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
Somebody Else
Robert Glasper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every Sunday, I pray for amnesia
Smoke different cigarettes
I got a new address
I'm waiting on a big procedure
I need a new heart too doctor
Don't care how much it costs
You just gotta help me stop the hurtin
If I'm somebody else it never happened to me
I'm moving to a brand new country
Say goodbye to everyone that loved me
I'll lie about my age i'll lie about my name
I'm making up a brand new story
Oh, I'm feeling like a big bad liar
But i gotta throw the pain to the fire
Every day I'm busy working on how
To be a different person
If I'm somebody else it never happened to me
In "Somebody Else," Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Emeli Sandé explores themes of transformation, escape, and the desire to start anew. The lyrics depict a person who is desperately seeking a change in their life, someone who is willing to go to extreme measures to escape their past and become a "different person."
The opening lines reveal the singer's dissatisfaction with their current situation, as they establish a new church and preacher. This metaphor suggests their need for a fresh start and spiritual guidance. They pray for amnesia, signifying a desire to forget their past and the pain associated with it. Smoking different cigarettes and having a new address further emphasize the need for change.
The singer then expresses their desperation for a "new heart" and asks a doctor for assistance in stopping their pain. This indicates that their emotional distress is so severe that they seek a physical remedy. The repetition of wanting to be a "different person" expresses their longing for personal growth and transformation.
The second verse introduces the idea of moving to a new country, leaving behind everyone who loves them. The singer is willing to lie about their age and name, suggesting that they are willing to sever all ties and create a new identity. They acknowledge feeling like a "big bad liar," but believe that letting go of the pain and crafting a new story is necessary for personal healing.
The refrain, "If I'm somebody else it never happened to me," reflects the desire to detach oneself from the past. By reinventing themselves and becoming someone else, they hope to erase the pain they have experienced.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a new church, new preacher
I have found a new belief system and a new spiritual leader
Every Sunday, I pray for amnesia
On a regular basis, I beg for the ability to forget
Smoke different cigarettes
I have changed my habits and indulgences
I got a new address
I have relocated to a different place
I'm waiting on a big procedure
I am anticipating a significant medical operation
I need a new heart too doctor
I require a fresh start and emotional healing
Don't care how much it costs
I am not concerned with the financial expenses
You just gotta help me stop the hurtin
You simply have to assist me in alleviating the pain
Help me be a different person
Assist me in transforming into a changed individual
If I'm somebody else it never happened to me
If I am living as a different person, the past events do not affect me
I'm moving to a brand new country
I am relocating to an entirely different nation
Say goodbye to everyone that loved me
Bid farewell to all those who cared for me
I'll lie about my age i'll lie about my name
I will deceive others about my true age and identity
I'm making up a brand new story
I am fabricating a completely fresh narrative
Oh, I'm feeling like a big bad liar
Oh, I am overwhelmed by the guilt of being a major deceiver
But i gotta throw the pain to the fire
Yet, I must discard the anguish and suffering
Every day I'm busy working on how
Every single day, I am fully occupied with figuring out
To be a different person
The process of becoming an altered individual
If I'm somebody else it never happened to me
If I am living as a different person, the past events do not affect me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JILL H. SCOTT, ROBERT GLASPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@crossing.the.cosmos84
RIGHT! ..listening to this right now...is making my eyes water ..
the specific lyrics that hit home, and drive a dagger in my heart are;
I got a new address
I’m moving to a brand new country, (I really am mving sson)
Say goodbye to everyone that love me
Every day I’m busy workin’,
On how to be a different person
(everyday I feel Im trying to run from who I was)
This song is deep.
@joberry877
I feel this song so deeply. I suffered HUGE losses before finally leaving Baltimore. I picked up, packed up and moved to Cali. But I learned that you cant run from your pain. It only shows up differently. Im working on being a different person from within first.
@DD-rz9oj
baltimore girl here too, who did the same thing a few years ago
@fleetwooddelegance8288
Through the pain of adversity we find empathy to continue to grow!
(Life Journey Is Unpredictable)
@leavybaker3648
Yo Ma, your testimony is beautiful! I dont know if you meditate however going within is the only way. One love
@msladylibra8373
Exactly i reside in baltimore and this has been kinda my theme song to leave my hometown once again i'm tired need NEW NEW my day finally came met my FRIEND and we packing up to move to New Zealand next year i'm excited for the change ☺
@norrisgreeniii2889
Hey gorgeous love ur message this song is a gold mine
@celesteharvey978
When you wanna cry but you can't, you play this song😏
@MrsMcCoy-ls1jb
I hear it, but mostly feel it.
@zoewashington1696
Mrs. McCoy chills....
@montrishabethea331
Mrs. McCoy replay