- Producers: Ledisi, Sundra Manning, Rex Rideout, Jaey Jaz, Luther “Mano” Hanes, Lorenzo Johnson
- Released: August 2007 by Verve Records
- Singles: Joy, Alright, and In the Morning
- 3rd album
- Total of songs: 16
Lost and Found is that one sibling that tends not to care what others are doing around them and sticks to what they know and do best. Lost and Found didn’t want to wear the sagging pants and chains around its neck. It didn’t want to jump from classy to flashy, which is okay. In the 2000s – just like the 90s- R&B relied on rappers to change the game. Lost and Found wasn’t one of those albums. Instead, it stuck with jazz, soul music, and contemporary R&B. This wasn’t Ledisi’s first record- she had two independent ones out before- but it was her debut album from a major label. Lost and Found charted at 78 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number 10 on the Top R&B/ Hip Hop Albums chart. While other artists chose to sing in the rain and dance in the streets (a time we will surely miss), Ledisi’s whole album was about the experience with raw emotion, no matter how triumphant or despairing. Lost and Found is a hidden gem in the 2000s era. With that said, let’s look at the 16 songs comprising the album.
Been There (Intro)
Producers: Jamey Jaz, Ledisi, Lorenzo Johnson, Rex Rideout, and Sundra Manning
It’s only a minute and forty-five seconds, but we are welcomed into her world in that short time. Not just anyone’s world. Ledisi’s world. She’s been waiting for us and vice versa. After that sweet intro, she takes us into the album she created for us.
Joy
- Producers: Lorenzo Johnson, Luther “Mano” Hanes, Ledisi, Jamey Jaz, Rex Rideout, and Sundra Manning
- Writers: Ledisi and Rex Rideout
Just think about it. You sit at the table with a glass of Pinot Noir or a Chardonnay. Maybe you and a partner or someone you deeply care about enjoying that nighttime energy. It’s the simple things that keep the night flowing. For most, it’s not an everyday scenario, but it powerfully captures the power of the song. Joy expresses the bliss of truly being connected to someone. It’s not the only song on the album that does this. However, it is the first one Ledisi introduces to us. On the charts, Joy peaked at 103 on the U.S. R&B/ Hip Hop Charts and 29 on the U.S. Adult R&B Charts.
You and Me
- Producers: Rex Rideout, Sundra Manning, Ledisi, Jamey Jaz, Luther “Mano” Hanes, and Lorenzo Johnson
- Writers: Ledisi and Rex Rideout
You and Me is the other song on the album, expressing the bliss of being connected to someone. There’s just a tiny difference between Joy and You and Me. While Joy concentrates on a more physical bliss, You and Me focuses more on the emotion and meanings behind the relationship. The song is all about you and your man. No matter how many harsh words are thrown at the relationship or what other people think, it’s all about you two. No anvil or grenade Coyote throws your way can destroy the chemistry.
Best Friend
- Producers: Luther “Mano” Hanes, Lorenzo Johnson, Jamey Jaz, Rex Rideout, Sundra Manning, and Ledisi
- Writers: Ledisi Young, Luther Hanes, and Errol Cooney
Best Friend is deeper than what the title suggests. For many, a best friend goes deeper than someone you met in school a few years ago. Sometimes, it’s that partner or sibling we hold close to our hearts. Or sometimes it really is that person we met in school a few years ago. A best friend is more than that in this song, though. It’s about being in love with your best friend but not being able to have them because of fear of rejection. Yet, no matter what, you still crave to have them on a romantic level. This song is based on a personal experience, “she wanted to convey the deep appreciation she holds for her closest friends and acknowledge their unwavering support.” It’s such a beloved song Robert Glasper (artist and producer) has praised Ledisi’s vocal performance, describing it as “powerful and soul-stirring.” The basic concept of the song can be understood by anybody; however, lyrically, it’s only felt by people who have been on a similar journey.
Alright
- Producers: Rex Rideout
- Writers: Rexa Rideout and Ledisi
After a stressful day, there are four things you should do. Close your eyes. Dim the lights. Lay down. Listen. It’s Alright. Listen to this sweet melody if you’re having a bad day. Ledisi has that God-given talent to convey optimism when times are tough. She sings about having strength, hope, and faith in a time of struggle using an upbeat tempo, uplifting lyrics, and soulful vocals. Ledisi has said,
“‘Alright’ came from me just being tired from the ups and downs of my journey,” she shares, “It came during a great low as well as a great high in my life. I was trying to stay positive and feel like, no matter what, things were going to be alright. Before I signed with Verve, I was writing and recording songs with no idea where the money would be coming from to pay for all of it. I was tough.”
Alright may not have been number one on the charts, but many still loved it, peaking on the U.S. R&B/ Hip Hop charts and 13 on the U.S. Adult R&B charts.
Music Video Fun Facts
- The video plays a substantial role in emphasizing the song’s message by showing different people from all walks of life
- Rashidi Harper and Maalik Armour directed the video
- Alright was Ledisi’s 1st music video ever to be filmed and released! It was aired on BET J’s Soul session in 2007
Think of You
- Producers: Ledisi, Lorenzo Johnson, Luther “Mano” Hanes, Jamey Jaz, Rex Rideout, and Sundra Manning
- Writers: Ledisi
It’s a breath of fresh air, making the whole album feel like a breath of fresh air, which makes sense when you know what the song is about. If you don’t, it’s simply about loving God. No matter where she is, the time of day, or wherever she goes, she thinks of God and needs Him. With the help of jazz and a hint of an island feel, there’s no way you can escape the bliss that oozes from this song.
Today
- Writers: Young, Hanes
Most people don’t wake up singing, but if you decide to try it, Today is your song. Today is packed with high confidence and the feeling that it’s gonna be a great day. Ledisi expresses these feelings of joy throughout the song, loving everybody and everything around her. Her brothers and sisters, her man, the day in general, you name it! The best part of the song is although she’s singing about a glorious, beautiful day, she’s singing about a day that hasn’t even happened yet. So before you get out of bed, remember these words:
Ain’t worried about yesterday.
Today’s something different.
A new start.
A brand new day.
Get To Know You
- Producers: Lorenzo Johnson
- Writers: Young and Lorenzo Johnson
Get To Know You is one of the most poetic songs on the Lost and Found album. From start to finish, the lyrics describe the beauty of wanting to get to know someone. It’s a perfectly described feeling and scenario that people of all ages can relate to at some point; from coffee to dancing to daydreaming, the song describes it all.
Upside Down
- Producers: Sundra Manning
- Writers: Young and Sundra Manning
Every artist has at least one song about their feelings about the world and what needs to change. Upside Down is that song. She claims that in order for things to be correct, we need to turn the world upside down. These are Ledisi’s words in the song:
“We (Ledisi and Sundra) were working on a (unfinished) project called Carnivale. I’ve always had a fascination with Ferris Wheels. It’s like the world going around and around with all these people sitting on it. So we wrote a song called ‘Upside Down,’ which is how the world feels to me right now.”
In the Morning
- Producers: Rex Rideout
- Writers: Ledisi and Rex Rideout
In the Morning was the second single from the released Lost and Found album. It didn’t do as well as the first single- Alright- but still made it on the charts. It peaked at 49 on the U.S. R&B/ Hip Hop charts and 26 on the U.S. Adult R&B charts. Unlike the songs before it, In the Morning touches on a flawed relationship. Though the relationship is dysfunctional, Ledisi still has hope and wonders if her man will still be there for her. She describes the situation and the emotional depth she is going through at the time of the relationship. In the Morning asks the question: Will love prevail in the end?
I Tried
- Producers: Lorenzo Johnson and Luther “Mano” Hanes
No cursing. No crying. No doing each other dirty. Just pure respect towards one another. Those are the best types of failed relationships, which is precisely what Ledisi sings about. Unlike In the Morning, which is a flawed relationship, I Tried talks about a failed relationship, except this time, she highlights the positivity surrounding it. Both partners tried to keep the relationship going, but it didn’t work. Nothing more and nothing less. Now, it’s time to move on.
Lost and Found (Find Me) ft. Karen Briggs
- Producers: Rex Rideout
- Writers: Ledisi and Rex Rideout
Take a deep breath. Relax. Listen. Can you hear the pure, raw emotion echoing off the walls? It’s the most peaceful ballad on the album. It holds so much serenity yet so much pain and hope. You can hear it as Ledisi sings about the hurt she has lived through. She’s in a lost state, and it’s causing her pain. However, she’s ready to live and love again. Although she is prepared to love and no longer lost, she is still not found. Hence, she begs in the last chorus for someone to come and find her.
We Are One ft. Rahsaan Patterson
- Producers: Rex Rideout and Ledisi
- Writers: Rahsaaan Patterson, Ledisi, and Rex Rideout
We Are One is just as short as the Lost and Found album’s intro but as powerful as any of its other songs. Both vocals were strong yet different enough to complement each other. While Ledisi’s was airy and soft, Rahsaan’s was rich and deep. Both speak of being in unison with somebody they love. Overall, the song’s simplicity makes it a beautiful duet.
The One
- Lorenzo Johnson, Luther “Mano” Hanes, Jamey Jaz, Rex Rideout, and Sundra Manning
- Writers: Young, Jamey Jaz, and John Smith
The lyrics. The music. Everything about this song concludes what this whole album has been talking about. It’s about the joy of finally being “found.” This is what Ledisi says about the song:
“The last song I wrote for the CD is ‘The One,’ which I did with Rahsaan’s writing partner, Jamey Jaz. It represents where I’m at now-found- in a relationship that completes me and my spirit is in alignment. Having all that music, my family and a great team of folk around me feel complete.”
So, if you were lost and are found, this song is for you!
Someday
- Producers: Lorenzo Johnson, Jamey Jaz, Luther “Mano” Hanes, Rex Rideout, Sundra Manning, and Ledisi
- Writers: Young, Hanes, and Rick Watford
The last song on the album: Someday. What’s better than a song dedicated to the people who’ve taken care of you. People who love and care for you. Someday, you’ll repay them with the same thing and more. It makes you feel wholesome, joyful, and filled with pure love. This is the exact feeling Ledisi pours into this melody. It’s a song that automatically makes you smile and the perfect way to end the Lost and Found album.
Been Here (Outro)
After this emotional journey, Ledisi smoothly glides us out of her world and back into our own with something to think about. She thanked us for listening and exited with a jazz band behind her. The curtains have officially closed until next time.
Conclusion
The album was such a great and profound experience for me that there’s not one song on it that I didn’t like. Typically, I’m not too fond of whole albums. However, this one caught my attention. With that said, it’s time to move on to my top 3 favorites, which was a tough choice considering that I have 11 favorites from Lost and Found.
3.) Lost and Found
Ballads are my weakness, so it’s natural that Lost and Found made it on my top 3. It was so heartfelt I couldn’t resist! Though I don’t have a personal experience to connect to it, I know I will one day, and when I do, this will be the song I run to.
2.) The One
I love a happy ending, and this song describes the perfect happy ending. It’s not a ballad, but it reads like a true ballad for me, which is why it’s the 2nd on my top favorite list.
1.) Someday
Someday lands number one on my list because no matter what’s going on in my life, Someday describes precisely how I feel for the ones who’ve taken care of me my whole life. I love the positivity and love that pours out from the song. I couldn’t say it any better. Ledisi took the words right out of my heart.
So, did you enjoy the Lost and Found Album? If so, which ones were your favorite? I would love to know about any album requests. You know where to reach me.
References
Ledisi – lost and found. Moods Music. (n.d.). https://www.moodsmusic.net/shop/music/soul/ledisi-lost-and-found-detail
Christian John Wikane , Wikane, C. J., & Found, L. and. (2007, August 28). Ledisi: Lost and found, PopMatters. PopMatters. https://www.popmatters.com/ledisi-lost-and-found-2496217320.html
2005, S. (2023b, March 13). Ledisi – alright. Singersroom.com – R&B Music, R&B Videos, R&B News. https://singersroom.com/content/2007-07-30/ledisi-alright/
2005, S. (2023a, February 27). Ledisi – in the morning. Singersroom.com – R&B Music, R&B Videos, R&B News. https://singersroom.com/content/2007-12-20/ledisi-in-the-morning/