The album also earned the artist a Grammy Award in March 1988 in the category of 'Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male'. In that same year, D'Arby earned three Soul Train Award nominations for 'Male Album of the Year' (from releasing 'Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby'), 'Male Single of the Year' (from releasing "Wishing Well"), and 'Best New Artist'. Receiving immense critical praise for a work that became RIAA certified as mutli-platinum, fans worried that he may have peaked too early, but they found D'Arby determined to continue down his own unique musical path.
D'Arby was born in Manhattan, New York, and he joined the army after leaving college, serving in Elvis Presley's old regiment in Germany. He was formally discharged by the army in 1983 after going absent without leave. While in Germany, he also worked with the group The Touch, releasing an album of material called 'Love On Time' in 1984. That album was later re-issued in 1989 as 'Early Works'.
D'Arby's follow-up studio album, 'Neither Fish Nor Flesh', came out in 1989. It sold over two million copies and earned praise from fans. Many critical reviews, however, were mixed and faulted D'Arby for what they saw as wandering about musically with a purpose, and the artist's acrimonious disputes with his record label grated on him. Note that the album is often alternatively known as 'Neither Fish Nor Flesh: A Soundtrack of Love, Faith, Hope & Destruction',
The expectations placed on D'Arby's shoulders from his early success caused him to undertake some needed soul searching. It took four more years and a move to Los Angeles, California until his next project, 1993's 'Symphony or Damn', was released. Also known as 'Symphony or Damn: Exploring the Tension Inside the Sweetness', the work proved somewhat of a commercial comeback and peaked at #4 on the U.K. album charts while receiving many supportive reviews.
D'Arby had moved into more and more of a musical vibe influenced by gritty rock, often inspired by blues. In 1995, D'Arby released 'Vibrator', which largely followed his previous work in its musical direction. Sadly, his commercial prospects were judged by many critics to be waning.
During the mid-90s, the relations between the artist and his label, Columbia Records, had became strained to the braking point, leading to the artist's departure in 1996. This was followed by four-years on Java Records, during which he recorded an album titled 'Terence Trent D'Arby's Solar Return'. Said work, however, was never released. In 2000, he bought the rights to his unreleased album and left the record company as well as Lippman Entertainment, which was his then-management-team.
In 1999, D'Arby was briefly hired by INXS to replace his friend, late vocalist Michael Hutchence, so the band could play at the opening of facilities for the Sydney Olympics.
In 2001 D'Arby changed his name to Sananda Francesco Maitreya. The same year, he settled in Munich, Germany, and started his own independent record label, Treehouse Pub. The year also marked his first album release in six years, Wildcard (the unreleased "Solar Return"). The album, first available for free through his website, was later released through a one-album distribution deal with Universal Music.
In 2002 Maitreya moved to Milan, Italy, and began working on his next project, Angels & Vampires - Volume I.
In July 2005 Maitreya started working on Angels & Vampires - Volume II, he released chapter after chapter online as soon he finished recording the songs. In April 2006 he released the finished album; again via his website.
Since 2006, Maitreya has released five more studio albums, alongside touring and the release of a few live albums and various live shows to his YouTube channel. In 2020, Maitreya was featured on The Avalanches' single Reflecting Light which would later be on their 'We Will Always Love You' album, later that same year.
Trivia:
D'Arby/Maitreya appeared in in the TV series "Shake, Rattle And Roll" where he played the part of Jackie Wilson. His music has also been included on several movie soundtracks, most notably 1991's Frankie and Johnny.
Testify
Terence Trent D'Arby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who began to fly
Into different spaces of the sky
They were kissed by grace notes
Passing by on there rainbow faces
Testify
Love is never easy
Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
But I'll still give it a try
Sometimes I wonder why
Once ago there were sun birds
Who began to burn
With the heat of summers soft concern
But he turned her faith into a lie
And it stole her sigh
Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
But I'll still give it a try
Sometimes I wonder why
I can hear my lover calling
As the lazy afternoon is falling
Even if it's in my mind my memory just killing time
Loving has left me wanting
A ghost would find love haunting
I'll have to see if it costs an arm and a legacy
But it's still in question I can't deny
That it took a while to learn to fly
So I did impressions
Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
But I'll still give it a try
Sometimes I wonder why
The lyrics of Testify by Terence Trent D'Arby tell a story about the difficulties of love. The first verse opens with a mention of lovebirds who fly into different spaces of the sky. This is a metaphor for a couple who have diverging paths in life. They experience moments of beauty as they intersect, signified by the grace notes passing by on their rainbow faces. However, the chorus declares that love is never easy, but despite its challenges, the singer is willing to try. Sometimes he wonders why he persists with a feeling that can bring so much pain.
The second verse introduces the sun birds, who represent the passionate side of love. They burn with the heat of summer's soft concern, a reference to the carefree days of youth. However, the male partner turns her faith into a lie, and it steals her sigh. This suggests that while love can be exhilarating, it can also lead to heartbreak. The bridge interjects with the singer hearing his lover calling him, but it is unclear whether this is happening in reality or just a memory he is clinging to. The final lines of the song highlight the eternal mystery that is love, and how it takes time to learn how to navigate this complex emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Once ago there were lovebirds
In the past, there were two people who were deeply in love
Who began to fly
They started living a life of freedom and happiness together
Into different spaces of the sky
They explored different dimensions of their love and expressed it in various ways
They were kissed by grace notes
They experienced moments of love that were so beautiful and harmonious, they felt like they were being kissed by grace
Passing by on their rainbow faces
These moments of love were fleeting, like rainbows that appear and disappear quickly
Love is never easy
True love is never simple or straightforward to attain or maintain
But I'll still give it a try
Despite the challenges and difficulties of love, the singer is willing to make the effort and take the risk
Sometimes I wonder why
The singer experiences moments of doubt and confusion about love
Once ago there were sun birds
In the past, there were two people who were passionate and intense in their love
Who began to burn
Their love was filled with desire, intensity, and emotion
With the heat of summers soft concern
Their love was as warm and comforting as a summer afternoon
But he turned her faith into a lie
One partner betrayed the other's trust and faith in them
And it stole her sigh
The other partner became disheartened and lost their ability to breathe deeply and feel contented
I can hear my lover calling
The singer is still in love and can hear their partner's voice in their mind
As the lazy afternoon is falling
The calm and peaceful moments of the day inspire feelings of love and longing
Even if it's in my mind my memory just killing time
The singer spends time remembering their past love, even if it is only in their mind, and feels a sense of loss
Loving has left me wanting
Being in love has left the singer feeling unfulfilled
A ghost would find love haunting
The emptiness and loneliness that follows lost love is so strong that even a ghost would be scared of it
I'll have to see if it costs an arm and a legacy
Starting a new relationship requires the singer to give a lot and is a significant investment
But it's still in question I can't deny
Despite the singer's doubts and fears about love, they cannot deny the possibility and desire for it in their life
That it took a while to learn to fly
Learning to love and be loved was a journey, and it took time for the singer to feel comfortable and confident in it
So I did impressions
The singer tried to imitate what they thought love should be like, to mixed success
Contributed by William Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.