After completing a high-school education at the Stockholm music school Södra Latin, Swedish producer Peter Cartriers heard of Stephens talent in 1995 and invited him to his studio in Stockholm where they made a demo that first attracted the attention of a Swedish indie label and then secured a record deal with the UK major label Parlophone/EMI Music as well as Priority Records in the US. Stephen wrote and Peter produced Stephens first critically acclaimed and 5 times Grammy nominated album "Alone" (the album was re-mixed and re-named "Spirit Tales" for his UK and US release) and Stephen Simmonds had his breakthrough in 1997 with the hit "Tears Never Dry" a duet with Swedish superstar Lisa Nilsson that quickly became the most played track on radio that year.
Since then his talent has brought him to the US and the UK where he has collaborated with renowned artists such as Raphael Saadiq, Masters At Work and Mica Paris. His US release "Spirit Tales" was highly recommended by Prince and the New Power Generation on their official website.
He has performed for Stevie Wonder and Amnesty and he is the only Swedish artist who has been reviewed in the Quincy Jones founded Soul and R&B bible Vibe Magazine.
Stephen is now 31 years of age and for the release of his third album "This Must Be Ground" he has started his own label For Father Recordings and through a leading distributor got the album out in Scandinavia during 2004/early 2005.
"This Must Be Ground" is a strong album lyrically and musically. With songs such as "Goodwill", "Mother Mary" and "Killing & Religion" the goal was to blend Stephens strong world conscious lyrics and music with creative and genre transcending production by Sweden's finest.
To achieve this Stephen has worked with the young, up and coming Swedish producer Alex Papakonstantinou as well as childhood friend Arnthor Birgisson ( Alongside Max Martin and Rami he is one of Sweden's and the worlds top producers and he has worked with Westlife, J Lo, Celine Dion and Ricky Martin among others.)
"This Must Be Ground" is an album unique with its blend of daringly personal ballads and furiously dance driven up tempo tracks.
Now's The Time
Stephen Simmonds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You better get ready now
You better prepare
You better get ready now
You better prepare
(Verse 1)
I've been waiting
I'm ready to do my own
I don't know where I'm going
My destiny's unknown
I've been hating, never mind
I think I've found my even flow
Now my love's forever burning
While evil souls die alone
(Chorus)
Now's the time
The serchers find
But who am I to say
When all I know is the world is cold
And love's the only way
Love's the only way
(Verse 2)
Evil is sowing the seeds of fear, trying to multiply
And you're the only one who knows me
The reason why I try
'Cause I 'm unknowing, you're aware, observing in your disguise
How I wish that you would show me the wisdom in your eyes
Nature's soothing
When I'm hurt, no one is there to feel
When the stars are talking to me
They tell me to prepare
Times are moving throught the dirt
Heaven is everywhere
Making music for me
My comfort through the years
(Chorus)
(Rap)
(Chorus)
(Outro/Fade Out)
You better get ready now
You better prepare
You better get ready now
You better prepare
The lyrics of Stephen Simmonds's song "Now's The Time" present a message of empowerment and strength in the face of adversity. The opening lines of the song urge listeners to "get ready" and "prepare" for whatever may come their way. Simmonds sings about his own journey toward finding his place in the world, acknowledging that he doesn't know where he's going but trusting that he will find his way. He seems to suggest that it's never too late to pursue your dreams and that even in dark times, love is the only thing that can truly sustain us.
The chorus emphasizes this theme of love as the only way forward, even as the world can feel cold and unwelcoming. Simmonds suggests that there are forces of evil in the world that seek to spread fear and division, but the listener is encouraged to stay true to their own understanding of love and to embrace it as their guiding force. In the second verse, Simmonds hints at the natural world as a source of solace and guidance, describing the stars as "talking to me" and nature as "soothing" when he feels hurt or alone. The song seems to suggest that while life can be unpredictable and challenging, there are always sources of comfort and wisdom to be found for those who seek them out.
Line by Line Meaning
You better get ready now
Be prepared because now is the time for action.
You better prepare
Make necessary preparations to succeed.
I've been waiting
I have been patiently waiting for the right moment to take action.
Now's the time
This is the perfect moment to take action.
I'm ready to do my own
I am ready to pursue my own goals.
I don't know where I'm going
I am uncertain about my future.
My destiny's unknown
I do not know what the future holds for me.
I've been hating, never mind
I have had negative feelings, but I will not let that stop me.
I think I've found my even flow
I have found balance and stability in my path.
Now my love's forever burning
My passion is burning strong and will not fade over time.
While evil souls die alone
Those who choose a life of evil will have to face the consequences on their own.
The serchers find
Those who search will find what they are looking for.
But who am I to say
I am not in a position to dictate what others should do or believe.
When all I know is the world is cold
All I know is that the world can be cruel and unforgiving.
Love is all I know
Despite the harshness of the world, I know that love is the most important thing.
Saying to you, love's the ony way
I am telling you that love is the answer to everything.
Evil is sowing the seeds of fear, trying to multiply
Evil is spreading fear in an attempt to gain more power and control.
And you're the only one who knows me
You are the only one who truly understands me.
The reason why I try
I am motivated to try because of you.
'Cause I 'm unknowing, you're aware, observing in your disguise
I am unaware of what is happening, but you are watching over me from behind the scenes.
How I wish that you would show me the wisdom in your eyes
I wish that you would share your knowledge and insight with me.
Nature's soothing
The beauty of nature can bring comfort and peace.
When I'm hurt, no one is there to feel
I am the only one who can truly understand my own pain.
When the stars are talking to me
The universe has a way of communicating with me when I am in need of guidance.
They tell me to prepare
I am being urged to get ready for what is to come.
Times are moving throught the dirt
Times can be tough and challenging.
Heaven is everywhere
There is beauty and goodness all around us.
Making music for me
The world and all its creations offer a beautiful symphony that I can appreciate.
My comfort through the years
These things bring me comfort and solace over time.
Contributed by Jayce I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.