Me'Shell Ndegéocello is a stylisation of Meshell Ndegeocello, a pseudonym o… Read Full Bio ↴Me'Shell Ndegéocello is a stylisation of Meshell Ndegeocello, a pseudonym of Michelle Lynn Johnson (b. 29 Aug 1968) is a singer, bassist, and multi-instrumentalist. She was born Michelle Johnson to Army lieutenant (and saxophonist) father Jacques Johnson and her mother, Helen in Berlin, Germany.

Raised in Washington, D.C., Meshell Suhaila Bashir Shakur (as she became known) adopted the surname Ndegéocello, which means "free like a bird", while still in her teens. She has been hailed in the music press as a redeemer of soul music. Her music incorporates funk, soul, hip-hop, reggae, rock and jazz. She has been nominated for 9 Grammys. She has frequently toured with Lilith Fair.

Ndegeocello honed her chops on the D.C. Go-go circuit in the late 1980s before venturing out as a solo artist. She emerged as a recording artist in 1993 on Maverick Records/Sire Records with her debut, Plantation Lullabies. This recording presented a distinctly androgynous persona. Her music has been featured in a number of film soundtracks including How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Batman and Robin. She has also appeared on recordings by Basement Jaxx and The Blind Boys of Alabama, among others. Her biggest hit is a duet with John Cougar Mellencamp, a cover version of Van Morrison's Wild Night, which reached #3 on the Billboard charts.

Her singles If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night), Leviticus: Faggot, and her cover of Bill Withers Who Is He and What Is He To You? have all charted in the Billboard top 20. She sang background vocals on the song I'd Rather be Your Lover by Madonna, on her album Bedtime Stories. She also sang with Chaka Khan on the single Never Miss the Water, as well as providing her typical solid bass skills.

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Shirk
Me'Shell Ndegéocello Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You believe
You did nothing wrong
To lead us down this road

I wallow in shame
While you sit there on your throne
When I miss you
I cry

I miss you
I'm sorry I lied

If we can't forgive
Then I can't forgive
You
We can't forgive

I'm sorry
I left you no home
But your words
They shattered my bones

When I miss you
I cry
I miss you

I'm sorry I lied
I'm sorry I lied

Overall Meaning

The song "Shirk" by Me'shell Ndegéocello is a poignant reflection of the emotions felt after a painful breakup. The opening lines suggest that the singer's partner believes they did nothing wrong, placing the blame solely on the singer for leading them down the path to breakup. The singer, however, feels overwhelmed by guilt and constantly wallows in shame. The line "While you sit there on your throne" could be interpreted as resentment towards the partner for not taking on any of the blame.

The chorus "If we can't forgive, then I can't forgive you, we can't forgive" highlights the importance of mutual forgiveness in any relationship. It seems like the partner expects the singer to apologize for their wrongdoing but refuses to see the role they played. The guilt-ridden narrator acknowledges this but expresses their willingness to forgive and move on if their partner reciprocates the same sentiment. The lyrics "I'm sorry I left you no home, but your words, they shattered my bones" is a lamentation of how the breakup has left the singer emotionally wrecked, signified by the use of "shattered bones."

Overall, "Shirk" is a beautifully crafted song seeped in raw emotions that encapsulate the pain and guilt felt after a relationship ends.

Line by Line Meaning

You believe
You hold onto the belief that you have done nothing wrong

You did nothing wrong
You think that you did not contribute to the problems faced by us

To lead us down this road
Despite your actions, you have taken us on a path that led to difficulties

I wallow in shame
I feel immense guilt and regret about what has happened

While you sit there on your throne
You appear to be unaffected and indifferent to the struggles faced by us

When I miss you
In moments of loneliness and longing for companionship

I cry
I shed tears over the loss of a connection and the accompanying emotional pain

I miss you
I yearn for your presence and the warmth it brought

I'm sorry I lied
I apologize for deceiving you and hiding the truth

If we can't forgive
If we are unable to let go of resentment and anger