written by James Harris III, Terry Lewis
Cover Vers… Read Full Bio ↴released 1984
written by James Harris III, Terry Lewis
Cover Versions:
Robert Palmer - I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (1985)
Frankie Paul - I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (2000)
Mariah Carey - Didn't Mean To Turn You On (2001)
Colette - Didn't Mean To Turn You On (2005)
Sampled:
Snoop Dogg - Wasn't Your Fault (2002)
I Didn't Mean to Turn You On
Cherrelle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I knew what you were all about
But when I did
I didn't mean to turn you on
Now I bring you home
You told me goodnight's not enough for you
I'm sorry baby
No, I didn't mean to turn you on
You read me wrong
I wasn't trying to lead you on
Not like you think
I didn't mean to turn you on
I know you
Were expecting a one night stand
When I refused
I knew you wouldn't understand
I told you twice
I was only trying to be nice
Only trying to be nice
Ooh, I didn't mean to turn you on
Babe now why should I
Feel guilty 'cause I won't give
Guilty 'cause I won't give in
I didn't mean to turn you on
Ooh, I didn't mean to turn you on
When I took you out
Iknew what you were all about
But when I did
I didn't mean to turn you on
No, I didn't mean to turn you on
I didn't mean to turn you on....
I didn't mean to turn you on....
The song "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" by Cherrelle tells the story of a woman who went out with a man and didn't mean to lead him on. She knew he was only looking for a one night stand, and when she refused, she didn't expect him to get so attached. The lyrics suggest that the man misunderstood her intentions and thought that she was interested in a romantic relationship when she was only being kind.
Throughout the song, Cherrelle apologies to the man and tells him that she "didn't mean to turn him on." This could be interpreted as a double entendre, where turning someone on could mean both sexually arousing them and emotionally captivating them. Cherrelle seems to be explaining that she wasn't trying to do either, but the man misunderstood her actions and became infatuated with her.
The chorus of the song goes, "I know you/ were expecting a one night stand/ when I refused/ I knew you wouldn't understand." This suggests that the man was only interested in a casual encounter, and when Cherrelle refused, he didn't understand why. The repetition of "I didn't mean to turn you on" throughout the song emphasizes that Cherrelle didn't intend to lead the man on or break his heart.
Line by Line Meaning
When I took you out
I was aware of what kind of person you were when I asked you out
I knew what you were all about
I knew your intentions and personality beforehand
But when I did
Despite knowing what you were like, I still took you out
I didn't mean to turn you on
I didn't intend to give you the impression that I was interested in anything more than a casual date
Now I bring you home
After the date, I brought you back to my place
You told me goodnight's not enough for you
You expressed that you wanted more than just saying goodbye at the end of the night
I'm sorry baby
I apologize for leading you on unintentionally
You read me wrong
You misinterpreted my actions and words
I wasn't trying to lead you on
Contrary to what you might have thought, I wasn't intentionally trying to create a romantic connection
Not like you think
Your assumptions about my behavior and intentions are incorrect
I didn't mean to turn you on
My actions were not intended to make you interested in me romantically
I know you
I understand your intentions and desires
Were expecting a one night stand
You anticipated a casual, sexual encounter with me
When I refused
When I declined your advances
I knew you wouldn't understand
I was aware that you would be disappointed and unlikely to comprehend my lack of interest
I told you twice
I reiterated my lack of interest twice
I was only trying to be nice
I was simply trying to be polite and not hurt your feelings
Ooh, I didn't mean to turn you on
Once again, I didn't intend to attract your romantic interest
Babe now why should I
I don't see why I should feel guilty for not reciprocating your feelings
Feel guilty 'cause I won't give
I refuse to feel bad for not reciprocating your romantic feelings
Guilty 'cause I won't give in
I won't let my lack of interest turn into guilt or pressure to give into your advances
I didn't mean to turn you on
Once again, I didn't intentionally make you interested in me romantically
I didn't mean to turn you on
The repeated line emphasizes that the singer didn't intend to create a romantic connection
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JAMES HARRIS III, JAMES SAMUEL III HARRIS, TERRY LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind