This native of a little country town in South Carolina, called “North”, started his musical journey on a little clay road and pastures of green fields. He affectionately recalls listening to his mother sing as they cleaned the house on hot summer days and bumpy rides to the church house. “Momma would sing songs by gospel greats like Shirley Caesar then switch to soul legends like Betty Wright. It just depended on her mood,” he kindly reflects. This was the beginning of what would later become Cleveland’s maturation as an accomplished singer/songwriter and producer. His voice is simply one of a kind and to experience it, especially live, is a spiritual journey on it’s own.
Penning timeless classics like Free Yard Sale, Cleveland boldly speaks of the liberating experience in giving away the belongings of a past love after holding on to them for nearly four years post break up. Cleveland decided not to sugarcoat the hurt and, in turn, gained a newfound mental and emotional freedom from what was his own personal imprisonment of not knowing when to let go. With his soulful rock tune, Patience, Cleveland compositions are designed to welcome open dialogue often abandoned or non-existent between lovers and friends alike. “Sometimes you’re just tired of the person, but it doesn’t mean I stopped loving you”, he speaks of this captivating soul tune.
When asked about his future in the music industry, he proclaims, “my mission is longevity, not instant fame. I’ve learned by example and experience that rushing a good thing normally ends abruptly and suffers long...what’s intended for me will be,” he says. Cleveland has carefully chosen the unbeaten path to discover his truth, which resulted in this self- written, self-produced, and performed confession, which is Ace of Hearts. He spared nothing to give you his best as he unwaveringly chose live instrumentation throughout this masterpiece of soulful art.
A graduate of two prestigious institutions, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, Cleveland became deeply involved in music and theater. He performed and toured many places stateside and abroad. After Morehouse, Cleveland continued to develop his acting and vocal skills later finding himself in the growing underground independent music scene of Atlanta, Georgia. From this experience, he was afforded great opportunities to travel and lend
supporting vocals to some of Atlanta’s most promising soul artists. While in Atlanta for nearly ten years, Cleveland appeared in and lent his voice to Paramount/MTV’s Fighting Temptations soundtrack. From then on Cleveland became highly influenced by artists like Anita Baker, Bobby McFerrin, and Rachelle Ferrell. As he continued to search for “his voice”, he later indulged deeply into soul legends such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Donny Hathaway, Oleta Adams, and a plethora of others.
Thus these musical influences, Cleveland’s music speaks boldly for itself. No fanfare or polishing needed. Simply put, he committed to his mission to deliver unadulterated “timeless soul music” and therein offers you the golden keys to unlock this soulful brilliance. Ace of Hearts is a faithful story about Cleveland’s road from personal insecurities, abandonment, love, pain, and back to square one of loving oneself wholly. “The heart was made to love, break, and heal” he says. “The best part is when you reflect and discover how strong you were the whole time.” Cleveland P. Jones is well on his way to higher places, yet very rooted in the quest to heal souls one song at a time.
Mistakes
Cleveland P. Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Playing grown man games
I didn't know how to treat your heart
So I must admit
I made mistakes with your heart
Let you down over again
I made mistakes with your heart
Please forgive me, love me once again
And you knew this truth
You gave your all and I was so
Cruel to you
How could you love me still
After all I've put you through
I hope you will
I made mistakes with your heart
I let you down over again
I made mistakes with your heart
Please forgive me, love me once again
I admit I was afraid to love
You knew this truth
You gave your all and I was so
Cruel to you
I was so cruel to you... I'm so sorry
I made mistakes with your heart
Promise I'll never do it again
I'm confessing my love to you... I love you
Lady I love, lady I love you, lady I love you
I really do
Lady I love, lady I love you, lady I love you
I really do
Lady I love, lady I love you, lady I love you
I really do
Lady I love, lady I love you, lady I love you
I really do...
I'm confessing that I love you
The lyrics of "Mistakes" by Cleveland P. Jones are a confession of a man who has made a mess of a relationship by not knowing how to treat his partner's heart. As a little boy, he started playing grown man games, not realizing what the consequences of his actions could be. He admits to letting her down over and over again, being afraid to love and failing to appreciate the love she had given him. The song is a plea for forgiveness and a promise to never make the same mistake again.
The first verse sets the tone for the whole song. The admission of guilt and the plea for forgiveness creates a powerful emotional connection with the listener. The theme of a broken relationship is amplified in the chorus, where the artist repeats the phrase "I made mistakes with your heart" several times. The repetition is a device used to emphasize the importance of the mistake and the weight it has had on the relationship. He then admits to being afraid to love, which may have been the reason why he acted the way he did in the past.
The second verse focuses on the partner who has been hurt. He acknowledges that she knew he was afraid to love and still gave her all, only to be subjected to cruelty. He expresses his surprise that she could still love him after all he had put her through. This shows the humility and the contrition of the artist. In the end, he promises never to make the same mistake again and confesses that he loves her.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, I was a little boy
I was young and immature
Playing grown man games
Trying to act older than I was
I didn't know how to treat your heart
I didn't know how to take care of your feelings
So I must admit
I need to confess
I made mistakes with your heart
I hurt you emotionally
Let you down over again
I disappointed you multiple times
Please forgive me, love me once again
I'm asking for your forgiveness and love again
I admit I was afraid to love
I was scared of falling in love
And you knew this truth
You were aware of this fact
You gave your all and I was so
You put in a lot of effort while I was
Cruel to you
Treating you harshly
How could you love me still
How could you still have love for me even with my mistakes
After all I've put you through
Despite all the hardships I caused for you
I hope you will
I hope you still have some love for me
I let you down over again
I disappointed you multiple times
I was so cruel to you... I'm so sorry
I'm apologizing for my cruel actions towards you
Promise I'll never do it again
I won't repeat my mistakes
I'm confessing my love to you... I love you
I'm expressing my love for you
Lady I love, lady I love you, lady I love you
I truly love you
I really do
My love for you is genuine
Lyrics © DistroKid, Songtrust Ave
Written by: CLEVELAND PHYSTERRIS JONES, DANIEL DESHON CRAWFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jamaal Wesley
One of my top favorites of all time. A voice that is heard around the world. EXTRAORDINARY!!!
Garrett Forge
Cleveland has a voice that is out of this world, such a talent and incredible range - Bravo!!! This should be on the R&B/ Soul charts
polyestaplaya
Yo. What I love about music is that someone can come up with the words/music to express how you feel.
Music Producer - DJ & Label Owner KAKO MARTINEZ
Excellent voice, excellent song, excellent arrangements, excellent feeling, yes Brotha ... you are EXCELLENT!!
Gwendolyn Collins
Still gives me chills 🎤
Ms. Akoma
This was so on point. real man being vulnerable, open and accessible. I love your lyrics and the authentic emotional expression. sometimes it's the simple acknowledgement that can change everything yet so often too many choose not to acknowledge. it takes a man who knows himself to apologize. and as women we genuinely appreciate this. thank you for a remarkable song!!! this is about healing..♤
Sabrina Adel
What a beautiful song! And your voice is out of this world! ❤ More More!!!
Savannah James
Your voice is always amazing! ❤
Jaycee Evans
😭 I felt EVERY word of this song it’s as if you’re saying what I wanted to say but didn’t know how to say it to my Ex... Now that I’ve found this song a little late because my ex died last Friday ❤️ Thank You CLEVELAND P. JONES I needed this song in my life.
Jaycee Evans
@Cleveland P. Jones Thank You 🙏🏽 ❤️