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.
Shoulda Woulda Coulda
Brian McKnight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Alright, yeah
Listen
Baby, can you put them bags down?
Just wait, hold on for a minute
Gotta say a couple things before you go
Even though I know that were finished
I don't want you to leave without knowin'
Just where I'm comin' from, babe
I just wanna say I made a big mistake
And now I gotta face the fact that I
Shoulda been a better man
The kinda man that you needed
Woulda been better off
If I'd done right by you
I coulda done this
I coulda done that
But I know I can't go back
'Cause now it's just too late
I'm sayin' shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah
I can tell by the look on your face
You ain't tryin' to hear what I'm sayin'
Maybe you done heard all of this before
Girl, this ain't no game that I'm playin'
This may be the last chance I ever have
To talk to you before you go
So I gotta say, I made a big mistake
Girl, you know it's killin' me that I
Shoulda been a better man
The kinda man that you needed
Woulda been better off
If I'd done right by you
I coulda done this
I coulda done that
But I know I can't go back
'Cause now it's just too late
I'm sayin' shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah
I should have done my best to love you, baby
I should have placed no one above you
And now it's killing me more than you know
Letting you go that's why I
Shoulda been a better man
The kinda man that you needed
Woulda been better off
If I'd done right by you
I coulda done this
I coulda done that
But I know I can't go back
'Cause now it's just too late
I'm sayin' shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah
I know I shoulda been
I know I woulda been
I know I coulda been a better man
I'm sayin' shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah
I know I shoulda been
I know I woulda been
I know I coulda been a better man
I'm sayin' shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah
The song "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" by Brian McKnight is about a man reflecting on his past mistakes in a relationship and regretting his actions. He acknowledges that he could have been a better partner and regrets not treating his significant other how she deserved. The lyrics are an apology as well as a plea for forgiveness from the person he wronged. The repetition of the phrase "shoulda, woulda, coulda" emphasizes the regret he feels for not doing things differently in the past.
The first verse opens with the singer asking his significant other not to leave yet, despite knowing that their relationship is over. He expresses his desire to make amends and let her know that he understands where he went wrong. In the second verse, he acknowledges that she may be hesitant to listen to him because he has not treated her well in the past. He knows that this may be the last opportunity he has to apologize and tries to make the most of it.
The chorus highlights the regret and sadness that the singer feels for not being the partner he should have been. He recognizes that he could have done things differently but cannot go back in time to make things right. He is left with feelings of guilt and remorse, which are reflected in the lines "it's killing me more than you know, letting you go." In the bridge, the singer reiterates his desire to have been a better man and acknowledges that his partner deserved better.
Overall, "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" is a poignant song about regret and the pain of losing someone due to one's own mistakes. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has experienced heartbreak and wishes they had done things differently in a past relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, can you put them bags down?
Stop packing your bags and listen to what I have to say.
Just wait, hold on for a minute
Please don't leave yet, just give me a moment to speak to you.
Gotta say a couple things before you go
There are some things I need to tell you before you walk away.
Even though I know that were finished
I understand that our relationship is over, but I need to apologize.
I don't want you to leave without knowin'
I want you to understand how sorry I am before you go.
Just where I'm comin' from, babe
I need you to understand my perspective and what led to my mistakes.
I just wanna say I made a big mistake
I want to apologize for my actions and take responsibility for my mistakes.
And now I gotta face the fact that I
Now I have to accept the consequences of my actions.
Shoulda been a better man
I should have been a better partner to you.
The kinda man that you needed
I should have been the kind of man that you deserved.
Woulda been better off
Our relationship would have been better if I had treated you right.
If I'd done right by you
If I had been a good partner to you.
I coulda done this
I had the ability to do things differently and make better choices.
I coulda done that
I could have taken different actions that would have led to a better outcome.
But I know I can't go back
I realize I can't change the past.
'Cause now it's just too late
It's too late to make up for my mistakes or change what happened.
I'm sayin' shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah
I'm acknowledging the things I could have done differently and regretting my choices.
I can tell by the look on your face
Based on your expression, I can tell you're not interested in hearing what I have to say.
You ain't tryin' to hear what I'm sayin'
You're not listening to what I'm saying.
Maybe you done heard all of this before
You might have heard apologies like this before from me or others.
Girl, this ain't no game that I'm playin'
I want you to understand that I'm being sincere and this is not a joke.
This may be the last chance I ever have
I realize this might be my last opportunity to apologize and make things right.
To talk to you before you go
To speak to you one last time before you leave.
Girl, you know it's killin' me that I
You understand how much my mistakes have hurt me as well.
I should have done my best to love you, baby
I should have tried harder to show you my love and appreciation.
I should have placed no one above you
You were the most important person in my life and I should have treated you accordingly.
And now it's killing me more than you know
I am suffering greatly because of my mistakes and I don't think you realize how much it's hurting me.
Letting you go that's why I
The fact that our relationship is ending is causing me great pain and regret.
I know I shoulda been
I realize that I should have done things differently.
I know I woulda been
I understand that I could have been a better partner.
I know I coulda been a better man
I recognize that I should have been a better person and partner to you.
I'm sayin' shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah
I'm acknowledging my mistakes and expressing my regret.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANTONIO DIXON, DAMON THOMAS, ERIC DAWKINS, HARVEY JAY MASON, BRIAN KELLY MC KNIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind