Brian McKnight (born June 5, 1969 in Buffalo, New York) is an American sing… Read Full Bio ↴Brian McKnight (born June 5, 1969 in Buffalo, New York) is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and one of the prominent singers of his years, specializing in pop and R&B. He is a multi-instrumentalist and plays the piano, guitar, and trumpet.

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.

Without You
Brian McKnight Lyrics

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I went to London
And every afternoon I had a spot of tea
But it was lonely there by myself, I and me
Without love

So I went to Paris
The city of love, all by myself
Hopin' to find somebody else

But there's no love for me

I've been around the world
To find another girl
But there's no love
There's no life without you

I went to Alaska
But this time of year, it's too damn cold
It's not the kind of place you can go
Without love

So I went to Cairo
Athens and ended up in Rome
But then I realized I was too far from home
But there's no love for me

I've been around the world
To find another girl
But there's no love
There's no life without you

I check my message [???]
Hopin' you're missin' me today
And I didn't hear
And now I'm filled with misery and pain

So I went to Sydney
Down under is when [???]
Wastin' all the foolish time I spend
Without love

So I sent you flowers
Hopin' it was me you missed
I was thinkin' 'bout the first time we kissed
And if you still have love for me

I've been around the world
To find another girl

But there's no love
There's no life without you

Overall Meaning

The song "Without You" by Brian McKnight is a lamentation on the singer's search for love around the world. The first two verses describe his travels to London and Paris, searching for someone to love. He finds both places empty and lonely without the presence of someone special in his life. The third verse explores his journey to Alaska, Cairo, Athens, and Rome, still searching for that special person but ultimately coming to the realization that he is too far from home.

The bridge of the song takes a turn towards the singer's desire to hear back from someone he loves. In a message he sends out hoping for a response, he hopes that the person misses him as he misses them, recognizing that he is filled with misery and pain when he fails to hear back from them.

The final verse sees him traveling to Sydney and wasting his time, sending flowers to someone he hopes still loves him. The lamentation returns, with the singer realizing that even though he has traveled the world, he has not found another love to replace the person he is missing. In the end, he recognizes that there is no life without his love.

Without YouBrian McKnight Lyrics

Without You
Brian McKnight Lyrics