Rodgers began his career as a session guitarist in New York, playing with the Sesame Street band in his teens, and then working in the house band at Harlem's renowned Apollo Theater, backing artists like Aretha Franklin, Ben E. King, Nancy Wilson, and Parliament Funkadelic.
He met bassist Bernard Edwards in 1970. They formed a rock band called The Boys (later known as the Big Apple Band) and played numerous gigs around New York City, but despite interest in their demos, they could not get a record contract when the music companies discovered they were black; the discrimination of the day said black artists couldn't play "rock".
These experiences, in addition to activist tenor of the times, led to Rodgers' active involvement in the Black Panther Party in New York City. The 1999 documentary film Public Enemy contains history and interviews with Rodgers about these times. Not the type to give up on their musical dreams, in 1977 Rodgers and Edwards joined forces with drummer Tony Thompson to form the funk/R&B/disco band Chic, and went on to score numerous top ten hits and helped propel disco to new levels of popularity. Their songs "Everybody Dance", "Le Freak" and "Good Times" remain among the most sampled songs of the late 1970s/early 1980s R&B era.
"Good Times" signals the start of the take-off of hip hop music as its sample immensely contributed to the success of Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight, the first rap hit ever. Chic dissolved in 1983. As Chic's tight sound and yet rich composition became increasingly popular and sought-after, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers began doing record production, sometimes together, sometimes apart. Rodgers and Bernard Edwards produced, wrote, and performed with the band Sister Sledge.
In 1980 they produced the album diana for Diana Ross, yielding the smash hits Upside Down and I'm Coming Out (which remains Ross' best selling album).
In 1981, Deborah Harry worked with both Rodgers and Edwards on the album Koo Koo.
In 1983, they produced David Bowie's album Let's Dance (to date Bowie's biggest-selling album) with several hit singles, and in 1984 produced Madonna's blockbuster album Like a Virgin, Madonna's breakthrough album, spawning her two signature hits ("Material Girl" and the title track). Rodgers helped develop Madonna's career significantly. Duran Duran worked extensively with Rodgers after he produced the hit single, "The Reflex", in 1983 and followed up with "The Wild Boys" for inclusion on their 1984 live album Arena. Rodgers also produced Sheena Easton's 1985 album "Do You".
In 1986, he produced the entirety of Duran Duran's Notorious album, which yielded a #2 title track hit. During a live set, Simon Le Bon introduced Rodgers, saying "Well, this band went through a difficult time (during Notorious). The band might not have made it if it weren't for this gentleman..." He contributed to numerous other projects and appearances with members of the band throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and in 2002-2003 helped to produce Astronaut, the new album by the original five members of the band.
Also in 1987 Rodgers produced the Grace Jones album Inside Story for Manhattan records.
He formed the short-lived experimental band Outloud in 1987 with acclaimed French session musician/producer/keyboardist, Philippe Saisse; they released a single album, Out Loud, on Warner Bros. Records. Saisse has often played with Rodgers during in the Chic tours.
After a 1992 birthday party where Rodgers, Edwards, Paul Shaffer and Anton Fig played old Chic hits to rapturous response, Rodgers and Edwards organized the reunion of the old band. They recorded new material and played live all over the world, to great audience and greater critical acclaim. In 1996, Rodgers was honored as the Top Producer In the World in Billboard Magazine, and was named a JT Super Producer. That year he performed with Bernard Edwards, Sister Sledge, Steve Winwood, Simon Le Bon and Slash in a series of commemorative concerts in Japan which provided a career retrospective. Unfortunately his longtime musical partner and close friend Bernard Edwards died of pneumonia during the trip, a blow that Rodgers took very hard.
In 1998, Rodgers founded Sumthing Else Music Works music label and Sumthing Distribution, the largest African-American owned independent music label distribution company in America. Sumthing currently focuses on distributing a fast-growing new genre: video game soundtracks. Soundtrack titles include Halo, Halo 2 and the upcoming Halo 3 soundtrack. It has been underminded that he produced a legendary album called A Great Long While By Jamband great's known as Strangefolk where he put his pop and rock know how and incorporated a great Jamband album.
The September 11, 2001 attacks prompted Rodgers to create the We Are Family Project to help begin the healing process. To begin, he organized a re-recording of the song he and his music partner Bernard Edwards wrote for Sister Sledge called "We Are Family" with more than 200 musicians, celebrities, and personalities. Director Spike Lee filmed the "We Are Family" music video and director Danny Schechter filmed a documentary depicting the recording sessions called The Making and Meaning of We Are Family. The film was chosen as a Sundance Film Festival Special Selection in 2002. Rodgers continued the healing process and produced another "We Are Family" recording and music video involving more than 100 beloved children's television characters. The children's music video airs as a public service announcement on Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and PBS stations to promote the message of a common humanity. In July 2002, Rodgers officially created the We Are Family Foundation to celebrate the vision of a global family by creating and supporting programs that inspire and educate people about mutual respect, understanding, and appreciation of cultural diversity.
Rodgers received a NY Chapter's Governor's Lifetime Achievement Award and a Heroes Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. On September 19, 2005, Nile Rodgers was honored at the Dance Music Hall of Fame ceremony in New York when he was inducted for his many outstanding achievements as a producer, along with former fellow band mate Bernard Edwards. CHIC has been nominated to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame three times - 2003, 2006 and 2007. In the summer of 2006 Rodgers served as musical director for the tribute concert to Ahmet Ertegün at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland. The concert included performances by Chic, Robert Plant, Steve Winwood, Stevie Nicks, Kid Rock and many other artists who were signed to Ertegün's Atlantic Records. In 2007, Rodgers made contributions to the upcoming Wu-Tang Clan album, 8 Diagrams. He also wrote the title song Love Me Sexy from the movie Semi-Pro, starring Will Ferrell.
Till The World Falls
Nile Rodgers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go on and on 'til the world falls down
And we can make the world fall down
Hey
The world has gone mad
We might be safer on the dancefloor
So much destruction in our path
They're comin' back for more, they comin' back for more
It's still real so let's just rock the floor
(And live now like tomorrow never comes)
Lose ourselves tonight, with no remorse
Until forever
We keep dancing 'til the world falls
Go on and on 'til the world falls down
And we can make the world fall down
My record coast is clear, we have no fear
We're the survivors
Wake up because that day is finally here
A new horizon
(Time is up)
And it's still real so let's just rock the floor
(And live now like tomorrow never comes)
Lose ourselves tonight, with no remorse
Oh baby
We keep dancing 'til the world falls
Go on and on 'til the world falls down
And we can make the world fall down
Let's step out tonight, ay
My feet don't walk, they fly, I dance on clouds tonight, yeah
With me, oh natural high
And it's my birthday
I'ma just rock my birthday suit
I take the shirt and the shoes off the Vantage too
Call that my birthday coupe
And I wanna be free
Wanna feel good to be me
Me, lil' bitch I'm a king
I got a dream
I might just call up my team and go skydiving off of my wings
I feel flyer than Mya, I know what a caged bird sings
'Cause you gotta have a song when the world falls down
You don't wanna be alone so we just keep dancing
We keep dancing 'til the world falls
Go on and on 'til the world falls down
And we can make the world fall down
We can go on and on and on
Until the world falls down
We can go on and on and on
Until the world falls down
We keep dancing 'til the world falls
Go on and on 'til the world falls down
And we can make the world fall down
Nile Rodgers's song "Till The World Falls" is a call to arms to dance and forget the madness of the world around us. According to Rodgers, the song is about "trying to get people to come together and celebrate life and just feel good about being alive and being together, and not worry so much about all the crazy stuff that’s going on in the world.” The opening lines of the song, "We keep dancing 'til the world falls," emphasizes this point and encourages people to keep dancing even when the world seems to be falling apart.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that the dance floor can be a safer place than the real world. The line "We might be safer on the dancefloor" acknowledges the chaos and destruction in the world and suggests that the dance floor can be a refuge from it. Additionally, the line "My record coast is clear, we have no fear" suggests that the music itself can provide a sense of security and power.
The song moves towards a more positive and hopeful message in the chorus. "And we can make the world fall down" suggests that through dancing and coming together, people can have an impact on the world and possibly bring about positive change. Overall, the song is a call to action to come together, forget about the troubles of the world, and celebrate life.
Line by Line Meaning
We keep dancing 'til the world falls
Given the madness in the world, our safest course of action is to keep dancing till the world collapses.
Go on and on 'til the world falls down
We should keep dancing non-stop when everything around us is falling apart until we can't anymore.
And we can make the world fall down
Our dancing can have the power to collapse the world.
The world has gone mad
The world has reached a point that is out of control and sanity has gone out the window.
We might be safer on the dancefloor
Dancing may be a source of comfort and security when everything else is unstable and unpredictable.
So much destruction in our path
There is so much devastation in the world that we must tread carefully as we navigate our way through it.
Wake up, wake up
We need to be alert and aware of what is happening around us.
They're comin' back for more, they comin' back for more
Dangerous forces are still threatening our existence.
It's still real so let's just rock the floor
Despite the chaos, we need to embrace reality and dance like there is no tomorrow.
(And live now like tomorrow never comes)
We must seize the moment and live fully in the present without fear or regrets of what may come tomorrow.
Lose ourselves tonight, with no remorse
We need to let ourselves go in the moment and dance without any regrets or second thoughts.
Until forever
Dance like this forever, in this moment of peace and happiness.
My record coast is clear, we have no fear
We are in the clear and have nothing to fear.
We're the survivors
We have lived through difficult times and have come out on the other side intact.
Wake up because that day is finally here
The day we have been waiting for has finally arrived, and we need to be alert for whatever it brings.
A new horizon
A new beginning, a fresh start filled with hope and opportunities await.
(Time is up)
The clock is ticking and time is running out.
Let's step out tonight, ay
Let's go out tonight and have some fun.
My feet don't walk, they fly, I dance on clouds tonight, yeah
I am filled with so much energy and joy that I feel like I am gliding on air while dancing.
With me, oh natural high
I'm feeling a natural high from the music and the company of others around me.
And it's my birthday
Today is a special day for me, a reason to celebrate and be happy.
I'ma just rock my birthday suit
I am going to celebrate my birthday by being true to myself, and embracing who I am.
I take the shirt and the shoes off the Vantage too
I am so comfortable and free that I am willing to discard anything weighing me down, even my shoes and shirt.
Call that my birthday coupe
This moment and experience is my special gift, and I cherish it like a prized sports car.
And I wanna be free
I desire the feeling of freedom where I can be myself without any restrictions or judgement.
Wanna feel good to be me
I want to feel happy and proud of who I am, with no apologies.
Me, lil' bitch I'm a king
I am confident and powerful, despite others' attempts to put me down.
I got a dream
There is a vision of something great and positive that I am working towards.
I might just call up my team and go skydiving off of my wings
I am so motivated and fearless that I might even go skydiving with my friends, using nothing but my wings made of courage.
I feel flyer than Mya, I know what a caged bird sings
I feel more empowered and confident than Mya, while also understanding the pain and imprisonment of feeling trapped.
'Cause you gotta have a song when the world falls down
Even in the darkest of times, we need something to lift our spirits and keep us going, and that is music.
You don't wanna be alone so we just keep dancing
We need each other, more than ever when the world is crashing down around us, so we just keep dancing together.
We can go on and on and on
We can keep dancing and living like there is no end in sight.
Until the world falls down
We will not stop until everything around us succumbs to our joy and happiness.
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Nile Rodgers, Brandon Paak Anderson, Neo Jessica Joshua, Alex Crossan, Victor Kwesi Mensah, Anais Aida
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnbenjamin9937
rondmc44
artists are signed to different labels and record companies..etc
in their contracts clauses stipulate what they can and cannot do...
Usually they have to get permission sometimes compensate...If on the same label little easy to do...I remember the original ladies of Chic...regrouped
to tour and formed the group Former Ladies of Chic...and toured
using the Chic songs...Well Nile Rodgers sued them because he owned the publishing rights to those songs....He won ended the original Ladies of Chic...You must get permission and clearance
to do that....Ahhhh! the music business can get ugly.....Always ask yourself what is in their contracts.....Public wants one thing
the artist record label industry wants another..comes down to
$$$$ and sense or is it cents...
jb...Bernard Edwards RIP Bass Player of Chic...
I use to party at his estate up in
Ct every Hollyween real down to earth kat...
jb former college concert promoter EWF Mandrill Roy Ayers
Stanley Turrentine. Patti Labelle etc etc...
@w6263
Is definately what the world is missing today; some good dance beats! Brilliant!
@shakasour
Chic (Nile Rodgers), and their music are just perfect, anytime, and anywhere!
@Tigerex966
Great Song and guitar by Nile Rodgers responsible for $3 billion dollars in music sales.
He has worked with almost every one.
@skierpage
"We might be safer on the dance floor," that's a great line. It's growing on me. Good Times!
(and sure, I miss Tony Thomson's heavyweight drumming and a Bernard Edwards bass thundercloud, RIP guys)
@michael_caz_nyc
Nile "aka" The Hitmaker - Does Not Stop. Keep doing your thing. My brother from NYC. You are one-of-a-kind.
@juliebenford1311
I’m lucky enough to remember Nile and Chic in the late 70s/early 80s when I was in my early 20s. He is truly talented and still making great music! May he continue for many years to come
@HimanshuVerma-xc7ue
Julie Benford aap aap, ko ye jo attendence is vertical intelligent zss
@2003SaraT
Yes! I'm 44 and i remember too :) Chic, all the albums produced by Nile in the 80's, cooperation with Duft Punk and many more. I'm happy that Nile still make music. I love this guy. He's a titan!
@garydavies8307
I was younger and loved Chic forever
@valeskareon
I'm 56 and was lucky enough to enjoy them in the legendary Studio 54 - so amaaaazing!!!