Calvin is also known as C-Rich to his fans. His debut solo album was 1999's 'Country Boy'. In 2003 he released his sophomore effort '2:35PM'.
Calvin's third album, When Love Comes, was released in 2008.
North Carolina native Calvin Richardson is a gritty, gospel-minded urban contemporary/neo-soul vocalist and songwriter whose influences have ranged from Sam Cooke, Bobby Womack, Donny Hathaway, and Marvin Gaye to Jodeci, K-Ci & JoJo, and R. Kelly. Like other neo-soulsters who emerged in the '90s and 2000s, Richardson looks to different R&B eras for inspiration. The classic soul of the '60s and '70s has had an impact on his singing and writing, but so have the urban contemporary and hip-hop of the '80s, '90s, and 2000s. At times, Richardson can be flat-out retro; some of his material would have been right at home on an old Stax or Motown LP from R&B's pre-'80s, pre-urban contemporary, pre-hip-hop era. But other times, he has a more modern, hip-hop-influenced outlook. In other words, the Southerner has some songs that are quite friendly to urban radio, and others that would be too old-school for urban radio.
Born and raised in Monroe, NC (where he was the fifth of nine children), Richardson had a very musical upbringing -- one that included a steady diet of R&B and African-American gospel. Richardson's mother led a local gospel group called the Willing Wonders, and he sang with them consistently. When he wasn't listening to gospel, Richardson listened to secular soul and funk -- and his favorites included Bobby Womack, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Donny Hathaway, and the Gap Band. Richardson, in fact, has cited all of those artists as early influences. North Carolina's gospel circuit is where, as a kid, Richardson met longtime friends Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey and his brother Joel "JoJo" Hailey, who went on to achieve urban contemporary stardom in the early '90s as members of the vocal group Jodeci; subsequently, the siblings recorded for MCA as the duo K-Ci & JoJo.
When Jodeci hit big, their success inspired Richardson to form his own urban contemporary vocal group, Undacova (whose song "Love Slave" appeared on the New Jersey Drive soundtrack in 1995). Undacova (as opposed to Undacover) didn't last long, and Richardson went on to become a full-time solo artist. His first solo album, Country Boy, was released on Uptown/Universal in 1999; after that, he switched to Hollywood Records and recorded his second solo album, 2:35 PM, which came out in 2003. Richardson switched to Shanachie Records for his next three albums: 2003's When Love Comes; the 2009 tribute album Facts of Life: The Soul of Bobby Womack; and his 2010 effort, America's Most Wanted. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi
Cross My Heart
Calvin Richardson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't live without your love
Believe you me, I've tried to before
But only ended up coming back to your door
Wanting more of your gentleness
The way you take good care of me
You're the best
I had to be unconscious
Lately I've been out pricing rings
So I can put one on you
'Cause it's long overdue
[Hook:]
Cross my heart
Swear that I will love you forever
Through it all
I'll love you for worse or for better
There's one more thing I'm certain of
I lose track of time every time we're making love
Even after falling out we spend more time making up
Now what could possibly be better that waking up to
I want you to know that I have never met
Or known someone as beautiful as yourself
Starting with your heart
Moving to every body part
You're a work of art
Worthy of a precious stone
[Hook]
From here on out
It's all about me and you
Others have made it
We can too
Looming oh so bright
Is our future
[Hook (repeat to fade)]
In the song Cross My Heart, Calvin Richardson expresses his unwavering commitment to his significant other. He starts off by stating that he cannot live without his lover's love, and admits that he has tried before but always ends up coming back to their door. The way they take care of him and show their gentleness is what makes them the best. He realizes that he had to be unconscious to try and front on them, and even describes how he has been out pricing rings as a way to show how serious he is about their relationship. He then proceeds to promise to love them forever, through the good times and the bad times, by crossing his heart and swearing that he will never leave them.
Richardson then goes on to describe how he loses track of time when they are making love and how they spend more time making up after falling out. He finds it better to wake up next to them because he has never met or known anyone as beautiful as his lover. To him, they are a work of art and are worthy of a precious stone. He then says that from there on out, it's all about him and his lover as they are the only ones that matter. He reassures them that others have made it and that they can too, and that their future is looking bright.
Overall, the song Cross My Heart is about expressing one's love and promises for a significant other. Calvin Richardson describes how he cannot live without his lover's love and how they are the best thing that has ever happened to him. He vows to never leave them and to love them through both good times and bad times.
Line by Line Meaning
There's one thing I'm sure about
I am absolutely certain of one thing
I can't live without your love
Your love is an essential part of my existence
Believe you me, I've tried to before
I have made an effort in the past to live without your love
But only ended up coming back to your door
But I always end up returning to you and your love
Wanting more of your gentleness
Yearning for the kindness and tenderness you provide
The way you take good care of me
The attention and affection you give me is invaluable
You're the best
You are the greatest and most wonderful person in my life
I had to be unconscious
I must have been oblivious to not appreciate you sooner
Trying to front on you
Pretending to be something I'm not, especially in regards to you
Lately I've been out pricing rings
I have been shopping for engagement rings recently
So I can put one on you
So that I can ask you to marry me and show my commitment
'Cause it's long overdue
I should have proposed to you a long time ago
Cross my heart
I swear to tell the truth
Swear that I will love you forever
I promise to love you for eternity
Through it all
No matter what happens in life
I'll love you for worse or for better
I will love you in the good times and the bad
There's one more thing I'm certain of
I am absolutely sure of one more thing
I lose track of time every time we're making love
Our intimacy is so intoxicating that I lose sense of time
Even after falling out we spend more time making up
Even when we argue, we make up for it with more love
Now what could possibly be better that waking up to
There's nothing better than waking up to
I want you to know that I have never met
I need to express that I have never encountered
Or known someone as beautiful as yourself
Or found someone as physically and internally gorgeous as you are
Starting with your heart
Beginning with your innermost characteristics
Moving to every body part
Extending to your every single part of your being
You're a work of art
You are a masterpiece
Worthy of a precious stone
Deserving of a valuable gemstone as a symbol of my appreciation
From here on out
Starting now and into the future
It's all about me and you
Our relationship is the most significant thing
Others have made it
Other couples have succeeded in their love
We can too
So we can also have a successful relationship
Looming oh so bright
Our future is looking extremely promising
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MIKE CITY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind