The Brand New Heavies began in 1985 as an instrumental acid jazz group call… Read Full Bio ↴The Brand New Heavies began in 1985 as an instrumental acid jazz group called Brother International.

The group came up with the Heavies name after signing their first record contract, borrowing from a liner note on a James Brown single declaring the artist "Minister of New Super Heavy Funk". As The Brand New Heavies they gained a cult following in the London club scene and soon signed to Cooltempo as acid jazz replaced rare groove in clubs. The band issued a debut recording for Eddie Piller's Acid Jazz label in 1990 with Jay Ella Ruth as lead singer.

A single, "Got to Give", came out on Cooltempo before the Brand New Heavies signed to Acid Jazz Records and released Brand New Heavies to critical acclaim. The band signed to a division of Chrysalis Records in the UK, and American distribution was picked up by influential label Delicious Vinyl, and N'Dea Davenport (who had signed an artist development deal with Delicious Vinyl) joined the group. A revamped version of the first album with vocals by N'Dea Davenport was then released, and the singles "Dream Come True", "Never Stop" and "Stay This Way", all with Davenport on lead vocals, became hits on both sides of the Atlantic, with the latter becoming a music video directed by Douglas Gayeton that saw heavy rotation on MTV.

The group's appearance with MC Serch (formerly of 3rd Bass) and Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest) at a performance in New York City, inspired the group to incorporate elements of hip hop music. Their next album was the critically acclaimed Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1, which included collaborations with Guru of Gang Starr and The Pharcyde, among others, but lacked any female vocals.

While under management by Colin Lester's and Ian McAndrew's Wildlife Entertainment, The Brand New Heavies released Brother Sister (1994) which was the last album for a while with N'Dea Davenport, who had left to complete her solo album (which she had put on hold to join the Heavies). The album spawned more singles, though one of them, a cover of Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis", was popular only in the UK because it was not included in the US version of the album.

Siedah Garrett joined the group for their next album, Shelter (1997). It contained the minor hit, the Carole King-penned song "You've Got a Friend" that was originally made famous by James Taylor. Again, though, this song did not appear on the US version of the album. The album also contained the hit "Sometimes". The remix of "Sometimes" included the rap vocals of Q-Tip from Tribe.

The Brand New Heavies then released their greatest hits album, Trunk Funk - The Best of The Brand New Heavies (2000) with Carleen Anderson on vocals for some newly recorded songs, followed by the Japan only album We Won't Stop (2003) featuring a variety of vocalists and Allaboutthefunk (2004) featuring British singer Nicole Russo on vocals.

In April 2006, the Brand New Heavies reunited with N'Dea Davenport and former label Delicious Vinyl. A new album, Get Used to It was released on June 27 2006 via Starbucks and more traditional music retail outlets. The album was recorded in New York and London; and the lead single "I Don't Know Why (I Love You)" was issued in early May. The single was notable for being one of very few late releases to feature the trademarked "A Tom Moulton Mix", as the legendary disco pioneer had been asked to contribute mixes. Later that year, their song "Jump 'N' Move" was featured on the soundtrack for the 2006 computer animated feature film, Happy Feet, and the in-game soundtrack for 2004's NBA Live 2005. The band toured at the end of 2006.

After the release of a live CD Live at the Indigo2 in late 2008, the Brand New Heavies announced they would be releasing a new album in 2009 with N'Dea Davenport on vocals.

Sledgehammer
The Brand New Heavies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You could have a steam train
If you'd just lay down your tracks
You could have an aeroplane flying
If you bring your blue sky back

All you do is call me
I'll be anything you need

You could have a big dipper
Going up and down, all around the bends
You could have a bumper car, bumping
This amusement never ends

I want to be your sledgehammer
Why don't you call my name
Oh let me be your sledgehammer
This will be my testimony
Show me round your fruitcage
'Cos I will be your honey bee
Open up your fruitcage
Where the fruit is as sweet as can be

I want to be your sledgehammer
Why don't you call my name
You'd better call the sledgehammer
Put your mind at rest
I'm going to be-the sledgehammer
This can be my testimony
I'm your sledgehammer
Let there be no doubt about it

Sledge sledge sledgehammer

I've kicked the habit
Shed my skin
This is the new stuff
I go dancing in, we go dancing in
Oh won't you show for me
And I will show for you
Show for me, I will show for you
Yea, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I do mean you
Only you
You've been coming through
Going to build that power
Build, build up that power, hey
I've been feeding the rhythm
I've been feeding the rhythm
Going to feel that power, build in you
Come on, come on, help me do
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you
I've been feeding the rhythm
I've been feeding the rhythm

It's what we're doing, doing
All day and night

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Brand New Heavies' song Sledgehammer are a powerful expression of the desire to be someone's strength and support, someone who can help them achieve their dreams and navigate the ups and downs of life. The opening lines suggest that the person addressed in the song has the potential for great things - they could have a steam train or an aeroplane if they just lay down the tracks or bring back their blue sky. All they have to do is call the singer, and they will be anything they need. The second verse takes us on a ride through various amusement park attractions, implying that life can be just as thrilling and unpredictable as a bumper car or a big dipper, and that the singer wants to be along for the ride.

However, the most striking element of the song is the repeated refrain - "I want to be your sledgehammer". The sledgehammer is a tool of immense power, capable of breaking down walls and tearing apart obstacles. By offering to be someone's sledgehammer, the singer is offering to be their protector, their defender, and their means of overcoming any challenge that comes their way. The bridge of the song takes on a more introspective tone, as the singer talks about shedding their old skin and embracing the new, and the final verse returns to the idea of building power and feeding the rhythm - of life, of love, of everything that makes us feel alive.

Overall, the lyrics to Sledgehammer are a declaration of love, courage, and commitment. They are about being there for someone through thick and thin, helping them achieve their goals, and finding joy and exhilaration in the journey.

Line by Line Meaning

You could have a steam train If you'd just lay down your tracks You could have an aeroplane flying If you bring your blue sky back
You have the potential to achieve anything you want in life. You just need to put in the effort and make certain changes to see the results.

All you do is call me I'll be anything you need
I am available to support and help you in any way that I can. Just reach out to me and I will take care of the rest.

You could have a big dipper Going up and down, all around the bends You could have a bumper car, bumping This amusement never ends
Life can be like an amusement park ride - full of ups, downs, twists and turns. Don't be afraid to take risks and enjoy the ride - the fun never ends!

I want to be your sledgehammer Why don't you call my name Oh let me be your sledgehammer This will be my testimony
I want to be the force that drives you to succeed. Call on me and I will help you achieve your goals, and my impact on your life will be an example of my strength and ability.

Show me round your fruitcage 'Cos I will be your honey bee Open up your fruitcage Where the fruit is as sweet as can be
Let me see the beauty and goodness in your life, and I will bring my own positive energy to make it even sweeter. I want to be a part of your world and add value to it.

You'd better call the sledgehammer Put your mind at rest I'm going to be-the sledgehammer This can be my testimony
If you want results, call on me. I will put your worries at ease and provide the strength and support that you need. And my ability to do so will be proof of my power.

I'm your sledgehammer Let there be no doubt about it Sledge sledge sledgehammer
I am committed to being the best support and driving force in your life. There is no question about it - I am your sledgehammer!

I've kicked the habit Shed my skin This is the new stuff I go dancing in, we go dancing in
I have let go of my old ways and embraced a new life. This is a fresh start, and I am ready to dance into the future with you - together, we can achieve so much more.

Oh won't you show for me And I will show for you Show for me, I will show for you Yea, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I do mean you Only you You've been coming through
Let's support each other in our journey towards success. Show me your commitment and I will show you mine - together, we will succeed. And I am speaking specifically to you - you have been showing up and trying, and I see that effort.

Going to build that power Build, build up that power, hey I've been feeding the rhythm I've been feeding the rhythm Going to feel that power, build in you Come on, come on, help me do Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you I've been feeding the rhythm I've been feeding the rhythm It's what we're doing, doing All day and night
Let's build our power and strength together. I've been providing the energy and drive to keep us moving forward, and I want to see that energy build up in you as well. Let's work together, day and night, to achieve our goals and make things happen!

Writer(s): Peter Gabriel

Contributed by Ava Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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