“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."
O Mother
Son Little Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder, does anybody know just who I am?
Or can I love the world exactly how it is?
Or do I have to split?
Is there anybody rooting for the kids?
Oh mother, is this not the way you taught me to behave?
I won't just sit here and let them treat me like a slave.
Oh can I love the world and hate how it makes me feel?
Is there anyone who's got my back for real?
Oh mother, I do not think I live here anymore.
No wonder.
Is it wrong I do not want to love it.
Can I love the world enough to give a spin?
Oh, am I giving in?
Do we burn the old one down and start again?
Oh start again.
Start again.
Oh, start again.
In Son Little's song "O Mother," the lyrics delve into themes of identity, societal expectations, and the struggle for individuality. The singer questions why they are not treated as a man, expressing a sense of confusion and frustration. They wonder if anyone truly knows who they are and ponders whether they can love the world as it is or if they need to separate themselves from it. The desire for support and solidarity is evident when they ask if there is anyone who is rooting for them and has their back.
The lyrics further highlight the singer's defiance and refusal to conform to societal norms. They reject the notion of behaving according to how they were taught and refuse to be treated as a slave. While they contemplate their ability to love the world while also hating how it makes them feel, they express a reluctance to submit or kneel before the pressures and expectations imposed on them.
The chorus emphasizes the singer's disconnection, as they no longer feel like they belong in their current environment. They question whether it is wrong to not want to love it anymore, implying a disillusionment with their surroundings. They ponder the possibility of loving the world enough to bring about change, yet also question whether they are merely giving in by doing so. The closing lines suggest the idea of starting anew and rebuilding from scratch, perhaps implying a desire to create a world that aligns with their own values and beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh mother, why do they treat me like I'm not a man?
Oh, mother, why do people disregard my worth and treat me as if I am less than human?
I wonder, does anybody know just who I am?
I ponder, is there anyone who truly understands my identity and essence?
Or can I love the world exactly how it is?
Can I embrace the world in its current state without seeking to change or fix it?
Or do I have to split?
Or must I sever ties and separate myself from this reality?
Is there anybody rooting for the kids?
Is there anyone advocating for the vulnerable and young ones?
Oh mother, is this not the way you taught me to behave?
Oh, mother, is this not how you instilled in me the values and conduct I should uphold?
I won't just sit here and let them treat me like a slave.
I refuse to passively endure being treated as if I am enslaved or oppressed.
Oh can I love the world and hate how it makes me feel?
Can I simultaneously hold affection for the world while disliking the emotions it evokes within me?
Cause I don't want to kneel.
Because I refuse to submit or yield.
Is there anyone who's got my back for real?
Is there someone genuinely supporting and standing up for me?
Oh mother, I do not think I live here anymore.
Oh, mother, I firmly believe that I no longer belong in this place or environment.
No wonder.
It is not surprising.
Is it wrong I do not want to love it.
Is it sinful or inappropriate for me to lack affection for this situation or world?
Can I love the world enough to give a spin?
Am I capable of infusing enough love into the world to affect positive change?
Oh, am I giving in?
Oh, am I surrendering or acquiescing?
Do we burn the old one down and start again?
Should we destroy the existing order or system and commence anew?
Oh start again.
Oh, let us begin afresh.
Start again.
Commence again.
Oh, start again.
Oh, let's embark on a fresh start.
Writer(s): Aaron Earl Livingston
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@AndieCumming
If you read these comments many many years later, I admire your talent, and really think it's criminal that more people haven't been exposed to your work. Thank you for covering my favorite song, in life, since I was a toddler, "What Child is This". It's beautiful so I'm glad I have one more beautiful thing to add to my life. 🙇🏽
@MMOBINui
I found his song river by accident and I can not get enough. I have been showing his music to everyone I know and hope to see him live one day!
@taratova
Wow. Saw Son Little on CBS This Morning and ran to the TV to see who was singing. The band is great , the voice is awesome.. Son Little , and band , you are a star!! Good music is back!!!!
@waynepalmer6350
taratova STRAIGHT FACTS THIS MAN IS THE TRUTH!!!!!!!
@Wallflyfeedback
Super nice!
"why do they treat me like I'm not a man?"
this is a man to watch
@fuzzplay
guys I just saw him last Friday and....fuuck. amazing. beyond expectations and those were high. met him after and super cool dude.
@coliqueculture2483
Most authentic song I ever heard. The emotion in his voice is year bringing.
@jamiethomsonssongs
this is brilliant..
@dynabasstard
I rarely ever comment it seems, but I heard the review of Son on NPR yesterday, and as soon as I could get to the computer, I looked him up and man, I am amazed. This is the most real stuff I have heard in a long time. And he knocks it out of the park with every song!
@shaunkeen1678
Same here, man