Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
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Written By: Moti Kupfer
Release date - 09.03.1983
"I sing about love, about God, and about unity. I sing about life, and people prefer to focus on my clothes."
Lenny Kravitz is a singer and living proof that different cultures and different people can live together. As an artist born to a Christian mother and a Jewish father, he was in many ways a cultural fusion, always searching for spirituality and for a message that could unite people. You can hear part of that spirit in his third album "Are You Gonna Go My Way", released on March 9, 1993.
Lenny Kravitz himself has said that he loved music from a very young age: "Music was my passion from the moment I was born, and by the age of seven I already knew that music was what I wanted to do with my life."
The defining moment that made him realize he would pursue music came after seeing the "Jackson 5" perform live. "One day my father surprised me with tickets to see the Jacksons at Madison Square Garden. When I saw the energy of the crowd around me, everything suddenly became very clear. I became obsessed with music."
Leonard Albert Kravitz was born in May 1964 in Manhattan, New York. His father, Sy Kravitz, was a Jewish-Ukrainian television producer for NBC, while his mother, Roxie Roker, was an actress (best known for appearing in the groundbreaking series "The Jeffersons") who came from an African-American Christian family originally from the Bahamas.
At a young age he moved with his parents from New York to California. There he taught himself to play guitar, bass, drums, and piano. He also studied vocal development and began performing under the name Romeo Blue, inspired by Prince, whom he admired deeply. Kravitz dyed his hair blue, wore blue makeup, and started playing funk-pop that strongly resembled Prince’s late-1970s sound.
Other artists who influenced him, and whom he was exposed to when they visited his parents’ home, included Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis. After undergoing a spiritual experience as a teenager, the young Lenny began praying regularly and became a devoted believer, though not tied to any specific religious stream.
Additional musical influences included "The Beatles", "The Rolling Stones", Fela Kuti, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Jimi Hendrix, and others.
In 1985, under the name Romeo Blue, Lenny Kravitz recorded a demo at the studio of keyboardist and bassist Henry Hirsch. Shortly afterward he returned to using his birth name, Lenny Kravitz.
Hirsch would continue to accompany Kravitz for many years. Together they began working on a debut album, with saxophonist Karl Denson receiving a prominent role on Kravitz’s debut album "Let Love Rule".
In January 1989 Kravitz signed a recording contract with "Virgin", largely thanks to his friend Steve "Stevo" Elvis Smith, who supervised the music for the "Cosby Show" spin-off "A Different World", starring the American Jewish actress Lisa Bonet, who later became Kravitz’s wife.
The marriage lasted several years, and Kravitz arrived at his second album "Mama Said" heartbroken. That pain was clearly felt in several of the songs, many of which became reflections of longing for Lisa.
In 1990 Kravitz wrote and produced one of Madonna’s most controversial hits, "Justify My Love", largely remembered for its provocative music video.
Toward the end of 1992 Kravitz entered the studio to record his third album "Are You Gonna Go My Way", while at the same time producing and writing the English-language debut album of French model and singer Vanessa Paradis.
The album showcases the wide range of styles and influences that Kravitz absorbed over the years. It blends R&B, classic rock, pop, reggae, and funk. The title track "Are You Gonna Go My Way" carries a strong Jimi Hendrix-style vibe and became one of Kravitz’s most recognizable songs. It won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song and also earned the award for Best Male Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The second single "Believe" is perhaps the most memorable song on the album, largely because of its unforgettable guitar solo by Craig Ross in the final minute. It is a powerful ballad about faith and self-belief, both in oneself and in God.
Next comes "Come On and Love Me", driven by drumming in the style of John Bonham, a track that brings the listener back to the raw energy of classic rock and roll blended with plenty of soul. Like many moments on the album, Kravitz manages to make the music sound both retro and modern at the same time.
Further along, Kravitz continues to give the listener everything they could want: thick, powerful drums, a dominant bass line, and his voice climbing close to the heights once reached by Prince, as he whispers to his listener that he is ready for love in the third single "Heaven Help".
Next comes "Just Be a Woman", which for some reason recalls "Led Zeppelin" in its chord transitions. The resemblance to Zeppelin continues in the following track "Is There Any Love in Your Heart", which was released as the final single from the album.
Later arrives "Black Girl", one of the groovier tracks on the album, once again highlighting how deeply Kravitz is influenced by the funk and soul music of the 1970s. The prominent bass and bouncy rhythm create an almost James Brown-like feel, as Kravitz blends rock and funk in a completely natural way.
"My Love" reveals a very different side of Kravitz. It is a gentler ballad with psychedelic touches that emphasizes his romantic and melodic side. Here you can clearly hear the influence of "The Beatles", and especially John Lennon during his solo years.
On "Sugar", Kravitz brings the energy back, combining it with the warm sound of late-1960s rock. It is one of those moments where the album feels like a modern tribute to classic rock.
"Sister" continues the funky direction with a deep and particularly sensual groove, while "Eleutheria" (the name of an island in the Bahamas, where his mother’s family originates) is a reggae-styled and more intimate moment on the album, with an almost spiritual atmosphere. The song deals with freedom, roots, and identity, connecting Kravitz’s personal world with the universal message he tries to convey through his music.
The album "Are You Gonna Go My Way" became Lenny Kravitz’s major breakthrough. It reached platinum status in several countries and turned Kravitz into one of the biggest rock stars of the 1990s. The album managed to bridge past and present, blending soul, rock, and funk while proving that it is possible to draw deep inspiration from the music of the 1960s and 1970s and still create something that sounds fresh and original.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music
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