Meshell Ndegeocello - Love Song #1
When I aint close to you I cry.
Album: Comfort Woman [5th album]
Genre: Soul, Neo-Soul, Psychedelic Soul
Album Release: October 14th 2003
Length: 4:04
Producer: Allen Cato & Meshell Ndegeocello
Vocalist: Meshell Ndegeocello [age 35]
Label: Maverick Records
Official Audio
Charts, Streams & Sales
Spotify: 770,000 +
YouTube Music: 650,000 +
GLAAD Media Awards Winner 2004: Outstanding Music Artist
Credits
Bass, drums, guitar [x2]
Details
- As a proud, gay black woman Meshell Ndegeocello channeled her identity
into her work via a fierce streak of afrocentricity and political
activism. Her first album was called 'Plantation Lullabies' and her
second featured the single 'Leviticus: Faggot', which details the
tribulations of a young gay man during the AIDS epidemic.
The music deals with issues faced by minorities in an uncompromising way that was unashamed and confrontational at a time when fear kept many gays firmly in the closet. During the AIDS crisis some straight people wouldn't sit next to a gay person through fear of infection. In the face of this prejudice, Ndegeocello was in the spotlight, making gay issues a core part of her music.
The instrumentation is a mix of traditional black styles such as funk, dub and soul. While the music maintains the hypnotic feel of a slowjam it isn't particularly notable when compared to other contemporary neo-soul artists of the time such as Jill Scott. What really makes Meshell Ndegeocello's work stand out is having the political content and the funky grooves side by side.
Being able to vibe to the music makes the listener more receptive to the political messages in the music. Many people who listen to albums don't pay attention to politicians but are influenced by voices in the media because the content is delivered in an entertaining form. To be moved by someones work is to be moved by their humanity and a political message can best be disseminated when it comes after building a rapport with the listener, because it's then that they feel what the artist is saying instead of simply hearing it. - Meshell Ndegeocello was born Michelle Johnson. She Africanised her name when she became interested in political activism. Ndegeocello translates from Swahili as "free like a bird", which represents Meshell's freedom from slavery and oppression. She is unafraid to be herself and perceives the most authentic version of her as being, spiritually, from deep Africa.
- 'Love Song #1' is a free from the political content associated with Ndegeocello. It features a deep, sensual bass groove best experienced with the volume turned up to the red.
Artwork
