Maxwell capitalized on his breakthrough with the MTV Unplugged EP, taken from his live MTV performance. It attracted attention and acclaim outside the R&B community with the left-field cover choices "This Woman's Work" (by Kate Bush) and "Closer" (by Nine Inch Nails). Additionally, the 'MTV Unplugged' version of "Whenever, Wherever, Whatever" earned him another Grammy nomination (for Best Male Pop Vocal). Anticipation for his second full-length album was high, and when Embrya was released in 1998, it entered the charts at number three. Reviews were more mixed this time around, with some critics charging that Maxwell's ambition had crossed the line into indulgence; still, the record duplicated its predecessor's platinum sales.
Maxwell adopted his middle name as his stage moniker, keeping his real identity a closely guarded secret out of concern for his family's privacy. Born of Puerto Rican and black Caribbean stock, Maxwell suffered the loss of his father (in a plane crash) when he was just three years old. The experience made him a deeply religious child, and he first began singing in his Baptist church. Still, he didn't really get serious about music until age 17, when he began writing his own songs using a cheap Casio keyboard given to him by a friend. Initially influenced by early-'80s urban R&B, and drawing his greatest inspiration from the concept of the R&B auteur (looking to artists like Marvin Gaye, Prince, Stevie Wonder). He progressed rapidly, and by 1991 he was performing on the New York club scene, despite ridicule from classmates who couldn't imagine the shy, awkward teenager doing anything of the sort. After making a name for himself, he signed a recording contract with Columbia in 1994.
In 1999, Maxwell scored his biggest hit to date with the single "Fortunate," an R. Kelly composition he recorded for the soundtrack of the film Life; it was a mammoth success, ranking as the number one R&B hit of the year in Billboard magazine. Later that year, he also cut two songs for the soundtrack of The Best Man.
In August 2001, Maxwell returned with his third full-length album, Now, which was touted as a return to the more straightforwardly romantic atmosphere of his debut. It entered the album charts at number one and quickly launched a hit single in "Lifetime." ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
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... He eventually got a record deal with Columbia Records in 1994 when he was 21 years old. His loss of his father at the age of three had a great impact on him as a person and as an artist. Maxwell played keyboard in church during his youth; however, he was not aware of his vocal talent during adolescence. His vocal ability was later discovered during a romantic affair which inspired the music for his first music release "Urban Hang Suite." Maxwell was heavily inspired by the work of artists such as Marvin Gaye, Prince, Sade, and lastly Anita Baker who he gives credit to "teaching him how to sing."
After taking several years off, Maxwell released his latest album BLACKsummers'night on July 7, 2009. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Albums Top 200 chart, his second album to receive that ranking. Maxwell said his reason for leaving the music industry for such a long period was "to just take time off. The music industry has so much competition and there was no rush for me.
The follow-up to BLACKsummers'night and the second installment in a planned trilogy, blackSUMMERS'night, is set to be released late 2012 but the exact date is unknown.
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The name "Maxwell" also appears to be used by a hip hop beat producer from Oldenburg, Germany.
W
Maxwell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something you gotta see, yeah
Gotta let you know
All that's here in me
Say you want to go
So we can both break free, lady lady
You won't open up wide (oh oh)
How could you do that to me, child
When you know, know I love you girl (oh oh)
Turn the lights down low
Tell me what you could see, yeah
Tell me what you know
About everything you and me
'Cause baby if you want to go
I got a place we can be, lady lady
How could you not want to want to want to
Open open wide (oh oh)
How could you make me ride (oh oh oh)
How could you, how could you do that to me, why
When you know that I love you, girl
(Know I love you girl)
Love you girl
Turn the lights down low
Something you gotta see, yeah
Gotta let you know
In "W/As My Girl," Maxwell sings about his desire for intimacy and connection with a woman he loves, who is hesitant to open up to him emotionally. He sets the mood by suggesting they turn the lights down low, inviting her to see something important and to let her know about all that's inside of him. He wants to break free with her, but her resistance to opening up wide is perplexing and painful for him. Maxwell is pleading with her to let down her guard so that they can deepen their relationship, asking her to tell him everything she knows about them. He's offering her a place where they can be together and be free, if only she will open up to him the way he has to her.
The lyrics are rich with imagery and longing, conveying the depth of Maxwell's desire for intimacy and his frustration with his partner's reluctance to reciprocate. He wants to know her fully and to be known by her, but their inability to connect emotionally is blocking their path to deeper closeness. The repetition of the phrase, "How could you not want to want to want to, open open wide," underscores his sense of disbelief and anguish at being shut out by the woman he loves.
In "W/As My Girl," Maxwell taps into the universal struggle of navigating emotional intimacy in a relationship. His lyrics evoke empathy and resonance for anyone who has experienced the longing for deeper connection that can be thwarted by fear and mistrust. The song is a powerful expression of vulnerability and desire, showcasing Maxwell's ability to capture the complexity of human emotion through music.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn the lights down low
Dim the lights to create a romantic atmosphere
Something you gotta see, yeah
There's something important that Maxwell wants to show to his lover
Gotta let you know
He wants to communicate his feelings to his lover
All that's here in me
Maxwell is expressing that he has a lot of emotions and feelings for his lover
Say you want to go
Maxwell is asking his lover if she is ready to take the next step in their relationship
So we can both break free, lady lady
By going further in their relationship, they can both feel a sense of liberation and freedom
You won't open up wide (oh oh)
Maxwell's lover is not opening up emotionally or physically
How can you not open up wide (oh oh)
He is expressing his confusion and frustration about his lover's unwillingness to fully share herself with him
How could you do that to me, child
Maxwell feels hurt and abandoned because his lover is not fully present in their relationship
When you know, know I love you girl (oh oh)
He is reminding his lover that he cares deeply for her
Tell me what you could see, yeah
Maxwell is asking his lover to open up and share her thoughts and emotions with him
Tell me what you know
He is asking for her to be honest and tell him everything she is feeling
About everything you and me
Maxwell is interested in exploring their relationship and getting to know his partner on a deeper level
'Cause baby if you want to go
Maxwell is letting his lover know that he is willing to take their relationship further if she is ready
I got a place we can be, lady lady
He has a special place where they can go to explore their relationship further and connect more intimately
How could you not want to want to want to
Maxwell is expressing his confusion over his lover's hesitancy to move forward in their relationship
Open open wide (oh oh)
He wants his lover to open up emotionally and physically
How could you make me ride (oh oh oh)
Maxwell feels like his lover is making him go on an emotional roller coaster
How could you, how could you do that to me, why
He is expressing his pain and frustration with his lover's behavior
When you know that I love you, girl
He is reminding his lover that he deeply cares for her, and he can't understand why she is not opening up to him
(Know I love you girl)
A repetition of his previous line, further reinforcing his love for his partner
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HOD DAVID, MAXWELL MENARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jaz6789
We will never have another Maxwell, smoothness unmatched.
@WeBbillionairz
🙋🏽♂️
@amazonprime6509
Jasmine I Totally Agree With You; A Once In A Lifetime Voice 😎👍 I've Liked/Loved His Voice Since I First Heard Till The Cops Come Knockin'
@cocovernon8394
Never, ever another MAXWELL!!! They broke the mold....a sexy singing machine!!! Swagalicious, a voice that exudes love❤️
@patthomas4070
Exactly
@lovetotheworld2522
He is still available.
@victorjordan6100
One of his best.
@djtyson435
Super underrated song in his catalog 🔥👏🏾
@richardgourdine2756
SAD BUT TRUE
@empresskiya6466
Embrya Album is unrated that whole Album is Fyah🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Maxwell is a amazing creative artist now he free to create what he wants us to hear