By the time he reached adolescence, Robert knew his destiny was to be a jazz musician. He was accepted to the Houston's famed High School for the Performing Arts ("Jason Moran went there before me."). Post-graduation, Glasper enrolled at New School University in Manhattan. Soon after arrival, he hooked up with future bandmember Reid and vocalist Bilal, an old schoolmate. As an undergrad, Glasper gigged with Christian McBride, Russell Malone and Kenny Garrett. Professional life after the New School was even sweeter: stints with Nicholas Payton, Roy Hargrove, Terence Blanchard, Carmen Lundy, and Carly Simon.
The Bilal connection brought the pianist back to hip-hop. Glasper's contributions to Bilal's debut and subsequent tour brought him to the attention of Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest). "Tip would come hang out at my shows, and one day he called me and said, ‘I'm doing this tour and I need you to play keys. Can you do it?’” He's also since played with Mos Def, and is featured prominently on Bilal's forthcoming sophomore release.
In 2003, Glasper's first album Mood was released on indie label Fresh Sound New Talent, and two years later, Blue Note came calling. At Blue Note, Glasper joins a jazz piano legacy that stretches back to 1939, beginning with Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis, and continuing through Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Andrew Hill, Cecil Taylor, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jacky Terrasson, Jason Moran and Bill Charlap. Undaunted, Glasper reflects, “I’m just happy to be a part of the Blue Note family and its rich history.”
-- From Glasper's Official Website
London
Robert Glasper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We lay all day even I lay
And I hate it 'cause I feel so unproductive
The days, they goin’ by fast too
It's already been a week, that's really fast
And we came across so many blessings and
Yet I still feel the same numbness
I want to appreciate every moment
To the things that people do for me
Then it hit's me do more kind things
So I can know what it feels like
I feel mostly envy at times
Special, unspecial, lazy, critical
Entitled, lazy and unloved
I’m constantly reminding myself why
I am just so
I wasn't treated like I'm at home, i mean
We freaking crossed an entire sea
The most high goddess here safe
There has to be a reason for that, right?
It's all passing by, by
It's all panning, been a week
Yet I feel passing numbness
In Robert Glasper's song "London," the lyrics express a sense of unproductivity and numbness that the singer is experiencing during a trip to London. The opening lines suggest that on July 14th, everyone seems to be lounging around, including the singer. However, this laziness is not fulfilling for the singer, as they express a desire to be more productive and appreciative of each moment. The passage of time is emphasized, with the days going by quickly. Despite encountering numerous blessings during their time in London, the singer still feels a sense of emptiness.
The lyrics delve into the singer's inner thoughts and emotions. They express feeling envy and a sense of being unspecial, lazy, critical, entitled, and unloved at times. However, the singer tries to remind themselves of their purpose and identity, constantly questioning why they are in London and why they have been protected by a higher power. The lyrics touch upon the need to break out of this passing numbness and find meaning in their experiences.
Overall, "London" explores the internal struggles and emotions of the singer during their time in the city. It reflects on the desire for productivity, appreciation, and self-reflection, while also acknowledging feelings of emptiness and longing for deeper connections.
Line by Line Meaning
July fourteenth all everybody do is lay
On July 14th, everyone is simply resting or being idle.
We lay all day even I lay
We spend the entire day doing nothing, including myself.
And I hate it 'cause I feel so unproductive
I dislike this situation because I feel like I'm not accomplishing anything.
The days, they goin' by fast too
The days are passing quickly.
It's already been a week, that's really fast
A whole week has already gone by, which seems to have passed rapidly.
And we came across so many blessings and
We have encountered numerous fortunate circumstances
Yet I still feel the same numbness
However, I still experience the same emotional numbness or emptiness.
I want to appreciate every moment
I desire to fully value and cherish each moment.
And not feel entitled
Without feeling deserving or entitled to certain things.
To the things that people do for me
To the kind gestures or actions that others perform on my behalf.
Then it hit's me do more kind things
I realize that I should also engage in more acts of kindness.
So I can know what it feels like
To understand and experience the emotions associated with such actions.
I feel mostly envy at times
At times, I predominantly experience feelings of jealousy.
Special, unspecial, lazy, critical
I vacillate between feeling extraordinary, ordinary, lazy, and judgmental.
Entitled, lazy and unloved
Feeling deserving, idle, and lacking love or affection.
I’m constantly reminding myself why
I consistently have to remind myself of my purpose or reasons.
I am just so
I am simply feeling this way.
I wasn't treated like I'm at home, i mean
I didn't receive the same hospitality or familiarity as I do at home, you know.
We freaking crossed an entire sea
We bravely traveled across a whole ocean.
The most high goddess here safe
The supreme divine being is protecting us here.
There has to be a reason for that, right?
There must be a purpose or explanation behind this, don't you think?
It's all passing by, by
Everything is moving forward quickly.
It's all panning, been a week
Things are progressing, it has already been a week.
Yet I feel passing numbness
However, I still feel a fleeting sense of emotional numbness.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: ROBERT GLASPER, TARRIONA BALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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