Early life and career
Born to a deeply religious family in St. Louis, Missouri, Angela began singing in church. She did not initially aspire to a career in music, studying architecture at Howard University, singing only to earn extra money. She continued to sing in church while at Howard as well as with gospel legend Richard Smallwood. By 1977, Angela had changed her major to music education, and recorded a demo. She shopped it to various record labels with no success but, through a personal introduction furnished by respected industry veteran, Wayne K. Garfield, the demo was heard by New York disc jockey Gary Byrd, who made the call that landed Angela a spot in Stevie Wonder's backing vocal group, Wonderlove. Becoming Wonder's protegรฉ, she learned a great deal about writing and arranging songs. While in Los Angeles with Wonder, Angela met singer Renรฉ Moore; the two became a couple (eventually marrying), and began writing songs together. Renรฉ & Angela released their self-titled debut album in 1980, followed by Wall to Wall in 1982 and Rise in 1983. During this period they had two moderate hit singles, "I Love You More" and "My First Love".
A Street Called Desire and meeting Ron Isley
During Rene & Angela's early years, they were asked to produce songs for Janet Jackson's 1982 self-titled debut album, Janet Jackson. One of the songs, "Young Love", became Jackson's first top ten R&B hit reaching number six on the chart. They also wrote exclusively for Stephanie Mills, who forged a close friendship with Winbush (their "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love", gave Mills her first-ever #1 R&B single, in 1985). Winbush would later write another Mills number one R&B hit with "Something in the Way You Make Me Feel". Between that, Rene & Angela decided to branch out and find a bigger fan base signing with Mercury Records in 1984. They released their breakthrough album, A Street Called Desire the following year. Among the hit singles included on the album was their first R&B number one with the dance single, "Save Your Love (For #1)", which included guest vocals from rapper Kurtis Blow, making it besides Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You", one of the first songs to prominently feature a rapper. Other hit singles included "I'll Be Good", the mostly Winbush-led "Your Smile" was another number one hit while the subsequent "You Don't Have to Cry", hit number two in the beginning of 1986. Eventually A Street Called Desire sold over a million copies going platinum but on the brink of their greatest success, tensions between Winbush and Moore had grown and by the end of the album's promotion, the duo split both personally and professionally. Moore would continue to find success as a songwriter, most notably for Michael Jackson, but he would never again find success as a singer as Winbush was often the main draw of their singles.
In 1987, Winbush was introduced to future husband Ronald Isley, lead singer of the influential Isley Brothers after Benny Medina had agreed to ask Winbush to be involved with the Isleys' next record when Isley proposed plans to work with Winbush on a future project. Producing, writing and arranging the Isleys' Smooth Sailin' album, Winbush helped the group, now including just Ronald and Rudolph (eldest brother O'Kelly had passed away the previous year), score a top 10 R&B hit with the title track.
Sharp and subsequent follow-ups
In turn, Isley opted to manage Winbush and he helped in the process of releasing her debut solo album, Sharp, which was also released in 1987. The album included the huge hit, "Angel", which stayed at number one on the R&B chart for two weeks in 1987 and showcasing her five and a half octave range. Other hits include the dance track, "Run to Me", "C'est Toi (It's You)" and the Ron Isley duet, "Hello Beloved". In 1988, she wrote and produced two tracks for Sheena Easton's gold album "The Lover In Me". They were "Without You" and "Fire and Rain", both of which showcased Easton's lower range and surprisingly soulful vocals. In 1989, Winbush released her follow-up to Sharp with It's the Real Thing. The title track reached number two on the R&B chart while subsequent hits "No More Tears" and "Lay Your Troubles Down" continued Winbush's top 40 success on the R&B charts where she was now a fixture on despite failed attempts to cross her over to pop audiences. On June 26, 1993 Winbush and longtime manager/collaborator/lover Ronald Isley, who is thirteen years Angela's senior, married. A year later Winbush released her third self-titled solo album, which included the huge R&B hit, "Treat U Rite". Produced by Chuckii Booker, the song peaked at number six on the R&B chart making it Winbush's ninth top ten R&B hit altogether in her career. In 1996, Winbush was featured on the Isley Brothers' hit "Floatin' On Your Love", which was essentially a duet between Winbush and Ron Isley. The song was later remixed by Sean "Puffy" Combs and featured guest vocals from Lil' Kim and the group 112 in backgrounds. The video for it showcased Winbush serenading Isley's Mr. Biggs character. Winbush continued to collaborate with the Isley Brothers until 2001's Eternal, where afterwards, their marriage had cooled off. In 2002, Winbush and Isley quietly divorced. In 2003, Winbush made news when it was found out she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Eventually after a successful surgery, the cancer was in remission and Winbush returned to perform on the road.
Legacy and influence
Since starting out with Rene & Angela, Winbush has played an influence on various R&B and hip-hop acts. In the latter genre, Winbush has heard her music being sampled by acts such as The Notorious B.I.G. (who featured her and Jay-Z on his Rene & Angela-sampled "I Love You More" for the song "I Love the Dough"), Foxy Brown (who sampled her "I'll Be Good" for her 1997 top ten hit, "I'll Be") and singer Avant re-recorded the Rene & Angela ballad, "My First Love", with singer Keke Wyatt in 2000. In appreciation during Avant's performance of the song on BET's 106 & Park, in 2001, Winbush surprised the audience by singing alongside Avant on the song. As a singer, Winbush influenced the likes of Syleena Johnson and Chante Moore. Winbush and former partner Rene Moore also shared the distinction for being one of the first R&B acts to prominently feature a rap act in a R&B song sharing that distinction with Chaka Khan and funk band Cameo. Winbush also carries the distinction of being one of the few female artists to find success as a songwriter, arranger, producer and session musician (Winbush also is an avid musician playing piano and keyboards).
Your Smile
Angela Winbush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh, ooh
Smile
Smile
When in your eyes shine pictures of
A time for us, I melt with love
When your lips kiss, silent words
But nothin' means as much (Your smile)
Nothin' seems to touch (Your smile)
Your smile (Your smile)
Oh, if anything I miss (Your smile)
Never could resist (Your smile)
Your smile
Oh, oh, oh
In your touch there's tenderness
A sweet caress that soothes all pain
When I'm lost and feelin' low
To you I go to rise again
But nothin' means as much (Your smile)
Nothin' seems to touch (Your smile)
Your smile (Your smile)
If anything I'd miss (Your smile)
Never could resist (Your smile)
Your smile (Your smile), ho
Baby, smile (Smile)
When you smile (Smile)
My life shines (Smile)
When you smile (Smile)
When you smile (Smile)
My life shines (Smile)
When you smile, oh (Smile)
My life shines (Smile)
(Your smile)
Nothin' seems to touch (Your smile)
Your smile (Your smile)
Oh, hoo, hoo
If anything I'd miss (Your smile)
How could I resist (Your smile)
Your smile (Your smile), oh, oh
(Your smile)
Don't you know your smile (Your smile)
Lights my life (Your smile)
Baby, when you smile (Your smile)
You shine (Your smile)
Your smile (Your smile)
Ho, ho, hoo (Your smile)
Your, your smile (Your smile)
Oh, no other love
(Your smile) can light my life
The way you make me shine (Your smile)
Your baby, smile (Your smile)
Your smile (Your smile)
Baby (Your smile)
Light up my life (Your smile)
No one can make me shine
When my baby smiles (Your smile)
Ooh, oh (Your smile)
Oh, love it (Your smile)
When you smile (Your smile)
Your smile (Your smile)
Your smile
The song "Your Smile" by Angela Winbush is a beautiful love song that celebrates the power of love and the happiness that it brings to one's life. The song talks about how the singer is deeply in love with her partner and how his smile fills her with joy and happiness. The lyrics speak of the tenderness and the sweet caress that the singer finds in her partner's touch, which is a source of comfort and healing to her when she's feeling low. The singer is drawn to her partner's smile, which is the most beautiful thing to her, and nothing else can match the happiness and power that it brings to her life.
The song celebrates the transformative power of love and how it can bring light into one's life, even in the darkest moments. The singer's happiness and joy are directly tied to her partner's smile, which she sees as a constant source of light and hope. The song embodies the hope and optimism that comes with being in love, and it encourages us to celebrate the people we love and the happiness that they bring into our lives.
Overall, "Your Smile" is a beautiful and heartfelt love song that celebrates the power of love and the joy that it brings to one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Smile
Encouraging the subject to smile
Ooh, ooh
The singer is excited and emotionally charged
Smile
Encouraging the subject to smile
Smile
Encouraging the subject to smile
When in your eyes shine pictures of
The singer is expressing how mesmerized they are by the subject's eyes and the emotions they convey
A time for us, I melt with love
The singer is saying that the emotions conveyed by the subject's eyes such as love can have an overwhelming effect on them
When your lips kiss, silent words
The singer is expressing how much they derive from the intimacy of kissing
Move the earth and shake my world
The singer is describing how impactful the subject's kisses are
But nothin' means as much (Your smile)
The subject's smile is the most important and emotionally charged thing to the singer
Nothin' seems to touch (Your smile)
The singer is saying that nothing else can convey the same emotions as the subject's smile
Your smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance and positive impact of the subject's smile
Oh, if anything I miss (Your smile)
The singer is expressing how they long for the subject's smile when it is not present
Never could resist (Your smile)
The singer is saying that they have an inability to resist and not react positively to the subject's smile
Your smile
The singer is emphasizing the importance and positive impact of the subject's smile
Oh, oh, oh
The singer is expressing joy and happiness
In your touch there's tenderness
The singer is describing the tenderness and care that the subject conveys through their touch
A sweet caress that soothes all pain
The singer is saying that the subject's touch can help overcome emotional pain
When I'm lost and feelin' low
The singer is expressing how they rely on the subject when they are feeling down
To you I go to rise again
The singer is saying that they rely on the subject to lift them up
Baby, smile (Smile)
The singer is encouraging the subject to smile
When you smile (Smile)
The singer is expressing the positive effect that the subject's smile has on them
My life shines (Smile)
The singer is expressing how the subject's smile positively affects their life
When you smile (Smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
When you smile (Smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
My life shines (Smile)
The singer is expressing how the subject's smile positively affects their life
When you smile, oh (Smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
Nothin' seems to touch (Your smile)
The singer is saying that nothing else can convey the same emotions as the subject's smile
Your smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance and positive impact of the subject's smile
Oh, hoo, hoo
The singer is expressing joy and happiness
If anything I'd miss (Your smile)
The singer is expressing how they long for the subject's smile when it is not present
How could I resist (Your smile)
The singer is saying that they have an inability to resist and not react positively to the subject's smile
Your smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance and positive impact of the subject's smile
Don't you know your smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
Lights my life (Your smile)
The singer is expressing how the subject's smile positively affects their life
Baby, when you smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
You shine (Your smile)
The singer is expressing how the subject's smile positively affects them
Your smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
Ho, ho, hoo (Your smile)
The singer is expressing joy and happiness and emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
Your, your smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance and positive impact of the subject's smile
Oh, no other love
The singer is saying there is no other love like the subject's
(Your smile) can light my life
The singer is expressing how the subject's smile positively affects their life
The way you make me shine (Your smile)
The singer is expressing how the subject's smile positively affects them
Your baby, smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
Your smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance and positive impact of the subject's smile
Baby (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
Light up my life (Your smile)
The singer is expressing how the subject's smile positively affects their life
No one can make me shine
The singer is expressing how the subject is the only one who can make them feel positive emotions
When my baby smiles (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
Ooh, oh (Your smile)
The singer is expressing joy and happiness and emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
Oh, love it (Your smile)
The singer is expressing how much they love the subject's smile
When you smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the subject's smile
Your smile (Your smile)
The singer is emphasizing the importance and positive impact of the subject's smile
Your smile
The singer is emphasizing the importance and positive impact of the subject's smile
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, MUSIC & MEDIA INT'L, INC.
Written by: RENE MOORE, ANGELA LISA WINBUSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cgogetit
This song takes me directly back to my childhood. I can remember my mother playing this whole album. Beautiful memories! I miss your smile ma, I'll see it again one day. Love you ma.โค๐ญ
@PSYCHDEGREE63
โค๐โค๏ธ๐
@ib96crayons
My momma tooโฆ. A very emotional woman she wasโฆ. When I came home from school, I could tell her โmoodโ by the playlist & what was on rotation in repeat. Her heart ๐would bleed out, and music soothed her โค๏ธโ๐ฉนโค๏ธ
@fransoirpresley5646
โ@PTK4life ๐ฎ l07kn m I I. 4 qum
L.. l
@laqueshajackson8461
Yes
@lavendertahruecii7644
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@sonteesontee4227
Angela has a voice that can't be imitated; such power, control and timbre. You can feel her passio for the music.
@kimberlypomelo4823
Facts
@dorthaannwilliamsharris9455
She is telling a wonderful life story โค๏ธ๐
@mariechannel10
then Rene ruined it for her he mistreated her