Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known as Chaka Khan, and… Read Full Bio ↴Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known as Chaka Khan, and frequently referred to as the "Queen of Funk", is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus.

In 1964, at the age of 11, Khan formed her first musical group, the Crystalettes. While still in high school, she joined the Afro-Arts Theater, a group which toured with Motown great Mary Wells; a few years later, she adopted the African name Chaka Khan while working on the Black Panthers' breakfast program. After quitting high school in 1969, Khan joined the group Lyfe, soon exiting to join another dance band, the Babysitters — neither was on the fast track to success, but her fortunes changed when she teamed with ex-American Breed member Kevin Murphy and Andre Fisher to form Rufus.

Debuting in 1973 with a self-titled effort on the ABC label, Rufus was among the preeminent funk groups of the decade. Distinguished by Khan's dynamic vocals, the group earned half a dozen gold or platinum albums.

While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career. Her signature hits, both with Rufus and solo, include "Tell Me Something Good", "Sweet Thing", "Ain't Nobody", "I'm Every Woman", "I Feel for You" and "Through the Fire".

This Time
Chaka Khan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

One heart
One hand
One woman
One man
To love
To live together

This time

This place
This lifelong embrace
Could last
Could be forever

This time
Endings don't apply
No broken hearts
No crying eyes
This time
No emptiness for us
Just you and I
In love this time

To trust
To care
To dream and
To dare
Believe in
Something better

This time
Endings don't apply
No broken hearts
No crying eyes
This time
No emptiness for us
Just you and I
In love this time

Here because the angels smiled on us
The angels smiled on us, this time

Here because we're the ones who shine
We're the ones who shine, this time

Overall Meaning

Chaka Khan's song "This Time" expresses the beauty of love and how two people can come together to build a long-lasting relationship. The lyrics start with an emphasis on unity, with lines like "One heart, One hand, One woman, One man" encouraging mutual love and understanding. The next section seems like a vow, with the suggestion that "this lifelong embrace" has the potential to last forever. The song then goes on to explore the fundamental elements of a loving relationship, such as trust, care, and dreaming together. The chorus reiterates that the couple's love will not end in heartbreak, but rather they will enjoy a sense of completeness and fulfillment.

The final section of the song feels like a celebration of sorts. The couple feels blessed, as if they have been chosen for this kind of love. It's a beautiful expression of gratitude for the connection they share. The idea of the angels smiling on them is an exquisite metaphor, indicating that something divine or magical brought them together. Overall, the song is a powerful testament to the idea that when two people come together in love, anything is possible.

Line by Line Meaning

One heart
We share one heart.

One hand
We hold each other's hands.

One woman
There is only one woman in this relationship.

One man
There is only one man in this relationship.

To love
Our relationship is based on love.

To live together
We are committed to living our lives together.

This time
In this moment, things are different.

This place
Where we are right now is special.

This lifelong embrace
Our embrace is not just for now, but for always.

Could last
This could be a lasting relationship.

Could be forever
We could spend forever together.