growing up, and I'd watch her perform in the park by our house. I grew up on Earth, Wind and Fire. Tina Turner is my favorite’.
As a teenager Ledisi first sang in a friend’s band, but soon realised she'd have to form her own if she was going to get the creative freedom she desired.
She formed the group Anibade.
The band consisted of:
Sundra Manning (keyboards)
Cedrickke Dennis (guitar)
Nelson Braxton (bass)
Wayne Braxton (saxophone)
and Tommy Bradford on (drums)
Anibade means ‘my mother is great’ in Yoruba and also happens to be Ledisi's middle name.
The band the group performed at several nightspots including Bruno's, The Black Cat, and Rasselas, in the San Francisco area before, successfully, getting a local radio station, KMEL, to play the single ‘Take Time’, without any major label distribution.
Ledisi said, ‘We took it to other labels to try and get a deal, but we found that they didn't get it 'cause it wasn't already out there. We got frustrated with that.’
Ledisi is said to be recording a jazz record with bassist Marcus Shelby on Noir Records.
That album was due in early 2000, although the set has not yet surfaced.
Her first solo album ‘Soulsinger’, was, however, released in 2000, to critical acclaim.
The album addressed several personal issues, none more so than the track ‘Papa Loved To Love Me’, a harrowing tale of a father sexually abusing his daughter.
The track is uncomfortably close to home.
Ledisi said ‘My family heard it, though, and they said, 'Wow, you went and told everything!'. I know it's giving something away about myself, but it's a part of me. That's why people relate to a story like that.’
Eric Benét and Rahsaan Patterson recently attended her groups' concerts and they have opened for Eric Benet, D’Angelo and Angie Stone.
A second album entitled 'Feeling Orange And Sometimes Blue' was released in early 2002.
Ledisi travelled to London's Jazz Cafe in March 2003 for more gigs following a successful concert at Subterranea in the autumn of 2002.
She was supported by the Braxton Brothers along with several other performers.
Runnin'
Ledisi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep your faith, stay strong
Move forward even if it's wrong
Stay forward, stay forward
I confess I'm a mess
And I'm tryin' to catch up to life
The clock keeps tickin' away
All in the name of the life
Anybody hearing me
Can't nobody feel me
It just me all by myself
Ain't no where to run to
But I keep runnin'
(Runnin', runnin', runnin')
Runnin', runnin', I keep
(Runnin', runnin', runnin')
Hands down
I wanna gonna give up
'Cause who gives a [unverified]
'Cause nothing' that I do is right
What happens to the light
In the day when the sun felt good
Makin' me wanna win
In the game of life
I know I got love in me
But there's no more trust in me
I just want to be by myself
Just wanna be by myself so
I just keep
(Runnin', runnin', runnin')
Runnin', runnin', runnin'
The lyrics to Ledisi's song "Runnin'" explore themes of perseverance and hope in the face of adversity. The opening lines encourage the listener to focus on the positive aspects of life and to stay strong and keep moving forward, even if the path ahead is uncertain or challenging. The singer then admits to feeling like a "mess" and struggling to keep up with the pace of life. She feels like she is losing herself in the pursuit of success and happiness, and she is overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed.
Despite these challenges, the singer continues to "keep running," refusing to give up or let go of her dreams. She acknowledges that no one may be able to understand or feel what she is going through, but she remains determined to persevere. The lyrics suggest that even though the singer may be struggling and feeling isolated, she is still pushing forward and staying true to herself.
The final verse of the song introduces the idea that the singer has lost her sense of trust in others and needs time to be alone. She has love within her, but she also needs solitude and time to reflect. The repetition of the phrase "runnin', runnin', runnin'" throughout the song underscores the idea that life is a journey, and even when the path is difficult or unclear, the best thing to do is to keep moving forward and never give up.
Line by Line Meaning
Only think about the good things
Focus on positive thoughts and experiences
Keep your faith, stay strong
Maintain your belief in a positive outcome and remain resilient
Move forward even if it's wrong
Continue to progress even if it's uncertain or risky
Stay forward, stay forward
Remain focused on future progress rather than dwelling on past mistakes
I confess I'm a mess
Admitting to feeling overwhelmed or struggling
And I'm tryin' to catch up to life
Attempting to keep up with life's demands and challenges
The clock keeps tickin' away
Time continues to pass regardless of one's struggles
And I'm losing myself everyday
Feeling like one's true self is slipping away due to stress or hardship
All in the name of the life
All of the struggles are part of the human experience
Anybody hearing me
Asking if anyone can relate to these struggles
Can't nobody feel me
Feeling isolated and like no one understands
It just me all by myself
Feeling alone in one's struggles
Ain't no where to run to
Feeling trapped with no escape from one's problems
But I keep runnin'
Despite feeling trapped, one continues to move forward
(Runnin', runnin', runnin')
Repeating the phrase as an affirmation of perseverance
Hands down
Admitting to feeling defeated
I wanna gonna give up
Feeling like giving up on life's struggles
'Cause who gives a [unverified]
Feeling like no one cares about one's struggles
'Cause nothing' that I do is right
Feeling like nothing is going well or working out
What happens to the light
Questioning why positivity and hope seem to fade away
In the day when the sun felt good
Reflecting on a time when life seemed more positive
Makin' me wanna win
Inspiring a desire for success and happiness
In the game of life
Comparing life to a game with ups and downs
I know I got love in me
Feeling like one still has positive qualities despite struggles
But there's no more trust in me
Feeling like one can't trust oneself to overcome challenges
I just want to be by myself
Craving solitude to focus on inner strength and growth
Just wanna be by myself so
Repeating the phrase to emphasize the desire for solitude
Runnin', runnin', runnin'
Continuing to persevere and move forward
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: XAVIER LORENZO MOSLEY, LEDISI ANIBADE YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind