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Hot Chocolate 3:500:00/3:50
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Anxiety 3:360:00/3:36
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0:00/2:29
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0:00/3:44
Album Credits
T.Lee/Bass/Lead Vocals
Savino Izzi/Guitar
Alex Emetti/Guitar/Background Vocals
Danya Thompson/Drums/keys on track 1
Charlie Coffeen-Keys
Rick Cruz/Guitar on track 8
Kim Johnson/Backing Vocals tracks 2,3,4,5,7,9 &10
Carolyn Castillo/Backing Vocals on track 6
Lauren Lo/Backing Vocals on track 1
Tramaine Arte Mis/ Backing Vocals on Track 2
Elissa Sophia/ Backing vocals on track 2
Kevin Decker/Sax
Michael Musto/Trombone
Arman Yazdani/Trumpet
Produced by Danya Thompson
Executive producer by T.Lee
Horn Arrangements by T.Lee & Danya Thompson
Horn Arrangements on track 3 by T.Lee , Danya Thompson & Alex Emetti
Mixed by Danya Thompson with T.Lee
Mastered by Danya Thompson
Remastered by SoundLab
Swan Song Guitars
Front image by Izzie Swan
Patrick Wingard Back cover Photo
Black Vinyl
T.lee
we'd be together in my room
i never get tired of playing you
if you were my favorite, id put you on top
and i loved how you crackled and pop
you keep spinning, spinning around
always spinning spinning around
you keep spinning around,
always spinning spinning around
i would get lost all in your groove
i usta love how you made me move
my older brother would put you on
you were always so much fun
hook
i don't why i feel this way
drop the needle on the record
thats what they used to say
hook
i loved to flip you over
sometimes your bak side was better than the front
they love you in chicago
they love you in Detroit too
they love ypu in new york city
and in london town
Black vinyl is my tribute to my older siblings. I am the youngest and I had the benefit exploring a wide array of different music at my fingertips. Vinyl was a different experience and it was more interactive. I would stare at the photos and flip the album cover open and it was like a giant book. The opening guitar lick is inspired by a Monkees song. “For Pete’s Sake” a song written by Peter Tork. The Monkees song has a really cool intro.
Regulation
by T.Lee
all around the world,
we need room to breathe
since i was young
life ain't what it seems
Regulation!! The regulation
realization. the reality yeah
stipulation, ooh stipulation
less taxation, you think we got money to burn
i got a reason to be
when you tell the truth
and when the people see
they always put the blame on you
Hook
it's my regulation!!
oooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
regulation
you gotta live it now
we living in the world right now
you gotta get yo mind together
before it comes back on you
it's my regulation
its what we do
Regulation funk began in Chicago at music zone rehearsal spaces. Danya and I were traveling to Nashville to attend namm in a few days. Danya had studio time booked for himself to lay down drums for clients of his. I wanted some of that so I recorded 2 bass heavy originals of mine. One night at music zone danya on drums and me on bass jammed for a couple of hours. I wanted to record something in Nashville. Regulation funk was one of those jam sessions. I was vibing on Curtis Mayfield. Using an envelope pedal, I got the bass sound just the way I wanted (a first) Lyrics simply mean just do you.
Ride
By t.lee & A. Emiti
when im in your bed
the world just drifts away
all my pain and stress, you're sweet
you're my release
when life just gets to deep for me
i can't sleep i can't eat
youre my main consoler
your love , you take me
ride of your life
you take me
take me higher
things i cant explain, i get all tied up inside
days i just don't know
i feel the groove when youre near me
when fantasy is realty
i can't sleep
i cant eat
youre my main consoler
hook
ride of your life
i wanna ride
take me higher
i wanna ride
take me over
your love is so sweet
youre my release and i wanna ride, yea
oooh, oooooh
This was an instrumental when Alex let me hear it for the first time. Great soul groove. He didn’t have any lyrics so he asked if I had anything. The song made me think of P funk. I think that every song reminds me of P funk until im proven wrong. I immediately thought of Glenn Goins singing swing down I wanna ride from their live show. The song title ride was in place and I wrote the lyrics around that title. I love the horn arrangements that Danya, Alex and myself came up with. Do yourself a favor and watch parliament live 1978 doing swing down. Glen gives me goose bumps every time I watch it.
T.Lee
Ride was originally written as a hard edged Hip-Hop track. I was listening to a lot of Pharoahe Monch at the time, but since then I feel it has morphed into more of a hard hitting, soulful ballad with Boom-Bap undertones.
Alex
How You feel
By T.Lee
I like to wake up in the morning
with some sunshine on my face
i like to go to sleep dreaming
feeling yo warm embrace
tell me how do you feel
tell me how do you feel
there's 24 hours to get it right
whateva you got ta do
it could be working yo 9 to 5
or doing tha hoochie coo
how do you feel about it
how do you feel
hook
i like how it feels when i'm on top
always ahead of the game
the bottom can be alright
but it don't feel quite the same
Hook
I'd like for the band to groove on....right about now
How you feel was a song that Babybrutha had been performing live for years. The song was inspired sly and the family stone and that familiar percussive beat that Greg Errico played on a lot of songs like dance to the music. Its just a fun song that I wanted evoke pleasure sprinkled with a lot of innuendos. I am trying hard to do my best James Brown screams.
This Journey
By Danya Thompson & T.Lee
I can take you on a journey through this thing that we call MUSIC
Starting at the very point that we can all agree influenced
Rhythms that come, arrangements that blow your very mind up
I can't over state. Can’t under explain, the magic of Diz and parker
I won't take you too far,
I won't take you too far on this journey
Open up your mind relax your soul prepare your body for the
Percolating grooves where djs rule and beats that pound like thunder
Get on the floor, jack your body
til we all get fucked up
From a city that works, Frankie knuckles was king of this musical mantra
Hook
If you have an ill no magic pill will cure you from your doldrums
Doing it to death will help you as we break out in a cold sweat
Funk can remove as it soothes whatever pains ya
We can one nation
GC told ya.
Hook
This Journey was originally conceived by Danya Thompson. The bass line that follows the hook was Danya. During practice one day Danya Hummed the bass line. We all fell into a groove and the song grew from there. I kept humming what we did for days and I thought of a concept that would take the listeners on a musical journey. Danya took that idea and changes his drum patterns to fit that particular verse. We start with jazz, House music next , followed by Funk and we end with heavy Hard rock. But we won’t take you too far.
Kozmic Zone
T.lee
I can't conceive
you break me down without even trying
i can't beleive
how you make me dance to your rythms
and now i cant go on
i'm helpless as a fawn you know
now i don't belong
you do this to me
why can't i know betta, why cant i know betta baby
why can't i know betta
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
why can't i know betta, why cant i know betta baby
why can't i know betta
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
we have our needs
you have yours and i have mine
my lust for the
you pretend and i always fall for it
and now i cant go on
i'm helpless as a fawn you know
now i don't belong
you do this to me
why can't i know betta, why cant i know betta baby
why can't i know betta
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
why can't i know betta, why cant i know betta baby
why can't i know betta
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
just let me be
you always seem to keep me dangling
now, now give me free
you stole my soul and made it your own
and now i cant go on
i'm helpless as a fawn you know
now i don't belong
you do this to me
why can't i know betta, why cant i know betta baby
why can't i know betta
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
why can't i know betta, why cant i know betta baby
why can't i know betta
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
why can't i know betta, why cant i know betta baby
why can't i know betta
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
why can't i know betta, why cant i know betta baby
why can't i know betta
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
when we getting it on im in a cosmic zone
(groove with melody of hook)
Kozmic Zone is one man’s story about being weak and giving in to temptation of the flesh. Why can’t I know Betta? This song was inspired somewhat by a Maxwell song from either his first or second release. I can’t remember the exact song but I was listening to a lot of Maxwell back then. Kozmic was inspired by Funkadelic use of the word for their song Cosmic slop. Another dark song about how the flesh is weak. Charlie on keys takes this song to another level. It reminds of something Daft Punk might give a thumbs up to. Maybe…..
U Good 4 Me
By T.Lee
It’s plain to see, I never knew another woman as cool as me
Such harmonies, they dance inside my head each time we meet
I feel free, you never ever wanna squeeze my wings
When I sing, you always make me feel like Luther baby
Good 4 me, Good 4 me
I wanna scream about it
Good 4 me
I wanna tell you why ya
Good 4 me
Everyday situations spend me round and round in a haze
But with you in my scene, the sun is always shining baby
HOOK
Good 4 Me
I wanna scream about it
I wanna scream about it
Good 4 me
Good for me was from a previous release but Danya wanted to record a different updated version. Kim background vocals really bring this song to life. I am referring to my wife Dana in this song. Shes been there with me through the good and bad. I was feeling Rick James a little when this song was conceived.
Gimme Yo Passion (Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!)
By Danya Thompson & T.Lee
I’ve never been one to scream
I speak softly I’m an easy mood
I never ever get real mean
I’m as gentle as the morning dew
But when I saw ya, I completely lost it
Please forgive me, I know not what I say
Gimme Yo Passion, I want yo passion
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Gimme Yo Passion, I need yo passion
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
I never ever get excited
I sit real still I never ever move
I never been one for running
I get there when I get there,
There’s no rush
But when I saw ya, I completely lost it
Please forgive me, I know not what I say
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
I need yo passion
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
I just wanna get next to you
Your passion,
I want yo passion
Da da da da da, da da da ,
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Gimmie Yo Passion was a song That Alex wanted to record. It is featured on a previous Babybrutha release but it sounds nothing like what it became. This song is definitely a crowd favorite and most people that know Babybrutha are familiar with this song. The horns, Kim and Charlie really add to this version.
5,4 Give My Life
T.lee & A. Emiti
5, 4 give my life
wont forfeit my soul
free to be alive
one already knows
breathe in release within u can see in
(inside yourself)
should have thought better
we could have fought better
should have known better
(forgive yourself)
what we got to be grateful, what we got to be grateful
what we could done over in our own eyes
hook
(higher voice)
honey, i know you ain't gon peg me for a loser
on the first date, it was me who came to shower you with laughter
should have known better
i think i knew betta
every single call i made you seem to drop it
i aint gon shake i aint gon shiver
i misunderstood you aint no giver
but i'll give you everything tat's left in me, honey (stretch out honey)
hook (high voice)
5 4 give my life
wont forfeit my soul
free to be aliiii(ascend)ve
one already knowsI
Alex had written this song a few years back. He had the hook and the first verse. He asked if I could write a second verse. I like the melody and the jazzy vibe of the song. I wanted stick what he was saying in verse 1 but add another element to his story. I love the title 5,4 give my life
T.Lee
5-4 Was written a long time ago when I was getting into experimentation with chord tapping on the fretboard. With my main influence on that one being Stanley Jordan, it delivers a continuous, laidback jazzy fee
Alex