Taking an interest in music from the age of 6, joining gospel groups and attending Young Musicians Program at Berklee during middle school, Saadiq got the chance phone call of a lifetime, when Sheila E. called one day looking for touring musicians to join Prince on his Parade tour. Saadiq spent two years on the road, a time he called "My University".
Saadiq made a name for himself as the lead vocalist in the rhythm and blues and dance trio Tony! Toni! Toné!. He went by his birth name during the beginning of Tony! Toni! Toné!, where he was joined by his brother Dwayne Wiggins, and his cousin Timothy Christian. He adopted the name of Raphael Saadiq in the mid-1990s.
After the 1996 Tony! Toni! Toné! album, House of Music, (when he performed under his current name) Saadiq started his solo career. He produced a few solo tracks, but Saadiq's next big project became the R&B supergroup Lucy Pearl. He recorded the self-titled album with Dawn Robinson (En Vogue) and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest). This group only lasted for one album. His solo album Instant Vintage, released in 2002, also earned 5 Grammy nominations.
Saadiq released his third solo album, The Way I See It, on September 16 2008, featuring collaborations with Stevie Wonder and Joss Stone. Saadiq acknowledges the album's old school soul sound, which he says includes nods to Gladys Knight & The Pips, Al Green, The Four Tops, The Delfonics and The Stylistics.
Various artists have tapped Saadiq to produce their work through the years. Some of Saadiq's most notable work has been with D'Angelo. The 2000 collaboration "Untitled" won D'Angelo a Grammy award for Best R&B Album. In 2007, Saadiq was called on to produce the whole third album from UK Soul singer Joss Stone. Other artists he has collaborated with include The Roots, Macy Gray, Snoop Dogg, Kelis, Q-Tip and Young Bellz.
In 2002, Saadiq founded his own record label, Pookie Entertainment. Among the artists on the label are Joi and Truth Hurts.
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07. Excuse Me
Raphael Saadiq Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lady can we try
Lady say you're wit it
If you're not wit it, get it 'scuse me
Can't make you stay
If you want to go
Sugar I can't make you love me
There's one thing I'm certain of
And I know it's true
Can't nobody does it like I do like I do
Hey excuse me please
You sure look good to me
With your straight hair up braids
Kinda got my momma's waves (kinda got my momma's waves)
How about the possibility of you and I
Lady can we try
Lady say you're wit it
If you're not wit it, get it 'scuse me
The first time I saw your thighs
That's when I realized
My heart, it skipped a beat
I can't seem to make you see
I tried everything in my book
I'm laughing cause you won't even look
I gotta stop wasting my time so excuse me please
Can't make you stay
If you wanna go
Sugar I can't make you love me
If you're heart says no
There's one thing I'm certain of
And I know it's true
Can't nobody does it like I do like I do
I'm a try this one more time
You look like virgin eyes
This one here might be true
And here's a few fools for you
I, I wanna be married but free
I gotta let the drama miss me
Could this apple fit on your tree
If not excuse me please
Hey excuse me please
You sure look good to me
With your straight hair up braids
Kinda got my momma's waves (kinda got my momma's waves)
How about the possibility of you and I
Lady can we try
Lady say you're wit it
If you're not wit it, get it 'scuse me
Can't make you stay
If you wanna go
Sugar I can't make you love me
If you're heart says no
There's one thing I'm certain of
And I know it's true
Can't nobody does it like I do like I do
Can't nobody love you babe
Can't nobody touch you babe
Like I do
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
It'll be all right
It'll be all right
It'll be okay
It'll be okay
Love's goin' be all right
This ain't nothin' but a slow song
Oh yeah all right, gospeldelic
It'll be all good
The lyrics to "Excuse Me" by Raphael Saadiq Feat. Angie Stone tell the story of a man trying to pursue a woman he is interested in. The song begins with him asking for the possibility of them being together, asking if she is "wit it." He then goes on to explain that he cannot force her to stay if she wants to go, nor can he make her love him if her heart says no. He tells her that he knows he can do things for her like nobody else can, hence why she should try being with him. The man is persistent, trying everything in his book to win her over.
The chorus repeats multiple times with the man trying to convince the woman to give him a chance. The bridge of the song is where he changes his approach, suggesting to her that they can be married but free and that she can have an apple on her own tree. He then states that he wants to try again with her, that she looks like virgin eyes and that he believes she could be the one for him.
Overall, the lyrics of this song are about the pursuit of love and the determination of a man trying to win over the woman he admires. It is a song of persistence and hope that one day they will be able to try for a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
How about the possibility of you and I
Expressing a want to pursue a romantic relationship between the singer and the addressee
Lady can we try
Asking the addressee to try pursuing a romantic relationship
Lady say you're wit it
Asking the addressee to verbally confirm that they want to pursue a romantic relationship
If you're not wit it, get it 'scuse me
If the addressee is not interested, the artist apologizes and will move on
Can't make you stay
The artist cannot force the addressee to remain in a romantic relationship
If you want to go
The addressee has the right to end a romantic relationship if they so desire
Sugar I can't make you love me
The singer cannot force the addressee to romantically love them
If you're heart says no
If the addressee's heart is not into a romantic relationship with the artist
There's one thing I'm certain of
The artist is confident in their abilities
And I know it's true
The artist believes in their capabilities
Can't nobody does it like I do like I do
The singer believes they are better than anyone else the addressee may meet
Hey excuse me please
The artist is politely requesting the addressee's attention
You sure look good to me
Complimenting the addressee's appearance
With your straight hair up braids
Complimenting the addressee's hairstyle
Kinda got my momma's waves (kinda got my momma's waves)
The addressee's hair reminds the singer of their mother's hair
The first time I saw your thighs
The first time the artist felt attracted to the addressee
That's when I realized
The realization of feeling an attraction to the addressee
My heart, it skipped a beat
The singer felt an intense physical reaction to the addressee
I can't seem to make you see
The addressee appears oblivious to the singer's feelings
I tried everything in my book
The artist has attempted different tactics to get the addressee's attention
I'm laughing cause you won't even look
The artist finds it humorous that the addressee is ignoring them
I gotta stop wasting my time so excuse me please
The artist is aware they are wasting their time and politely asks the addressee's attention before moving on
I'm a try this one more time
The singer is willing to make one last attempt to romantically pursue the addressee
You look like virgin eyes
The artist believes the addressee appears innocent or inexperienced
This one here might be true
The singer believes the addressee may be the one for them
And here's a few fools for you
The singer has met individuals who are not interested in a romantic relationship with them
I, I wanna be married but free
The singer wants the freedom to enjoy the benefits of marriage without losing their independence
I gotta let the drama miss me
The artist wants to avoid the baggage and stress that come with relationships
Could this apple fit on your tree
The artist wonders if they would fit in the addressee's life
If not excuse me please
If the singer does not fit in the addressee's life, they will respectfully move on
Can't nobody love you babe
The singer believes they can love the addressee better than anyone else
Can't nobody touch you babe
The artist believes they can provide the addressee with the best physical and emotional experiences
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Expressing enthusiasm and excitement
It'll be all right
Reassuring the addressee that everything will be fine
It'll be okay
Reassuring the addressee that everything will be alright
Love's goin' be all right
Reassuring the addressee that love will work out
This ain't nothin' but a slow song
Just acknowledging that the song's message is not meant to be rushed
Oh yeah all right, gospeldelic
Expressing admiration of gospel music
It'll be all good
Reassuring the addressee that everything will be okay
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CALVIN RICHARDSON, ROBERT OZUNA, GLENN DON STANDRIDGE, RAPHAEL SAADIQ, ANGELA STONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind