The “retro” tag is added to almost any contemporary work that sounds like it was originally recorded between 1966 and 1974, and Hawthorne, among the newest contributors to the genre, is aware of how trends come and go. After being introduced to Stones Throw Records label head Peanut Butter Wolf by mutual friend Noelle Scaggs of the Rebirth, even his current boss was skeptical. “He showed me two songs and I didn’t understand what I was listening to,” Wolf recalls. “I asked him if they were old songs that he did re-edits of – I couldn’t believe they were new songs and that he played all the instruments.”
And after meeting in person, it was even harder for Wolf to believe that Hawthorne was also the lead vocalist. Few expect such heartfelt sentiment to come from a 29-year-old white kid from Ann Arbor, but he has caught the ear of his family at Stones Throw, as well as BBC Radio 1 host Gilles Peterson and producer/DJ Mark Ronson. Expectations are high for the admitted vinyl junkie who never planned on taking his crooning public. Hawthorne’s hanging-by-a-string falsetto and breakbeat production on his first recorded effort, the tender “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out,” are simultaneously Smokey and J Dilla – equal parts “The Tracks of My Tears” and “Fall in Love.” “It’s soul,” he explains, “But it’s new.”
Hawthorne has produced and played instruments for much of his life, but never intended to become a singer. He isn’t formally trained, and never sang in a choir or in any of the bands he was in before founding the County (formerly the County Commissioners). But here he is, new school soul sensation, who has taken the Motown assembly-line production model and eliminated nearly every element but himself and a few hired hands. “I think Mayer is the only artist in the history of the label that I’ve signed after hearing only two songs,” says Peanut Butter Wolf. “Sometimes, you just know it’s the right thing to do.”
And for those willing to believe anything is possible, be grateful to have Mayer Hawthorne on the scene. It’s not just throwback music anymore – this revival is all about progression.
Can't Stop
Mayer Hawthorne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way you turn me on
I can't stop thinking about you
No, no, no, baby
You stole my heart girl
(What a crying shame)
Yeah, a love torn apart girl
Visions of you now
(When I close my eyes)
I can't let you go girl
(You've got me hypnotized)
I can't stop thinking about you
The way you turn me on
I can't stop thinking about you
I tried to fight it
But I can't let go
Cause everything about you is so incredible
I wanna play with your body
Softly, softly
And maybe we can get naughty
I'm so bossy, bossy
I always think of you and it makes me wait
I try to find the words to say
But I just can't speak
I'm so high and she's the reason why
Baby maybe we can spend some time
When you and I get intertwined
And you can let me hit it from behind
And now the winner report
I've started facing my infatuation
You have combination that's so hard to find
And when I'm chasing all the nights
We've had in my imagination
I get a revelation that just blows my mind
I can't stop thinking about you
The way you turn me on
I can't stop thinking about you
I can't stop thinking about you
The way you turn me on
I can't stop thinking about you
The lyrics to Mayer Hawthorne's song Can't Stop describe the experience of being deeply infatuated with someone and being unable to shake them from your mind. The first verse details the singer's obsession with the object of his affection, stating that he can't stop thinking about them and the way they turn him on. The second verse reflects on a past mistake where the singer "stole" the heart of this girl only to inevitably have it torn apart. However, the singer cannot let her go, and instead has visions of her whenever he closes his eyes. The chorus repeats the opening sentiments, emphasizing the singer's fixation on this person.
The third verse reflects the singer's desperation to pursue this person and his desire to be physically intimate with them. He remains fixated on her, finding it impossible to find the words to express his feelings. The final verse reflects a sense of self-realization and acceptance of his infatuation, as he notes that this person possesses a rare combination that he finds difficult to resist. The revelation he experiences when thinking about them is both mind-blowing and inescapable.
Overall, the lyrics to Can't Stop reflect the common experience of becoming intensely attached to someone, even if it may not be the healthiest or most rational behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't stop thinking about you
The singer is obsessed with the person he is singing about and cannot get them out of his mind.
The way you turn me on
The person the singer is thinking about arouses him and he finds them attractive.
No, no, no, baby
The singer repeats this line to emphasize the power this person has over him - he can't stop thinking about them even though he knows he should.
You stole my heart girl
The person the singer is thinking about has captured his heart and he can't help but feel strongly about them.
(What a crying shame)
The singer is trying to express a sense of regret or sadness about what happened between them.
Yeah, a love torn apart girl
The singer is acknowledging that the relationship ended badly and the love between them was broken apart.
(And I was to blame)
The singer is accepting responsibility for what happened between them and acknowledging that he played a part in the relationship ending.
Visions of you now
The singer cannot stop thinking about the person he is singing about, even when he closes his eyes.
(When I close my eyes)
The singer is emphasizing that he thinks about this person all the time, even when he is not actively trying to think about them.
I can't let you go girl
The singer is still holding onto feelings for the person he is singing about and cannot move on from them.
(You've got me hypnotized)
The singer is emphasizing the power this person has over him and how he feels unable to resist them.
I tried to fight it
The singer knows that his feelings for this person are not healthy or productive, but he has been unable to resist them.
But I can't let go
The singer is admitting that he is unable to move on from his feelings for this person, no matter how hard he tries.
Cause everything about you is so incredible
The singer is emphasizing how much he admires and is attracted to this person - even though he knows it is not healthy for him.
I wanna play with your body
The singer is expressing a desire to be intimate with this person and explore their physical connection.
Softly, softly
The singer is emphasizing that he wants to be gentle and tender with this person.
And maybe we can get naughty
The singer is expressing a desire to explore and experiment sexually with this person, but in a respectful way.
I'm so bossy, bossy
The singer is likely playing with the idea of being dominant or in control during sexual experiences with this person.
I always think of you and it makes me wait
The singer is saying that thinking about this person makes him feel hopeful and positive, even if he knows he shouldn't be thinking about them so much.
I try to find the words to say
The singer is admitting that he has trouble expressing his feelings verbally.
But I just can't speak
The singer is emphasizing his inability to communicate effectively with this person, even though he wants to.
I'm so high and she's the reason why
The singer is saying that thinking about this person makes him feel elated or intoxicated with feeling.
Baby maybe we can spend some time
The singer is expressing a hope that he and this person can spend more time together, despite the challenges that come with their connection.
When you and I get intertwined
The singer is expressing a desire to be physically and emotionally intertwined with this person - to be close to them in every way.
And you can let me hit it from behind
The singer is using explicit language to express a desire for sexual intimacy with this person.
And now the winner report
This line is a bit unclear on its own, but it seems to refer to something noteworthy or surprising happening.
I've started facing my infatuation
The singer is expressing a sense of self-awareness and admitting that his feelings for this person may not be as healthy or productive as he might like.
You have combination that's so hard to find
The singer is emphasizing how unique and special this person is to him, and how he feels lucky to have found them.
And when I'm chasing all the nights
The singer is admitting that he spends a lot of time thinking and obsessing over the past which involves this person.
We've had in my imagination
The singer is saying he has built up a lot of fantasies in his head about this person and their potential relationship.
I get a revelation that just blows my mind
The singer is suggesting that he has had some kind of realization or breakthrough about his feelings for this person, but that it has been intense and emotionally overwhelming.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ADAM X. COHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind