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.
Summertime
Noel Gourdin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To and fro through sleet and snow
Cant wait to get home
Cause when we set it off the clothes come off
And the cold don't mean nothing
Its hot like a oven when we get to loving
You keep that soft and warm
And its hot to death
But your body makes me want to do it till I'm out of breath
And we're soaking wet
We out the storm up in this room lets get it on
[Chorus]
Just cause its cold outside
And the sun ain't shining
That don't mean me and you cant get to sweating
Just like its summertime
It might be cold out there
Its hot as the fourth of July up in here
Cause we change the weather when we get together
Oh baby lets make it summertime
Makin' love over an hour
We lay still feeling the chill
Wrapped up in a comfy quilt
Makin' body heat when bodies meet
From front back, think I better check the thermostat
Bought to pass out girl but I ain't mad
Cause its the greatest sex I ever had
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
Shivering and shaking not from the cold
But from the love we're love making
It could be December if we keep kissing
We going to need some air condition
Gotta fifth of Bacardi sucking that Marley
Windows are foggy,
And we can make summer wherever we go
[Chorus]
"Noel Gourdin's Summertime" is a song that suggests the possibility of bringing the heat of summertime into the bedroom during the cold winter months. The song suggests the idea of using each other's body heat as a source of warmth and comfort, in the midst of the frigid weather. The lyrics create an image of two people cuddled up under a cozy quilt, enjoying each other's company and body heat as they make passionate love.
The song's chorus repeats the idea that despite the cold weather outside, the couple can make it feel like summertime in the bedroom. The overall message of the song is that love can make any season feel like summer, and that the warmth of intimate connection can overcome any obstacle, including winter's cold and snow.
Line by Line Meaning
Winter cold, glass and stocking, temperatures dropping
It's winter and the cold is creeping in, stockings cover the feet to keep them warm while they drink glasses of wine.
To and fro through sleet and snow
Despite the weather, they're still traveling to get to each other.
Cant wait to get home
They're excited to be reunited and enjoy each other's company.
Cause when we set it off the clothes come off
They waste no time getting intimate with each other when they're together.
And the cold don't mean nothing
The weather doesn't affect them when they're together.
Its hot like a oven when we get to loving
Whenever they're intimate, they create so much heat that it feels like an oven in their room.
You keep that soft and warm
One of them is being praised for keeping their body soft and warm during sex.
And its hot to death
The passion is intense and overwhelming.
But your body makes me want to do it till I'm out of breath
The sight and touch of their partner is so irresistible that it takes away their breath.
And we're soaking wet
Their passion is so intense that they're sweating profusely.
We out the storm up in this room lets get it on
They're creating their own warm and comfortable space where they can be intimate despite the cold and inclement weather outside.
Just cause its cold outside
The cold weather outside doesn't have to affect their relationship or intimacy.
And the sun ain't shining
The lack of sunlight doesn't stop them from creating their own heat and light.
That don't mean me and you cant get to sweating
They don't need the sun to be shining to feel hot and sweaty around each other.
Just like its summertime
Their intimacy is so passionate and hot that it feels like it's summer regardless of the actual weather outside.
It might be cold out there
The cold outside doesn't affect the warmth and passion they feel when they're together.
Its hot as the fourth of July up in here
Their passion is so intense that it feels like the 4th of July, which is typically hot and filled with fireworks.
Cause we change the weather when we get together
Their passion heats up their room and changes their atmosphere, creating their own weather.
Oh baby lets make it summertime
They want to continue feeling this passion and intensity despite the cold season, making it feel like summer all year round.
Makin' love over an hour
Their passion doesn't stop after a few minutes, it lasts for an hour or more.
We lay still feeling the chill
After their intimacy, they still feel the cold from the weather outside.
Wrapped up in a comfy quilt
They wrap themselves in a warm and comfortable blanket to keep themselves warm.
Makin' body heat when bodies meet
Their bodies generate a lot of heat when they come into contact with each other, adding to the warmth of the room.
From front back, think I better check the thermostat
They're generating so much heat that they can't tell which direction it's coming from and need to check the thermostat to make sure it's not too warm.
Bought to pass out girl but I ain't mad
Their passion is so intense that one of them is about to pass out, but they're enjoying it so much that they're not upset.
Shivering and shaking not from the cold
They're shaking and shivering, but not from the cold outside.
But from the love we're love making
Their passion is what's causing them to shake and shiver.
It could be December if we keep kissing
The passion between them is so intense that they don't even realize the month or season anymore.
We going to need some air condition
Their passion is so hot that they might need an air conditioner to cool off.
Gotta fifth of Bacardi sucking that Marley
They're enjoying themselves with some good music and a drink.
Windows are foggy
The heat and steam from their intimacy has fogged up the windows in their room.
And we can make summer wherever we go
Their passion and love is so intense that they can create their own summer no matter where they are.
Oh baby lets make it summertime
They want to continue feeling this passion and intensity, making it feel like summertime all year round.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DORIAN BROEKHUYSE, IRA DRENTHE, JAMES SAMUEL III HARRIS, JAMES HARRIS III, TERRY LEWIS, RAY SLIJNGAARD, TARA TJOKROHAMIDJOJO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
teezah24
Wow, what a soulful voice!
Dale Hall
I just heard of this dude and Im already a fan..why dont the radio play this..or was a single? this should be a hit better than 99% of the music on the radio..
M E
I love love love himmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gorgeous voice, natural, REAL talent. I miss Real R n B!
lovelylegs68
Loving this!
mz,tee barber
love this song, my exercise song daily it keeps me motivated, ,,
Alfredia Bowers
So true, real talent never gets the radio and recognition it deserves!
Jamel Muhammad
Once I heard his music I was in love
Ava Falaoa
Noel you are talented and I agree with everyone underrated and im from NZ but i know wat i like--> Real music! You are my new fav artist right next to Musiq Soulchild....Keep doing wat you do well many blessing brother!
Colton James
These type "Slow jams" are whats been missin for so long man....Thanx Noel.
danielle8690
I love Noel....he's so fly