Based on sales, Boyz II Men is one of the most successful R&B groups of all time, having recorded five #1 pop hits between 1992 and 1997. They have since topped sales of 25 million records. Three of their #1 hits, "End of the Road", "I'll Make Love to You", and "One Sweet Day" (a duet with Mariah Carey), set and broke records for the longest period of time a single remained at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Boyz II Men were originally signed to Motown Records from 1990 to 2000, at which point they were moved to parent label Universal Records. After the 2000 album Nathan Shawn Michael Wanya, Boyz II Men moved to Arista Records. In 2003, Michael McCary left the group due to chronic back problems resulting from scoliosis. As of 2005, Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, and Nathan Morris continue to tour and record as a trio.
Not Me
Boyz II Men Lyrics
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A picture of true happiness, confidence so effortless
No brighter could be found
I never asked the questions that trouble me today
I knew all there was to know, love worn lightly, put on show
A conquest on display
Not me, not me
My secrets and my passions understood
Not me, not me
Who would have guessed he'd throw his world away
To be with someone till his dying day?
Not me, not me
I shall not envy lovers but long for what they share
An empty room is merciless, don't be surprised if I confess
I need some comfort there, oh
Who would have thought his love could be so good?
Not me, not me
My secrets and my passions understood
Not me, not me
Who would have guessed he'd throw his world away
To be with someone till his dying day?
Not me, not me
Who would have thought his love could be so good?
Not me, not me
My secrets and my passions understood
Not me, not me
Who would have guessed he'd throw his world away
To be with someone till his dying day?
Not me, not me
Not me, not me
The lyrics of Boyz II Menβs βNot Meβ reflect on the singerβs realization that they were wrong about love, and that it's not as simple and straightforward as they once thought. The singer remembers a time when they knew all the answers and stood confidently on certain ground, with happiness seeming to come effortlessly to them. They were once so sure of their understanding of love that they never even considered the possibility of questioning it. But as time passed, the singerβs experience of love turned out to be vastly different from what they thought they knew.
The singer notes the emptiness that comes from lacking love, and how desperation for comfort can lead to envy of couples who share that love. They begin to doubt their former ideas of love and acknowledge that their secrets and passions were never truly understood. The line, βA conquest on display,β notes that their understanding of love was based on a superficial, performative idea of love. But the singer is shocked to discover that, despite all their misconceptions, love could indeed be everything they rejected. They never thought someone could throw their world away for another person, but now, thatβs exactly what happened.
Overall, βNot Meβ is a song that reflects on the humbling and transformative power of love. It shows that love is hard to define and is often more complex than we think. Itβs a reminder that we can always grow and learn from our experiences, even if we were once so sure of ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I once knew all the answers, I stood on certain ground
There was a time when I felt confident and sure about everything. I felt like I had all the answers and I was unstoppable.
A picture of true happiness, confidence so effortless
I appeared to be genuinely happy and my confidence was second nature to me. I didn't have to try too hard.
No brighter could be found
There was no one else who seemed happier or more confident than me. I was at the top of my game.
I never asked the questions that trouble me today
Back then, I never had any doubts or uncertainties. I didn't question anything that was going on in my life. But now, things are different.
I knew all there was to know, love worn lightly, put on show
I thought I understood everything about love and relationships. I believed that love was easy and that it was something that could be shown off like a trophy.
A conquest on display
I saw my love life as a competition, and the goal was to win someone over and show them off to the world. I was more concerned with the chase than the actual relationship.
Who would have thought his love could be so good?
I never thought that someone could love me as much as he does. It's surprising to me, in a good way.
My secrets and my passions understood
He knows me better than anyone else, and he understands my deepest desires and interests.
Who would have guessed he'd throw his world away
To be with someone till his dying day?
I never expected him to give up everything for me, to make me his top priority for the rest of his life. It's a beautiful thing.
I shall not envy lovers but long for what they share
I don't want to be jealous of other couples or resent them for the love they have. Instead, I wish for that same kind of love for myself.
An empty room is merciless, don't be surprised if I confess
I need some comfort there, oh
It's hard to be alone when you're used to being with someone all the time. When I'm by myself, I feel lonely and I crave the comfort that comes with being with the person I love.
Not me, not me
I never thought any of these things would happen to me. None of this was part of my plan or my expectations.
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Elton John, Tim Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Damien Whitfield
What a lovely song this is! Boys 2 men really knew what they was doing when they got together.
conny kgomo
Been my favourite song for years. Cant to have them performing it for us in south Africa this year
Bulelani Mahlangu
You know sometimes a song is played just once, and you think wow! And this is one such song.Β Β The first time I heard it was in 1997/8, it was just once, and the tune was ringing in my head for several years, I until I heard it again in 2008.
KDubble32
Just heard this ....its been a while since I listened to it. Man what a beautiful song, sung so beautifully! Another reason why I love when the iPod is on shuffle haha!
TheArtistNowCalled
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Percy Raymond Scheffers
my oh my.....! i could listen to this forever.......