Sade comes back: Soldier of Love

By Phyllis L. Smith Asinyanbi

Sade (pronounced Shah-DAY) has made a comeback. Helen Folosade (pronounced fo-lo-shah-DAY) Adu is the singer's full name, and "Sade" is the name she's used since childhood; it also serves as her band's name.

It's difficult to classify her music, but some call it soft jazz, pop with jazz undertones, lounge music, rhythm and blues, or neo-soul. She is also known as the "Queen of Smooth," in reference to her cool, calm, and often, melancholy music. Sade hasn't released a CD, since the grammy-award winning "Lovers Rock," in almost 10 years. If you're a fan, the wait is over.

On December 8, 2009, a single "Soldier of Love" was released, and the CD is set to be released on February 9, 2009. Today, January 16, 2010, is Sade's (the singer's) 51st birthday, and she is as ageless as her music is timeless. Her new single "Soldier of Love" speaks of the battle she has endured in love; unrequited love is a recurring theme in many of her songs.


Lyrics | Sade Lyrics | Soldier Of Love Lyrics

Following is an interpretation of key lines in the "Soldier of Love" lyrics.

1. Step 1
   
   Non-functioning heart.

   Opening lyrics:
   
   "I've lost the use of my heart
   But I'm still alive"
   
   These are intense opening lines that are foreboding. However, the lyricist is conveying her mindset regarding her quest for love. In the video, the singer is pictured lying on the ground, barely moving, almost dead from the battle. She has fought valiantly and proclaims she is still alive--although her heart is no longer functioning.

2. Step 2

   Moving on:
   
   "Still looking for the life
   The endless pool on the other side"
   
   The singer is pictured looking toward a cloudy, foggy, and shadowy sky. However, she hasn't stopped looking, although the sky is not clear.

3. Step 3
   
   Wild, wild west.

   Battle continues to rage:
   
   "It's a wild, wild west
   I'm doing my best"
   
   Her battle is continuous and is compared to living in the wild west. Fighting is her only means of survival!

4. Step 4

   Soldier mentality:
   
   "I'm at the borderline of my faith,
   I'm at the hinterland of my devotion
   In the frontline of this battle of mine
   But I'm still alive"
   
   Faith is not gone, but it is shaken. The hinterlands are remote lands/places that are usually more scenic than urban areas. Being at the hinterlands of her devotion means she's in a remote, detached state of mind. Yes, she wants love, but she's not sure it's going to come her way--but the dream has not died.

5. Step 5
   
   Wild, wild west.

   Injured, but not dead:
   
   "I've been torn up inside (oh!)
   I've been left behind (oh!)
   So I ride
   I have the will to survive"
   
   The soldier is pictured riding on a white horse. She's been severely injured in the battle, but she rides on. She strongly desires love and will ultimately triumph.

6. Step 6

   Hope remains:
   
   "Still waiting for love to come
   Turn it all around"
   
   The "Soldier of Love" does not retreat. She continues to ride and as she does, her faith is strengthened. She knows that when true love enters her life, she will then return from the hinterlands.