Victor is the loving husband and devoted father of four; the youngest sibling of the amazing Wooten brothers (Regi, Roy, Rudy and Joseph), and the bassist in their famed family band; the student in the martial art of Wing Chun and the nature survival skill of Tracking; the teacher of dozens of Bass players at his acclaimed annual Bass & Nature camp; and the master magician.
Victor Lemonte Wooten got to music early, growing up in a military family in which his older brothers all played and sang. By the time he was 3, Victor was being taught bass by his oldest brother Regi, and at age 5 he was performing professionally with the Wooten Brothers Band. He recalls, "My parents and brothers were the foundation. They prepared me for anything by teaching me to keep my mind open and learn to adapt.” Working their way east from Sacramento, the band played countless clubs and eventually opened concerts for Curtis Mayfield and War.
Victor was influenced by bass mentors, Stanley Clarke, Larry Graham and Bootsy Collins, while learning about the music business at a wildly accelerated pace. By the early '80s, with the family settled in Newport News, Virginia, the brothers became mainstays at Busch Gardens theme park in nearby Williamsburg, making numerous connections with musicians in Nashville and New York.
In 1988 Victor moved to Nashville, where he worked with singer Jonell Mosser and met New Grass Revival banjo ace Bela Fleck. A year later, Fleck enlisted Vic, his brother Roy (a.k.a. Future Man) and harmonica-playing keyboardist Howard Levy to perform with him, and the Flecktones were born. After three highly successful albums, Levy departed in 1993, and the band's new trio format enabled Victor to develop and display a staggering array of fingerboard skills that turned him into a bass hero of Pastorian-proportions and helped earn the band a Grammy.
With the Flecktones in full flight, Victor set his sights on a solo career, first forming Bass Extremes with fellow low-end lord Steve Bailey (leading to an instructional book/CD and two CDs, to date), and finally releasing his critically-acclaimed solo debut, A Show of Hands, in 1996. Soon after, Vic took his solo show on the road with drummer J.D. Blair. Momentum and accolades built with successive tours and the release of What Did He Say? in 1997, the Grammy-nominated Yin-Yang in 1999 and the double CD, Live In America in 2001.
Wooten won two Nashville Music Awards for Bassist Of The Year and is the only three-time winner of Bass Player magazine's Bass Player Of The Year. With the honors came sideman calls, leading to recordings and performances with artists like Branford Marsalis, Mike Stern, Bruce Hornsby, Chick Corea, Dave Matthews, Prince, Gov't Mule, Susan Tedeschi, Vital Tech Tones (with Scott Henderson and Steve Smith), the Jaco Pastorius Word Of Mouth Big Band, and the soundtrack of the Disney film Country Bears, not to mention the stellar work with guitarist Greg Howe and Dennis Chambers with the group Howe Wooten and Chambers.
Fresh off sold-out tours with the Flecktones and Bass Extremes (with Bailey, Watson and Oteil Burbridge) in 2004, Victor is re-focusing on his solo side in 2005 thanks to a remarkable new CD, his Vanguard Records debut, Soul Circus. A three-ring affair, the disc boasts such guests as the Wooten brothers, Bootsy Collins, Arrested Development rapper/vocalist Speech, Howard Levy, Dennis Chambers, Saundra Williams, J.D. Blair, Derico Watson, Flecktone Jeff Coffin, and a who's-who of bassists, including Bailey, Burbridge, Will Lee, Rhonda Smith, Christian McBride, T.M. Stevens, Bill Dickens and Gary Grainger.
On Soul Circus, Victor performs his usual high-wire act on a bevy of basses, but the real ringmaster here is his collection of songs: The poignant "Prayer” and Prince-charged flipside "Natives” provide a thought-provoking look at our native Americans. The epic "Bass Tribute” pays homage to great thumpers past and present. "On and On” is an instant soul classic. "Cell Phone” makes a chuckle-filled, cutting-edge connection. "Higher Law” stands as a stadium-ready, rock-funk protest anthem in the best Sly Stone tradition. "Back to India” currys up simmering musical flavors. And the hip hop/jazz title track marks the sonic coming-out of the long-rumored eight-armed character seen on the CD's cover and in the liner notes: Yes, Virginia (and the rest of the world), there is a funktopus!
Victor Wooten has the rare ability to continuously raise the bar, always growing as an artist, and he's excited to have joined the Vanguard roster with the release of Soul Circus.
Prayer
Victor Wooten Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Y'all
And the truth of mine so hard to find was hidden there between
So many lies
As the shadows roll across my face the light appears and show
Another side now
Things I shoul know, no one told me, now I must go and I'm
Begging U tonight
Say a prayer for me. Don't know where I'm gonna be, as I go on
This journey
Say a prayer me, uh, I'll say a prayer U
Don't know where I'll end up. As I empty out my cup. So please
Say a prayer for me
Say a prayer for me and I'll say a prayer for U
Now I lay myself down to sleep I pray my Lord will send me
Someone to greet me
As the light appears it seems so clear the things I didn't
Understand before
Now I'm looking over all my years I see now who the angel was
Beside me
If I hurt U please forgive me. I still need U and I'm begging U
Tonight
Say a prayer for me. Don't know where I'm gonna be, as I go on
This journey
Say a prayer me, uh, I'll say a prayer U
Don't know where I'll end up. As I empty out my cup. So please
Say a prayer for me
Say a prayer for me and I'll say a prayer for U
Everybody needs a prayer sometimes something to know that U care
When I'm
Searching so long and hard to find a little bit of piece of
Mind
On my knees asking please, will U say a prayer for me?
Ask and U shall receive. It's hard to live in times like these
Fulfilling prophecies, over seas they're living with tragedies
It's hard to know what to do, say a prayer for me I'll play my
Prayer for U
Say a prayer for me. Don't know where I'm gonna be, as I go on
This journey
Say a prayer me, uh, I'll say a prayer U
Don't know where I'll end up. As I empty out my cup. So please
Say a prayer for me
Say a prayer for me and I'll say a prayer for U
The lyrics of "Prayer" by Victor Wooten reflect the emotional journey of a person who admits to having lived their life mindlessly and without any direction. The singer of the song talks about how they are now searching for truth and clarity but find it hard to come by in a world filled with lies and shadows. They appear to be lost, aimless, and unsure of themselves as they venture out on what seems to be a long and challenging journey.
The tone of the song is reflective and introspective, with the singer admitting to making mistakes and hurting others along the way. They turn to prayer as a way of finding meaning and purpose, asking for forgiveness and guidance as they navigate through life. The repetition of the statement "Say a prayer for me, and I'll say a prayer for you" signifies the importance of community, support, and kindness in a world that can sometimes be cruel and unforgiving.
Overall, "Prayer" is a moving and insightful song that reminds us of the power of prayer, forgiveness, and the need for human connection in a world full of challenges and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember back years ago I lived my life without too many cares, Y'all
I used to live without worries, but truth was concealed underneath deceitful appearances
And the truth of mine so hard to find was hidden there between So many lies
The truth was difficult to uncover amongst so many lies that concealed it
As the shadows roll across my face the light appears and show Another side now Things I shoul know, no one told me, now I must go and I'm Begging U tonight
When darkness covered my life, enlightenment shone through, revealing previously unknown facts that nobody warned me about, and now I plead for guidance
Say a prayer for me. Don't know where I'm gonna be, as I go on This journey Say a prayer me, uh, I'll say a prayer U Don't know where I'll end up. As I empty out my cup. So please Say a prayer for me Say a prayer for me and I'll say a prayer for U
I request that you help me with your prayers since I'm unknowledgeable of where my journey ends. In return, I'll pray for you too
Now I lay myself down to sleep I pray my Lord will send me Someone to greet me As the light appears it seems so clear the things I didn't Understand before
When I prepare to rest, I hope that a godly presence will greet me, and in the newfound clarity, I'll comprehend topics I didn't understand earlier
Now I'm looking over all my years I see now who the angel was Beside me If I hurt U please forgive me. I still need U and I'm begging U Tonight
Upon reflection of my life, I now realize who the person next to me was with such benevolent aura. I plead for forgiveness and your assistance again
Everybody needs a prayer sometimes something to know that U care When I'm Searching so long and hard to find a little bit of piece of Mind On my knees asking please, will U say a prayer for me?
Everyone requires comfort or reassurance that they are cared for. Often, when we search a long time for peace, we may crave prayer, on our knees pleading with others
Ask and U shall receive. It's hard to live in times like these Fulfilling prophecies, over seas they're living with tragedies It's hard to know what to do, say a prayer for me I'll play my Prayer for U
If I request something, I may receive it. It's tough to live in modern times, and hard to be aware of how to assist, as people suffer worldwide. Hence, seeking each other’s prayers can provide some solace
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DIANNE STEWART, MARVIS IRVING, MARVYN WILLIAMS, MICHAEL FAIRMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind