Narada's career spans over three decades and is threaded with gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards. He's produced and/or (co) written number one hits by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey ("Vision of Love"), Aretha Franklin ("Freeway of Love"), and Lisa Fischer ("How Can I Ease the Pain"). His proficient drumming skills have made him a first-call session musician playing on countless recording sessions.Walden has played on all kind of sessions from rock, jazz, pop, R&B, to fusion, sharing the recording and concert stage with the likes of John McLaughlin, the Mahavishnu Orchestra (a 21-year-old Narada replaced drumming legend Billy Cobham), and Jeff Beck (his Wired album) to name a small few. His own career as a recording artist is showcased on Rhino's Ecstasy's Dance: The Best of Narada Michael Walden. Walden's eclecticism is threaded throughout his recordings in varying degrees.
In the '80s, he became a Grammy-winning mega-producer: Producer of the Year in 1987, Album of the Year for the 1993 movie soundtrack The Bodyguard (Narada Michael Walden, producer), and the Song of the Year award in 1985 for writing Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love." The song helped the Queen of Soul land her first platinum album. Walden was named one of the Top Ten Producers With the Most Number One Hits by Billboard magazine. Narada produced the Temptations' "Stay," the group's first number one record in 25 years from their platinum-plus Grammy-nominated Phoenix Rising. He also produced tracks for their follow-up album, Ear-Resistable issued by Motown/Universal on May 16, 2000.
Born April 23, 1952, in Kalamazoo, MI, Walden was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy. After college graduation, he trekked to Miami, FL, playing in various rock bands. Signing with Atlantic Records, his début album, Garden of Love Light (1976), included the mid-tempo "Delightful," which charted at 81 R&B in spring 1977. His next LP, I Cry I Smile, boasted the sweet "So Long" and the radio-aired LP tracks the languid "I Need Your Love," the delicious "I Remember," and the charming "Better Man." Even though these top-notch tracks received airplay in Chicago and other markets, other than "Better Man," none were released as singles. Instead, the label picked "Soulbird" and "Manago Bop," which worked well as album tracks, but not singles.
The Awakening proved to be his breakthrough album, going to number 15 R&B in spring 1979 on the strength of the brassy "I Don't Want Nobody Else (To Dance With You)." Awakening radio-aired LP tracks were the airy "Listen to Me" and the jubilant album opener "Love Me Only" (also arranged by Patrick Adams). Awakening also featured top session bassist Keni Burke, formerly of the Five Stairsteps and best known for his own "Risin' to the Top."
His second highest charting single, "I Shoulda Loved Ya," hit number four R&B in late 1979. It was on his The Dance of Life (number nine R&B, late 1979), which included the gentle ballad "Why Did You Turn Me On." "You're #1" and "Summer Lady" were both on his Confidence LP from summer 1982. Walden's cover of the Four Tops' "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Reach Out," a huge dance hit, was listed on Looking at You, Looking at Me, which charted in spring 1983. Switching to Warner Bros., his duet with Patti Austin, the Motown-ish pop confection, "Gimme Gimme Gimme," issued as Narada Michael Walden with Patti Austin, went to number 39 R&B in early 1985 and was listed on his The Nature of Things album. His single "Divine Emotions" on the Warner Bros. imprint Reprise Records appeared in the Michael J. Fox movie Bright Lights, Big City. The Divine Emotion LP included the charting mellow single "Wild Thing" and the smooth, chugging, radio-aired LP track "That's the Way That I Feel About Cha." His 1995 Toshiba/EMI album was titled Sending Love to Everyone.
In late 1985, Walden opened Tarpan Studios, a state-of-the-art recording studio located near San Francisco. Walden's work appears on releases by Stacy Lattisaw ("Let Be Your Angel") ,Al Green (Your Heart's in Good Hands), Shanice Wilson ("I Love Your Smile," "I Hate to Be Lonely"), Ray Charles, Diana Ross, George Michael, Wild Orchid, Tevin Campbell, Angela Bofill, Diana Ross, MyTown, Steve Winwood, Phaze II, Regina Belle-Passion ("Baby Come to Me"), Andy Vargas, Debelah Morgan, Jai, Jermaine Stewart ("We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"), Natalie Cole ("Good to Be Back), Clarence Clemons, Puff Johnson, Eddie Murphy ("Put Your Mouth on Me"), and Carl Carlton ("The Bad CC"), among many many others.
Other Narada Michael Walden-related releases are Stacy Lattisaw and Johnny Gill (Perfect Combination), Lisa Fischer (So Intense), and the movie soundtracks to Beverly Hills Cop II, Perfect, Waiting to Exhale, License to Kill, The Bodyguard, Jason's Lyric, 9 1/2 Weeks, Crooklyn, Free Willy, and The Associate.
If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go
Narada Michael Walden Lyrics
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Blacks and the crackers
Police and their backers
They're all political actors
Hurry
People running from their worries
While the judge and the juries
Cat calling, love balling, fussing and cussing
Top billing now is killing
For peace no-one is willing
Kind of make you get that feeling
Everybody smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke
Use the pill and the dope, dope, dope, dope, dope
Educated fools
From uneducated schools
Pimping people is the rule
Polluted water in the pool
And Nixon talking about don't worry, worry, worry, worry
He says don't worry, worry, worry, worry
He says don't worry, worry, worry, worry
He says don't worry, worry, worry, worry
But they don't know
There can be no show
And if there's a hell below
We're all gonna go, go, go, go, go
Everybody's praying
And everybody's saying
But when come time to do
Everybody's laying
Just talking about don't worry, worry, worry, worry
They say don't worry, worry, worry, worry
They say don't worry, worry, worry, worry
They say don't worry, worry, worry, worry
The lyrics of Narada Michael Walden's song If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go speak of the societal issues and injustices that were prevalent in the United States during the early 1970s. The opening lines state that people of different races and social classes are all involved in political actions. The references to "whities", "blacks", and "crackers" indicate the racial divide that existed in America at that time. The lyrics note a sense of urgency with the line "Hurry, people running from their worries" and suggests that the justice system is flawed with the phrase "Dictate the law that's partly flaw". The lyrics reveal the lack of concern for the betterment of society with lines such as "For peace no one is willing" and "Pimping people is the rule". The chorus repeats the phrase "don't worry" sarcastically, implying that people should be worried about the state of society. The song concludes by saying that even though people are praying and saying they will change, when it comes time to act, no one does.
Overall, If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go is a powerful social commentary on the issues that existed in America in the early 1970s. It highlights the problems that were deeply rooted in society pertaining to racial inequalities, justice, and drug addiction among different classes of people. It is a poignant reminder that societal problems cannot be solved unless people start taking appropriate actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Sisters, brothers and the whities
Individuals of different races and ethnicities
Blacks and the crackers
Black people and white people
Police and their backers
Law enforcement officials and those who support them
They're all political actors
All of them are involved in the political scene
Hurry
People are in a rush
People running from their worries
People fleeing from their problems
While the judge and the juries
Legal officers in charge of making final judgments and decisions
Dictate the law that's partly flaw
The legal system has some flaws
Cat calling, love balling, fussing and cussing
Acts of disrespect and disagreement
Top billing now is killing
Murder is now more significant
For peace no-one is willing
Nobody wants peace
Kind of make you get that feeling
Makes you feel uneasy
Everybody smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke, smoke
Excessive smoking
Use the pill and the dope, dope, dope, dope, dope
Using drugs and prescription medication in excess
Educated fools
People who are well-educated but not wise
From uneducated schools
People who attended schools but remain uninformed
Pimping people is the rule
People are exploited and used for the benefit of others
Polluted water in the pool
Water sources are contaminated
And Nixon talking about don't worry, worry, worry, worry
President Nixon promoting calm and not worrying
He says don't worry, worry, worry, worry
Repeating the message of tranquility
But they don't know
The reality is different from the message being relayed
There can be no show
There can be no display of forgiveness
And if there's a hell below
If hell exists
We're all gonna go, go, go, go, go
Everyone is doomed to suffer the torment of hell
Everybody's praying
Everyone is seeking divine intervention
But when come time to do
When it's time for action
Everybody's laying
Everyone is complacent
Just talking about don't worry, worry, worry, worry
Promoting calmness through words
They say don't worry, worry, worry, worry
Reiterating the message of tranquility
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind