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.
Sorry
Noel Gourdin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause I cant look at you
And keep this to myself
Cause every time I see your eyes
The thought comes back to mind
Girl I didn't want to do it
But I gave into temptation
I couldn't hold it back
And I swear I never meant to hurt you
But its killing me
Cause now I'm so afraid
[Chorus]
Cause I don't want to lose
Girl I'm sorry forgive me
If you'll just let me explain
Girl I'm sorry forgive me
Baby now I understand
If you just want to up and leave
After what I've done cause I don't deserve you
But if you can only take the time
And think of what we had
If you could just give me a second chance
Cause baby we could live romance
Baby just me and you
No one in between us
I know I'm asking for too much
But if you still have a heart
Thats all I need
[Chorus]
I don't want you to leave
Cause I love you
Girl I cant see myself
Living without you
I don't know what id do if I lose you
[Chorus: x2]
[Repeats]
I'm sorry babe
In this song, Noel Gourdin sings about confessing to his partner that he cheated on her. He says that every time he sees her, he is reminded of what he did. He didn't want to cheat, but he gave into temptation and couldn't control himself. He acknowledges that he has hurt his partner, and he is afraid that he will lose her because of his mistake. Throughout the song, he asks for forgiveness and suggests that they can work through it if his partner is willing to give him a second chance. He concludes the song by saying that he loves her and he can't imagine living without her.
The lyrics in this song are relatable to anyone who has felt guilt for making a mistake in a relationship. It takes courage to admit to wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness, and this song captures the emotions that come with that process. Gourdin's smooth R&B voice adds depth to the lyrics, making the message even more impactful.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl we need to talk
I need to tell you something important
Cause I cant look at you
I feel guilty and ashamed when I see you
And keep this to myself
I can't keep this secret any longer
Cause every time I see your eyes
Whenever I look into your eyes, I feel guilty
The thought comes back to mind
I keep thinking about what I did
Girl I didn't want to do it
I didn't intend to hurt you
But I gave into temptation
But I made a mistake and cheated on you
I couldn't hold it back
I couldn't resist the urge to cheat
She really put me on
The other person initiated the affair
And I swear I never meant to hurt you
I promise I didn't intentionally want to cause you pain
But its killing me
I feel terrible about what I did
Cause now I'm so afraid
I'm scared of losing you
[Chorus]
Refrain
Baby now I understand
I realize how much you mean to me
If you just want to up and leave
If you want to break up with me
After what I've done cause I don't deserve you
I know I messed up and don't deserve your forgiveness
But if you can only take the time
But if you can give me a chance
And think of what we had
And remember how good our relationship was
If you could just give me a second chance
If you would be willing to give our relationship another try
Cause baby we could live romance
Because we could have a wonderful romance together
Baby just me and you
Just you and me together as a couple
No one in between us
No one interfering in our relationship
I know I'm asking for too much
I understand that I'm requesting a lot
But if you still have a heart
But if you still have feelings for me
Thats all I need
That's all I'll ask for
[Chorus]
Refrain
I don't want you to leave
I don't want us to break up
Cause I love you
Because I care about you deeply
Girl I cant see myself
I can't imagine my life without you
Living without you
Not being together and not having you in my life
I don't know what id do if I lose you
I'm scared and don't know how I would cope without you
[Chorus: x2]
Refrain
[Repeats]
Repeats previous line
I'm sorry babe
I apologize, my love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: EMILE DERNST, NOEL GOURDIN, RONNIE FOSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind