New Orleans marks the Cash Money imprint’s first step toward broadening its already wide appeal, thanks to a hit-making and award-winning roster that includes founder Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj. And there’s no better ambassador to musically personify that message than Morton, whose self described “soulful pop” seamlessly spans multiple genres from gospel and R&B/funk to pop and rock.
“I’ve always pushed boundaries,” says Morton, “but I always remain true to who I am musically. New Orleans is a natural progression of who I am. I can’t explain it except through my music. That proves it better than anything I can say.”
Building that case is “Only One” featuring Stevie Wonder. Quickly garnering strong reaction following its January premiere on Billboard.com, the song is the lead single from New Orleans. Armed with an infectious hook and a head-boppin’ groove, the up-tempo number showcases Morton’s velvety tenor, songwriting skills and musicianship, accented by Wonder’s distinctive harmonica.
“Stevie joining me on the track is the ultimate start. It’s my dream come true,” says Morton of teaming with Wonder. “I want to continue the legacy he represents: musicianship and positivity.”
New Orleans itself stems from Morton’s acclaimed 2012 EP, Following My First Mind, featuring guest cameos from Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, Lil Wayne and Jazmine Sullivan. A nod to Morton’s hometown and musical roots, the forthcoming New Orleans finds Morton at the keyboard playing with a full backing band complete with horns and strings. The result is a lush, melodic yet organic 10-track set that grabs listeners right from the opening title track.
“New Orleans is where I learned how to play music,” recalls Morton. “It’s the physical and mind space I was in when I fell in love with music. It wasn’t about marketing, radio and publicity. It was just about making music because I loved it. It made me feel good. Young Money wanted me creatively as I am. That’s why I’m excited about this next chapter.”
Also featuring rapper Busta Rhymes, New Orleans comes packed with a diverse slate of musical influences. There’s the reggae-infused “Hard Enough,” which explores relationship issues. “I’m looking for a love unconditional / Not one that goes wherever the wind blows,” declares Morton as the song opens.
The self-described “Dr. Love” traverses the same landscape on the mid-tempo “Work It Out.” Set off by a touch of synth and a hypnotic drumbeat, the song once again spotlights Morton’s tantalizing tenor. Also noteworthy is “Heavy,” a song revamped from Morton’s 2012 EP and featuring Adam Levine. Sporting a funk/rock track reminiscent of Sly Stone and Prince, the song’s lyrics were inspired by Morton’s frustration at one point with his indie career.
“It was at a point where I was trying to figure out what the next step was,” says Morton, who hadn’t yet connected with pop hitmakers Maroon 5. “This was me getting those feelings out. Since that frustration, I’ve had one of the biggest years in my career. It’s crazy.”
Influenced by acts ranging from the Beatles and James Taylor to Wonder and Donny Hathaway, the New Orleans native is the son of gospel singer Paul S. Morton. His formal foray into the industry was as a member of the band Freestyle Nation, which debuted in the early 2000s. But it was as a songwriter/ producer that Morton left his first indelible impression. He won a Grammy Award for his songwriting/ production of India.Arie’s “Interested” from her 2002 album Voyage to India.
That opened the door to more collaborations (Jermaine Dupri, LL Cool J, Monica, Musiq Soulchild, Trinitee 5:7) and additional accolades (Dove and Stellar Awards) for his work with gospel singer DeWayne Woods. Woods’ “Let Go, Let God” spent a record 70 weeks on the gospel chart. Along the way, Morton released several acclaimed indie solo albums. He also attracted the attention of Academy Award-winning producer AR Rahman (“Slumdog Millionaire”), who asked Morton to contribute a song (“Sajna”) to the soundtrack for the Vince Vaughn comedy “Couples Retreat.”
Morton’s next big break occurred three years ago, when he was asked to audition by friend and Maroon
5 music director Adam Blackstone for a spot in the band as its keyboardist/vocalist. Soon after, childhood friend and Young Money Entertainment president Mack Maine championed Morton’s music and vision to Cash Money co-CEO’s Roland “Slim” Williams and Bryan “Birdman” Williams. With Lil Wayne co-signing his approval as well, Morton is ready to bring his journey full circle with New Orleans.
“My indie years and working with various artists, including Maroon 5, have helped me understand who I am as both an individual and an artist,” says Morton. “It has allowed me to create a fan base that will forever be with me. Now I’m being given the opportunity to do on steroids what I’ve been doing for years.”
I Can't Wait
PJ Morton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All this distance has me missing yeah
All the good times that we used to share
I took for granted
Petty semantics yeah
But now I'm seeing everything so clear
And all I know is that I want you here
All the things we missed
If we ended like this
It'll be a big regret
So I won't waste time (oh)
The next time there's a chance (chance)
A chance to hold your hand
And tell you how I feel
Haruskah ku terus mencoba (terus mеncoba)
Salahkah keadaan bila (ah)
Terlanjur mencinta (oh)
Mеski kita tak sama
Tak bisa (tak bisa)
Tak bisa bersama
Haruskah ku terus mencoba
Salahkah keadaan bila (salahkah bila)
Terlanjur mencinta (oh)
Meski kita tak sama
I can't wait till I get back to you
All this distance has me missing yeah
All the good times that we used to share
I took for granted
Petty semantics yeah
But now I'm seeing everything so clear
And all I know is that I want you here
Tak bisa bersama
Tak bisa bersama
Meski kita saling cinta
Oh
In PJ Morton's song "I Can't Wait," the singer expresses his longing to be reunited with his loved one after being separated by distance. He reflects on how he took their past moments together for granted and now realizes their importance. He mentions that he does not want to miss out on more memories with his loved one and vows not to waste any opportunity to express his feelings.
The first verse of the song highlights the regrets the singer has for taking the good times he shared with his loved one for granted. The realization that he may miss out on more of such moments with her if he doesn't act fast dawns on him. In the second verse, he mentions that he does not want to live with the regret of not expressing his feelings for her enough. Hence, he promises to take hold of any opportunity he gets to be with her.
In the chorus, he repeats this desire to be reunited with his lover and not to let anything hamper their relationship. The last part of the song, where he sings in a different language, is thought to be conveying the singer's wish to stay with his lover despite their differences and societal constraints that may prevent them from being together.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't wait till I get back to you
I am eagerly waiting for the moment when I can be with you again
All this distance has me missing yeah
I am feeling the pain of being away from you and I miss you a lot
All the good times that we used to share
I am remembering all the happy moments we had together
I took for granted
I didn't appreciate the good times we had together when we were together
Petty semantics yeah
I realize that the arguments we had in the past were unimportant and insignificant
But now I'm seeing everything so clear
I have gained clarity and understanding about the importance of the relationship
And all I know is that I want you here
I realize how much I love you and I want to be with you now
Just to think (oh)
Reflecting on the past events
All the things we missed
I am regretting the moments we lost due to our disagreements
If we ended like this
If our relationship ended this way
It'll be a big regret
It would be a huge mistake
So I won't waste time (oh)
I won't let time slip by without expressing my love for you
The next time there's a chance (chance)
The next opportunity we have to be together
A chance to hold your hand
An opportunity to hold your hand and show my affection
And tell you how I feel
And express my true feelings towards you
Haruskah ku terus mencoba (terus mеncoba)
Should I keep trying?
Salahkah keadaan bila (ah)
Is it wrong to be in this situation?
Terlanjur mencinta (oh)
I am already in love
Mеski kita tak sama
Even though we are different
Tak bisa (tak bisa)
We cannot
Tak bisa bersama
We cannot be together
Meski kita saling cinta
Even though we both love each other
Oh
Expression of intense emotions
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aung Myint Myat
I can't wait 'til I get back to you
All this distance
Has me missing, yeah
All the good times that we used to share
I took for granted
Petty semantics, yeah
But now I'm seeing everything so clear
And all I know is that I want you here
Just to think all the things we missed
If we ended like this
It'll be a big regret
So I won't waste time
The next time there's a chance
A chance to hold your hand
And tell you how I feel, feel
Oh, I can't wait 'til I get back to you
All this distance
Has me missing
All the good times that we used to share
I took for granted
Petty semantics
But now I'm seeing everything so clear
And all I know is that I want you here
Feliciano Christian
intro: Ebmaj7 Dm7 Cm7 Bbmaj7
/
Bb Em7b5 A7 Dm7 G7
i cant wait till i get back to you
Cm7 Adim Bbsus4 Ebm6
all this distance has me missin, yeah
Bb Em7b5 A7 Dm7 G7
all the good times that we used to share
Cm7 Adim Bbsus4 Ebm6
i took for granted, petty semantics, yeah
Bb Em7b5 A7 Dm7 G7
but now i'm seeing everything so clear
Cm7 Ebmaj7 Ebmaj7 Dm7 Cm7 Bbmaj7
and all i know is that i want you here
/
Em7b5 A7 Ab7
just to think all the things we'd miss
G7 Gb7 Ebm6 Bb
if we end it like this, it'd be a big regret
Bb Cm7 Dm7 Em7b5 A7 Ab7
so i wont waste time the next time there's a chance
G7 Gb7 Ebm6 F9
a chance to hold your hand and tell you how i feel
/
Bb Em7b5 A7 Dm7 G7
oh i cant wait till i get back to you
Cm7 Adim Bbsus4 Ebm6
all this distance has me missin
Bb Em7b5 A7 Dm7 G7
all the good times that we used to share
Cm7 Adim Bbsus4 Ebm6
i took for granted, petty semantics
Bb Em7b5 A7 Dm7 G7
but now i'm seeing everything so clear
Cm7 Ebmaj7 Ebmaj7 Dm7 Cm7 Bbmaj7
and all i know is that i want you here
Lark T
He’s like a modern Stevie wonder ❤️
Robot Trees Music
Funny you say that. If you haven't already you should listen to only one by pj morton
Claudia Love Mair
That's exactly what I think. Stevie is my all-time favorite musical artist. PJ is my second, and giving Stevie a run for his money!
P. Banneker Hatcherson
Definitely! 💯
Aung Myint Myat
I can't wait 'til I get back to you
All this distance
Has me missing, yeah
All the good times that we used to share
I took for granted
Petty semantics, yeah
But now I'm seeing everything so clear
And all I know is that I want you here
Just to think all the things we missed
If we ended like this
It'll be a big regret
So I won't waste time
The next time there's a chance
A chance to hold your hand
And tell you how I feel, feel
Oh, I can't wait 'til I get back to you
All this distance
Has me missing
All the good times that we used to share
I took for granted
Petty semantics
But now I'm seeing everything so clear
And all I know is that I want you here
khansa safira
the only bad about this song is it's too short
Yolenta chinora chindi nge
Exactly
Bosslady Baby
Fr I should loop it
LaKesha R Jones
Yet another hit...this Man is HANDS DOWN one of THE MOST talented artists to walk this earfff...JESUS...PJ 💜💜💜
Janeen Polo
Agreed 100% noone on pj morton wow