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The right man at the right time.
In the early 90s, there was a feeling that the public was looking for a new black music hero to crown; the promise of Terence Trent D'Arby had not been fulfilled, Jackson's career was starting to be overshadowed by the first heavy rumors, and even Prince seemed to have forgotten his genius from the 80s when Lenny Kravitz arrived on the scene, the man who seemed destined to save black rock.
With long dreadlocks, a glam look, and the poses of a seasoned star, Kravitz seemed tailor-made to become a rockstar… he cited Hendrix and Lennon among his masters, he recorded albums using only vintage instruments and equipment to achieve a syncopated and dirty sound (which in the midst of the grunge era didn't sound out of place), almost as if he came directly from the 70s.
By '93, he had two notable albums to his credit ('Let Love Rule' and 'Mama Said') which achieved a good deal of public (and especially critical) success, as well as a controversial and much-discussed collaboration with Madonna on the track Justify My Love, but that year his career took a turn with the release of 'Are You Gonna Go My Way' which transformed him into a star.
The album was propelled to success by the rocking and aggressive title-track entirely built on a single powerful and catchy guitar riff, which has perhaps remained his most famous track… the rest of the album, highly enjoyable (although slightly inferior to the previous ones), sees Kravitz skillfully navigate, with not a little cheekiness, between different genres all contaminated by his black attitude. Here he is mimicking (in his own way) the soul fathers in tracks like Black Girl and Sugar (the latter resembling the previous hit It Ain't Over Till It's Over) or tinging his rock with psychedelic colors (My Love), demonstrating guitar skills in Sister (a long ballad very 70s, slightly soporific) and flirting with reggae (Eleutheria… not very successful). Two more singles were extracted from the album, the heartfelt "space" ballad Believe and the delicate Heaven Help, which consolidated its success.
Success and fame would become the Achilles' heel for Kravitz who, after the semi-flop of the subsequent "Circus" (dark and underrated), would pursue (and achieve again with greater intensity) making quite a few compromises, excessively smoothing his music, being too concerned with his image as a sex symbol, completely losing freshness and especially that paradoxical originality in re-proposing old musical styles that had brought him to the forefront.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Are You Gonna Go My Way (03:32)
I was born long ago
I am the chosen
I'm the one
I have come to save the day and I won't leave until I'm done
So that's why you've got to try
You got to breathe and have some fun
Though I'm not paid, I play this game and I won't stop until I'm done
But what I really want to know is are you gonna go my way?
And I got to... got to know
I don't know why we always cry
This we must leave and get undone
We must engage and rearrange and turn this planet back to one
So tell me why we got to die and kill each other one by one
We've got to hug and rub-a-dub
We've got to dance and be in love
But what I really want to know is are you gonna go my way?
And I got to... got to know
Are you gonna go my way?
'Cause baby I got to know
Yeah
02 Believe (04:55)
Where's the love we had ?
When did it go bad ?
Or am I just insecure ?
I give all I can
Baby I'm your man
Tell me what you're in this for
Remind me
I can't go on
I know not what to do
My heart is worn
I feel as If I'm through
Please believe in me
'Cause what I need is for you
To believe in me
Countless sleepless nights
Never ending fights
I'm trying to make your dreams come true
I will sacrifice to find paradise
But I need to know you're behind me
I can't go on
I know not what to do
My heart is worn
I feel as If I'm through
Please believe in me
'Cause what I need is for you
To believe in me
I can't go on
I know not what to do
My heart is worn
I feel as If I'm through
Please believe in me
'Cause what I need is for you
To believe in me
I can't go on
I know not what to do
My heart is worn
I feel as If I'm through
Please believe in me
'Cause what I need is for you
To believe in me
To believe in me
To believe in me
04 Heaven Help (03:11)
There comes a time to be free of the heart
I wanna be ready, ready to start
On a love journey, got places to go
Made up my mind and I have got to let you know
Heaven help the heart that lets me inside
Heaven help the one who comes in my life
Heaven help the fool that walks through my door
'Cause I decided right now
I'm ready for love
A funny feeling's coming over me
Now I'm inspired and open to being
In a love place but it's out of my hands
I'm telling you baby that you got to understand
Heaven help the heart that lets me inside
Heaven help the one who comes in my life
Heaven help the fool that walks through my door
'Cause I decided right now
I'm ready for love
I can't see what's out there for me
And I know love offers no guarantees
I'll take a chance and I'm telling you something babe
I got to let you know
Heaven help the heart that lets me inside
Heaven help the one who comes in my life
Heaven help the fool that walks through my door
'Cause I decided right now
I'm ready for love, ready for love
Take a chance, take the chance on love
09 Sugar (03:58)
I'm yours and you are here
Don't you really want to feel
That my love is turning on
And it feels so real
So tell me what's the deal yeah
I'm coming back for more and more
You do it to me 'till I can't take no more
And I know
That all of that real good lovin is oh so real
and I want all your time when I'm down here
Sugar dance for me
Sugar taste so sweet
Climb on and take the wheel
There's nothing here for you to fear
And my love won't lead you wrong
Let me make this clear
Sweeter and sweeter I'll always make you feel
I'm coming home, I'm oh so low
I need you baby, come on let's go
'Cause only you are my lover
And you're so sincere and fine, so divine
And you're all mine, sugar caramel
Sugar, and it tastes so sweet
Sugar, my fantasy
Sugar you were made for me
Hey sugar my fantasy
Sugar and it tastes so sweet
Sugar my fantasy
Oh my sugar baby lovin' is so sweet to me
Sugar and it tastes so sweet
Sugar you're my fantasy
Sugar on and on
Sugar say I want your baby
Want your lovin' say I want your baby
Want your loving' yeah
10 Sister (07:05)
Sister
Did you have to fall in love
With a man that was up to no good
He took your soul an he stole your only heart
Flipped your wig and left a permanent scar
Sister
Did you have to go away
You left your home
And the things you had to say
It didn't feel good to let you slide
I never got to say goodbye
I miss you girl I think I'm gonna cry
If they knock on your door you already gave
You don't need no more of what's ailing you
Just lean on your soul with all that it takes
May God bring back home to America
America
Sister
It's just a test of faith
Your heart is pure so the devil's in your face
I'll see you soon 'cause thy haven't got a case
You'll be free in a beautiful place
If the knock on your door you already gave
11 Eleutheria (04:50)
Written by: Lenny Kravitz
My life is perfect
Because I accept it as it is
The sunshine is shining
Because it is what it is
What a beautiful feeling it's bringing
All the birds in the sky are singing
Eleutheria the fire is burning
Eleutheria the tables are turning
A new day is dawning
Because it is time for a change
with new consciousness forming
There comes a new day
Oh we got to keep on trying
When the children are cold and alone and are crying
You got to understand
Eleutheria the bells are ringing
Eleutheria the people are singing
Eleutheria people are yearning
Eleutheria this world keeps on turning
Turning
What a beautiful feeling it's bringing
All the birds in the sky are singing
You got to understand
Eleutheris the fire is burning
Eleutheria the tables are turning
Eleutheria the bells are ringing
The people keep singing
The fire is burning
The tables are turning
Got to keep on
Keep on keeping on
12 Ascension (03:49)
Brothers and sisters,
Everythings gonna be alright
We gonna be together in the moonlight
No more pain or strife or sorrow
It's a brand new day
You don't need no money
'Cause everything's free
Come with me baby,
'Cause it's been such a long long time
It's time for ascension
To be free, to be wild
Hey look at that smile
On that pretty girl's face
She got no positions,
But she's poised and has grace
It's an inner beauty thing baby,
That shines and shines
It ain't about your appearance
But the soul, look inside
So come with me baby,
'Cause it's been such a long long time
It's time for ascension
To be free, to be wild
Rise up, rise up
Get up, get up
Come on, come on
Come with me baby,
'Cause it's been such a long long time
It's time for ascension
To be free, to be wild
Come with me baby,
'Cause it's been such a long long time
It's time for ascension
To be free, to be wild
To be wild, to be wild,
To be free to be wide
Free
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