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.
I've Got Faith In You
Cheryl Lynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You had made all of my plans
I've got faith in what you do
In my world there's only you
You've got the power inside your soul
To have your way take control
Now I've got faith to all of you
There ain't nothing that you can't do
Faith in you
Hold my hand understand
Loving you makes my life worthwhile
I've got faith in you
Faith in you
Through my fate and destiny
I'm willing to hear you guiding me
And through your power I see the lesson
Now my future is well in sight
I just want to take a chance to say that
I love you for it every special way
I never ever doubted you
Cause you always pulled me through
Faith in you
Hold my hand understand
Loving you makes my life worthwhile
I've got faith in you
Faith in you
Faith in you
Faith in you
Faith in you
Faith in you
Faith in you
I've got faith in you
Ever since your love began
You had made all of my plans
I've got faith in what you do
In my world there's only you
You've got the power inside your soul
To have your way take control
I have faith in all of you
There ain't nothing you can't do
Faith in you
Hold my hand understand
Loving you makes my life worthwhile
I've got faith in you
Faith in you
Oh, baby don't you know
That I've got faith in you
Faith in you baby
Faith in you
No matter what you do.
The lyrics of Cheryl Lynn's "I've Got Faith in You" can be seen as a declaration of love and trust towards a significant other. The singer is expressing her unwavering faith in her partner and their abilities. She acknowledges how her life plans and destiny have been shaped since the beginning of their relationship. The repetition of the line "I've got faith in what you do" emphasizes the depth of her trust in them. The singer believes that her partner has the power within their soul to accomplish anything they set their mind to.
Through this love, the singer sees a clear vision of her future, guided by her partner's power and their ability to teach her lessons. By expressing her love and gratitude, the singer is taking a chance to show her partner how much she appreciates them. The singer emphasizes that she has never doubted her partner and has always been pulled through by their strength.
Overall, the song's meaning can be seen as a celebration of a love that is built on trust, support, and admiration.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since your love began
From the moment your love started
You had made all of my plans
You became the center of all my plans
I've got faith in what you do
I trust and believe in what you do
In my world there's only you
You are the only one in my world
You've got the power inside your soul
You possess the power in your soul
To have your way take control
To control and shape your own destiny
Now I've got faith to all of you
Now I believe in everything you do
There ain't nothing that you can't do
There is nothing that you cannot do
Faith in you
I have faith in you
Hold my hand understand
Hold my hand and understand me
Loving you makes my life worthwhile
Loving you gives meaning to my life
Through my fate and destiny
Through my destiny and life path
I'm willing to hear you guiding me
I am open to your guidance
And through your power I see the lesson
I see the lessons learned through your guidance and power
Now my future is well in sight
Now my future is clear and certain
I just want to take a chance to say that
I just want to express my feelings and say that
I love you for it every special way
I love you in every way possible
I never ever doubted you
I have never doubted you
Cause you always pulled me through
Because you have always helped me through tough times
Oh, baby don't you know
My love, don't you know
That I've got faith in you
That I trust and believe in you
Faith in you baby
My faith in you, baby
No matter what you do.
No matter what you do or what happens.
Writer(s): B Caldwell
Contributed by Skyler C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
blktenor
This has got to be my absolute favorite Cheryl Lynn Song!! I wish there was footage of her singing it.
EpicEcho
My mother played this like crazy when I was a little girl. It's forever embedded in my head...and I love it. <3
Sean Powell
One of my favorite Cheryl Lynn songs!
currter
This song has a great spirit to it all around, the soaring, passionate vocals, the bass beat , the precision of the horns on spot, the Chic-like snaking guitar licks, and the swirling strings, etc.. Overall a lovely song indeed.
ordonize holmes
Rhythm arrangement skills when you performed created music from scratch
currter
Is there an extended version of this song? There needs to be one as the fade out comes too soon. I want the song to go on, if not forever, for another minute or so in that same groove concluding the song.
CheckMate657879
I'm just glad the comments aren't crowded out on this page. This song is one of my all time favs as well. I remember when Cheryl Lynn won on the Gong Show.
BassByTheBay
The bass on this track changed my life.
Thosh Browne
Nice groove written by Mr. Bobby Caldwell .
Also he plays guitar on this track.
1blessedbrotha
sing it for me Cheryl!!!!!