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.
Divine Emotions
Narada Michael Walden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna tell you
Oh, I seem to be falling (He's calling and falling)
Yes, I do
(He's more than curious
He really needs the stuff)
I look at you and I go boing, boing, boing
(He hasn't lost his touch
A word can mean so much)
It's more than just a passing fancy
[Chorus]
(Divine emotions come over me when you smile)
Oh, when you smile, baby
(A higher notion of ecstasy drives me wild)
Come on now, just drive me wild
Oh, I'm drowning this time (He's sinking, he's sinking)
Since I got the taste of
Oh, your lips on my mind (He's sinking and thinking)
(She thinks the boy is nuts
Somebody she can trust)
I try to speak and I go ding-dong-ding
(He makes it sound so nice
The girl's not made of ice)
Toto, look I think she's melting
[Chorus]
(Divine emotions come over me when you smile)
I love the way you love me, girl
(A higher notion of ecstasy drives me wild)
Come on, dear baby, dear baby!
Ow!
(Divine emotions)
(Divine emotions)
(Divine emotions come over me when you smile)
Oh, oh, the way you smile at me, baby
(A higher notion of ecstasy drives me wild)
Oh, oh, baby love, yeah
Oh!
Yeah, yeah
(Divine emotions)
Come on, baby, hold me close
Ha
(Divine emotions)
We could be a serious love-thing, you understand what I'm saying?
(Divine emotions)
Hey, oh!
Come on, baby, come on, baby!
(Divine emotions)
The lyrics to Narada Michael Walden's "Divine Emotions" express the intoxicating feeling of falling in love from the perspective of the person who is falling. The lyrics use playful and colorful language to describe the singer's feelings, including the lines "I look at you and I go boing, boing, boing" and "I try to speak and I go ding-dong-ding." The singer describes the physical sensations of falling deeper in love, comparing it to drowning and feeling as if he is sinking.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the overwhelming and divine nature of the singer's emotions when he is with his love interest. The lyrics describe emotions that are beyond the mundane and every day, using language like "higher notion of ecstasy." The singer expresses the idea that being around his love interest gives him a feeling of transcendence and that she has the power to drive him wild.
Overall, the lyrics to "Divine Emotions" are light-hearted, joyful, and poetic, capturing the feeling of falling in love with a playful energy that is emphasized by the song's upbeat tempo and catchy refrain.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, little baby, sweet darling (He's calling, he's calling)
He's expressing his fondness to someone, calling them and wanting their attention.
I wanna tell you
He wants to express himself to that person.
Oh, I seem to be falling (He's calling and falling)
He's getting emotionally attached to that person.
Yes, I do
He confirms his feelings for that person.
(He's more than curious
He really needs the stuff)
He is not just curious about that person, he truly needs their love and affection.
I look at you and I go boing, boing, boing
He finds that person very attractive and his heart beats faster around them.
(He hasn't lost his touch
A word can mean so much)
He is still good at expressing his feelings, and even small words from that person can mean a lot to him.
It's more than just a passing fancy
His feelings are genuine and not just a temporary attraction.
(Divine emotions come over me when you smile)
Oh, when you smile, baby
(A higher notion of ecstasy drives me wild)
Come on now, just drive me wild
He feels intense emotions when that person smiles, and even higher levels of joy when they are intimate with him.
Oh, I'm drowning this time (He's sinking, he's sinking)
Since I got the taste of
Oh, your lips on my mind (He's sinking and thinking)
He is overwhelmed with emotions since he kissed that person, and he can't stop thinking about them.
(She thinks the boy is nuts
Somebody she can trust)
I try to speak and I go ding-dong-ding
(He makes it sound so nice
The girl's not made of ice)
Toto, look I think she's melting
The girl thinks he's crazy, but she trusts him. He struggles to speak around her because of his intense emotions, but he speaks to her in a romantic way. She is not cold-hearted and some of his words are melting her.
(Divine emotions come over me when you smile)
I love the way you love me, girl
(A higher notion of ecstasy drives me wild)
Come on, dear baby, dear baby!
He loves the way that person loves him back, and their physical and emotional intimacy drives him wild.
Ow!
Expressing a sound of excitement and satisfaction.
(Divine emotions)
(Divine emotions)
(Divine emotions come over me when you smile)
Oh, oh, the way you smile at me, baby
(A higher notion of ecstasy drives me wild)
Oh, oh, baby love, yeah
He keeps reiterating that his emotions for that person are divine, and their smile and love make him very happy and excited.
Oh!
Yeah, yeah
Expressing excitement and affirmation of his feelings.
(Divine emotions)
Come on, baby, hold me close
Ha
(Divine emotions)
We could be a serious love-thing, you understand what I'm saying?
(Divine emotions)
Hey, oh!
Come on, baby, come on, baby!
(Divine emotions)
He wants that person to hug him close, and he sees a future with them as a couple. He wants to be serious with them and hopes they feel the same way. He calls to their attention to come to him, as he longs for their affection.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEFFREY COHEN, NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind