Embracing an effortless eloquence and cocoa butter smooth persona, the music of Brian McKnight has defined the true meaning of an American soul-man since 1991. Like his spiritual Motown godfathers, this upstate New York native has a velvety voice and silky style that captures the vibe of vintage soul without being old fashion. On his latest disc Ten, that blend can be clearly heard.
While Brian’s aspirations might have seemed like a lofty ambition, the longevity of his career is a testament to the purity of his vision. With the release of Ten, McKnight’s first disc for his new label Warner Bros Records, the Grammy-nominated singer could not be more pleased with the outcome. Without a doubt, the landscape of soul music has gotten younger, but that fact did not hinder McKnight’s creative process.
After 16 million albums sold since his self-titled debut, it would have been too easy for McKnight to simply follow the R&B template of rote romanticism. But on Ten, the artist in him felt the need to be more revealing. Though McKnight has been friends with producers Tim & Bob for over ten years, this is the trio’s first collaboration.
Though Brian has never been the kind of singer/songwriter that one would call political that didn’t stop him from penning “Red, White & Blue,” a heart wrenching ode for the men and women currently at war, teaming up with country star Rascal Flatts.
Currently working on a variety of projects including a talk show and soundtracks for two upcoming Tyler Perry projects, the veteran soul singer could not be happier with the outcome of Ten. For fans of real music, Ten is the perfect addition to the soul cannon.
Must Be Love
Brian McKnight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ladies on the left and and the right
They used to call me Mr. Shady down low undercover
(This must be)
I didn't give a damn what I said
As long as they awoke in my bed
I was gonna get it one way or the other
(This must be)
Didn't want nobody changing me
I'd go running from lover to lover
Then you walked in my life right on time
Not a penny short of a dime
And baby I'm beginning to discover
[Chorus]
This must be love
It must be love, yeah
Cause tell me what is love
If this ain't love
This must be love
It's gotta be love, yeah
Cause tell me what is love
If this ain't love
It's all because of you
I'm doing all the things I would not do
I've come so far I don't think I'll recover
Now everybody in the world can see
That you've become the biggest part of me
And I could never leave you for another
[Chorus]
Oh when you come close to me
I know this is the way
That it's supposed to be
Ever since that day
You came up around my way
You're all that I think of
And I know this must be love
[Chorus]
You got me saying things I would not say
On top my things to do today
All I ever want to do is love ya
It's like I was blind but now I see
I can't believer the change inside of me
And baby I'm beginning to discover
[Chorus: Repeats]
The lyrics to Brian McKnight's "Must Be Love" describe a transformation in the singer's life resulting from falling in love. He used to hang out all night with different women, not caring what he said as long as he got what he wanted. However, his life changed when he met someone who made him want to be a better person. This person helped him see the value of love and commitment, and he is now fully devoted to her. The singer acknowledges that he has undergone a significant transformation and he believes that love is the reason for it. He states that his newfound love is the biggest part of him, and he will never leave her for another.
The lyrics are an exploration of the transformative power of love. The singer's previous life was driven by a desire for pleasure without any commitment or emotional attachment. He was satisfied with his life, but it was not until he experienced love that he realized how empty his life was without it. The emotions described in the lyrics are relatable to many people who have been transformed by love. Love can change people's lives and help them become better versions of themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to hang out all night
I used to party and hang around with different ladies
Ladies on the left and and the right
I was surrounded by women all the time
They used to call me Mr. Shady down low undercover
I had a reputation for being a player and hiding my actions
(This must be)
This experience makes me realise
I didn't give a damn what I said
I didn't care about anything I said or did
As long as they awoke in my bed
As long as I got the woman into bed, I didn't care
I was gonna get it one way or the other
I was determined to get what I wanted
(This must be)
This must be a realisation
I was just as fast as I could be
I moved from one lover to another quickly
Didn't want nobody changing me
I wasn't ready to change for anyone
I'd go running from lover to lover
I would go from one woman to the next
Then you walked in my life right on time
That's when you came into my life, just at the right time
Not a penny short of a dime
You were perfect in every way
And baby I'm beginning to discover
I've come to discover
[Chorus]
This experience is love
It's all because of you
I am a better man because of you
I'm doing all the things I would not do
I'm doing things and behaving differently because of you
I've come so far I don't think I'll recover
I've come too far to go back to my old ways, and I don't want to
Now everybody in the world can see
Everyone can see
That you've become the biggest part of me
You've become a significant part of my life
And I could never leave you for another
I will never leave you for anyone else
[Chorus]
This is what love feels like.
Oh when you come close to me
When you're near me
I know this is the way
I know this is what love is supposed to be
That it's supposed to be
This is how it's meant to be
Ever since that day
Since the day we met
You came up around my way
You came into my life
You're all that I think of
You're always on my mind
And I know this must be love
I know this is love
[Chorus]
This is what true love feels like.
You got me saying things I would not say
You've made me say and do things I wouldn't normally do
On top my things to do today
You're always a priority in my life
All I ever want to do is love ya
All I want to do is love and cherish you
It's like I was blind but now I see
It's like I was lost and now I've found true love
I can't believer the change inside of me
I can hardly believe how much I have changed because of you
And baby I'm beginning to discover
I'm discovering more about myself through this love
[Chorus: Repeats]
This is the experience of true love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN KELLY MCKNIGHT, MICHAEL BRANDON BARNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind