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.
The Rain
Ledisi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were holding hands and I'll never be the same
Tossing and turning another sleepless night
The rain crashes against my window pane
Jumped into my car--didn't drive too far
That moment I knew I would never be the same
You were holding hands and I'll never be the same
Now here you are begging to me
To give our love another try
Girl I love you and I always will
But darling right now I've got to say goodbye
Cause I saw you (and him, and him) walking in the rain
You were holding hands and I'll never be the same
I saw you (and him) walking in the rain
You were holding hands and I'll never be the same
Hey, hey, baby, how you doin', come on in here
Got some hot chocolate on the stove waitin' for ya
Listen, first things first, let me hang up that coat
Yeah, 'n' how's your day today, did ya miss me?
Oh, you did, yeah, I missed you, too
I missed you so much I followed you today
That's right
Now close your mouth
Cause you cold busted
That's right, now sit down here
Sit down here
So upset with you I don't know what to do
'n' my first impulse was to run up on you
And do a Rambo
Whip out the jammy and flat-blast both of you
But I ain't wanna mess up this thirty-seve hundred dollar lynx coat
So instead, I chilled
That's right, chilled, then I went to the bank
Took out every dime
And then I went and canceled all those credit cards
Yeah
All your charge accounts
Yeah
I stuck you up for every piece of jewelry I ever bought you
Yeah
That's right, everything
Everything
Did fool out with me
Naw, don't go, you ever go, don't go looking in that closet
Cause you ain't got nothing in there
Everything you came here with--
Is packe dup and waiting for you in the guest room
That's right, what was you thinking about, huh?
What were you tryin' to prove, huh?
You's with the Juice
'n' I gave you silk suits, Gucci handbags, blue diamonds
I gave you things you couldn't even pronounce
Now I can't give you nothin' but advice
Cause you're still young
That's right, you're still young
I hope you learn a valuable lesson from all this
You know?
Gonna find someone like me one of these days
Until then, know what you gotta do?
You gotta get on outta here with that
Alley-cat-coat wearin'
Hush-puppy-shoe-wearing'
Crumb cake I saw you with
Cause you dismissed
That's right, silly rabbit
Tricks are made for kids, don't you know that?
You without me: like cornflake without the milk
It's my world--you just a squirrel, tryin' to get a nut
Now get on outta here
Ah!
Don't touch that coat!
The lyrics to Ledisi's song "The Rain" speak of the aftermath of witnessing an ex-lover with someone new, as told from the perspective of the heartbroken narrator. The first verse talks of the physical and emotional toll of seeing this painful image play out before their eyes, and how it will forever change them. The chorus emphasizes the lyrics' central point; that seeing the ex-lover with another person is a visceral, unforgettable moment that can have a profound impact on the wounded party. The second verse is written from the perspective of the ex-lover, who is now begging for another chance, but the singer is too hurt and ultimately chooses to end the relationship.
The song touches on themes of heartbreak, betrayal, and the lingering pain caused by the memory of lost love. The use of rain as a metaphor for emotion adds an extra layer of melancholy to the lyrics, as rain is often associated with sadness and despair in literature and music. The singer's struggle to process their feelings and move on from the relationship is palpable, making for a powerful and relatable song.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you (and him, and him) walking in the rain
The singer saw her lover and other men together in rain, which left a deep impression on her, and her life will never be the same again.
You were holding hands and I'll never be the same
The sight of her lover holding hands with other men hurt her deeply, and she knew that she would never be the same again.
Tossing and turning another sleepless night
The singer is unable to sleep properly and is disturbed by the events that happened in the past, which haunts her every moment.
The rain crashes against my window pane
The sound of the raindrops hitting her window reminds her of the scene she witnessed, making her feel more despair and sadness.
Jumped into my car--didn't drive too far
Unable to bear the emotions, the singer impulsively got into her car and drove a short distance, realizing that now her life is different and she will never be the same again.
That moment I knew I would never be the same
After seeing her lover with other men, the singer came to the realization that her life would be forever changed.
Now here you are begging to me
The singer's lover is now coming back and is begging for forgiveness.
To give our love another try
The singer's lover wants to rekindle their relationship and try to work things out with her.
Girl I love you and I always will
The singer's lover declares that he loves her and will always do so, hoping to win her over.
But darling right now I've got to say goodbye
Despite the love he has for her, her lover has decided that it's time to say goodbye and move on with his life.
Hey, hey, baby, how you doin', come on in here
The singer's lover is greeting her and inviting her to come inside.
Got some hot chocolate on the stove waitin' for ya
The singer's lover has prepared some hot chocolate for her, hoping to make things right.
Listen, first things first, let me hang up that coat
The singer's lover is helping her take off her coat, trying to make her feel comfortable and welcome.
Yeah, 'n' how's your day today, did ya miss me?
The singer's lover is asking her how her day was and if she missed him while he was gone.
Oh, you did, yeah, I missed you, too
The singer's lover responds positively, expressing that he too missed her while he was away.
I missed you so much I followed you today
The singer's lover confesses that he followed her today because he missed her so much, which might be seen as an act of possessiveness.
Now close your mouth
The singer's lover tries to silence her by asking her to stop talking.
Cause you cold busted
The singer's lover is accusing her of cheating on him.
That's right, now sit down here
The singer's lover is ordering her to sit down as he accuses her of cheating.
So upset with you I don't know what to do
The singer's lover is angry and disappointed with her actions, not knowing how to react.
'n' my first impulse was to run up on you
The singer's lover admits that his initial response was to get violent with her in case she was cheating on him.
And do a Rambo
The singer's lover refers to a violent action of attacking her and other men, as seen in the movie 'Rambo.'
Whip out the jammy and flat-blast both of you
The singer's lover is threatening to use a gun and shoot both her and the other men she was with.
But I ain't wanna mess up this thirty-seve hundred dollar lynx coat
The singer's lover decides not to act violently because he doesn't want to ruin her expensive coat.
So instead, I chilled
The singer's lover then decided to calm down and not get too aggressive or violent.
That's right, chilled, then I went to the bank
He decided to stay calm and composed, and then he went to the bank for a particular reason.
Took out every dime
The singer's lover took out every penny he had in the bank account.
And then I went and canceled all those credit cards
The singer's lover then canceled all of their credit cards because he was mad at her.
Yeah
The singer's lover agrees with what he did.
All your charge accounts
The singer's lover then cancelled all of her charge accounts, which severely affects their relationship.
Yeah
The singer's lover repeats what he said before, confirming his actions.
I stuck you up for every piece of jewelry I ever bought you
The singer's lover took every piece of jewelry he bought her in the past, wanting to take back everything he had given her.
Yeah
The singer's lover repeats what he said before, confirming his actions.
That's right, everything
He took everything he gave her previously, stripping away their relationship completely.
Did fool out with me
The singer's lover doesn't believe that they are right for each other.
Naw, don't go, you ever go, don't go looking in that closet
The singer's lover is warning her not to go into the closet, indicating that there is something strange or weird about it.
Cause you ain't got nothing in there
The singer's lover says that there isn't anything important in the closet, which is strange since it seems he doesn't want her to look there.
Everything you came here with--
The singer's lover informs her that he has stored everything she came with in the guest room.
Is packed up and waiting for you in the guest room
The singer's lover is switching her things because he doesn't want her to stay at his place anymore.
That's right, what was you thinking about, huh?
The singer's lover is accusing her of betraying him and questioning what she was thinking when she cheated on him.
What were you tryin' to prove, huh?
The singer's lover wonders what she was trying to accomplish by hurting him in this way.
You's with the Juice
The singer's lover is accusing her of being with someone who is associated with Hollywood celebrity O.J. Simpson's trial.
'n' I gave you silk suits, Gucci handbags, blue diamonds
The singer's lover is pointing out that he provided her with all the luxuries, including high-end suits, Gucci handbags, and rare blue diamonds.
I gave you things you couldn't even pronounce
The singer's lover has showered her with luxuries for which she could not even pronounce the names, indicating his unconditional love for her.
Now I can't give you nothin' but advice
The singer's lover wishes he could provide her with everything she wants, but his anger has left him with only one thing to give - advice.
Cause you're still young
The singer's lover tells her that she is still young and has plenty of time to find love.
That's right, you're still young
He repeats his words, understanding and emphasizing that she still has many years to build up her life.
I hope you learn a valuable lesson from all this
The singer's lover hopes that she will learn from her mistakes and not repeat them in the future.
You know?
The singer's lover is asking her if she understands what he's saying and if she can learn from this experience.
Gonna find someone like me one of these days
The singer's lover tells her that she will someday find someone like him who will shower her with love and luxuries.
Until then, know what you gotta do?
The singer's lover asks her to acknowledge her faults and move on in her life without him.
You gotta get on outta here with that
The singer's lover wants her to leave his place right away.
Alley-cat-coat wearin'
The singer's lover is accusing her of wearing cheap clothes similar to those worn by street cats or alleycats.
Hush-puppy-shoe-wearing'
The singer's lover is accusing her of wearing shoes similar to those worn by dogs or puppies in the streets.
Crumb cake I saw you with
The singer's lover is referring to the other men she was seen with as nothing more than a crumb cake or a distasteful person.
Cause you dismissed
The singer's lover says that he is breaking up with her as her actions were unforgivable.
That's right, silly rabbit
The singer's lover repeats his words, indicating that he is serious about ending their relationship.
Tricks are made for kids, don't you know that?
The singer's lover accuses her of being a trickster who is not mature and cannot handle a mature relationship.
You without me: like cornflake without the milk
The singer's lover tells her that without him, she is incomplete and would be like eating cornflakes without milk - incomplete and unsatisfactory.
It's my world--you just a squirrel, tryin' to get a nut
The singer's lover tells her that she is just an insignificant person in his life who is merely trying to be a part of his world and enjoy his wealth.
Now get on outta here
The singer's lover wants her to leave immediately and not waste any more time in his life.
Ah!
The singer's lover shouts out of frustration and anger, tired with their relationship and wants her to leave.
Don't touch that coat!
The singer's lover is warning her not to touch or take the expensive coat, indicating its value and importance in his life.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AARON JOHNSON, JORDAN MCLEAN, JIM LEWIS, BILL JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind