Many artists have been declared “before their time” however with the album title After My Time, Noel pays homage to the soul stars of generations past that have paved the way for him to express himself through the “most relevant music” in his life. While he’d fit perfectly in the old-school soul genre, he has crafted an album that also proves him to be a unique new-generation artist with undeniable staying power.
As a kid growing up just outside of Boston in Brockton, Massachusetts, the 26-year-old musician soaked up the sounds of his father’s music collection, which consisted of plenty of old soul favorites like Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Tyrone Davis and Teddy Pendergrass. Noel realized his true passion for making music in high school and set out on the beaten path to a professional career by writing and producing songs and performing at clubs and showcases in and around the Boston area. During this time, he partnered with Larry “Lucky” Fernandes, a music executive also from the Boston area and head of Stalin Entertainment. Having grown up with Noel, Fernandes watched him develop into a promising musician and when he felt the time was right, he introduced the aspiring singer to fellow producer/artist Tommy Olivera and songwriter Balewa Muhammad of the Trakaddix production team.
Olivera had a wide range of industry contacts, among them former Naughty By Nature DJ / producer Kay-Gee, best known for his production work for Jaheim, Zhané and Next. Declaring him the “new-age Sam Cooke,” Kay-Gee brought Noel into the studio to record “Family Reunion” for the soundtrack to the 2004 film The Cookout. A number of industry players bore witness to the formation of Noel’s career, as he also found himself in the studio with hit-making producers such as Mike City and Dr. Dre along the way. After taking meetings with various labels, Noel’s camp ultimately settled at Epic and set to work on presenting to the world who they already knew to be R&B’s next superstar.
With his father’s two-hour Maxell soul tapes as their soundtrack, each year, Noel and his family made the long car trips to his grandparents’ home just outside Biloxi, Mississippi. There, he spent his summers soaking up the environment that would serve not only as a rural refuge, but the foundation for his manhood. It was here that the city boy learned of a world outside of Boston. He lived and breathed the stories of his predecessors’ struggles through the civil rights movement and the oppression synonymous with the South. The memories of Sunday mornings at church, fish fries and backseat make-out sessions were created and each summer, Noel nourished his existence with the growth and renewal he gained there, much like that offered through the time-honored Southern tradition of river baptisms.
It’s no wonder that Noel is already winning music fans over with his debut single, aptly titled “The River.” Kay-Gee produced the feel-good track in the tradition of an old-soul ballad, which harks back to the all-encompassing elements of love, family and summers in Mississippi. Noel recalls of writing the song, “My grandfather had just died and I was thinking about him, and in the Deep South, the river represents something spiritual.” He attributes the song’s popularity to its applicable theme. “I think there’s something in the record a lot of people can hold and grasp and relate to. It seems like people from 15 on up to 50 years old can grab something from this record.”
Along with his production team Trakaddix, Noel Gourdin co-wrote much of the album, which also boasts a formidable list of collaborators, including Raphael Saadiq, Vidal & Dre, The Black Beatles and Eddie F. Grown-and-sexy but edgy enough to appeal to the younger crowd, the disc offers up the melodic sounds reminiscent of pioneering soul imprints like Motown, Stax and Philly International, while incorporating the beat-driven hip-hop rhythms that are a constant on today’s music charts.
Some of these gems include “Reach,” on which Noel flexes his falsetto muscles while addressing the notion of giving a 100 percent to a relationship. “Sorry I Led You On,” is about the harsh realities of a man growing out of love. Noel lets his lover down easy on the track produced by Soundz (Usher). Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse) works his magic on “Open.” Borrowing from the late B.I.G.’s “Who Shot Ya,” the tastefully seductive track hears Noel give praise to that special woman who arouses his sensual side. The typical male-female roles are switched on “One Love,” a groove-driven track on which Noel looks to take a relationship to the next level. The downside of love is represented on tracks like “Too Late,” where he campaigns to save a union he fears is already doomed; And Trakaddix’s own “Hurts Like Hell” hears the artist brokenhearted but bitter and resigned to move on. Hip-hop is infused again on the latter track, nodding to A Tribe Called Quest’s “Lyrics to Go.”
In summing up himself as “city to the heart but southern to the soul,” Noel also sums up his music. “It’s emotional and vulnerable, but still strong and secure.” He is certainly among those rare artists who can walk the fine line between being “what’s hot” and a favorite among more mature listeners. His music can be played at the young people’s party or the family barbeque, much like contemporaries John Legend, D’Angelo and Robin Thicke before him. However, artistically in a class by himself Noel declares, “More than anything, I wanted to make music that was real, relatable and timeless.” And with this first offering destined to become a classic, Noel Gourdin has certainly done just that.
I Fell
Noel Gourdin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause nothing could come
From robbing your will and a heart that could break
But then you came my way
I was so naive again and so brand new again
But I dug ya, then I liked ya
Now I love you baby
I'm so happy since you came to me
A love so heavenly
You inspired a change you made a believer in me
I'm so blessed to be, living my fantasy
A love so heavenly
Created for me is it too good to me
[Chorus]
I feel I don't wanna get back up
Girl I don't wanna pick myself up and out of love
Up and out of love
I feel but you don't have to help me up
Cause I don't wanna get back up and out of love
Up and out of love
Don't ever wanna [Repeat: x5]
Now look at me
I'm so wrapped up in love
And all that we've become
I never thought it'd be me
Remember who I was, I never left the club
I never gave my trust, but you gained it
I cant explain it no, oh girl
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
Ain't nothin' left for me to say
But still theres so much more
I swear I never talk this way
I don't wanna bore you
But I really adore you
I know its sounds crazy
But my world ain't spinning without you
[Chorus: x2]
In Noel Gourdin's song "I Fell," the artist reflects on a newfound love and how it has changed his perspective on relationships. He opens with a confession that he once lost faith in love because of the heartbreak it can cause. However, his outlook changes when he meets the person he's singing to. He describes feeling naive and brand new, but also drawn to this new person. As their relationship progresses, he falls deeply in love with them, something he never thought would happen for him.
The bridge of the song focuses on the impact this love has had on him. He describes it as "heavenly" and says that it has made him a believer in love again. He is grateful for the change this person has inspired in him and feels blessed to be living his fantasy. However, he wonders if it's all too good to be true.
The chorus centers around Gourdin's fear of losing this love. He admits that he doesn't want to even think about getting back up and out of love because he knows it will hurt. He also implies that he doesn't want anyone else to help him up either, suggesting that he's so committed to this love that he can't imagine being with anyone else.
Overall, "I Fell" is a love song that explores the emotions that come with falling in love after experiencing heartbreak. It's a passionate declaration of love and a testament to the transformative power of healthy relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to say that I lost faith in love
I once claimed that I no longer believed in love.
Cause nothing could come
As a result of past failed relationships, I believed that there was no potential for positive outcomes.
From robbing your will and a heart that could break
Being in love can suppress one's free will and leave them vulnerable to heartbreak.
But then you came my way
However, you entered my life and changed my perspective on love.
I was so naive again and so brand new again
I felt as if I were experiencing love for the first time, and was overcome by its allure.
But I dug ya, then I liked ya
Initially, I was intrigued and attracted to you, and my feelings then grew to become more substantial.
Now I love you baby
Now, I am deeply in love with you.
I'm so happy since you came to me
Since we came together, my happiness and contentment have greatly increased.
A love so heavenly
Our love is such a harmonious, idyllic state of being.
You inspired a change you made a believer in me
You have motivated me to alter my past views on love and convince me that it is possible to fully embrace it.
I'm so blessed to be, living my fantasy
I feel incredibly lucky to be living a life that surpasses any dream or expectation I could have had.
Created for me is it too good to me
I often question if what I am experiencing is too good to be true.
I feel I don't wanna get back up
I am so comfortable and content with being in love that I am scared of the potential for things to fall apart.
Girl I don't wanna pick myself up and out of love
It would be devastating if I were to lose this feeling and relationship, and I desperately want to avoid it.
Up and out of love
I do not want to experience the loss of this love.
I feel but you don't have to help me up
Although these feelings exist, I do not necessarily need your assistance in dealing with them.
Cause I don't wanna get back up and out of love
I cannot bear the thought of losing you and my current feelings of love.
Now look at me
Reflecting on my current state of mind and well-being.
I'm so wrapped up in love
I am so fully entrenched in my feelings of love and wrapped up in the relationship with you.
And all that we've become
Our love and relationship have become so significant in my life.
I never thought it'd be me
In the past, I never imagined I would find such a fulfilling relationship.
Remember who I was, I never left the club
Reflecting on my past persona and lifestyle, and noting that I never believed I would grow out of that.
I never gave my trust, but you gained it
It is challenging for me to put trust in others, yet you have earned it through our relationship and love.
I cant explain it no, oh girl
I cannot fully explain or comprehend the extent of my love for you and the impact of our relationship.
Ain't nothin' left for me to say
I feel as if no words could adequately express how I feel.
But still theres so much more
Despite the limitations of language, there is so much more that I feel and wish to express.
I swear I never talk this way
I never thought I would be speaking so openly and honestly about my feelings for someone.
I don't wanna bore you
I do not want to inconvenience you or make you uncomfortable with my emotions.
But I really adore you
I am incredibly fond of you and treasure our relationship.
I know its sounds crazy
I understand that my feelings may sound over the top or abnormal to others.
But my world ain't spinning without you
I cannot imagine my life or world without you; you are the center of my happiness.
Chorus x2
Reiterating the fear and longing for the continuation of our love-filled relationship.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANTWOINE COLLINS, CHRISTOPHER BREAUX, BRIAN KENNEDY SEALS, NOEL GOURDIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind