“Nothing is sure, nothing’s durable, nothing is definitive, nothing fixed,” she says. “Everything is movement.”
Movement: the word sticks literally to the biography of this woman burning with life and saturated with energy, a “yearning soul” brimming over with desire and humour. Of Dominican origin, she was born in 1969 in Brooklyn’s Latino-American district. We can imagine her childhood was filled with suffering. Her relationship with her mother (who raised Natalia and her brother alone) was passionate and conflicting: “I owe her what I am. And my anger, too.” When she was an adolescent she left the “barrio” to settle with her family in Rochester, N.Y.
At University, Natalia studied sociology for a time, also History and the work of the English Humanist poet of the Middle Ages, John de Salsbury (“Out of a taste for the exotic,” she explains, “and to plunge into a world thousands of miles from my previous universe.”) Then, at a time when the majority of her contemporaries chose material comforts and profit, she dropped all ideas of social success and, in the great Beat tradition, like Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, Robert Johnson or Woody Guthrie, she hit the road. “The call of the wild! When it starts to get at you, you can’t resist for long.” With her notebook in her pocket, the explorer began to roam the United States from East to West, stopping here and there (the Grand Canyon, Oregon, Seattle, Alaska), wherever her desires and opportunities took her, trying the whole range of menial jobs available before finally settling in Los Angeles.
It was in the Californian Babylon that her musician’s career began. Armed with a Fender “Stratocaster”, Natalia appeared with the “Mojo Monks”, a muscled combo practising a harsh, very unorthodox blues.
It was also in L.A. that she discovered the music of Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Tom Waits, Rickie Lee Jones, CSN&Y, Grateful Dead, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye… “I forged my own style listening to them.” In an age of R’n’B/Hip Hop hegemony, this young Black American clearly displays her difference, one which completely escapes the canons and tastes traditionally associated with her age and the colour of her skin. The majority of those who inspired her to compose and sing came out of the Rock scene (in the broadest sense) and had their hour of glory almost before Natalia saw the light of day. “I don’t believe in the genre conflict, or even the generation conflict, and I have absolutely no faith in the so-called social-ethnic traditions. What I do know is, Hendrix’ choruses are universal and immortal! And the voice of Janis Joplin, too!”
After five years, Natalia began to feel hemmed in by the City of Angels, where the music scene, tied into a format and shut off from anything that didn’t seem implacably commercial, weighed increasingly on her with every passing day. In June 1998, questioning her life once again, she took a great leap into the unknown: a flight to Paris. Miles Davis, James Baldwin and Chester Himes (amongst others) had vaunted the merits of the French capital and the “warm welcome” it reserved for Black American artists. “That’s partly why I chose that destination. And also because I thought it was where I’d meet musicians from the whole world.”
What Natalia didn’t think, however, was that she’d find success so rapidly. In less than two years, with her guitar slung over her shoulder, she formed a group (Babasaï), moved from the corridors of the Métro to the bars at La Bastille (where they paid her with beers), from the tiny stage of “La Flèche d’Or” to the cameras of TV channel Canal+ (she was the subject of three documentaries they made), and from opening for Diana Krall (at The Olympia in October & November 1999) to the offices of Universal Jazz.
With her ears wide open, the young woman wearing dreadlocks like a mane is now exploring more than ever, and she says she’s been captivated by the creative freedoms of Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman or John Coltrane, overwhelmed by the “tearing, terribly joyful lament” of Albert Ayler and hypnotised by the “vocal whirlwinds” of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the maestro of the gawwali (the Indo-Pakistani variant of Sufi song): “Those ascending, descending scales, those dizzy climbs up to Heaven and the ecstatic rhythms have the power to make my soul take off.”
After over a hundred concerts in Europe and The United States, Natalia went back into the studios in the summer of 2002 to record Fury and Sound. She had a new crew: Pierre Crosnier (guitar) and David Granier (drums); a new instrumental format – the quartet – with the addition of the cello played by Solange Minali-Bella, and a silken, wrapping tone that brought an extra fullness and roundness to the sound of the ensemble. Ten new songs with tight, clear texts, half-tender, half-despairing. Ten titles with an orientation that was more Rock than those in Milagro, more arranged and salient, too, folding into each other without a break like a long, carnal, heady suite where moments of tension follow the more reflective tracks, acidity following softness, contained violence following melancholy wanderings. The production is by Natalia and Andy Lyden.
The album’s theme is… Death, considered from a clearly Existentialist angle – Before it’s too late, before they put you in the ground, What can we do but be, Can’t win, can’t lose, can’t quit, got to carry on…
“What’s been lived has been lived,” says Natalia. “And rather than talk about death with a big D, that incoherent thing they say is inevitable, I wanted to take an interest in all the little deaths followed by little resurrections which constitute existence; if you put them all end to end, they build what we are.
This record is also the fruit of my experience and an appeal to life, here, now, immediately, without drowning in the tears of the past or throwing oneself into an assault on a future that’s fictional by nature.”
It’s her own way of “inscribing myself more than ever in the movement”, turning a new leaf and finally, once and for all, ridding herself of the demons of the past.
And for us, it’s the subjugated confirmation of a hard fact: Natalia M. King, an authentic artist of Herculean charisma, the creator of a half-Rock, half-Blues universe which is unlike any other, and which carries a genuine message, has rebounded directly with Fury and Sound into the category of Greatness. To which belong all those men and women whose strength renews and invigorates our day to day musical landscape
Not Again
Natalia M. King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you need someone the most
Where are your friends
I could only keep it true
I can't pretend
I can't give them my love
I know how it ends
To many tried to take my heart
Put my trust in you again
That's when I rather die
Sick of drowning in sorrow
Want to see the other side
Do right by the man in the mirror
That's how I'll make it right
I got to make it right
Working on healing my soul
Everyday and night
III
Keep my head in the sky
If I put my trust in you
I can't I rather die
Who you think you really are
I do not need you
Your not what you really say
Your so see through
So don't you try to come around
And try to play it cool
Better try to make a change
Because no one saving you
I can't trust a soul not again
When you need someone the most
Where are your friends
I could only keep it true
I can't pretend
I can't give them my love
I know how it ends
To many tried to take my heart
And commit a homicide
Put my trust in you again
That's when I rather die
Sick of drowning in sorrow
Want to see the other side
Do right by the man in the mirror
That's how I'll make it right
I'm thieving through the night
'Cause I gave you my heart
You said it'll be alright
I should of listened to my instincts
No talking Justin we don't in-sync
Don't try call me and say you miss me
Already moved on
But I'm hoping that your happy
Really just want to live better
Want it badly
Yeah it really sucks
That things had to end so sadly
To many tried to take my heart
And commit a homicide
Put my trust in you again
That's when I rather die
Sick of drowning in sorrow
Want to see the other side
Do right by the man in the mirror
That's how I'll make it right
The lyrics of Natalia M. King's song "Not Again" convey a deep sense of betrayal and distrust towards others. The artist expresses a feeling of being let down by people she once trusted and relied on. She starts by saying she can no longer trust anyone, as they have proven to be untrustworthy in the past. This has left her feeling alone and abandoned when she needed support the most. The absence of true friends has forced her to be authentic and not pretend to be someone she's not.
The artist reflects on the consequences of giving her love and trust to the wrong people. She has experienced heartbreak and emotional pain caused by those who attempted to take advantage of her vulnerability. This has led her to a point where she would rather die than risk putting her trust in someone again. The lyrics suggest a deep weariness and desire to escape the cycle of sorrow and to find peace on the "other side".
The artist recognizes the need to focus on herself and her own healing. She aims to make amends with herself and do right by the person she sees in the mirror. This indicates a commitment to personal growth and self-improvement. The repeated phrase "I gotta make it right" shows a determination to rectify past mistakes and move forward.
The final verse reveals the pain caused by a specific individual who was entrusted with the artist's heart. She acknowledges her mistake in ignoring her instincts and blindly trusting this person. The lyrics convey a sense of moving on from this toxic relationship, despite the lingering hope that the person she once loved is happy. The artist desires a better life and acknowledges the sadness and regret associated with the end of this relationship.
Overall, "Not Again" expresses a deep sense of betrayal and the struggle to regain trust in others. It highlights the artist's journey towards healing, self-awareness, and the need to prioritize her own well-being. The lyrics convey a longing for a better future while acknowledging the pain caused by past experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't trust a soul not again
I have been hurt by others in the past, and I find it difficult to trust anyone again.
When you need someone the most
During times of extreme need and vulnerability, I struggle to find reliable support.
Where are your friends
I question the loyalty and presence of friends when I need them the most.
I could only keep it true
I can only be honest and authentic in my interactions.
I can't pretend
I cannot fake or deceive others, as it goes against my nature.
I can't give them my love
I am unable to emotionally invest and express love to others.
I know how it ends
Based on past experiences, I am aware of the negative outcomes that can arise.
Too many tried to take my heart and commit a homicide
Numerous individuals have attempted to emotionally harm me and cause severe damage to my heart.
Put my trust in you again, that's when I'd rather die
If I were to trust someone again and they betray me, it would be so devastating that I would prefer death.
Sick of drowning in sorrow
I am exhausted and overwhelmed by the constant pain and sadness I experience.
Want to see the other side
I desire to experience happiness and a life free from suffering.
Do right by the man in the mirror, that's how I'll make it right
By focusing on self-improvement and acting with integrity, I can find inner peace and rectify my past mistakes.
Keep my head in the sky
I strive to maintain a positive outlook and not let my circumstances bring me down.
If I put my trust in you, I can't, I'd rather die
Even if I consider trusting you, I cannot do so, as it feels like a fate worse than death.
Who you think you really are
I question your true identity and genuine intentions.
I do not need you
I realize that I don't rely on you or require your presence in my life.
You're not what you really say, you're so see-through
Your words and actions don't align, revealing your true motives and lack of sincerity.
So don't you try to come around and try to play it cool
I advise you not to attempt to approach me and act nonchalant, pretending everything is fine.
Better try to make a change, because no one's saving you
It would be wise for you to initiate personal growth and transformation, as no one else will rescue you.
'Cause I gave you my heart, you said it'll be alright
I entrusted you with my love and believed your promises of reassurance and security.
I should have listened to my instincts, no talking Justin we don't in-sync
I regret not following my intuition and recognizing that our connection was not genuine or harmonious.
Don't try to call me and say you miss me, already moved on
Please refrain from contacting me and expressing your longing for me, as I have already progressed in my life without you.
But I'm hoping that you're happy, really just want to live better
Despite my past pain, I genuinely wish for your happiness and strive to improve my own life.
Want it badly, yeah, it really sucks that things had to end so sadly
I have a strong desire for a better life, and I find it unfortunate that our relationship had to conclude in such a heartbreaking manner.
To many tried to take my heart and commit a homicide
Multiple individuals attempted to emotionally devastate me and harm my heart.
Put my trust in you again, that's when I'd rather die
If I were to trust you again and you betray me, it would be so distressing that I would prefer death.
Sick of drowning in sorrow
I am tired of being overwhelmed by sorrow and grief.
Want to see the other side
I yearn for a different, happier experience in life.
Do right by the man in the mirror, that's how I'll make it right
By acting morally and ethically, and making positive changes in my life, I can find redemption and inner peace.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Gian Rodriguez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DonsTunes
Find more quality Blues on YouTube here: ▶ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2140A0411C65DD13
On my Blues & Jazz Radio:🔴 https://www.donstunes.com/radio/
On Spotify: 🟢Don's Tunes Official Playlist: dons-tunes-official-spotify.donstunes.com
Whiskey Blues Playlist: 🥃https://whiskey-blues-spotify.donstunes.com
Dark Americana Playlist: ♠https://dark-americana-spotify.donstunes.com
The Slow Blues / Blues-Rock Playlist: 🎸https://slow-blues-spotify.donstunes.com
The Midnight Jazz Playlist: 🎷https://midnight-jazz-spotify.donstunes.com
New Blues / Blues-rock Playlist 📢https://new-blues-spotify.donstunes.com
The Best Female Blues & Jazz Vocals: 💃https://best-female-vocals.donstunes.com
@DonsTunes
Find more quality Blues on YouTube here: ▶ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2140A0411C65DD13
On my Blues & Jazz Radio:🔴 https://www.donstunes.com/radio/
On Spotify: 🟢Don's Tunes Official Playlist: dons-tunes-official-spotify.donstunes.com
Whiskey Blues Playlist: 🥃https://whiskey-blues-spotify.donstunes.com
Dark Americana Playlist: ♠https://dark-americana-spotify.donstunes.com
The Slow Blues / Blues-Rock Playlist: 🎸https://slow-blues-spotify.donstunes.com
The Midnight Jazz Playlist: 🎷https://midnight-jazz-spotify.donstunes.com
New Blues / Blues-rock Playlist 📢https://new-blues-spotify.donstunes.com
The Best Female Blues & Jazz Vocals: 💃https://best-female-vocals.donstunes.com
@chemseddinezemmour6982
Winter is coming ! Perfect time to enjoy some blues
@bigphil303
I really love female jazz singers. This is good stuff.
@seductorlider
My too brother....
@georgethompson1991
bigphil303 there's a certain feeling with em'. A certain rawness to their voices. Something that just melts music and hearts.
@Lamakashi
true
@juoadi4955
aji
@protetordazuera9719
40s noir
@DonsTunes
You can support Natalia so she can make another album here: https://www.gofundme.com/2kc63g-for-the-love-of-jazz%20.
"Being an artist has been so rewarding in so many ways, but unfortunately it does not come without the price of monetary and even personal financial risks. Labels and publishers are non-existant today concerning the well being of their artist, even less so when you are a self made self producing singer songwriter musician, as I am, at my level.
I have given everything, and will continue giving everything, to the vision and passion of my music. Unfortunately today, as far as monetary means are concerned, I cannot do it alone.
If gofundme can help me help myself to keep on singing and recording them jazz blues, I will be forever grateful* "
Much HEART
&
All my continual best,
Natalia M. King
@katialeitao8049
If this cat can't do it, then what???????! Beautiful.