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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Grown Folks
Raphael Saadiq Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pero como empesar
Yo deveras si te quise
Pero ya no puedo mas
Ya no puedo mas
Ya ayyy ya no puedo mas
Ya ayy ya no puedo mas
Yes, Im callin for you baby.
Please pick up the phone
Ive called you so many times
And you dont bother
To pick up the line
And hows a man suppose to get along
When his better half wont come back home
My love for you will never go away
Thats why I need you here today
I Keep trying to call,
But you wont answer the phone,
You dont wont me no more
Oh oh
Yes, Im callin for you baby.
Oh Im calling calling calling
Please pick up the phone
Could you please, pickup the phone for me baby
Oh oh
My love can you please come home,
There where many things, that went so wrong,
But if we try, ooh how hard could it be,
When there is still love for you and love for me
See my love for you will never go away,
Thats why I need you, you here today
I keep trying to call,
But you dont answer the phone,
Cause you dont wont me no more, ooh
I need you baby
Tengo tanto que decirte
Just come home
Pero, pero donde empesar
No empesar
Yo deveras si te quise
Porvavor te pedo
Que ya no puede masss
Yes, Yes,
Im calling, calling for you baby
There aint nothing I wont do, if you (plaese) pick up the phone,
Can you please answer the phone for me baby,
Oh oh
Yes Im calling for you baby
Oh I need you baby, can you please, please pick up the phone
I love you baby, I love you darling,
I love you baby
These lyrics tell the story of a man who is desperately trying to reach out to a woman he loves, but she won't answer his calls. He admits that things went wrong in their relationship, but he still loves her and wants her to come back home. The man is at a loss for where to begin in trying to fix things, but he knows that he wants her back in his life.
The lyrics have a sense of yearning and vulnerability that comes through in the repetition of "please pick up the phone" and "I need you baby." The use of Spanish phrases like "Tengo tanto que decirte" adds to the emotional depth of the song, emphasizing the passion and intensity of the man's feelings.
Overall, this is a song about lost love and the struggle to keep a relationship alive. It's a plea for forgiveness and a reminder that love can conquer all if both parties are willing to work at it.
Line by Line Meaning
Tengo tanto que decirte
I have so much to tell you
Pero como empesar
But I don't know where to start
Yo deveras si te quise
I really did love you
Pero ya no puedo mas
But I can't do it anymore
Ya no puedo mas
I can't take it anymore
Ya ayyy ya no puedo mas
I really can't handle this
Ya ayy ya no puedo mas
I'm at my breaking point
Yes, Im callin for you baby.
Yes, I'm calling you
Oh
Expression of emotion
Please pick up the phone
Please answer the phone
Ive called you so many times
I have tried reaching you multiple times
And you dont bother
But you don't care
To pick up the line
To answer the phone
And hows a man suppose to get along
How can a man move on
When his better half wont come back home
When his partner won't return home
My love for you will never go away
My love for you will never fade
Thats why I need you here today
That's why I need you now
I Keep trying to call,
I keep trying to reach you
But you wont answer the phone,
But you refuse to answer
You dont wont me no more
You don't want me anymore
Oh oh
Expression of emotion
Could you please, pickup the phone for me baby
Can you please answer the phone for me
My love can you please come home,
Please come back to me
There where many things, that went so wrong,
Many things went wrong
But if we try, ooh how hard could it be,
But if we try, it could work
When there is still love for you and love for me
When our love still exists
See my love for you will never go away,
My love for you will never fade
I keep trying to call,
I keep trying to reach you
Cause you dont wont me no more, ooh
Because you don't want me anymore
I need you baby
I need you, my love
Just come home
Please come back home
No empesar
Don't start
Porvavor te pedo
Please, I beg of you
Que ya no puede masss
That I can't take it anymore
There aint nothing I wont do, if you (plaese) pick up the phone,
I will do anything if you answer the phone
Can you please answer the phone for me baby,
Please answer the phone for me
I love you baby, I love you darling,
I love you, my love
Writer(s): STANDRIDGE GLENN DON, SAADIQ RAPHAEL, OZUNA ROBERT C
Contributed by Arianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.