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.
Imagine That
Donell Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh you can't say whats up back?
Anyway I see you finally made it home.
Yea, yea, yea I know
Oh you was too drunk to drive huh?
Damn right I got a problem
Its all good, trust me its all good
Walking a little different
Got a pep in her step
She ain't paying you no attention,
She hits the shower first (shower first)
But she don't mention she is washing
Out off that dirt she that got in
Imagine if your girl was home
(And you get off work early)
She don't even know
cause she won't answer the phone
But you sense something is up
And barge through your front door
But there is a fellow running out your back door
What would you do?
Cause shawty playing games with you
While you at work
She been hitting you were it hurts
Got a couple dudes on her team
But you don't know
In your home she's always on the go
What would you do?
Would you give a second chance
Hoping that it wont happen again
Now flip that around, you know that's what we do
We tell them that we love them, but our hearts ain't true
Imagine if she crushed dudes like you crushed chicks
(imagine that)
Have a starting five and your position was the bench
(imagine that)
Busy when you call, don't return your messages
(imagine that)
Ball till she fall while you taking care of the kids
(imagine that)
Imagine if she don't wanna tell you where she been
(imagine that)
Said she hanging with her girls but she hanging out with him
(imagine that)
Imagine if everything that I said ain't true
She home alone waiting while you out doing you
Imagine you were on the road
And she call you and she say that she pregnant
You ask how many months, she don't know yet
But you think to yourself its been a month since you been gone
Whose been sneaking in when you're not at home
Imagine now your all alone
Cause she took off with the other dude,
Left the dog and the kids too
Shawty left a letter on the couch
Saying you can have the house
She's in love with him and they're moving down south
What would you do?
Cause shawty playing games with you
While you at work
She been hitting you were it hurts
Left you for another dude that's gotta hurt
When you know you really don't deserve it
What would you do?
Cause the kids don't understand
That their mother left you for another men
Flip that around, you know that's what we do
We tell them that we love them, but our hearts ain't true
Imagine if she crushed dudes like you crushed chicks
(imagine that)
Have a starting five and your position was the bench
(imagine that)
Busy when you call, don't return your messages
(imagine that)
Ball till she fall while you taking care of the kids
(imagine that)
Imagine if she don't wanna tell you where she been
(imagine that)
Said she hanging with her girls but she hanging out with him
(imagine that)
Imagine if everything that I said ain't true
She home alone waiting for you
You know put yourself in her shoes,
You gotta learn to treat her right, right.
He gotta treat you right babe
Imagine that, can you imagine that
Cause y'all know what I'm talking about
Imagine if she crushed dudes like you crushed chicks
(imagine that)
Have a starting five and your position was the bench
(imagine that)
Busy when you call, don't return your messages
(imagine that)
Ball till she fall while you taking care of the kids
(imagine that)
Imagine if she don't wanna tell you where she been
Said she hanging with her girls but she hanging out with him
You don't want to imagine that
Imagine that
Y'all don't wanna imagine that
The lyrics to Donell Jones's song Imagine That explore different scenarios of infidelity in a relationship. The song invites the listener to "imagine" their partner in different situations where they may be dishonest or unfaithful. The first verse describes a situation where the partner comes home after a night out and seemingly showers to clean off evidence of the affair. Another scenario mentioned is a partner who is unresponsive to calls or messages and is caught with someone else in the house. The song also mentions the impact of infidelity on children and the difficulty of coping with a partner leaving for someone else.
The chorus of the song encourages the listener to put themselves in their partner's shoes and treat them with respect and kindness. The verses present various situations to help the listener empathize with their partner's feelings and experiences.
Overall, Imagine That is a cautionary tale about the importance of trust and honesty in a relationship, and the pain and consequences of infidelity.
Line by Line Meaning
Whats up baby!
The singer greets his partner.
Oh you can't say whats up back?
The singer remarks on his partner's silence.
Anyway I see you finally made it home.
The singer observes that his partner arrived home.
Yea, yea, yea I know
The artist acknowledges his partner's explanation for being late.
Oh you was too drunk to drive huh?
The artist asks if his partner was too intoxicated to drive.
Damn right I got a problem
The singer admits he has an issue with his partner's behavior.
Its all good, trust me its all good
The singer reassures his partner that everything is fine.
Imagine that your girl came home
The artist asks the listener to imagine a scenario.
Walking a little different
The subject of the scenario walks with a different gait than usual.
Got a pep in her step
The subject of the scenario is particularly lively.
She ain't paying you no attention,
The subject of the scenario is ignoring the listener.
She hits the shower first (shower first)
The subject of the scenario prioritizes taking a shower over other activities.
But she don't mention she is washing
The subject of the scenario is attempting to hide something.
Out off that dirt she that got in
The subject of the scenario is trying to clean herself of something unpleasant.
Imagine if your girl was home
The singer asks the listener to imagine a hypothetical situation.
(And you get off work early)
The listener has a different schedule than usual.
She don't even know
The subject of the scenario is unaware of the listener's unexpected arrival.
cause she won't answer the phone
The subject of the scenario is dodging the listener's calls.
But you sense something is up
The listener suspects something is wrong.
And barge through your front door
The listener breaks into their own home.
But there is a fellow running out your back door
The listener catches someone leaving their home through the back door.
What would you do?
The artist asks the listener to consider their response to the imagined scenario.
Cause shawty playing games with you
The subject of the scenario is messing with the listener.
While you at work
The subject of the scenario is engaging in shady behavior while the listener is at work.
She been hitting you were it hurts
The subject of the scenario is deliberately hurting the listener.
Got a couple dudes on her team
The subject of the scenario is involved with other men.
But you don't know
The listener is unaware of the subject's infidelity.
In your home she's always on the go
The subject of the scenario is always preoccupied in the listener's home.
Would you give a second chance
The artist asks if the listener would forgive the subject's unfaithfulness.
Hoping that it wont happen again
The listener hopes that the subject will not cheat again.
Now flip that around, you know that's what we do
The singer suggests that men typically behave in the same deceptive manner as women in relationships.
We tell them that we love them, but our hearts ain't true
The artist asserts that men profess love while being unfaithful.
Imagine if she crushed dudes like you crushed chicks
The artist asks the listener to consider a contrasting scenario.
Have a starting five and your position was the bench
The listener would be on the bench while the subject of the scenario has many other partners.
Busy when you call, don't return your messages
The subject of the scenario is always unavailable and non-communicative.
Ball till she fall while you taking care of the kids
The subject of the scenario is behaving recklessly while the listener is responsible for the children.
Said she hanging with her girls but she hanging out with him
The subject of the scenario lies about spending time with her male partner.
She home alone waiting while you out doing you
The listener is cheating while the subject of the scenario waits at home.
You know put yourself in her shoes,
The singer suggests the listener empathize with their partner.
You gotta learn to treat her right, right.
The artist advises the listener to treat their partner with respect and loyalty.
He gotta treat you right babe
The artist emphasizes that partners must treat each other with respect and fidelity.
Y'all don't wanna imagine that
The singer advises the listener to avoid situations of unfaithfulness and heartbreak.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CYRIL ORNADEL, LESLIE BRICUSSE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.