Born in Chicago, Illinois, Jones' upbringing was rough. He struggled between wanting to be a musician and to be a member of a street gang. After a brush with death, Jones left the gang and focused on a music career forming the group Porscha. However, Jones was gaining notice as a writer penning songs for established R&B acts such as Usher, producing the singer's 1995 hit, "Think of You", 702's "Get It Together" and also wrote for groups such as Brownstone and Silk.
In 1996, he signed with LaFace Records and released his debut album, My Heart, which included his hit cover of Stevie Wonder's 1976 ballad "Knocks Me Off My Feet". It wasn't until 1999 however that Jones began to establish himself as a R&B hit maker with the album, Where I Wanna Be. The album yielded the number-one hits such as "U Know What's Up", which featured TLC member Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes and the title track. Other hits included "Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me)" and "This Luv".
In 2002, Jones released the gold-selling Life Goes On album, which featured the hits, "You Know That I Love You" and "Put Me Down" featuring Styles P.. Four years later, he released his fourth album, Journey of a Gemini, which featured the Tim & Bob hit, "I'm Gonna Be", which became a big hit on Urban AC. Jones is currently writing songs for Usher, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey on their upcoming albums.
Don't Cry
Donell Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't cry, dry your eyes
I wanna be by your side
Whenever you need me (whenever you need me)
Don't cry, dry your eyes (girl don't you cry)
I wanna be by your side
Whenever you need me (don't have to cry)
Cause I wanna see you happy
When you feel the need to call on me
I'll be by your side
You'll never have to cry
Repeat chorus
Let me be the one to make the pain fade away
Cause I know you're hurting inside (don't)
You need someone you can trust
I'll be by your side
you'll never have to cry
You don't have to cry no more
I'll be right by your side
Whenever you need someone to give you love
Don't have to worry any more
I'll keep you satisfied (keep you sad and don't cry)
Repeat chorus
You dont cry (you don't cry)
Hurts me when I see you cry
Don't cry
Just wanna be there for you when you need me
(just wanna be there for you when you need me)
Don't cry
You know I'd never do you wrong
(you know I'd never do you wrong)
You're the only one I want
Don't cry, yeah
Don't you cry, please don't
Repeat chorus 2x
Whenever you need someone to hold you tight
Call on me, I wanna be by your side
Whenever you need me, Don't cry
Whenever you need someone to hold you tight
Call on me, I wanna be by your side
Whenever you need me
You never need to cry
Repeat chorus and fade
Donell Jones's song Don't Cry is a touching expression of comfort from a lover to a partner who is hurting. The chorus repeats the message of the song, assuring the partner that they don't have to cry anymore and that the singer wants to be by their side whenever they need him. The singer acknowledges that seeing his partner cry hurts him too and encourages her to trust him by calling on him whenever she needs him. He promises to make her pain go away and keep her satisfied, so she never has to worry again. Despite any other romantic pursuits, the singer states that his partner is the only one he wants and that she knows he would never do her wrong.
The song's use of a repeated and simple chorus effectively emphasizes the message of love and support. The verses offer more detail and powerful moments, which are highlighted by the use of repetition. The lyrics "I'll be by your side, you'll never have to cry" in the chorus effectively showcase the theme of the song: love and loyalty, reassurance, and wanting to make a partner's pain go away.
In conclusion, Donell Jones's song Don't Cry is about comforting a loved one during a time of pain and heartache. The chorus conveys a message of love and support that the subject can always count on the singer to take care of them. Similarly, the verses reinforce this message by emphasizing that the singer wants to make their pain go away and will always be loyal to them, resulting in a touching ballad that a listener can connect with and learn from.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't cry, dry your eyes
Stop crying, wipe your tears away
I wanna be by your side
I want to support and help you
Whenever you need me (whenever you need me)
I am always here for you
Don't cry, dry your eyes (girl don't you cry)
Don't cry, girl, just dry your tears
I wanna be by your side
I will always be there for you
Whenever you need me (don't have to cry)
You don't have to cry, just call me when you need me
It's really hurting me, the way you feel
I feel sad seeing you in pain
Cause I wanna see you happy
I care about your happiness
When you feel the need to call on me
When you are in need, don't hesitate to call me
I'll be by your side
I will support and stand with you
You'll never have to cry
You don't have to cry, I will be there to comfort you
Let me be the one to make the pain fade away
Let me help you heal and forget about the pain
Cause I know you're hurting inside (don't)
I understand that you are suffering
You need someone you can trust
You need someone reliable and trustworthy
You don't have to cry no more
You can stop crying now
I'll be right by your side
I will stay close to you
Whenever you need someone to give you love
When you need love, I am here for you
Don't have to worry any more
You don't have to stress or fear anything anymore
I'll keep you satisfied (keep you sad and don't cry)
I will do my best to make you happy and prevent you from being sad
You dont cry (you don't cry)
Don't cry, please
Hurts me when I see you cry
It is painful for me to see you cry
Just wanna be there for you when you need me
I want to support you whenever you need me
(just wanna be there for you when you need me)
I will always be here for you, don't hesitate to reach out
You know I'd never do you wrong
You can always trust me, I would never betray you
(you know I'd never do you wrong)
I will always be honest and true to you
You're the only one I want
You are the one I love and care about
Don't cry, yeah
Please stop crying
Don't you cry, please don't
Please don't cry, it breaks my heart
Whenever you need someone to hold you tight
When you need a hug and comfort
Call on me, I wanna be by your side
Please call me, I am here for you
You never need to cry
You don't have to cry, I am here to make you happy
Contributed by Xavier T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tiffany Moesby
on BABY IT'S YOU
I'm not satisfied with out an apology over one song. Mysteriously I don't want it anymore.