Raul Midón – If You’re Gonna Leave
A few years ago I went up to Boston to visit a friend from High School. At some point, he had to go to class or work (or something) and I’m hanging out in the house with VH1 Soul playing in the background. I don’t know about you, but when I’m “watching” music videos, usually I’m doing several other things and only pay attention to the songs/artists that I am already familiar with. Well on that day, for some unknown reason, I was actually paying attention when this song’s video aired. I attempted to search for a copy of the video, but there is none to be found (apparently it only exists in my imagination) so here is a live clip of Midón performing the song. You might notice that he’s wearing glasses in all of his pictures – he’s blind. I’m not sure how that came about as he doesn’t ever really talk about it.
A simple but beautiful song that I like to stick in the “acoustic soul” category of my iTunes, I can’t wait for Raul Midón to blow up. He’s also a University of Miami graduate (what what! Go ‘Canes!), studying at our awesome Frost School of Music. Midón worked in Miami as a much in-demand backup vocalist for artists like Julio Iglesias, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz before branching out to New York in 2002 to work on his solo career. A “classically” trained jazz student, Midón also plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, trumpet and/or congas on many of his tracks. He’s collaborated with artists like Jason Mraz and Stevie Wonder.
This song is off of his LP State of Mind which I went out and hunted down as soon as I returned to Miami from that aforementioned trip to Boston. Comically, last year I worked in the School of Music here at UM and missed a chance to see Midón perform/teach a master’s class. My friend who I shared an office with, the Studio Music and Jazz administrative asst, neglected to tell me Midón had stopped by until about an hour after he’d left. Womp womp. As a consolation prize, I was able to get a free copy of his second full length LP A World Within A World. Enjoy!
-CaliDre
Raul Midon - If You’re Gonna Leave
Maybe I’m crazy, I can hear you but you seem for far away
Maybe I’m lazy, or maybe we got lost
Somewhere in between the moments
Can’t remember when the changes came and made this thing so sad
CHORUS (2X)
If you’re gonna leave, that’s okay
If you’re gonna stay, let me say
I wanna get it back the love we had
Before it gets too late
Time is illusion
Yesterday can be so far away
Here’s to confusion
Or maybe we will find
Somewhere out beyond the stars or in our hearts
There is a method to this madness that pertains.
CHORUS (2X)
It’s getting to the point that I’m
I wanna do it right this time
I wanna hold you in my arms
I never wanna say goodbye
Again
CHORUS (3X)
If you’re gonna leave, if you’re gonna stay
Before it gets too late
If you’re gonna leave, baby won’t you stay
I wanna get it back, the love we had
Before it gets too late
CHORUS
Don’t let it get too late
