FYI: Originally Alexander O'Neal was supposed to be the lead singer for The Time. For whatever reason Morris Day was used instead.
The 1985 self-titled release was filled with streamlined grooves, including the funk jam "Innocent". The song was a funky Jam/Lewis groove, featuring "The Secret"- (Monte Moir, Cherrelle, Jellybean Johnson, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis). The song lasts for nearly 10 minutes, which consists of some exceptional guitar and keyboard solos, which also features the funk intermission of "Alex 9000". Alex's 1987 release, titled "Hearsay", includes the smash hit "Fake". "Fake" is arguably one of the best songs ever made to feature the "Minneapolis Funk" sound, the song was also nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for Single of the Year (Male). In late 1990, he had a minor hit with "All True Man."
His 1988 album "My Gift to You" was a successful holiday release, with the track "Our First Christmas" still popular during the holidays.
He has recently appeared in the celebrity duet show Just the Two of Us with BBC newsreader Fiona Bruce.
Alexander O'Neal's popularity and support in the UK has been immeasurable throughout his Career and still remains so today. Based in Minneapolis, he frequently commutes to Britain, which he sees as his 'Second Home'. All of his six albums have charted both in the UK and the US and he has enjoyed numerous sell-out tours. In 2005, he recorded his first live album "Alexander O'neal Live at Hammersmith Apollo". It's a collection of his Favorites and Biggest Hits from his career. With his personal love of performing on stage and constant tour support from his fans it was a clear progression for him to deliver the live experience in the form of an album. He has handpicked tracks that traverse the success of his career singing alongside a 12 piece band.
Alexander O'Neal releases his first Live DVD, taken from a performance at London's Hammersmith Apollo in March 2006 in January 2007.. It includes a duet with Uk Singer JC Bentley on Saturday Love.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Used
Alexander O'Neal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How could you sleep at night
Don't give me that stuff
'Cause you know it ain't right baby
Sub-chorus:
'Cause I feel used, used
Broken-hearted got me crying from the start
Took me down, not around
You've gone too far
No matter what you say girl
Chorus:
What you trying to do to me
Who gave you the right to be
How could you take away my time
Why you want to tell me lies
You keep a straight face
But what is going on, a masquerade ball
See me running away, I'm gone
Sub-chorus:
'Cause I feel used, used
Led astray, you went away
I'm here to stay 'Cause I feel used, used
Way too long,
I'm hanging on
Don't wanna play
Chorus
In Alexander O'Neal's song "Used," he sings to a lover who has wronged him. He questions how she could sleep at night and insists that she can't convince him it's alright. The sub-chorus repeats that he feels used, broken-hearted, and taken advantage of. In the chorus, he confronts her and demands to know what she's trying to do to him, who gave her the right to treat him this way, and why she wants to tell him lies. He accuses her of putting on a masquerade and keeping a straight face while leading him astray. He decides he's had enough and is running away, feeling used for too long.
"Used" is a passionate song that deals with themes of betrayal, heartbreak, and disillusionment. The lyrics are powerful and emotional, expressing the pain of being taken advantage of by someone you trusted. The song's structure is simple, with a verse-sub-chorus-chorus structure that allows O'Neal's voice to take center stage. The instrumentation is minimalistic, with a steady drum beat, funky bassline, and sparse guitar and keyboard accents that emphasize the vocals.
Overall, "Used" is a deeply relatable song that speaks to anyone who has been wronged in a relationship. Its messages of self-respect and moving on resonate strongly with listeners, and its catchy groove and memorable chorus make it a classic of 80s R&B.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby wake up
Hey, wake up and pay attention to me
How could you sleep at night
I'm questioning how you can be at peace with yourself
Don't give me that stuff
I'm not buying the excuses you're trying to sell me
'Cause you know it ain't right baby
You're fully aware that what you're doing is wrong
'Cause I feel used, used
I'm feeling taken advantage of and manipulated
Broken-hearted got me crying from the start
You've hurt me deeply and I've been upset since the beginning
Took me down, not around
You brought me down instead of building me up
You've gone too far
You've taken things too far and there's no going back
No matter what you say girl
Your words won't change the situation
What you trying to do to me
I'm wondering what your intentions are towards me
Who gave you the right to be
I'm questioning who authorized you to behave this way
How could you take away my time
You've wasted my time and energy
Why you want to tell me lies
I don't understand why you feel compelled to lie to me
You keep a straight face
You're trying to act like nothing's wrong
But what is going on, a masquerade ball
I can see through your facade and it feels like a charade
See me running away, I'm gone
I'm trying to distance myself from you and move on
Led astray, you went away
You led me down the wrong path and left me alone
I'm here to stay
I'm sticking around and not giving up
Way too long, I'm hanging on
I've been holding on for too much time
Don't wanna play
I'm not interested in playing games or continuing this charade
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Stephanie Johnson
Good morning Alex... thank 👏👏👏you for making 2020 a lot easier to get through by “taking a walk down memory lane” with you through pictures, stories and of course listening to ur great music🎶🎶🎶...a forever fan from Cali since the 80’s still listening, singing along and dancing around my house n 2020. God bless.🥰✌🏿
Markey Blenda
This is what i'm talking about! keep up the good work my brother.
i've been listening to your music from the age of 6 years old and now i'm 35
unprogrammedminds
An obvious sequel to Criticize. I love Alex and Lisa Keith's vocals together.
kz1000ps
Yeah... music nerd here. I'm a bit confused on how to feel when it's so obviously designed to sound like it came from the 1987 album. There's just about zero originality here.
Delois Jackson
💃💃💃💃❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥, love ❤️ this song 🎧💃🕺💃🕺💃🕺
Tianné Phillip
I needed this song today 💛💛
Such perfect timing ☺️
ronmex
Favorite song, along with midnight run, on this album
-G.K.🦍
This is beautiful
Tracie Thompson
Still love your music 🎶
insufferable conceit
They should have definitely made an album together — or at least an EP. Who cares if it’s similar to Criticize, the more rock edge on Used separates it enough