In 2000 Wright joine… Read Full Bio ↴Lizz Wright is a U.S. jazz singer and composer.
In 2000 Wright joined the Atlanta-based vocal quartet In the Spirit, which soon achieved critical acclaim; in 2002 she signed a recording contract with Verve Records. Her first album, Salt, was released in 2003 (reaching number two on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz chart in 2004), followed by Dreaming Wide Awake in June 2005 (reaching number one on the Top Contemporary Jazz chart in 2005 and 2006).
Afro Blue
Lizz Wright Lyrics
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I hear a hand stroke on a drum
Elegant boy
Beautiful girl
Dancing for joy
Delicate whirl
Shades of delight
Rich as a night
Afro blue
Two young lovers dance face to face
With undulating grace
They gently sway
Then slip away
To some secluded place
Whispering trees
Echo their sighs
Passionate pleas
Tender replies
Shades of delight
Cocoa hue
Rich as a night
Afro blue
Lovers on flight
Upward they glide
Burst at the height
Slowly subside
And my slumbering fantasy assumes reality
Until it seems it?s not a dream
The two are you and me
Shades of delight
Cocoa hue
Rich as the night
Afro blue
Oh shades of delight
Cocoa hue
Rich as the night
Afro blue
The lyrics to Lizz Wright's "Afro Blue" are a soulful and beautiful reflection on the longing for a land and culture that the singer's soul feels connected to. The repetition of "dream of a land my soul is from" reminds listeners of the deep human desire for connection to one's roots and ancestry, even if those roots are not physically present in the singer's life. The sound of a drumbeat in the background adds to the sense of longing and creates a rhythm that seems to represent the beating of the singer's heart and the desire to connect with her heritage.
As the song progresses, the focus shifts to two young lovers dancing with "undulating grace" and slipping away to a secluded place. The imagery of nature - whispering trees, passionate pleas, and tender replies - creates a sense of intimacy and connection between the lovers. The repeated refrain of "shades of delight, cocoa hue, rich as the night" adds to the sensuality of the scene and creates a connection between the two lovers and the singer's longing for her own cultural roots.
The song ends with the fantasy of the two lovers in flight, bursting at the height and slowly subsiding. It's a beautiful and vivid image of the emotional highs and lows of a relationship, and the way that those emotions can be a source of both joy and pain. The final repetition of "shades of delight, cocoa hue, rich as the night" brings the listener back to the central themes of the song - the sensuality of connection to culture and to another person.
Line by Line Meaning
Dream of a land my soul is from
I yearn for a place that belongs to my soul
I hear a hand stroke on a drum
I hear a rhythm that connects me to my ancestral roots
Elegant boy
A handsome young man with sophistication and gracefulness
Beautiful girl
A stunning young woman with a natural charm and allure
Dancing for joy
They move in exuberance and happiness with their bodies and souls
Delicate whirl
A graceful and intricate spin in their movements
Shades of delight
Various hues of happiness that intermingle together
Cocoa hue
A rich and warm color of brown shades
Rich as a night
As bountiful and fulfilling as the dark sky
Afro blue
A jazzy melody that echoes the African American culture
Two young lovers dance face to face
Both lovers express their feelings for one another by dancing closely
With undulating grace
Their movements are smooth and flowing, like waves on the ocean
They gently sway
The pair moves together softly and rhythmically
Then slip away
They disappear to somewhere more private and intimate
To some secluded place
They go to a quiet spot, away from the crowds and noise
Whispering trees
Trees that soothe the lovers with their soft rustling leaves
Echo their sighs
The sounds of the trees mingle with the sounds of their sighing
Passionate pleas
Their words are filled with strong emotion and desire
Tender replies
Their responses are filled with sweetness and affection
Lovers on flight
The lovers ascend into a higher state of being with their love
Upward they glide
They soar together, like birds ascending into the sky
Burst at the height
Their passion reaches its peak at the highest point of their love
Slowly subside
Their love settles down slowly, like the setting sun at the end of the day
And my slumbering fantasy assumes reality
What I had imagined became real
Until it seems it?s not a dream
It feels like it is actually happening, not just a fantasy
The two are you and me
The two lovers in my dream are actually us
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: Mongo Santamaria
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lynne
What a wonderful voice, so beautiful she is.........unbelievable!!!!!
BCaroselli
Incredible arrangement. I love Erykah Badu's version too, but I come back to this one way more often
Lynne
They're all so in it with each other, the pianist is marvelous!!!
Sugarshack22
This woman and her voice...both unreal!
rosie diaz
Pura diosa🙏👌🏼💜💛🔴💜💛📿🙏
Dena Raptis
This is so tasty- delicious. New fan here. I heard it on Amazon Music in a shuffle Verve mix while in the shower. I had to stop everything to see who this was. I love everything about it: the arrangement is unlike anything I've heard and Lizz Wright's voice is so hauntingly rich and beautiful. Well done!
Graham Wright
Incredible rendition from a truly amazing vocalist and band. I just don't get half of that audience, one guy reading a magazine, another sleeping and some ignoramus cant even find the energy to clap, idiots.
Natany Kreski
MARAVILHOSA!! 👏👏👏👏❤❤❤❤❤❤🎵
Daniele Zanardini
beautiful voice, great artist
Bonedalas
I will always connect this with Trane, or Dee Dee Bridgewater, when it comes to singing. But I love this rendition. Lizz Wright opens a place of velvet melancholic beauty in my mind. Like she is.