Hailing from Liverpool, England, fans first got a taste of Marsha’s talent as the singing half of the duo Floetry. Their 2000 debut Floetic produced signature singles like “Say Yes" and "Getting Late" as well as four Grammy nods. Following the 2005 release of their second studio album, Flo’Ology, the ladies veered creatively and personally. While the split was difficult, Marsha continued to build a name for herself as a songwriter and producer, creating “Butterflies” for the late Michael Jackson and other hits for artists such as Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Jamie Foxx and Nas. She’s been nominated for a total of six Grammys and has been honored by BMI as their Songwriter of the Year.
Over the years, Marsha has stayed relevant as an artist via touring, writing/producing and mixtapes like 2007’s Neo Soul is Dead, 2008’s Yours Truly and 2010’s Yours Sincerely. She also appeared as a featured artist on projects from Patti Labelle, The Game, Busta Rhymes, Jamie Foxx and Earth, Wind & Fire, among others. Eventually, Marsha signed with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Records however a much-buzzed about solo debut never materialized due to creative glitches. Equipped with plenty of her own talent, she found herself being given songs from producers that were “great but not songs that made sense in relation to each other.” Marsha calls her sound “honest and consistent” and it was important for her to make an album with an overall cohesive sound. She explains, “I think with an album everything has to make sense, like ‘Where is this story going?’”
But that wasn’t the only situation posing a challenge for Marsha. A basketball player since childhood, when her music career took off, her diet remained the same as when she was regularly active. Constantly on the road touring and promoting wasn’t conducive to a healthy diet and resulted in her gaining 70 pounds in just one year. She finally got serious about her health and lost the weight safely and slowly over about a two-year period.
Now at a strong place mentally and physically, Marsha’s ready to present her sound to the world. The first single, “Hope She Cheats on You (With a Basketball Player),” is an anthem that women and men can relate to. Marsha explains, “It’s the reality of a bad break up. We wanna be decent human beings and say the right thing, you know, ‘I wish you well.’ But this is ‘Everything that could go wrong for him I want it to because my ego is bruised and I’m acting out.’” There’ve been many songs written about heartbreak, but Marsha’s approach to “Hope She Cheats on You” gets in your face rather than plays the victim.
LATE NIGHTS & EARLY MORNINGS is destined to be a classic, as Marsha offers a candid glimpse of her life and perspectives as a woman. Inspired by musical icons like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Prince, she concedes there is an overall male influence in her songwriting, such as the assertive sentiments heard on hits like “Say Yes.” She explains, “My pen and my point of view has a certain aggression to it because I’ve listened to a lot of male influenced music, which I think makes me one of the most outspoken writers out here. Sometimes as a woman you don’t wanna say what’s on your mind for fear of being judged. But why wouldn’t I say it like that if that’s how I felt?” Musical peers recruited to contribute to the project include Alicia Keys, a reunion with Dre and Vidal (producers of “Say Yes”), Just Blaze and Focus.
While her success in the industry is already solidified, Marsha knows it’s never easy to win over fans as a solo artist. Fortunately, she says, “It’s like being thrown in the deep end. ‘Okay I have to swim? Oh well.’ I’ve taken that attitude and it’s carried me forward.”
(from MarshaAmbrosius.com)
Night Time
Marsha Ambrosius Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I never give in til you're gone
I fight for control when you hold me tight baby
It's way too soon so I kiss goodnight
And I there I lie (lie) in the night (in the night) wide awake
In the night time baby I
Feel it all (all), I see it all (all), I see your face (face)
I done it all (all) in my dreams (dreams)
You and me (me)
In the night time baby
And if you call (call) me tonight (tonight) you will see (see)
In the night time baby (In the night time baby)
I'm not trying to make you wait
And I'm lying if I say I can
And I know that I'm worth it I am babe
But baby I know you deserve it
I know you want it
You know I want it
There I lie, in the night, wide awake (awake)
In the night time baby I
Feel it all (all), I see it all (all), I see your face (face)
In the night time baby
I done it all (all) in my dreams (dreams)
You and me (me)
In the night time baby
And if you call (call) me tonight (tonight) you will see (see)
In the night time baby
Baby won't you stay with me (yeah)
Stay with me
See we belong, it's meant to be
Baby won't you stay with me
Stay with me
Here I lie, in the night, wide awake (awake)
In the night time baby I
Feel it all (all), I see it all (all), I see your face (face)
In the night time baby
I done it all (all) in my dreams (dreams)
You and me (me)
In the night time baby
And if you call (call) me tonight (tonight) you will see (see)
In the night time baby (In the night time baby)
Marsha Ambrosius's song Night Time expresses the very human struggle between giving into our desires and the desire for self-control. The opening lines, "I can only be strong for so long, and I never give in till you’re gone," show that the artist is trying to resist the temptation of being with someone she desires. She fights for control with her lover, but she knows that it's too soon for them to be together, so she must say goodnight. This sentiment is meant to show that sometimes we must deny ourselves what we want even when it hurts.
The artist describes how in the night time, she feels and sees everything, her dreams, and her desires. She assures her partner that she wants him too. The repeated lyrics in the chorus of "in the night time baby" emphasize the sense of night's intimate and mysterious influence over their feelings. Towards the end of the song, the artist pleads with her partner to stay with her, emphasizing that they belong together, and it's meant to be.
Overall, the song is an emotional journey and an exploration of the fragility of love, desires, and self-control. It shows that love is a force that can cause pain, longing, and desire all at once.
Line by Line Meaning
I can only be strong for so long
There is a limit to how long I can keep up appearances of being strong
And I never give in til you’re gone
I try hard to stay strong until you leave my presence
I fight for control when you hold me tight baby
I struggle to maintain my composure when you hold me close
It’s way too soon so I kiss goodnight
It's too early for anything else, so I settle for a goodnight kiss
And I there I lie (lie) in the night (in the night) wide awake
I lay in bed in the dark, unable to sleep
In the night time baby I
Feel it all (all), I see it all (all), I see your face (face)
At night I am overwhelmed by emotions and memories, and your face keeps appearing in my mind
I done it all (all) in my dreams (dreams)
You and me (me)
In the night time baby
In my dreams, we have done everything together, and at night I am haunted by those mental images of us being together
And if you call (call) me tonight (tonight) you will see (see)
If you call me tonight, you will witness the emotions that are consuming me at night
I’m not trying to make you wait
I am not intentionally making you wait for me
And I’m lying if I say I can
But I am lying if I say I am able to be with you when I am not ready
And I know that I’m worth it I am babe
I acknowledge my value and worthiness, but that doesn't mean I am ready to be with you
But baby I know you deserve it
I know you want it
You know I want it
I am aware that you deserve to be with someone who is ready for a relationship, I know you want me to be that person, and you also know that I want to be that person
Baby won’t you stay with me (yeah)
I want you to stay with me
See we belong, it’s meant to be
I believe that we belong together, and it is destined to be
Here I lie, in the night, wide awake (awake)
I am still lying awake in bed, consumed by my emotions
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARSHA A AMBROSIUS, KENNETH BARTOLOMEI, KEVIN DEAN CROWE, SAM DEW, ERIK ORTIZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind