The daughter of strict Baptist ministers in Dallas, Texas - only two kinds … Read Full Bio ↴The daughter of strict Baptist ministers in Dallas, Texas - only two kinds of music were allowed in N’dambi’s house – gospel and country. Church was the center of the family‟s life in every way and there was no middle ground. Secular music was forbidden, but its irresistible allure eventually trickled into her life and began impacting the maturing young singer. Blessed with a deep contralto, N’dambi became especially enamored with the male singers from the „70s and „80s she‟d heard and identified with while hanging out with cousins and friends. The funky soul of Bar-Kays‟ Larry Dodson, the sophisticated syncopation of Earth, Wind & Fire‟s Maurice White and the notorious abandon of the
Ohio Players‟ Sugafoot influenced her heavily. Later, the mysterious, uninhibited imagination of Nina Simone and Mahalia Jackson also became musical and cultural touchstones.

Her independent streak led to college and a degree in English and creative writing from Southern Methodist University. Her developing, expressive voice, the poetic irony of her skillful writing ability and her musicianship as a classically trained pianist spurred N’dambi’s musical ambition. N’dambi sang back-up and collaborated with another rising soul seeker, Erykah Badu all the while honing her artistry and slowly building a fiercely loyal fan base that resonates with the organic, authentic approach to her life and music.

N’dambi delivered her debut solo CD Little Lost Girl Blues in 1999. Since then she has released the two-disc set Tunin' Up & Cosignin', and the 2005 set A Weird Kind Of Wonderful, which was released only in Japan. Her newest project, Pink Elephant, will be released October 6 with Stax Records. N’dambi ingeniously distills soul-deep inspiration into a sensual style of elegance and power, making her a fundamental new addition to the Stax legacy.

Can't Change Me
N'Dambi Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's been a minute
Since I've seen you, babe
Seems to be something on your mind
What wrong?
You're no longer happy, babe?
Has the distance takin' up to much time?

See I still love you yes I do

But if this is getting to you
We could change it
Rearrange it
But I tell you the truth
Yeah, I'm talkin' to you

See I heard it all before
And I know what it means
See it seems you want much more
But you can't change me, can't change me

Where are you going?
See.
I don't want to talk about this over and over again.

Since I've seen you last
Changed my hair babe
Even bought some new clothes
Took some size off my hips, babe
I changed the polish on my toes

But I still love you yes I do
But if this is getting to you
We could change it
Rearrange it
But I tell you the truth
Yeah, I'm talkin' to you

See I heard it all before (oooh)
And I know what t means (huuh)
See it seems you want much more (so much more)
But you can't change me, can't change me
(uhuh, uhuh, uhuh, uhuh)

I still love you yes I do
And if this is getting to you, well
We could change it
Rearrange it
But I tell you the truth
Yeah, I'm talkin' to you

See I heard it all before
And I know what it means
See it seems you want much more
But you can't change me, can't change me

See I heard it all before
(I've heard it all before)
And I know what it means
(I know what it means)
See it seems you want much more
(So much more)
But you can't change me, can't change me

See I heard it all before
(I've heard it all before)
And I know what it means
(I know what it means)
See it seems you want much more
(So much more)
But you can't change me, can't change me

See I heard it all before
(I've heard it all before)
And I know what it means
(I know what it means)
See it seems you want much more
(So much more)
But you can't change me, can't change me

No, no. No, no. No, no.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to N'Dambi's Can't Change Me depict a conversation between two people who are no longer happy with their relationship. The singer expresses her love for her partner but acknowledges that there seems to be something on his mind. Despite her attempts to change for him, by taking size off her hips, buying new clothes and changing the polish on her toes, she still feels that he wants more from her. She tells him that they could change and rearrange their relationship, but she cannot be changed as a person. There is an air of frustration in her tone as she realizes that she has heard it all before and knows what it means, implying that this conversation has happened repeatedly. The lyrics end with her saying no to the idea of having the same conversation over and over again.

The lyrics of the song are relatable to anyone who has ever been in a relationship and had to compromise or change for their partner. It highlights the importance of staying true to oneself and not letting someone else change who you are. The song's message also emphasizes that sometimes two people who love each other may not be compatible, even if they try to change themselves for the other person.

Line by Line Meaning

It's been a minute
It's been awhile since I've seen you

Since I've seen you, babe
It's been awhile since I've seen you

Seems to be something on your mind
You seem to be troubled

What wrong?
What's bothering you?

You're no longer happy, babe?
You're not happy anymore?

Has the distance takin' up to much time?
Has the distance made it difficult for us?

See I still love you yes I do
I want you to know that I still love you

But if this is getting to you
If this is bothering you

We could change it
We can work on it together

Rearrange it
We can make changes to fix it

But I tell you the truth
I want to be honest