Miles

Album: Legacy! Legacy! (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Legacy! Legacy! is a concept album in which Jamila Woods examines her family history through the lens of some of her heroes. Here the Chicago songstress steps into the shoes of Miles Davis while the instrumentation evokes the jazz trumpeter icon's early-'70s music.
  • In channeling Miles Davis, Woods becomes masculine and braggadocio, asserting, "There'll never be another. I'm better than your best."

    She explained to Uncut: "I was thinking about the balance of feminine and masculine energy and how I wanted to manifest more of that assertiveness and more things associated with masculine energy. The song became a cool experience in embodying that."
  • Woods told Pitchfork that though it was hard for her to be masculine and assertive, voicing Miles Davis was a good feeling. "Miles used his power," she explained: "He would speak really softly in meetings with white executives so they would have to lean in. He'd turn his back to the audience, like, I'm not here to perform for you white people, I'm playing my music and I don't need to shuck and jive for you. I appreciated that."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

When Rock Belonged To Michelob

When Rock Belonged To MichelobSong Writing

Michelob commercials generated hits for Eric Clapton, Genesis and Steve Winwood in the '80s, even as some of these rockers were fighting alcoholism.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."

Mark Arm of Mudhoney

Mark Arm of MudhoneySongwriter Interviews

When he was asked to write a song for the Singles soundtrack, Mark thought the Seattle grunge scene was already overblown, so that's what he wrote about.

Cheerleaders In Music Videos

Cheerleaders In Music VideosSong Writing

It started with a bouncy MTV classic. Nirvana and MCR made them scary, then Gwen, Avril and Madonna put on the pom poms.

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?