Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now
by Joss Stone (featuring Common)

Album: Introducing Joss Stone (2007)
Charted: 84
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" is a tender, heartfelt love song, with British soulster Joss Stone singing about the solace she finds in her partner. Chicago rap legend Common makes a guest appearance with a verse detailing the comfort he gets from his lover amid the chaos of life:

    Right now, let's stay in the present
    Can't worry 'bout tomorrow 'cause today is a blessin'
    The world in a state of aggression
    I find calm in you
    I see my mom in you
  • Common isn't the only rap icon to feature on Introducing Joss Stone. Lauryn Hill of the Fugees contributes a guest verse to "Music." Stone discussed working with Common and Hill during an interview with MTV in 2006: "With rappers it's difficult, because sometimes you can get all that gangsta rap, which means nothing. Sometimes it's good to listen to, in certain situations, but there's no substance to it. With people like Common and Lauryn, they're real poets. They're really saying something, and that's why I needed them on the record. I wanted artists who had something to say."
  • The music video was directed by Moroccan-American filmmaker Sanaa Hamri and shot in New York City. It follows Stone as she goes on a loved-up stroll with her man, who also serves as the clip's cameraman. While he remains hidden, his hands are occasionally seen reaching out to caress Stone. The video concludes with the cameraman accompanying Stone to a concert, where she performs onstage with Common.

    The proceeds from the visual were donated to (PRODUCT)RED, a charitable organization founded by U2 frontman Bono. According to (PRODUCT)RED, Stone was the first artist to contribute their video profits to the organization, which supports The Global Fund To Fight Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
  • "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" was the second single released from Introducing Joss Stone, following "Tell Me 'Bout It." It performed poorly, peaking at #84 in the UK and failing to chart in the US.

    Introducing Joss Stone, on the other hand, was a huge success, peaking at #2 in America. Following The Soul Sessions (2003) and Mind Body & Soul (2004), the album found Stone adopting a fresh urban sound. "It is me introducing myself as a singer, songwriter, producer – as a full artist, not just a singer anymore," she noted to Today in 2007. "Musically, it's more me."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Grateful Dead Characters

Grateful Dead CharactersMusic Quiz

Many unusual folks appear in Grateful Dead songs. Can you identify them?

Glen Ballard

Glen BallardSongwriter Interviews

Glen Ballard talks about co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill album, and his work with Dave Matthews, Aerosmith and Annie Lennox.

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & TearsSongwriter Interviews

The longtime BS&T frontman tells the "Spinning Wheel" story, including the line he got from Joni Mitchell.