While the world hadn’t heard a follow-up Res album, that didn’t mean there was no music. In 2006 Res was asked by Hip-Hop crooner Cee-Lo to join the Gnarls Barkley world tour promoting their Grammy Award winning album St. Elsewhere. "That was a ride I will never forget! We performed in places like New Zealand, Australia, Japan, all throughout Europe and the United States...in the most ridiculous costumes," she fondly remembers. Throughout the year and a half touring as a background singer for Gnarls Barkley, Res constantly wrote new material, including the song “To Empower” which landed on the soundtrack to Akeelah and the Bee. Upon returning to the States, she started a residency at Hollywood’s the Mint and began doing spot dates in LA, Atlanta, and San Francisco performing new material. “Then I decided to get my act together,” she says. Then Idle Warship happened.
“I started a group with Talib Kweli ,” Res says of the genesis of Idle Warship. Their music melds the rapping of Kweli with the singing of Res peppered in. Idle Warship took the 2008 SXSW by storm, making their official debut with an unlikely paired fanbase of Rock and Hip-Hop heads. While the trio is still forming songs and gearing for an official release, the stage is now set for Res to re-emerge with her second solo offering.
Black.Girls.Rock! is a true labor of love for Res. Growing up in a household warmed by Marvin Gaye plus being a child of the ‘80s, Res was always eclectic in her musical tastes. While her early days offered electro-laden Neo Soul, Res spent a large portion of her in between years crafting singer/songwriter folk songs. Add in the influences from touring Europe with Gnarls Barkley and the music she is now making has never been heard before. With songs that were previously unreleased from her Geffen days coupled with newly penned hymns of heartache, love, and rebirth, Black.Girls.Rock! is the long-awaited album that will live up to every fan’s expectation.
Res’ near-decade long career is filled with winding paths and memorable experiences. While she’s no stranger to the hardships of being an artist, Res is simply in love with making music and the world will fall in love once again with Black.Girls.Rock! Her voice, her style, and her sound are a combination lacking in today’s music. While her debut set the tone for the start of the first decade of the new millennium, Black.Girls.Rock! will own the close of it. By now many would have given up, but Res was born to make music. Simply put, “You’re destined to do what you’re destined to do.”
Let Love
Res Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've all been black, all been white
Mostly different shades of gray
We can't define ourselves this way, it's only paint
But what kind of stains do they create?
And does it build me, lesson learned
Make me stronger, will I earn an understanding
Or stay frozen, choose my fate
I believe we have an equal but demanding obligation to change
No matter what the things we've done
We are only human
Let me start over just so I can restate, how
I hope you find someone to love you
And someone, for you to love too
I hope you find someone to love you
And someone, for you to love too (And let love be your light)
I've been a father and I've been a son
I've been abandoned and collected
Adopted and perfected
Built connections, had connections come undone, yeah
But what kind of friend did I become
One who supports you when you're weak
Encouragement, I speak
I'll be the best that I can be until I'm gone
Because despite the plight of people
I believe we have an equal but demanding obligation to change
It doesn't matter where you've been
We are only human
I'll say again, my wish for you is simply, yeah
I hope you find someone to love you
And someone, for you to love too
I hope you find someone to love you
And someone, for you to love too
Oh, and someone, for you to love too
Despite the plight of people
I believe we have an equal but demanding obligation to change
Let love in
Don't matter where you've been
Let love in
We are only human
Let love in
Back to the well again, back to the well again
And let love be your light
It will show you the way
And what you seek will always seek you back
So keep love in your gaze
Let love be your light
It will show you the way
Let love in
No matter where you've been
Let love in
We are only human
Let love in
Back to the well again, back to the well again
I hope you find someone to love you
And someone, for you to love too
I hope you find someone to love you
And someone, for you to love too
And let love be your light
It will show you the way
And someone, for you to love too
And let love be your light I hope you find someone who loves you
And someone, for you to love too
And let love be your light
It will show you the way
And someone, for you to love too
And let love be your light I hope you find someone who loves you
And someone, for you to love too
In "Let Love In" by Res, the lyrics explore the complexity of human experience and the importance of love and connection in our lives. Res begins by acknowledging the duality within each of us, how we can be both devilish and saintly, and how our experiences are never black and white. She suggests that defining ourselves based on these extremes is limiting and that life can be messy and grey, full of stains that we must learn from in order to grow and become better versions of ourselves. Despite our faults, Res believes that we have an equal responsibility to create positive change in the world, and that this begins with opening ourselves up to love and connection.
The verses of the song touch on Res's personal experiences as a father, son, friend, and individual, highlighting the ups and downs of these relationships and the importance of being supportive of ourselves and others during tough times. She reiterates that no matter where we've been or what we've gone through, we are all human, and our innate ability to love and be loved is what connects us all. The chorus serves as a hopeful reminder that we all deserve love and that ultimately, love will guide us towards the light.
Overall, "Let Love In" is an uplifting and empathetic message about the power of love, connection, and self-improvement. The song encourages the listener to be kind to themselves and others, and to strive towards positive change through the lens of love and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been a devil and I've been a saint
I've made both good and bad choices
We've all been black, all been white
We've all had successes and failures
Mostly different shades of gray
Mostly we fall somewhere in between
We can't define ourselves this way, it's only paint
We shouldn't be defined by these shades of gray
But what kind of stains do they create?
What kind of impact do our choices have?
And does it build me, lesson learned
Did I learn something from my choices?
Make me stronger, will I earn an understanding
Did these experiences make me stronger and wiser?
Or stay frozen, choose my fate
Did these experiences hold me back or allow me to grow?
And despite the plight of people
Despite the struggles people face
I believe we have an equal but demanding obligation to change
We all have a responsibility to make the world a better place
No matter what the things we've done
Regardless of our past mistakes
We are only human
We are flawed, but capable of change
Let me start over just so I can restate, how
Let me reiterate my message
I hope you find someone to love you
I hope you find someone who cares for you
And someone, for you to love too
I hope you find someone to care for
And let love be your light
Let love guide you
I've been a father and I've been a son
I've been on both sides of the parent-child relationship
I've been abandoned and collected
I've experienced both abandonment and acceptance
Adopted and perfected
I've been given a second chance to improve myself
Built connections, had connections come undone, yeah
I've made and lost connections with others
But what kind of friend did I become
What kind of support did I offer my friends?
One who supports you when you're weak
I aim to be a supportive friend
Encouragement, I speak
I try to offer words of encouragement
I'll be the best that I can be until I'm gone
I will continue to strive for self-improvement
Back to the well again, back to the well again
Returning to the source of our strength and inspiration
And what you seek will always seek you back
The love and support we seek from others will come back to us
So keep love in your gaze
Focus on love and kindness
Let love in
Open your heart to others
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Chris Bendix, Dave Farris, Joe Ruiz, Megan Rettinger, Wes Rettinger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind