Born of Swedish and Sierra Leonean parentage, Neneh Cherry spent most of her formative years in Europe and North America. Her stepfather is trumpeter Don Cherry. Early in her career she was a member of Rip Rig & Panic and New Age Steppers (1980). As a solo artist, she released a number of albums in the late 80's and early-to-mid 90's to critical and commercial acclaim (Raw Like Sushi, 1988; Homebrew, 1992; Man, 1996). Neneh is the half-sister of singer Eagle-Eye Cherry
Although she has participated in the odd production here and there, she has remained relatively quiet since then, appearing as a guest vocalist on the Groove Armada album Lovebox in 2002 and the Gorillaz album Demon Days in 2005.
Cherry announced the formation of her new band, cirKus. in 2006. Her husband Burt Ford (aka boogabear, aka Cameron McVey), is also in the band. The band's first album, Laylow was released in France in 2006 which was followed by Medicine in 2009. During 2010-2011 she did a few "secret" live performance in a few European cities.
Late in 2011 news came that she was working on a new project this is now known as Neneh Cherry & The Thing. They will release an album The Cherry Thing in June 2012.
In April 2013, she announced the release of a new studio album with the track "Nina (ft. Afrika Baby Bam)". Produced by Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet, the album also features appearances by Robyn and RocketNumberNine, due for release on Smalltown Supersound in early 2014.
Cherry was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1990 in the Best New Artist Category (due to success of "Buffalo Stance") but she lost out to Milli Vanilli, who later had their Grammy revoked when it was discovered that they had not performed on their recording. She received her second Grammy nomination in 1994 for the Youssou N'Dour duet "7 Seconds." The single received worldwide acclaim but did not win the Grammy Award. MTV Europe Music Awards 1995 "7 Seconds" Winner Best Song
Natural skin deep
Neneh Cherry Lyrics
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Just some bare essentials
Only is me
Just inside where the touch is enough
To know how much you feel me, yeah
My hair down
Natural skin deep
As my touch feels can't wait
Like I'm, oh, so weak
Don't have anywhere to go
Nowhere to hide
All of me is now
I'm a breath of drop
And the sea nears me
My love goes on and on
Try baby, take it all
All and all and all
How do I get a little bit more track?
Peeling, I'm revealing
Just some bare essentials
Only is me
Down there is just a layer of skin
Between us
Lay my cards on the table
Don't have anywhere to go
Nowhere to hide
All of me is now
I'm a breath of drop
And the sea nears me
My love goes on and on
Try baby, try baby, yeah
My love goes on and on
My love goes on and on
Try baby, take it all
All and all and all
I'm peeling I'm revealing
Just some bare essentials
Only in me
Just inside where the touch is enough
To know how much you feel me
Don't have anywhere to go
Nowhere to hide
All of me is now
I'm a breath of drop
And the sea nears me
Don't have anywhere to go
Nowhere to hide
All of me is now
I'm a breath of drop
And the sea nears me
My love goes on and on
Try baby, try baby, yeah
My love goes on and on
My love goes on and on
Try baby, swear you can try, baby
Sick
(Get ready for the resignation)
Don't have anywhere to go
(Blah-blah-blah, with no elevation)
Nowhere to hide
All of me is now
(Don't live in no station)
I'm a breath of drop
And the sea nears me
(Pumping that black gold over the hill)
My love goes on and on
(Recycle ammunition, rock in it free will)
My love goes on and on, my baby
(We will)
(Here's one for the resignation)
My love goes on and on
(Blah-blah-blah, for the generation)
My love goes on and on
(Don't live in no station)
My love goes on and on
(Pumping that black gold over the hill)
Try baby, yeah
(Recycle ammunition, rock in it free will)
Who turned the lights off, bring me some shades
(We will)
My love goes, my love goes on and on
(Here's one for the resignation)
(Blah-blah-blah, for the generation)
My love goes on and on
In "Natural Skin Deep," Neneh Cherry speaks about revealing herself to someone and being vulnerable. She describes her bare essentials, her natural skin, and the touch of someone else being enough to feel her. The lyrics suggest that the subject is allergic to their own authenticity and feels weak because of it. They also feel trapped, with nowhere to go and nothing to hide, and all of them is present in the moment. Cherry expresses wanting to give everything to someone and love them endlessly.
The chorus repeats "my love goes on and on, try baby, take it all," reinforcing the idea of Cherry's desire to give everything in the relationship. She is peeling away layers and only leaving what is essential, something that is echoed in the repetition of the line "just some bare essentials, only is me." Despite the vulnerability and fear, Cherry's love and desire for the subject are endless and unwavering, as demonstrated by the unchanging repetition of "my love goes on and on."
Line by Line Meaning
Peeling, I'm revealing
I am stripping away the layers to show my true self
Just some bare essentials
Only revealing the most necessary parts of me
Only is me
My true self is the only thing I am showing
Just inside where the touch is enough
Only in the most intimate moments can you feel how much I am revealing
To know how much you feel me, yeah
Only through physical touch can you understand the depth of my emotional state
My hair down
I am letting my guard down, being vulnerable
Natural skin deep
My true self is what's inside, not just surface level
As my touch feels can't wait
I am excited for the intimacy that is about to happen
'Cause I have an allergy to my realness
I struggle with being vulnerable and showing my true self
Like I'm, oh, so weak
It feels like a weakness to show my true self
Don't have anywhere to go
I am fully committed to being vulnerable in this moment
Nowhere to hide
I have opened myself up completely and cannot hide any part of me
All of me is now
I am fully present and completely myself
I'm a breath of drop
I am a small piece of a greater whole
And the sea nears me
The world around me is vast and powerful
My love goes on and on
My love knows no limits or boundaries
Try baby, take it all
I am daring my partner to love me completely and without reservation
Down there is just a layer of skin
The outer layer of me is not as important as what is on the inside
Between us
The intimate connection we share is more important than anything else
Lay my cards on the table
I am being completely honest and open, without holding anything back
Sick
Something is not right
(Get ready for the resignation)
Something is about to give
(Blah-blah-blah, with no elevation)
People talking without really saying anything important
(Don't live in no station)
I refuse to be confined or limited
(Pumping that black gold over the hill)
Continuing to use up resources without consideration for the consequences
(Recycle ammunition, rock in it free will)
Taking what we have and utilizing it in the most efficient way possible
(Here's one for the resignation)
Another moment of change is coming soon
(Blah-blah-blah, for the generation)
People continue to talk without producing any real results
Who turned the lights off, bring me some shades
The world is changing rapidly and I need some protection from it
Try baby, yeah
Keep pushing yourself to love me more and more
(We will)
We will get through this and come out the other side
My love goes, my love goes on and on
My love is strong and enduring, no matter what happens
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Neneh Karlsson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind