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.
Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'
Mayer Hawthorne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When your struttin' down the street
Oh it makes a mess
Oh we bend the knees
Lipstick on your lips
When you say those words so sweet
Oh have mercy darlin'
When we're all alone girl
And there's no one else in sight
And I'm holdin' you so tight
And so true
Well then you pull away girl
Just when I think that I'm home
And you leave me all alone
And I'm feeling so blue, well
Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin'
Baby, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Forget teasing, loving
I need that tender loving
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Come on
You know I need you girl
Come on darlin' don't be scared
It's as natural as the birds
And the bees
I'll be on the floor
When your dancing next to me
Oh have mercy darlin'
I'm begging you, please
When we're all alone girl
And there's no one else in sight
And I'm holdin' you so tight
And so true
Well then you pull away girl
When there's magic in the air
And you leave me hangin there
And I'm feelin so blue
Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin'
Baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Forget teasing, loving
I need that tender loving
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ooh, I don't want nobody else
When I got you by yourself
Come on, come on
Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin'
Baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Forget teasing, loving
I need that tender loving
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin'
Baby, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Forget teasing, loving
I need that tender loving
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Mayer Hawthorne’s “Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'” is a song about a lover who is withholding affection and the singer's longing for intimacy. The song opens with a description of the lover's physical attributes and movements that turn heads, but it becomes apparent that the singer is not pleased with the lack of emotional connection. The lyrics “When we're all alone girl, And there's no one else in sight, And I'm holdin' you so tight, And so true. Well, then you pull away girl, Just when I think that I'm home, And you leave me all alone, And I'm feeling so blue, well” highlight the pain of feeling used and abandoned.
Throughout the song, the singer uses the metaphor of bees and birds to suggest that physical intimacy is natural but is not enough to sustain a relationship. He hopes for tender and loving affection that he is not receiving. The chorus of the song, “Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin', Forget teasing, loving. I need that tender loving,” sums up the singer's dissatisfaction with the relationship.
Overall, “Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'” is a heartfelt tune that explores the complexities of intimacy in relationships. It emphasizes that physical attraction can only take a relationship so far and that true love requires more than just an easy romance.
Line by Line Meaning
The way you move your hips
Your physical appearance and movement is captivating
When your struttin' down the street
When walking with confident strides, making me notice you more
Oh it makes a mess
It causes me to lose control of my emotions and thoughts
Oh we bend the knees
I am mesmerized and find myself captivated by your movements, even my knees buckle
Lipstick on your lips
Your attractive lips are emphasized by lipstick
When you say those words so sweet
Your sweet words add to your allure
Oh have mercy darlin'
I am powerless to the effect you have on me
I'm beggin' you please
I am asking for your attention and affection
When we're all alone girl
When we have time for ourselves without others around us
And there's no one else in sight
When we have privacy
And I'm holdin' you so tight
When I am holding you closely and intimately
And so true
And I am honest and genuine in my feelings towards you
Well then you pull away girl
You suddenly withdraw from my embrace
Just when I think that I'm home
When I thought that we were getting closer
And you leave me all alone
You abandon me emotionally, causing me to feel lonely
And I'm feeling so blue, well
I am left feeling sad and dejected
Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin'
Your superficial and temporary affection is not satisfying me
Baby, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
My affectionate address to you
Forget teasing, loving
Enough with the pretense, I want genuine love
I need that tender loving
I crave genuine and affectionate love
Come on
I urge you to be honest and genuine with me
You know I need you girl
I need your genuine love and affection
Come on darlin' don't be scared
I encourage you to open up and be honest with me
It's as natural as the birds
It is a natural desire that we both feel
And the bees
Just like the bees that are drawn to flowers' nectar, I am drawn to your love
I'll be on the floor
I will feel powerless to your affection and affectionate behavior
When your dancing next to me
When you dance closely to me
Oh have mercy darlin'
Your effect on me will be intense
I'm begging you, please
I am pleading with you to be honest and real with me
When there's magic in the air
When there is an aura of romance and passion in the environment
And you leave me hangin there
When you suddenly withdraw from me emotionally in the most intense moment
Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin'
Your superficial and temporary affection is not enough to satisfy me
Ooh, I don't want nobody else
I don't want any other person
When I got you by yourself
When I am alone with you
Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin'
Your superficial and temporary affection is not enough to satisfy me
Baby, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
My affectionate address to you
Forget teasing, loving
Enough with the pretense, I want genuine love
I need that tender loving
I crave genuine and affectionate love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Expressing my desire for genuine love and affection
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDREW M COHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind