The Philadelphia born Beverly started the group as Raw Soul in 1970. They recorded a couple of singles on the small Gregar label, but without any major hits. But with a few personnel changes, a relocation from Philadelphia to the San Francisco Bay Area in California in 1971, and an introduction to Marvin Gaye, the group became an immediate success. Gaye took the group on the road with him as one of his opening acts, and in 1976 he suggested that they changed their name from Raw Soul to Maze.
Maze signed a recording contract with Capitol Records in 1976, and released their debut album, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, in 1977. From that album, the hit singles included "Happy Feelin's," "While I'm Alone," and "Lady of Magic"; ultimately giving them their first gold record and earning Maze a devoted fan base. They also had success with the following albums Golden Time of Day (1978), Inspiration (1979) and Joy and Pain (1980).
Their next recording was Live in New Orleans, three quarters of which was recorded at the Saenger Theatre, on November 14–15, 1980. Three of those songs got into the U.S. R&B chart, including "Running Away," "Before I Let Go," and "We Need Love To Live." By that time, the band had both a reputation in America also enjoyed a following in the United Kingdom with promotional support from the British DJ Robbie Vincent. In May 1985, Maze sold out eight nights at the Hammersmith Odeon.
In 1989, they signed with Warner Bros. and released the hit album Silky Soul, plus Back to Basics in 1993, and released the live DVD recording at London's Hammersmith Odeon in 1994. The two albums also attained gold disc status.
The group released Can't Stop the Love in March 1985, which featured the group's first number one R&B hit "Back In Stride." The Top 5 follow-up, "Too Many Games," was part of that recording. They had another number one R&B success with "Can't Get Over You."
In October 2004, "Twilight" appeared in the video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on funk radio station, Bounce FM.
Maze continues to tour around the United States as well as Europe to this day. Every year they are the also the closing act for the Essence Music Festival.
Ain't It Strange
Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly Lyrics
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Ain't it strange how things do change
One day your up and doing fine
Everything is right on time
Soon as your somewhere bound
Someone will make a change and turn you all around
Ain't it strange how things do change
Somethings you've seen you'll see no more
Nothing is like it was before
Time passes by and so do we
But things will be alright as long as you are free
Ain't it strange how things do change
Ain't it strange how things do change
Things are changing changing all the time
Nothing stays the same keep an open mind
Things are changing changing all the time
Nothing stays the same keep an open mind
Things are changing changing all the time
Nothing stays the same keep an open mind
Ain't it strange how things do change
Ain't it strange how things do change
Ain't it strange how things do change
Ain't it strange how things do change
The lyrics to "Ain't It Strange" by Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly speak to the unpredictable nature of life and the inevitability of change. The repeated refrain, "Ain't it strange how things do change" underscores this message, reminding the listener that life is full of unexpected twists and turns. The first verse describes how one's life can be going well, only to be flipped upside down by the actions of others. This idea is echoed in the second verse, which speaks to the impermanence of everything in life. The final verse encourages the listener to keep an open mind and embrace change, suggesting that as long as one is free and open to new experiences, things will ultimately be alright.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't it strange how things do change
It's astounding how unpredictable life can be and how circumstances can transform unexpectedly.
One day your up and doing fine
There may be moments in life when things are going exceptionally well, and you are on top of the world.
Everything is right on time
At that moment in life, you feel like everything is falling into place, just as planned.
Soon as your somewhere bound
The moment you think you have your life sorted and know where you're going, things will change.
Someone will make a change and turn you all around
Sometimes, a single individual or a wrong decision can upend everything you've worked so hard for.
Somethings you've seen you'll see no more
There are circumstances in life that can be so fleeting that once they're gone, they will never come back again.
Nothing is like it was before
After certain experiences or events, everything changes, and even trying to go back to how things were before will be unsuccessful.
Time passes by and so do we
Time moves on, and so do people, regardless of whether they're ready or not.
But things will be alright as long as you are free
No matter how much your circumstances change, as long as you have your freedom, you will always have the power to create your own fate.
Things are changing changing all the time
Change is constant, and it happens more often than we realize.
Nothing stays the same keep an open mind
It's essential to keep an open mind in life because things can change in a second, and what once seemed impossible can become possible with time.
Ain't it strange how things do change
It's almost unbelievable how unpredictable life can be and how quickly things can take an unexpected turn.
Contributed by Kaelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Glenda Ann Womack
on The Look In Your Eyes
I love Frankie Beverly has music i can relate to over and over again
Glenda Ann Womack
on The Morning After
Love this old school music