Born in McComb, Mississippi, Norwood was raised in Carson, California, beginning her career as a backing vocalist for teen groups. After signing with Atlantic Records in 1993, she released her self-titled debut album, Brandy, the following year, which sold six million copies worldwide. Norwood ventured into acting with the UPN sitcom Moesha (1996–2001), which won her an NAACP Image Award, and resulted in numerous other roles, such as the titular character in the television film Cinderella (1997) and Karla Wilson in the slasher film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998). Her musical breakthrough came with the wildly successful single "The Boy Is Mine" (1998), a duet with fellow R&B contemporary Monica, which went on to become one of the best selling female duets of all time. Her second album, Never Say Never, won Norwood her first Grammy Award. In 2002, Norwood starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery, documenting the birth of her daughter. Her third and fourth albums, Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), were released to critical success.
Norwood served as a judge on the first season of America's Got Talent before being involved in a heavily publicized car accident in 2006. Norwood's fifth album, Human (2008), was released to positive reviews, although it was a commercial failure. In 2010, she returned to television as a contestant on the eleventh season of Dancing with the Stars and starred in the reality series Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business. She was a series regular in the BET series The Game (2012–2015) and released her sixth album Two Eleven (2012) thereafter, both earning her critical praise. In April 2015, Norwood made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago. She starred in and executive produced a sitcom titled Zoe Ever After on BET which premiered in January 2016. In July 2020, Norwood released her seventh studio album, B7, also her first project as an independent artist, to critical acclaim. In 2021, Norwood starred alongside Naturi Naughton, Eve and Nadine Velazquez in American Broadcasting Company's music drama series Queens to critical acclaim.
In June 2022, Norwood announced her major label return after signing with Motown Records under which she is expected to preprare her eighth studio album.
Die Without You
Brandy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I tend to dream you when I'm not sleeping
Is it my turn to fictionalize my world
Or even imagine your emotions to tell myself anything
Is it my turn to hold by your hands
Tell you I love you and you not hear me
Is it my turn to totally understand
To watch you walk out of my life and not do a damn thing
(Chorus)
If I have to give away
The feeling that I feel
If I have to sacrifice
Oh, whatever baby, whatever baby
If I have to take apart
All that I am
Is there anything that I would not do
'Cause inside I'd die without you
Oh, I apologize for all the things I've done
But now I'm underwater and I'm drowning
Is it my turn to be the one to cry
Isn't it amazing how some things just completely turn around
So take every little piece of my heart
So take every little piece of my soul
So take every little piece of my mind
'Cause if you're gone, inside
I'd die without you
(Chorus)
In the song Die Without You by Brandy, the lyrics express the intense emotions of a person deeply in love with someone who is slipping away. The first verse is about the person's desire to have their loved one next to them, even if it means just imagining or dreaming about them when they're not around. They also want to understand their emotions and hold their hands, but fear that the loved one won't hear their confession of love. The chorus speaks about the sacrifices the person is willing to make to keep their partner and that without them, they would die inside.
The second verse apologizes for any mistakes made in the relationship but recognizes that with the loved one slipping away, they feel like they're drowning. The singer wonders if it's their turn to cry, acknowledging how some things can completely turn around. The bridge goes on to say that every little piece of their heart, soul, and mind belongs to the loved one, and if they're gone, the person would die inside.
Overall, the song speaks to the intensity of love and the fear of losing that connection with someone they love deeply. The lyrics express the willingness to do whatever it takes to keep them and the feeling of emptiness if they were to leave.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it my turn to wish you were lying here
I cannot help but think of you when you're not here with me.
I tend to dream you when I'm not sleeping
My thoughts of you are so constant that even my dreams are about you.
Is it my turn to fictionalize my world
Do I really have to create a lie just to make myself feel better?
Or even imagine your emotions to tell myself anything
Would it help me cope if I just pretended to know how you feel about me?
Is it my turn to hold by your hands
Do I get to hold your hand and feel that love again?
Tell you I love you and you not hear me
Even if I express my love, it feels like it might not be enough to reach you.
Is it my turn to totally understand
I wish I could fully comprehend why you're leaving me.
To watch you walk out of my life and not do a damn thing
Feeling helpless, all I can do is watch you leave without being able to stop you.
If I have to give away
I am willing to make sacrifices for love.
The feeling that I feel
The love that I have for you is so strong and consuming.
If I have to sacrifice
I am prepared to make difficult choices for the sake of our love.
Oh, whatever baby, whatever baby
I am committed to you no matter what happens.
If I have to take apart
I would be willing to break myself down for you.
All that I am
I would give everything I have just to be with you.
Is there anything that I would not do
There are no limits to what I would do for your love.
'Cause inside I'd die without you
My love for you is so strong, that without you, it would feel like a part of me is dying.
Oh, I apologize for all the things I've done
I am sorry for anything I did to hurt you in the past.
But now I'm underwater and I'm drowning
I am struggling to keep my head above water without your love.
Is it my turn to be the one to cry
Am I allowed to show vulnerability and cry about the loss of your love?
Isn't it amazing how some things just completely turn around
It's incredible how quickly love can change and disappear.
So take every little piece of my heart
I am willing to give you every single part of me.
So take every little piece of my soul
All I have left is my soul, but I am willing to give it to you.
So take every little piece of my mind
Even my thoughts and my memories are yours if you want them.
'Cause if you're gone, inside
If you leave me, I know it will destroy a part of me.
I'd die without you
Without your love, I feel like I'm slowly dying.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Attrell Stephen Jr. Cordes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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