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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Go To Hell
Raphael Saadiq Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See I'm trying to do my best, not to go to hell
I'm counting all my blessing, as I walk the narrow road,
Victory is near, that's what I've been told!
I can feel it getting closer, closer every day
I wanna be a warrior of everything I say
There's trials in the valley, take me upstream
Falling down over me
I can see my name written across the sky,
Ravens started flying, I saw tears in their eyes
There was fires in the mountains and storms in the sea,
Winds in the valley, rushing into me.
Knock and it will open, seek and you'll be fine,
You're just a flower and the seed is your mind
Clouds will bring us water, and the Sun will bring us heat
But we have the power, moving from sea to sea
Moving from sea to sea
Let love bring us to-gether,
Let love bring us to-gether,
Let it bring us, let it bring us together!
Let love bring us together!
We need more love
We need more love in the world
Let love bring us to-gether,
Let it bring let it bring us together
(Let love bring us to-gether)
Somebody walk with me!
Somebody walk with me!
Somebody walk with me, walk with me quickly!
Let love bring us together
(Let love bring us to-gether, 'gether)
Let love bring us together
(Let love bring us to-gether)
(Let love bring us to-gether, 'gether)
(Let love bring us to-gether)
(Let love bring us to-gether, 'gether)
(Let love bring us to-gether)
(Let love bring us to-gether, 'gether)
Raphael Saadiq's "Go To Hell" is a powerful song about the struggle to stay on the right path in life. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, as Saadiq sings about his relationship with the devil and his determination to avoid eternal damnation. He's grateful for the blessings he has and the support that he's received, but he recognizes that the road ahead will be difficult. He's determined to stay the course, though, because he knows that victory is within his reach.
As the song progresses, Saadiq reflects on the challenges that he's faced and the progress that he's made. He sees himself as a "warrior of everything [he] says," committed to speaking truth to power and staying true to his values. He knows that there will be trials and tribulations ahead, but he's ready to face them head-on. He's also mindful of the natural forces that surround him, from the water falling over his body to the winds rushing into him. He understands that he is just a small part of a larger ecosystem, and he hopes that his actions will be positive ones.
The song ends on a note of hope and positivity, with Saadiq calling for love to bring people together. He recognizes that the world needs more love, and he's willing to do his part to make that happen. The repeated refrain of "let love bring us together" is a reminder that we are all connected and that we have the power to create positive change in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's the situation, yes the devil knows me well
I'm in a tough spot and the devil is familiar with my struggles
See I'm trying to do my best, not to go to hell
I'm doing everything I can to avoid going to a bad place
I'm counting all my blessing, as I walk the narrow road,
I appreciate what I have and am sticking to my path
Victory is near, that's what I've been told!
I've been assured that success is just around the corner
I can feel it getting closer, closer every day
I'm getting closer to achieving my goals with every passing day
I wanna be a warrior of everything I say
I want to be accountable for my words and actions
There's trials in the valley, take me upstream
I have faced difficulties, but I'm determined to move forward
I need to feel this water falling down over me
I need to experience a cathartic moment to move beyond my problems
I can see my name written across the sky,
I believe that I will find success and that it will be recognized
Ravens started flying, I saw tears in their eyes
I witnessed something extraordinary, even emotional
There was fires in the mountains and storms in the sea,
There were severe conditions in nature that reflected my struggles
Winds in the valley, rushing into me.
I feel the powerful influence of my environment and surroundings
Knock and it will open, seek and you'll be fine,
If I ask for help, it will be provided
You're just a flower and the seed is your mind
I am a small part of something much larger
Clouds will bring us water, and the Sun will bring us heat
Nature provides everything we need
But we have the power, moving from sea to sea
We have the capability to achieve great things and explore the world
Let love bring us to-gether,
Love can unite us all
We need more love
The world could benefit from more love
Somebody walk with me!
I am asking for companionship on my journey
Let love bring us together
Love has the ability to unite us all
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RAPHAEL SAADIQ, TAURA STINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind