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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Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat
Raphael Saadiq Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, I see you got your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, you must tell me, baby
How your head feels under somethin' like that
Under your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, you look so pretty in it
Honey, can I jump on it sometime?
If it's really that expensive kind
You know it balances on your head
Just like a mattress balances
On a bottle of wine
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, if you wanna see the sun rise
Honey, I know where
We'll go out and see it sometime
We'll both just sit there and stare
Me with my belt
Wrapped around my head
And you just sittin' there
In your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, I asked the doctor if I could see you
It's bad for your health, he said
Yes, I disobeyed his orders
I came to see you
But I found him there instead
You know, I don't mind him cheatin' on me
But I sure wish he'd take that off his head
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, I see you got a new boyfriend
You know, I never seen him before
Well, I saw him
Makin' love to you
You forgot to close the garage door
You might think he loves you for your money
But I know what he really loves you for
It's your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Raphael Saadiq's song Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat is a cover of Bob Dylan's original composition, which was released in 1966. The lyrics use a variety of metaphors and references to describe the girl wearing the titular hat. The song is possibly about a lover or a potential lover who has just gotten a new leopard-skin pill-box hat, and the persona is intrigued by it. He wonders how it feels under the hat and finds her pretty in it. The persona also asks to jump on the hat to see if it's expensive and well-made.
In the second verse, the persona mentions that he wants to watch the sunrise with her. He then describes himself wearing a belt around his head while she's still wearing the hat. In the third verse, the persona visits her and meets the doctor instead. The persona mentions that he didn't mind her cheating on him, but he wished the doctor would remove the leopard-skin pill-box hat. In the final verse, the persona notices that she has a new lover, but he knows that the lover loves her for the hat rather than her money.
The song is open to interpretation. It could be about materialism, love, infidelity, or a combination of these themes. Nevertheless, it's a fun and catchy cover that showcases Saadiq's soulful voice and musical talents.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I see you got your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
The singer notices that the person they are addressing is wearing a new leopard-skin pill-box hat.
Yes, I see you got your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
The singer confirms that the person they are addressing is wearing a new leopard-skin pill-box hat.
Well, you must tell me, baby
How your head feels under somethin' like that
Under your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
The singer wants to know how the person wearing the leopard-skin pill-box hat feels with it on their head.
Well, you look so pretty in it
Honey, can I jump on it sometime?
Yes, I just wanna see
If it's really that expensive kind
You know it balances on your head
Just like a mattress balances
On a bottle of wine
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
The singer compliments the person wearing the leopard-skin pill-box hat and asks if they can try it on to see if it's expensive. They admire how the hat stays on the person's head like a mattress on a wine bottle.
Well, if you wanna see the sun rise
Honey, I know where
We'll go out and see it sometime
We'll both just sit there and stare
Me with my belt
Wrapped around my head
And you just sittin' there
In your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
The singer suggests that they watch the sunrise together, with the person wearing the hat and the singer wearing their belt wrapped around their head. They imagine sitting and staring at the sunrise together.
Well, I asked the doctor if I could see you
It's bad for your health, he said
Yes, I disobeyed his orders
I came to see you
But I found him there instead
You know, I don't mind him cheatin' on me
But I sure wish he'd take that off his head
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
The singer went against the doctor's orders to see the person wearing the hat, but found their doctor with them instead. The singer doesn't mind that the person wearing the hat is cheating on them, but wishes their doctor would take it off.
Well, I see you got a new boyfriend
You know, I never seen him before
Well, I saw him
Makin' love to you
You forgot to close the garage door
You might think he loves you for your money
But I know what he really loves you for
It's your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
The singer notices that the person wearing the hat has a new boyfriend and caught them making love with the garage door open. The singer thinks that the new boyfriend loves the person for their hat and not for their money.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind