Can You Do It For Me – Jai’Len Josey

I first heard this song in the back of a car with some of my really good friends in college, and I believe we were heading back to Carrollton (where I went to school) from Atlanta via I-20. It was pretty late at night and I remember vividly, hearing the bass line, which would become my favorite of all time (for now, although it’s held the top spot for some years at this point), and thinking to myself “Wow, I love this” almost immediately. I am a lover of the Chili Peppers, and somewhat of a Flea fanatic when it comes to bass lines. This one, however simple it may be compared to the great Flea, just does it for me (pun intended). The way it drives the song along, complemented by an awesome horn arrangement, really hit me in a way that I felt in my soul, which I guess is why they call it “soul music.” Huh. What a thought. Not to mention Jai’len’s outstanding vocals. (She was on Broadway) I’m linking two live performances she’s done of the song, one where you can see the full band, (featuring other songs off her EP Illustrations, all amazing and worth listening to) and another that’s more focused on her. While you can see how passionate she is in her singing, she’s also able to make it look effortless. She’s an Atlanta local but somehow I haven’t had a chance to see her live yet. I can honestly say she is one of the ones at the top of my list of artists I want to see live, and I really hope I am able to do so sooner than later.

While I think this song could fall under R&B/Soul, it definitely has some funk influence, and I plan on featuring another one of Jai’Len’s songs that has one of the funkiest bass lines I’ve ever heard soon.

One of the reasons this song means so much to me is the people it reminds me of, and the reminder of the simplicity of my life in college. It really is the age-old trope of not realizing how great I had it at the time, with no real responsibility other than school, surrounded by people I love, and really just enjoying the moment. One of my favorite quotes is “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good ole days, before you’ve actually left them.” That being said, I refuse to believe that I’ll ever truly leave the “good ole days”, as I think that there is always something to look forward to everyday, regardless of where I am in life. However, without realizing it, from the second that bass line first hit my ears, I was making a core memory and will forever be grateful for those people I was with and got to go through some of the funnest times of my life with.

Link to song – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUQaGWleq58

Link to live perfomance – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZN1sl4a_Mg

Link to live performance with band (Can You Do It For Me starts at 8:10 ,but I totally recommend watching the whole thing) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrzYePeypNo