Prior to her appearance on The Wiz, Cheryl taped an episode of the Gong Show in the early part of 1976. She went on to win the competition while singing Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful." Lynn later told Dick Clark during her appearance on American Bandstand that after the episode aired, in the fall of 1976, record industry executives were calling about her soon after the win.
Success and later career
After signing with Columbia Records, Lynn released her first and biggest hit, "Got to Be Real," which was penned by Toto's keyboardist David Paich, David Foster and Lynn. The song peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the R&B chart. The success of the single prompted a full scale debut album. Titled, Cheryl Lynn, it was produced by Paich. The album sold over a million copies and peaked at #5 on Billboard's R&B albums chart and #23 on Billboard's top 200 album charts. The follow-up single, "Star Love," also became a hit —reaching the top twenty on both the R&B and Dance charts.
During Cheryl's debut album's run, members of the rock group Toto were putting together their debut album. During the production Lynn was asked to provided the female backing vocal on the single, "Georgy Porgy." The single peaked at #48 on Billboard's Pop charts. Although Toto would go on to chart more than a dozen pop hits throughout the years, it was Lynn's vocal on "Georgy Porgy" that aided the group in charting their one and only R&B (#18) and Dance (#80) hit on the Billboard charts.
In 1981, Ray Parker, Jr. produced "Shake It Up Tonight," a major club R&B hit from Lynn's third album, In The Night. The following year, Luther Vandross was called on to produced Cheryl's fourth album, Instant Love. The second single off the album, "If This World Were Mine" —a 1982 duet with Luther Vandross that covered a Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell song, has become an urban contemporary classic. For her fifth album, Preppie, Cheryl took it upon herself to produce most of the tracks with the exception of the single "Encore" (#1 R&B hit) —written and produced by the Minneapolis funk duo, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. It became Lynn's second #1 single on the U.S. Billboard R&B Charts. Her final top ten hit in the 80s was released in 1989: "Every Time I Try To Say Goodbye," from her eighth album, Whatever It Takes.
The 1990's
Cheryl began the 90's without a record contract. During this period she did session work on Richard Marx albums Rush Street and Paid Vacation. She also worked with Luther Vandross on his album Your Secret Love . In 1995, after a six year hiatus from recording her own material, Lynn teamed up with producer/songwriter Teddy Riley, (formally of the New Jack Swing group Guy), to record her ninth album, Good Time. It was released in Japan, the UK and later in the United States as an imported CD and featured the club favorite single "Guarantee For My Heart."
2000 to present
During the new millennium Lynn toured Japan and did the occasional gig in the U.S., performing at charity events in her hometown of Los Angeles. She performed on ABC's The Disco Ball... A 30-Year Celebration, which aired in January 2003. In 2004 she recorded the song, "Sweet Kind Of Life," which was also written and produced by Jam & Lewis, for the animated film and soundtrack to Shark Tale.
On September 19, 2005, Lynn's signature song "Got to Be Real" was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame. She is considered an influence on some of today's R&B female singers, including Mary J. Blige, who, along with Will Smith, covered Lynn's signature song, "Got to Be Real", also for the soundtrack of the animated film Shark Tale.
Got to Be Real
Cheryl Lynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real
What you find, ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real
Ooh, your love's for real now
You know that your love is my love
My love is your love
Our love is here to stay
What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real
Ooh, your love's for real now
You know that your love is my love
My love is your love
Our love is here to stay
What you find-ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you, baby)
What you know-ah
To be real
What you find-ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you)
What you know-ah
To be real (it's time to be real)
To be real (it's time to be real)
To be real
What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real
What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real
To be real (it's time to be real)
(It's time to be real) to be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
To be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
To be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
To be real (real, real, real), to be real
The song "Got To Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn is an upbeat disco track that speaks about the importance of being authentic in love. The chorus highlights the message where it says that what you find, what you feel and what you know must be real. The song is essentially telling the partner to be genuine in their feelings towards their significant other. The lyrics also state that the love between the two individuals is not just temporary and will last forever. This song shows a mature and deep understanding of the way love works.
The repetition of the lyrics "What you find, what you feel, what you know-ah" emphasizes their importance in the context of the song. The melody and the upbeat tempo further add to the message of the song, which is the joy that comes with being in a genuinely loving and committed relationship. The song is a classic example of a disco song, with a funky bassline, synths, and a strong drumbeat.
Line by Line Meaning
What you find-ah
What you discover or uncover about yourself, ah
What you feel now
What you experience within yourself, in this moment
What you know-ah
What you understand or perceive, ah
To be real
To be true and authentic to oneself
Ooh, your love's for real now
Your love is genuine and authentic now
You know that your love is my love
You understand that we share a love for each other
My love is your love
I have genuine love for you, just as you have for me
Our love is here to stay
Our love is enduring and long-lasting
To be real (it's time to be real)
It is time to be honest and authentic with oneself
(It's time to be real) to be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
The time has come to be genuine and true to oneself
To be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
It is time to embrace authenticity and truthfulness within oneself
To be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
It is time to stop pretending and be true to oneself
To be real (real, real, real)
To be truly genuine and authentic in every aspect of oneself
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Cheryl Lynn, David Foster, David Paich
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheCommanderNiceQuests
What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real
What you find, ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you, baby)
What you know-ah
To be real
Ooh, your love's for real now
You know that your love is my love
My love is your love
Our love is here to stay
What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real
Ooh, your love's for real now
You know that your love is my love
My love is your love
Our love is here to stay
What you find-ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you, baby)
What you know-ah
To be real
What you find-ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you)
What you know-ah
To be real (it's time to be real)
To be real (it's time to be real)
To be real
What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real
What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real
To be real (it's time to be real)
(It's time to be real) to be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
To be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
To be real (it's time to be real, it's time to be real)
To be real (real, real, real), to be real
@Martin-ng6hh
If you're reading this, you have a damn good taste in music.
@LB-gc2rv
I live this type of music, its great to take a break from the rap and other modern music artists I listen to and spare some time for the classics
@rubicous
I agree because i'm here due to Harry Styles
@bogdansofian2429
Yee.. you too 🙌💯✌️
@rafaelgarcia9504
That´s right man!
@fancyboy63
Thank you
@udoflagner1976
This is funk and soul. Everything is just right here. The rhythm, the voice, the perfect trumpets, its just a masterpiece.
@andrewpetik2034
Add in that bass line and her voice and you are golden! 👍
@user-jh6so9ub3j
Dkyvfn and all the other night and then
@user-jh6so9ub3j
Love ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊