“I was always a writer," says the man formerly known as Aaron Livingston. "Before I really learned music, I was serious about writing. Didn’t matter what it was. Just playing with words.”
Considering how long he's been making music, that's saying something. Born in Los Angeles to a preacher and a teacher, as a kid he absorbed songs from dusty family records and learned saxophone and piano, though he felt more at home inventing his own language on those instruments rather than following the lesson plan. Adapt or die, as they say.
Cycling through jazz, rock and R&B history, the hungry young son was beginning his true education. A few years later, the Livingstons moved to Queens, introducing Aaron to the active arts of hip-hop, basketball and city life. High school in suburban Jersey left him wanting more, so he headed to Manhattan and Columbia University, where he discovered art, recreational substances, and girls, girls, girls. He dropped out, got a job, got sad, kept journals. He moved to Philly, enrolled at Temple University, met the legendary Roots crew, even played music with them; they put his voice on an album, undun. He had a daughter, then a son. He was happy, still writing all the while.
Then, slowly, the music stalled. Faded. He got another dead end job. He checked out of days. He got sad again. He forgot how to adapt.
But, as it has the ability to do, the songwriting saved him. It was in his blood, he remembered. Coltrane. Hendrix. Santana. Tribe. And this time he vowed to never let it go. That's not to say he's always happy; he's human, after all. But making music helps keep things in perspective.
"I feel the weight of life as I always did, as everyone does," he says. "But I feel the weight lifted, because I love doing this. And the more I do it, the more I love it."
Son Little writes everywhere, every day, finding inspiration on the train, in a car, on the street, in the supermarket, with his children. Sometimes the ideas are fresh. Sometimes a tune comes from his past, a single spark. Nothing is off limits.
"It could be just a thought, and everything else comes from that," he says. "In one of my books could be a phrase that later is a song, and then the song becomes a whole catalog. It’s gotta germinate from somewhere."
Inspiration firmly struck, the song begins to bloom. There are many channels to Son Little's broadcast, varied stops on the dial, from blues to soul to funk to folk, and jook-joint jazz and chamber pop and back again. His voice—raw, weary yet alert, grave and gravelly, Marvin and Otis and Stevie all at once—soars and creeps, cracks and moans. His songs haunt, thrill, yearn and stomp like all the best work of his heroes.
And the learning never stops. Little has collaborated with highly respected artists like The Roots and the producer/DJ RJD2, mentoring under the former and creating a duo with the latter called Icebird, which allowed him to flex his considerable vocal chops and song arrangement skills.
"I've always loved the studio, but RJ helped me see how I can use it more effectively and find ways to challenge myself, and be inventive with sound. And The Roots, it’s hard to quantify what I’ve learned from them. Everything from how to rehearse to how to occupy the stage and command it…two things that are very fundamental in this business, and they are masters."
This fall sees the release of the first recorded output from Son Little for Anti- Records, an EP called, wouldn't you know it, Things I Forgot. Six songs: three babies (released first as videos), two twins, and an RJD2 remix. It's all there, all those misremembered things: Triumph and trophies, hardship and heartache, soft sentences, loud chapters, facts and birthdays, faces and places and scrapes and scales, nights and weeks and years all lost, gone into the ether, slipped away, out-sizing our normal human bandwidth.
"The singles, 'Cross My Heart' and 'Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches' and 'The River,' were more or less written consecutively," he says. "And so I think they were sort of internal responses to one other, complements. It's harder to place but I’ve been tinkering with the other two, 'Joy' and 'Alice,' for a long time. They’re sort of akin to one another in terms of mood. This is a small collection and maybe it's not as much a singular vision...it's more of a handful.”
A grip of memories; Things He Forgot. Son Little writes to remember, matching the disparate vibes of his full, full life with a patchwork blanket of sound, experience and inspiration. Inventing, observing, adapting. And still, it grows.
"I don’t see any end to the learning," he says. "And to understanding more of something that you immerse yourself in. Could be anything, again. Right now I’m immersed in this music and I feel that my understanding appreciates and changes scope and perspective. It's really rewarding in its own way."
Bbbaby
Son Little Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not once, baby
I remember just saying
Sweat was in my eyes
Naked
But I remember, you′re sacred
But I forget space and
Hey baby
Raining all day long
We made it rain, little honey
And then it all gone wrong
Hey
Carry on
Can we get along better?
Let's sit for a minute
Once, baby
I remember just saying
Sweat was in my eyes, naked
I remember, you′re sacred
But I forget space and time
Hey baby, stay on my mind
Before you float away, baby
Close your eyes
Hey
Good lovin' don't know time
Can we find out, baby?
What there is to find inside our love
Hey baby, tonight you′re glowing
So turn the light down, sugar
Let′s get it on
Hey
I'm feeling hot down, darling
I got my guard down, baby
It′s getting darkest for the dawn
Baby
I remember just saying
Sweat was in my eyes, naked
I remember, you sacred
But I forget space and time (space and time)
Oh baby (oh baby)
But I remember (remember) just saying
Sweat was in my eyes (in my eyes), naked
I remember (I remember you), you sacred
But I forget space and time
(Oh baby, yeah) Baby
(Oh baby, yeah) I remember
(Baby, yeah) You're sacred
(Baby, yeah) Sweat was in my eyes
(Baby, yeah) Naked
(Baby, yeah) I remember
(Baby, yeah) You′re sacred
(Baby, yeah) But I forget space and time
(Baby, yeah) Oh baby
(Baby, yeah) I remember
(Baby, yeah) You're sacred
The lyrics of Son Little's song "Bbbaby" seems to depict a passionate and intense romantic encounter. The repetition of the phrase "I remember" indicates a strong desire to hold onto the memories of this experience. The opening lines suggest a moment of physical intimacy, with the singer mentioning sweat in their eyes and being naked. Despite the intensity of the encounter, there is a recognition of the other person's sacredness or importance to them.
As the song continues, the singer mentions rain and how something went wrong. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for a turning point or a shift in the relationship. The chorus "Can we get along better? Let's sit for a minute" suggests a desire for communication and understanding, perhaps an attempt to salvage the connection they once had.
The second verse echoes the first, emphasizing the importance of the other person staying on the singer's mind. There is a sense of urgency in the line "Before you float away, baby, close your eyes," as if the singer is trying to hold onto the intensity before it fades away. The lyrics also mention "good lovin' don't know time" which could be an expression of the timeless and boundless nature of their love.
Towards the end of the song, there is a reference to the darkness before the dawn, perhaps alluding to the difficulties or challenges they are facing. The repetitive refrain of "I remember you're sacred, but I forget space and time" underscores the singer's struggle to balance the intense feelings with the practicalities of reality.
Overall, "Bbbaby" captures the raw emotions, physicality, and complexities of a passionate romantic relationship, with a longing to hold onto the sacredness of the other person while navigating the challenges of time and space.
Line by Line Meaning
Not once, baby
Never, my love
I remember just saying
I recall expressing
Sweat was in my eyes
Perspiration filled my vision
Naked
Without any cover
But I remember, you're sacred
Yet I remember, you hold great importance
But I forget space and
But I neglect the concept of distance and
Raining all day long
Continuous rainfall
We made it rain, little honey
We caused the rain, my sweet
And then it all gone wrong
And then everything went astray
Carry on
Continue moving forward
Can we get along better?
Can we have a smoother relationship?
Let's sit for a minute
Let's take a moment to rest
Once, baby
Previously, my love
I remember just saying
I recall expressing
Sweat was in my eyes, naked
Perspiration filled my vision, without any cover
I remember, you're sacred
I remember, you hold great importance
But I forget space and time
But I neglect the concepts of distance and time
Hey baby, stay on my mind
Hey darling, remain in my thoughts
Before you float away, baby
Before you drift apart, my love
Close your eyes
Shut your eyes
Good lovin' don't know time
True affection is timeless
Can we find out, baby?
Can we discover, my love?
What there is to find inside our love
What lies within our love that can be discovered
Hey baby, tonight you're glowing
Hey darling, tonight you shine brightly
So turn the light down, sugar
Dim the light, my sweet
Let's get it on
Let's engage intimately
I'm feeling hot down, darling
I feel passionate and aroused, my dear
I got my guard down, baby
I have let my defenses down, my love
It's getting darkest for the dawn
The darkest hour is before the dawn
But I remember
Yet I recall
Oh baby
Oh my love
But I remember just saying
But I recall expressing
Sweat was in my eyes
Perspiration filled my vision
I remember
I recall
You're sacred
You hold great importance
Baby
My love
You're sacred
You hold great importance
But I forget space and time
But I neglect the concepts of distance and time
Oh baby
Oh my love
I remember
I recall
You're sacred
You hold great importance
Writer(s): Aaron Earl Livingston
Contributed by Muhammad H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Adonfffunk
Yeah
Not once, baby
I remember just saying
Sweat was in my eyes
Naked
But I remember, you're sacred
But I forget space and
Hey baby
Raining all day long
We made it rain, little honey
And then it all gone wrong
Hey
Carry on
Can we get along better?
Let's sit for a minute
Once, baby
I remember just saying
Sweat was in my eyes, naked
I remember, you're sacred
But I forget space and time
Hey baby, stay on my mind
Before you float away, baby
Close your eyes
Hey
Good lovin' don't know time
Can we find out, baby?
What there is to find inside our love
Hey baby, tonight you're glowing
So turn the light down, sugar
Let's get it on
Hey
I'm feeling hot down, darling
I got my guard down, baby
It's getting darkest for the dawn
Baby
I remember just saying
Sweat was in my eyes, naked
I remember, you sacred
But I forget space and time (space and time)
Oh baby (oh baby)
But I remember (remember) just saying
Sweat was in my eyes (in my eyes), naked
I remember (I remember you), you sacred
But I forget space and time
Baby
(Oh baby, yeah) I remember
(Baby, yeah) You're sacred
(Baby, yeah) Sweat was in my eyes
(Baby, yeah) Naked
(Baby, yeah) I remember
(Baby, yeah) You're sacred
(Baby, yeah) But I forget space and time
Oh baby
(Baby, yeah) I remember
(Baby, yeah) You're sacred
Nidal
This is my secret song. I will never tell anyone about this. The vibe this song gives me, is just,.. wow. They would never understand. xd
Oliver Fernandez
What are some of your other secret songs?
Isa Cervantes
The depth I had to go through to find this song I tell you .. I feel the same way
Raul Moreno
Just watched him perform in Ravinia. He is THE VIBE. Awesome!
Elisabeth Tshaikovski
waiting for the day Son Little gets big, this is soul music!
Thabang Molefi
Man, I love this song.
Lenal Naidoo
Oh yes I feel your vibe all over my body 😍😍😍 love it ❤️
Adonfffunk
Yeah
Not once, baby
I remember just saying
Sweat was in my eyes
Naked
But I remember, you're sacred
But I forget space and
Hey baby
Raining all day long
We made it rain, little honey
And then it all gone wrong
Hey
Carry on
Can we get along better?
Let's sit for a minute
Once, baby
I remember just saying
Sweat was in my eyes, naked
I remember, you're sacred
But I forget space and time
Hey baby, stay on my mind
Before you float away, baby
Close your eyes
Hey
Good lovin' don't know time
Can we find out, baby?
What there is to find inside our love
Hey baby, tonight you're glowing
So turn the light down, sugar
Let's get it on
Hey
I'm feeling hot down, darling
I got my guard down, baby
It's getting darkest for the dawn
Baby
I remember just saying
Sweat was in my eyes, naked
I remember, you sacred
But I forget space and time (space and time)
Oh baby (oh baby)
But I remember (remember) just saying
Sweat was in my eyes (in my eyes), naked
I remember (I remember you), you sacred
But I forget space and time
Baby
(Oh baby, yeah) I remember
(Baby, yeah) You're sacred
(Baby, yeah) Sweat was in my eyes
(Baby, yeah) Naked
(Baby, yeah) I remember
(Baby, yeah) You're sacred
(Baby, yeah) But I forget space and time
Oh baby
(Baby, yeah) I remember
(Baby, yeah) You're sacred
Ralph
Simple and heavy, amazing!
K
So good!!!