Son Little is the stage name of Aaron Livingston, an American rhythm & blue… Read Full Bio ↴Son Little is the stage name of Aaron Livingston, an American rhythm & blues musician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“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."

TOES
Son Little Lyrics

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You dip your toes, get in get wet
You makee feel like I'm somebody else

Splitter, right down the middle here
Fear my alter ego's ears
Whispering lips that kiss me here and here

You stay in bed

I'll hit the Gem, play hard to get
I'll have you yet

Splitter, right down the middle here
Fear my alter ego's ears, whispering lips that kiss me here, and here, and here

Baby love's a flame without air it fades away

Campfire built all blood is spilt
You see the ground turn red and run
You feel me up, been feeling down
You make my head spin round and round

Splitter, right down the middle here
Fear my alter ego's, whispering lips that kiss me here, and here, and here

Baby love's a flame without air it fades away

All cautions and apologent at the highway's end, all patience spent

Splitter, right down the middle here
Fear my alter ego's ears, whispering lips that kiss me here, and here, and here

Baby love's a flame without air it fades away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Toes" by Son Little describe the feeling of being caught up in a passionate and surreal moment with someone. The song starts with the metaphor of someone dipping their toes in the water to signify the beginning of something new and the willingness to take a chance. The singer is inspired by this moment, as it makes him feel like he is someone else, taking him to a place he has never been before.

The lyrics reference the idea of having an alter ego and a split personality, hinting at the possibility of some internal struggle or emotional conflict. The lyrics also describe a sense of danger and the thrill of the unknown as the singer is staring down the middle of something unknown. The whispering lips and the feeling of being kissed in multiple places further intensify the surreal and passionate experience.

The song talks about the fragility of love and how it eventually fades away if not nurtured with care. The caution and patience required to make love work are both essential to keeping the flame alive, but often challenging to maintain.

Overall, "Toes" is a song about the intensity of emotions and the importance of taking risks in love, while also highlighting the potential conflicts and challenges that come with it.

Line by Line Meaning

You dip your toes, get in get wet
You take small steps, trying to understand things before delving in fully.

You makee feel like I'm somebody else
You have a transformative effect on me and make me feel different and new.

Splitter, right down the middle here
The line between reality and fantasy, or sanity and insanity, is thin.

Fear my alter ego's ears
I am afraid of my other self or darker side, and the actions or thoughts it may inspire.

Whispering lips that kiss me here and here
I hear the seductive voice of temptation, luring me into indulging in dangerous desires.

You stay in bed
You choose to remain in your comfort zone, avoiding the risk and excitement of new experiences.

I'll hit the Gem, play hard to get
I will go out and try to meet new people, playing distant and aloof to pique their interest.

I'll have you yet
I will eventually win you over and get what I want.

Baby love's a flame without air it fades away
Love cannot thrive without the nourishment of attention, affection, and communication.

Campfire built all blood is spilt
Some things, even seemingly innocent or pure, can lead to violence and harm.

You see the ground turn red and run
The consequences of actions can be bloody and visceral.

You feel me up, been feeling down
You give me pleasure and satisfaction, lifting me out of a state of depression or melancholy.

You make my head spin round and round
You intoxicate and disorient me, making me lose my sense of direction and stability.

All cautions and apologent at the highway's end, all patience spent
At the end of a journey or relationship, all attempts at caution and remorse are too little too late, and all hope and tolerance is exhausted.

Contributed by Kayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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