Many artists have been declared βbefore their timeβ 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 βmost relevant musicβ in his life. While heβd 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 fatherβs 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 βLuckyβ 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, ZhanΓ© and Next. Declaring him the βnew-age Sam Cooke,β Kay-Gee brought Noel into the studio to record βFamily Reunionβ for the soundtrack to the 2004 film The Cookout. A number of industry players bore witness to the formation of Noelβs 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, Noelβs camp ultimately settled at Epic and set to work on presenting to the world who they already knew to be R&Bβs next superstar.
With his fatherβs two-hour Maxell soul tapes as their soundtrack, each year, Noel and his family made the long car trips to his grandparentsβ 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 predecessorsβ 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.
Itβs no wonder that Noel is already winning music fans over with his debut single, aptly titled βThe River.β 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, βMy grandfather had just died and I was thinking about him, and in the Deep South, the river represents something spiritual.β He attributes the songβs popularity to its applicable theme. βI think thereβs 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.β
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 todayβs music charts.
Some of these gems include βReach,β on which Noel flexes his falsetto muscles while addressing the notion of giving a 100 percent to a relationship. βSorry I Led You On,β 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 βOpen.β Borrowing from the late B.I.G.βs βWho Shot Ya,β 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 βOne Love,β 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 βToo Late,β where he campaigns to save a union he fears is already doomed; And Trakaddixβs own βHurts Like Hellβ 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 Questβs βLyrics to Go.β
In summing up himself as βcity to the heart but southern to the soul,β Noel also sums up his music. βItβs emotional and vulnerable, but still strong and secure.β He is certainly among those rare artists who can walk the fine line between being βwhatβs hotβ and a favorite among more mature listeners. His music can be played at the young peopleβs party or the family barbeque, much like contemporaries John Legend, DβAngelo and Robin Thicke before him. However, artistically in a class by himself Noel declares, βMore than anything, I wanted to make music that was real, relatable and timeless.β And with this first offering destined to become a classic, Noel Gourdin has certainly done just that.
River
Noel Gourdin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were glad for what little we had
I saw my share of old fair, Mississippi
Dirt roads and Confederate flags
Everyday my father would tell me
"Son, run and don't never come back"
That's where I left my girl
That's where my heart is at, and oh
I held my breath when they dipped my head
Then I came up shiny and new
Found out about love in the back of my Impala
Where they laid my grandfather too
Down by the river
Where black folks gather
After Sunday service is through
How the river runs to the ocean
I'll be runnin' right back to you
I got along, I'm movin' on
I bandaged the scars of, well
I think of her, then I seem to wait
For a card or a letter in the mail
I walk the beach with the sand in my feet
Place my ear to a shell
I wonder if you miss me too
Cause I been longin' to get to you
I'm sick of starin' out my window sill
I'm tired of hopin' she remembers me still
I'm packin' my bags, I said I'm goin' back home
To the place where I belong
The river
And if she's there when I get there
I'm never gonna leave her again
You see, she stole my heart
Down by the river
I held my breath when they dipped my head
Then I came up shiny and new
Found out about love in the back of my Impala
Where they laid my grandfather too
Down by the river
Where black folks gather
After Sunday service is through
How the river runs to the ocean
I'll be runnin' right back to you
So I'm packin' up my suitcase
Bought me a one-way fare
I'm leavin' everything behind me
But in my heart I always care
And I'll still be right there
Thank you baby
'Cause nothin' can replace that part in my life, and
I held my breath when they dipped my head
Then I came up shiny and new
Found out about love in the back of my Impala
Where they laid my grandfather too
Down by the river
Where black folks gather
After Sunday service is through
How the river runs to the ocean
I'll be runnin' right back to you
Noel Gourdin's song The River speaks to the idea of nostalgia and returning to one's roots. The first verse talks about growing up with little, seeing the sights and symbols of the South, and leaving a lover behind. The second verse speaks of healing and moving on, but the pain of separation and the hope of rekindling love never truly fades. The chorus talks about the river where black folks gather and how it runs to the ocean. The singer intends to return to the river, the place of his birth and his first love. He expresses his desire to reunite with his lover, apologizing for leaving her and promising to stay if she's there when he arrives.
The song touches on themes of love, loss, regret, hope, and the importance of roots. Gourdin's soulful voice and the warm, bluesy instrumentation create an atmosphere that is both nostalgic and forward-looking. The use of specific details like the Confederate flags, the river gathering after church, and the back of the singer's Impala, gives the lyrics a sense of authenticity and personal experience.
In all, The River is a powerful song about the enduring nature of love and the unbreakable bond between a person and their roots.
Line by Line Meaning
Growin' up, it was tough
My childhood was difficult
We were glad for what little we had
We were grateful for what we had
I saw my share of old fair, Mississippi
I have seen many old things in Mississippi
Dirt roads and Confederate flags
There were many dirt roads and Confederate flags
Everyday my father would tell me
"Son, run and don't never come back"
My father would tell me every day to run away and never come back
That's where I left my girl
That's where my heart is at, and oh
I left my girlfriend there, and that is where my heart is
I held my breath when they dipped my head
Then I came up shiny and new
I was baptized and felt renewed
Found out about love in the back of my Impala
Where they laid my grandfather too
I discovered love in the back of my Impala where my grandfather is laid to rest
Down by the river
Where black folks gather
After Sunday service is through
How the river runs to the ocean
I'll be runnin' right back to you
I am going to run back to where the river meets the ocean where black people gather after Sunday service
I got along, I'm movin' on
I bandaged the scars of, well
I have moved on from the past and have healed
I think of her, then I seem to wait
For a card or a letter in the mail
When I think of her, I wait for a letter in the mail
I walk the beach with the sand in my feet
Place my ear to a shell
I walk on the beach and listen to the sounds of the sea
I wonder if you miss me too
Cause I been longin' to get to you
I wonder if you miss me too, because I have been longing to see you
I'm sick of starin' out my window sill
I'm tired of hopin' she remembers me still
I am tired of waiting and hoping that she still remembers me
I'm packin' my bags, I said I'm goin' back home
To the place where I belong
The river
I am going back home to where the river is
And if she's there when I get there
I'm never gonna leave her again
If she is there when I arrive, I am never going to leave her again
You see, she stole my heart
Down by the river
She stole my heart down by the river
So I'm packin' up my suitcase
Bought me a one-way fare
I'm leavin' everything behind me
But in my heart I always care
And I'll still be right there
Thank you baby
'Cause nothin' can replace that part in my life, and
I am packing up and leaving everything behind to go back to the river, but I will always care and be right there for her
Lyrics Β© Songs United Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Terence N Abney, Aramah N Brown, Eric N Daniels, Marcellus N Dawson, Raeford Godfrey Gerald, Kier N Gist, Noel N Go
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miki Harold
This guy here is truly underrated!! His voice gives me chills.Blues or Gospel he can do it all.
Gunter Butler
Steve Harvey put me on this bout 10 years ago. I just want to know who the Lady is? Good song overall π
Byron Jones
This Is One Of The Most Underated, Timeless, Songs Ever Recorded. VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER , ANYHOW..........
Alfred Cowans
Song Tough!!!πͺπΎπ―π―
E. Mitch
Facts
Nickever Narcisse
I agree!
Demetrio Perkins
To this day in 2020 of Aug., I still listen to every day since it came out... It is one of my favorites of all time... It's so soothing, calming, and have reminiscing and daydreaming of happy, peaceful, and loving times... Ya'mean...
Christopher Johnson
You have to look at what is going on... Very negative π€π§π·π
Marcus Reeves
IT'S 2020 AND THIS SONG STILL GOT ME IN TEARS.WHEN A MAN CRIES,YOU KNOW HE IS TRULY FEELING EVERY WORD IN HIS HEART AND SOUL.
Gil Cruz
You already know my brother this is big Gil from Brooklyn New York I lived in North Carolina back in 2008 and this is where I first heard this song on Steve Harvey Morning Show and it always touches my heart