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.”
Motions
PJ Morton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've watched our decline gradually
But neither of us wants to be the one to say it
So now we have this elephant sitting in our room
And our love's resting in peace in a tomb
But we're acting like nothing's even changed
()
I know you're standing here but your heart's been gone
And that's the thing that really matters to me
I don't wanna be just going though the motions
I don't care about the physical
If I can't have the emotional
I don't want half of you gotta have all of you
I don't Just wanna be going though the motions
()
I think it's time for you to tell me the truth
Don't hold back tell me what you wanna do
We can't continue on like this
This is no way to live
We need to get ourselves together
And if you want to fight then let's give it all we got
And if you think our time is done at least we gave it a shot
But whatever we do
Let's just make sure that it's real
()
Oh where'd you go, missed you so
I know you're standing here but your heart's been gone
And that's the thing that really matters to me
I don't wanna be just going though the motions
I don't care about the physical
If I can't have the emotional
I don't want half of you gotta have all of you
I don't Just wanna be going though the motions
(Bridge)
I don't wanna be going.
Going.
Going.
Oh Going through the motions
I don't wanna be going.
Going.
Going.
Through the motions
Just going.
Going.
Going.
Oh Going through the motions
Please don't have me going
Going.
Going.
Going through the motions.
Going.
Going.
Going through the motions.
Going.
Going.
Going through the motions.
()
Oh where'd you go, missed you so
I know you're standing here but your heart's been gone
And that's the thing that really matters to me
I don't wanna be just going though the motions
I don't care about the physical
If I Don't have the emotional
I don't want half of you gotta have all of you
I don't Just wanna be going though the motions
The song "Motions" by PJ Morton touches on the themes of love, decline, honesty, and emotional connection. The lyrics suggest that the couple in question might have been together for a while, but over time, their love has slowly declined, leading to a lack of emotional connection. They are both aware of the problem, yet they are both reluctant to bring it up and acknowledge the elephant in the room. The singer implores his partner to be honest and tell him what she wants, whether it is to fight for their love or call it quits. Ultimately, he does not want to go through the motions of being together and going through the motions emotionally.
The lyrics are introspective and suggest that the singer is not content with just physical intimacy. He is looking for an emotional connection with his partner that he feels is missing. He highlights that he does not care about the physical relationship if there is no emotional connection. It is a poignant and heartfelt portrayal of the struggle that many couples face when they feel their love is in decline. The line "our love's resting in peace in a tomb" is particularly evocative, highlighting how their love has reached its end if things continue in the same way.
Overall, the song is an excellent portrayal of the complexities of love and relationships. It is a reminder to be honest with oneself and one's partner and not to settle for merely going through the motions.
Line by Line Meaning
It's ok you can be honest with me
You can tell me the truth, it's okay and you won't be judged.
I've watched our decline gradually
I have noticed our relationship falling apart slowly over time.
But neither of us wants to be the one to say it
Neither of us wants to bring up the fact that our relationship is failing.
So now we have this elephant sitting in our room
There is an obvious problem in our relationship that we are ignoring and it's causing tension.
And our love's resting in peace in a tomb
Our relationship is dead and buried, we are just pretending it is still alive.
But we're acting like nothing's even changed
We are behaving as if everything is normal even though our relationship is falling apart.
I know you're standing here but your heart's been gone
I can see that you are physically present but emotionally you have checked out of our relationship.
And that's the thing that really matters to me
The emotional connection between us is what is most important and what is missing.
I don't wanna be just going though the motions
I don't want us to continue our relationship just out of habit, without any real feeling or connection.
I don't care about the physical
The physical side of our relationship is not the most important, it is the emotional connection that matters.
If I can't have the emotional
If there is no emotional connection between us, then the physical aspects of the relationship are meaningless.
I don't want half of you gotta have all of you
I don't want an incomplete relationship, I want the full emotional connection with you.
I think it's time for you to tell me the truth
It is time for you to be honest with me about your feelings.
Don't hold back tell me what you wanna do
Don't keep your true feelings hidden, tell me what you really want to do in regards to our relationship.
We can't continue on like this
We cannot keep ignoring the problems in our relationship and pretending everything is fine.
This is no way to live
Living in an emotionally dead relationship is not a fulfilling or healthy way to live.
And if you want to fight then let's give it all we got
If you are willing to try to save our relationship, then let's put in all the effort we can.
And if you think our time is done at least we gave it a shot
If you think that our relationship is beyond repair, then at least we can say we tried our best to save it.
But whatever we do Let's just make sure that it's real
No matter what we decide to do with our relationship, we need to make sure that it is based on real emotions and not just going through the motions.
I don't wanna be going. Going. Going. Oh Going through the motions
Repeated line emphasizing the desire to not continue in a relationship without a true emotional connection.
Please don't have me going
Please don't allow our relationship to continue without an emotional connection.
Going. Going. Going through the motions.
Continued emphasis on the desire to not continue in a relationship without a true emotional connection.
Contributed by Caroline G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.