Cadogan is the daughter of singer Lola Cadogan, who released several 78rpm singles of devotional music during the 1950s. She spent several years of her childhood in Belize, where her family had moved, before returning to Jamaica. She trained and qualified as a librarian, taking a job in the library of the University of the West Indies at Mona. Her talents as a singer led to her recording her first single, "Love My Life" for Jamaican Broadcasting DJ Jerry Lewis, who was the boyfriend of one of Cadogan's schoolfriends. Lee "Scratch" Perry was in the recording studio at the time, and was impressed by Cadogan's voice enough to record an album's worth of material with her, also renaming her Susan.
One of her first recordings for Perry, a cover of Millie Jackson's soul hit, "Hurts So Good" (featuring bassist Boris Gardiner and the Zap Pow horns), was released to little effect in Jamaica on Perry's new 'Perries' record label, but was released in the UK by Dennis Harris's DIP International label, and topped the UK Reggae Chart. Magnet Records picked up the single and it went on to reach the top 5 of the UK Singles Chart, with Cadogan flying to London to promote the single, including a television appearance on Top of the Pops. Cadogan then signed directly to Magnet, who issued the official follow-up, the Pete Waterman produced "Love Me Baby", which reached number 22 in July 1975,[1] but was her last UK hit[3] Perry, meanwhile, arranged with the Birmingham based label Black Wax to release an unofficial follow-up - a remixed version of "Love My Life". Other singles were released on Klik and Lucky in an attempt to cash in, but none of these charted.
Two mid 1970s albums, Doing It Her Way and Hurt So Good were released by Magnet and Trojan Records respectively, though with disappointing sales.
Cadogan returned to her library job, but resurfaced as a recording artist in 1982, having a string of hits in Jamaica including covers of "Tracks of My Tears" and "Piece of My Heart", and 1983's "(You Know How To Make Me) Feel So Good" - a duet with Rudy Thomas. After returning again to her library job for most of the 1980s, she returned with the Mad Professor produced album Soulful Reggae in 1992. A further album, Chemistry of Love followed in 1995.
Cadogan caught the music bug once more in 2001, and she performed live at the Heineken Startime Series event in Kingston. More recently, Cadogan has toured together with Glen Adams and The Slackers.
If
Susan Cadogan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stand inside the door
You can't find the easy rhymes
Of time you had before
It hurts my heart so bad
Seeing you sigh and shake
Broken down so low - so sad
Cry to me - cry to me
You better not hide it
Let it come - let it bleed
I ain't laughing - reach in and get it
And set it free
Cry to me - cry to me
The glass is empty and the wine
Is bitter on your tongue
People don't seen wild and fine
Like when you were young
You're lonesome over a stormy ocean
Lost in the rain and wind
We can clear these clouds away
And feel the sun again
The song "If You Need Me" by Susan Cadogan tells the story of a person who is going through a tough time in their life. The opening lines, "Poor little dreamer, stand inside the door, you can't find the easy rhymes of time you had before," suggest that the person is lost and can't seem to find their way back to happier times. The singer tells the person that they look broken down and sad and assures them that they can't let them break. This indicates that the singer cares for the person and will be there for them.
The chorus of the song, "Cry to me - cry to me, you better not hide it, let it come - let it bleed, I ain't laughing - reach in and get it and set it free," encourages the person to open up and share their feelings. The singer is telling them that it's okay to cry and release their emotions because holding it in will only make things worse. They want the person to feel comfortable enough to share their pain so that they can help them through it.
The verses continue with imagery of a stormy ocean and a bitter taste in the mouth, indicating that the person is going through a rough patch in their life. The singer assures them that they don't have to go through it alone and that they will help them clear the clouds away and feel the sun again. Overall, the song is a comforting message to someone going through a tough time that they are not alone and that there is always someone there to help them through it.
Line by Line Meaning
Poor little dreamer
Addressing someone who is lost and struggling to find their way
Stand inside the door
Being stuck at a crossroad, not knowing which path to take
You can't find the easy rhymes
Of time you had before
Unable to find the simplicity and happiness of the past
It hurts my heart so bad
Seeing you sigh and shake
Feeling empathetic towards someone's pain and struggles
Broken down so low - so sad
I can't let you break
Witnessing the depths of despair in someone and wanting to help them get back up
Cry to me - cry to me
You better not hide it
Encouraging someone to open up and share their emotions instead of suppressing them
Let it come - let it bleed
I ain't laughing - reach in and get it
And set it free
Urging someone to fully express their emotions and feelings, and not feel ashamed or judged
The glass is empty and the wine
Is bitter on your tongue
Feeling disillusioned and dissatisfied with life
People don't seen wild and fine
Like when you were young
Missing the carefree and adventurous spirit of youth
You're lonesome over a stormy ocean
Lost in the rain and wind
Feeling alone and struggling to navigate through difficult circumstances
We can clear these clouds away
And feel the sun again
Having hope that things will get better and brighter
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: BERT RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sootys Disco
nice song Susan !!
Stonyhill PO
This is my song but that is a picture of my fellow artiste Marcia Griffiths...not me..Susan!!..Please change it...many thanks! Susan (Stonyhillpo)