Alan Thicke married actress Gloria Loring, known for starring in programs such as 'Days of Our Lives', in 1970, and he had the two sons Brennan Thicke and Robin Thicke. Half-brother Carter Thicke would become another member of the clan years later after Alan Thicke divorced and remarried. Brother Robin grew up in a household filled with music, with his dad being a singer (of tracks such as "Thicke of the Night") as well as a co-composer for several TV show theme songs and a seminal actor on both the big and small screens (examples being the shows 'Growing Pains' and 'How I Met Your Mother').
The young Robin Thicke taught himself to play piano at the age of twelve. Even at the age of fourteen, he found that he could play just about anything that he heard on the radio, feeling a drive to keep going further. Before his days as a singer-songwriter performing his own material,Robin Thicke wrote songs for the soul and pop groups 3T (with 1995's "Sexual Attention" bringing Thicke alongside Damon Thomas), Brownstone (with 1997's "Around You"), and Color Me Badd (an example being 1996's "Sexual Capacity"). He also collaborated with the acclaimed production duo of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on several songs for Jordan Knight's 1999 self-titled album. Thicke seemed to receive a great omen when Knight's album was certified Gold and gained huge fan acclaim.
In 2000, Thicke went to work on material for his debut album, which ended up being titled 'A Beautiful World'. The album focused more on blue-eyed soul than his pop-centered offerings for other artists, and he mixed in influences from eclectic funk (in the vein of the British group Jamiroquai) and and modern neo-soul music (in the vain of Canadian crooner Remy Shand). Thicke hoped that he was primed for huge things by late 2002 when the album became ready for release.
Thicke's lead single, called "When I Get You Alone", had a distinctive music video made for it. The disco and slick rnb fueled track sounded rather unlike the commercial pop ethos of the time, having a distinctive sampling of Walter Murphy's 70s dance music hit "A Fifth of Beethoven" (which itself had been inspired by Beethoven's Fifth Symphony). The video featured an unshaven Thicke, with long, grungy hair, as a courier racing through the streets of Manhattan on a bicycle. It received some rotation on MTV 2 and BET's "Rated Next", the song being spun moderately on urban radio. On the Hot 100, it reached #29 quite quickly, yet it fell out the chart just as fast. Globally, however, the song was quite popular. With his single peaking at #17 in Australia, #15 in Belgium, #15 in Italy, #8 in New Zealand, and #5 in the Netherlands, Thicke felt that he wanted another shot at the 'big time' in the U.S.
Devising the re-release of this album, which it then gaining its final title of 'A Beautiful World', Thicke added a few extra songs that he seemed confident of. Yet the album received very little corporate promotion, irritating Thicke despite the release of a second single, a Prince-like groove mixing funk with rock called "Brand New Jones". The album debuted at #152 in the Billboard 200 and didn't do much from there, selling a mere 59,000 copies. Still, his work ended up being received well by many critics and musical peers, with Trevor Nelson and Lil' Wayne (Weezy's 2005 release 'Tha Carter, Vol. 2' would even include some of Thicke's work) lauding Thicke's music, as well as many fans.
In 2004, artist Pharrell Williams asked Jimmy Iovine, CEO of Interscope, “What are you doing with Robin Thicke?” A few months later, Robin was recording a new single, titled “Wanna Love You Girl” with Pharrell in Miami, as a newly signed artist on Pharrell’s label, Star Trak Records. With the two musicians sharing the same love for genre-hopping, deliberately 'retro' music, the single immediately attracted the attention of radio and club DJs across the world after its August 2005 release. The song often given revamped names such as "Wanna Love U Girl", "Wanna Love You Girl (Feat. Pharrell)", and the like, it ended up doing very well in the U.K. in particular, hitting #5 on Trevor Nelson's BBC Radio 1 "Soul Nation" chart.
Now appealing more to the mainstream, Thicke cut off his trademark long hair in an attempt to further recreate himself. By October 2006, when his second album, titled 'The Evolution of Robin Thicke', came out in its entirely, he had built up a ton of momentum, and his work paid off. Thicke earned the #1 slot on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and additional singles such as "Got 2 Be Down" and "Lost Without U" saw huge fan responses. As the months went by, his album even earned platinum certification by the RIAA.
Having 'made it' in the truest sense commercially as well as critically, Thick remarked, "My greatest desire with this album was to write songs that were completely honest and sing them with the emotion I was feeling when I wrote them, so that whoever listens to my music is brought as close to my experiences and life as possible."
With this intention, Robin created songs such as, “Lost without You” (the second single). An instant classic, this song is about Robin’s insecurities and his need to be desired and loved. With sweeping vocals over rhythmic Spanish guitar, this song takes you away and makes you sing along.
On the psychedelic, “High School Man” is where Robin infuses rock and hip-hop and poetically admits “I’m a hater” as he hates on those with more success than him realizing, ironically, he just wants what they have.
Finishing off The Evolution of Robin Thicke is the hopeful and encouraging “Thank You.” On this gospel inspired, piano ballad Robin sings, “maybe I’m the one who never gets up ‘till he falls,” making the discovery that he has to be thankful for everything that comes into his life…the tears, the joy, the failures and the successes.
Always carrying a heavy heart, Robin taught himself to play piano at the age of twelve so he could have an outlet to express himself. By the age of fourteen, he could play anything he heard on the radio. At sixteen, with no formal training, Robin began professionally writing and producing music for recording artists like Brandy and Brian McKnight. Over the years he has amassed dozens of gold and platinum records with artists including Usher, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson and Christina Aguilera.
Reflective, redemptive, passionate and etched with a soulfulness that is undeniable, The Evolution of Robin Thicke is an imaginative and heart-felt album that you cannot help but be moved by, bob your head to and smile throughout.
The album was released on October 3rd, 2006 and includes songs with Lil Wayne and Faith Evans, as well as Pharrell. The song "Got 2 Be Down" featuring Faith Evans was recently leaked (June '06). There will be two to three more videos released before the album comes out. Lately, there was a Busta Rhymes remix video shot for "Wanna Love You Girl," a Lil’ Wayne feat Robin Thicke "Shooter" video, and Robin has released the video for "Lost Without You," making that song the official 2nd single of the album.
Cocaine
Robin Thicke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cocaine, ooo
Baby, Beverly Hills hotel, four A.M.
It's my birthday
I wanna stay young
I wanna have fun
I don't wanna be the only one, no way
New York, L.A.; it's all the same
The angels look the other way
'Cause they can understand my pain
Cocaine back up in a big way
Cocaine comin' out the closets
Cocaine I'm standin' in the alley with my hands behind me
The club just ain't the same without the cocaine
Ooo, downtown, upstairs, get down
Midnight, high art, underground
Hip hop, blue jeans; it's all around
I wanna stay young, ooo
Everybody's watchin' but no one talks about it
Right now there's only one name you can call it
She said, "Sex just ain't the same without it."
It's cocaine - back up in a big way
Cocaine comin' out the closets
Cocaine I'm standin' in the alley with my hands behind me
Club just ain't the same without cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine
Club just ain't the same without cocaine
Ooo, cocaine
She said, "Sex just ain't the same without it."
It's cocaine - back up in a big way
Cocaine comin' out the closets
Cocaine I'm standin' in the alley with my hands behind me
Club just ain't the same without cocaine
Back up in a big way
Cocaine comin' out the closets
Cocaine I'm standin' in the alley with my hands behind me
Sex just ain't the same without cocaine
(I just ain't the same, party ain't the same)
Cocaine
(Club just ain't the without it)
Cocaine
(Sex just ain't the same)
The song "Cocaine" by Robin Thicke depicts the indulgence and addiction of the singer to the drug cocaine. The song starts with the repeated chanting of the word 'cocaine', suggesting that the power of the drug is all-consuming. The singer describes a scene at the Beverly Hills hotel at four in the morning, where he is celebrating his birthday and wants to stay young and have fun. The singer mentions the presence of movie stars, models, blondes, and cocaine, which are all part of the entertainment scene and associated with the drug culture. The singer then describes how cocaine is resurging and coming out of the closet, stating that it has become an essential part of the party lifestyle he seeks. He reveals how he stands with his hands behind him in the alley and longs for cocaine, acknowledging that the club isn't the same without it.
The chorus of the song repeatedly mentions cocaine back up in a big way, coming out of the closets, and standing in the alley with hands behind. The singer implies that he feels incomplete without cocaine and that it is the key ingredient in enjoying himself fully. Thicke's lyrics also describe how everyone's watching but no one talks about it, hinting at the normalization and desensitization of drug use in the music and entertainment industry. The singer continues to crave cocaine and how it enhances his sexual experiences, making sex just ain't the same without it.
Line by Line Meaning
Cocaine, ooo
The singer is referencing cocaine, it's unclear in what context
Baby, Beverly Hills hotel, four A.M.
The singer is in Beverly Hills at the early hours of the morning
It's my birthday
It's the singer's birthday
I wanna stay young
The singer desires to stay young
I wanna have fun
The singer wants to have fun
I don't wanna be the only one, no way
The singer does not want to be the only one having fun
Movie stars, models and blonds, and cocaine
The singer is surrounded by glamorous people and cocaine
New York, L.A.; it's all the same
The singer indicates that regardless of the city, it's all the same
The angels look the other way
The singer feels that the presence of angels may be ignoring the situation
'Cause they can understand my pain
The singer seems to suggest that the angels would understand their situation
Cocaine back up in a big way
Cocaine is becoming prevalent again
Cocaine comin' out the closets
Cocaine is being used more openly
Cocaine I'm standin' in the alley with my hands behind me
The singer may be in a dangerous situation related to cocaine
The club just ain't the same without the cocaine
The singer seems to imply that the club events are dull without cocaine
Ooo, downtown, upstairs, get down
The singer is suggesting a location for a party, perhaps downtown
Midnight, high art, underground
The singer is suggesting a glamorous underground location for the party
Hip hop, blue jeans; it's all around
Hip hop, and a casual look may be the norm at the party.
Everybody's watchin' but no one talks about it
There may be illegal activities or unusual behaviors taking place, however nobody speaks about it
Right now there's only one name you can call it
The singer is suggesting that cocaine is the only thing on everyone's minds
She said, "Sex just ain't the same without it."
Someone has communicated to the singer that sex is not enjoyable without cocaine
Club just ain't the same without cocaine
The singer reiterates that clubs lack excitement without the presence of cocaine
Ooo, cocaine
Another reference to cocaine
Back up in a big way
Cocaine is becoming prevalent again in a large manner
Sex just ain't the same without cocaine
Sexual experiences are dull in the absence of cocaine
(I just ain't the same, party ain't the same)
The singer is claiming that the absence of cocaine is making them feel different, and parties less enjoyable
(Club just ain't the without it)
The singer is reiterating once again that clubs lack excitement without the presence of cocaine
(Sex just ain't the same)
Another reference to cocaine's impact on sexual experiences
Cocaine
The song ends with one final reference to cocaine
Cocaine
The song ends with one final reference to cocaine
Lyrics © Regard Music, Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James D. Gass, Robin Alan Thicke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind