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July 2, 2021
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you uplifting songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, Jon Batiste compares his girlfriend’s love to a goldmine in his jubilant, jazzy 2021 anthem, “I Need You.”
In this tune he co-wrote with Autumn Rowe, we learn that Jon met the love of his life when he was a “lil’ country boy” and that they fell in love on the boulevard. He adores everything about her, especially how she’s so genuine.
In the first verse, he sings, “We done a lot of living / We’re working overtime / Don’t need another million / You got that goldmine / I love the way you’re livin’ / ‘Cause you’re so genuine / You got that something special / Didn’t you know? / I just need you, you, oh yeah.”
Best known as the longtime bandleader and musical director for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the multitalented artist shows off his wide range of skills in the second single from his fifth solo album, We Are, which was released in mid-March.
In addition to its romantic theme, the song delivers a universal message of unity, hope and empathy.
He told Forbes magazine in 2019 that music has always been a form of community that brought people together and gave them a common purpose.
“That common purpose was to connect to something that couldn’t be expressed in any other way: not with words or gestures, but just something that almost transcends reality,” he said. “That’s really what music is, and it still is doing that today.”
Jonathan Michael Batiste was born in Metairie, LA, in 1986. While his parents earned a living operating a grocery store and a hardware store, other members of the Batiste family were forging their reputations as members of a New Orleans musical dynasty. At age 8, Jon played percussion with the Batiste Brothers Band. Three years later, he switched to piano and took classical music lessons.
Later, he attended The Juilliard School in New York City, where he earned a Master’s degree in Music in 2013. Barely two years later, Batiste would earn his spot as the leader of Stay Human, the house band for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Please check out the video of Batiste performing “I Need You” at The Red Room in Chicago. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“I Need You”Written by Jon Batiste and Autumn Rowe. Performed by Jon Batiste.
We done a lot of livingWe’re working overtimeDon’t need another millionYou got that goldmineI love the way you’re livin’‘Cause you’re so genuineYou got that something specialDidn’t you know?I just need you, you, oh yeah
Met you when I was a lil’ nappy head boyAnd I never put down my alto saxophoneBuckjumpin’ down on the boulevardI couldn’t wait to blow my own hornIt ain’t wrong for you to sing alongSinging this song ’til you die
In this world with a lot of problemsAll we need is a little lovingThank you, thank youOh, you make me thank youThank you for your love
We’ve done a lot of livingWe’re workin’ overtimeDon’t need another millionYou got that goldmineI love the way you’re livin’‘Cause you’re so genuineYou got that something specialDidn’t you know?I just need you, you, oh yeah
Met you when I was a lil’ country boyAnd I never put down that pork chop and saltThen we fell in love on the boulevardIf you was Jenny, I guess I was ForrestNah, it ain’t wrong for you to sing alongSinging this song ’til you die
In this world with a lot of problemsAll we need is a little lovin’Thank you, thank you, oh, you make meThank you, thank you for your love
We done a lot of livingWe working overtime
Don’t need another millionYou got that goldmineI love the way you’re livin’‘Cause you’re so genuineYou got that something specialDidn’t you know?
I just need you, you, oh yeah
I just need you, you, you, you, you, you, youuuuuuu
Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com/Jon Batiste.
