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.
You Should Know
Donell Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Chorus:]
You should know it's over now
'Cause I got another love
So I'm saying...
You should know it's over now
'Cause I got another love
You never gave me all your special time
'Cause you're too busy hanging out
That's not what my love's about
I gave my heart, my soul, my trust to you
You tried to play me for a fool
That's why I found somebody new
[Chorus]
You don't have to play these games no more
'Cause there's someone new in my life
And they always treat me right
I don't even know why you still try
'Cause there's no way I'm coming back
Girl it's way too late for that
[Chorus:]
I need someone who's there for me
You just don't have that quality
I tried to give you everything
But you couldn't love me
So I'm saying...
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Donell Jones's song You Should Know are about a man who has moved on from a relationship that didn't work out. He tells his ex-partner that he has found someone else and that it's over. The chorus repeats the same line, indicating that the relationship is truly done, and there is no going back. The singer is clear in his communication and does not leave any room for interpretation. He feels that his ex did not value his time and that he could not trust her. The new love is different, and he feels that the person always treats him right.
The verses in the song reveal the complexities of the relationship dynamics. The singer gave his love, heart, and soul to the ex, but she tried to play him for a fool. He acknowledges that he was hurt and that he has moved on. The use of the phrase "play these games" indicates that the singer feels that the ex was not sincere and that they were not on the same page. By saying that the ex doesn't have the quality he is looking for, the singer is clear about his expectations and what he wants in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
You can't have my love no more
I am no longer giving my love to you.
You should know it's over now
Our relationship has ended.
'Cause I got another love
Because I have found someone else to love.
You never gave me all your special time
You did not prioritize our relationship.
'Cause you're too busy hanging out
Because you spent too much time with other people.
That's not what my love's about
My love requires more attention and commitment.
I gave my heart, my soul, my trust to you
I invested deeply in our relationship.
You tried to play me for a fool
You deceived and manipulated me.
That's why I found somebody new
I sought love and companionship elsewhere.
You don't have to play these games no more
You do not need to continue pretending or trying to win me back.
'Cause there's someone new in my life
Because I have moved on to a new relationship.
And they always treat me right
My new partner treats me well and respects me.
I don't even know why you still try
I cannot understand why you are still interested in me.
'Cause there's no way I'm coming back
I am not interested in rekindling our relationship.
Girl it's way too late for that
Our chance to reconcile has passed.
I need someone who's there for me
I want a partner who shows up and supports me.
You just don't have that quality
You do not possess that trait or capability.
I tried to give you everything
I did my best to provide for you and make you happy.
But you couldn't love me
You were not able to reciprocate my feelings.
So I'm saying...
That's why I am telling you this.
[Chorus:]
Refrain of the song.
You should know it's over now
Our relationship has ended for good.
'Cause I got another love
Because I have found love elsewhere.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDWARD T FERRELL, RODOLFO ANTONIO FRANKLIN, DONNELL JONES, KIMBERLY JONES, JAMES KOWAN LLOYD, MARK MORANT, CHRISTOPHER WALLACE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dominique Phillips
You can't have my love no more
[Chorus]
You should know it's over now
Cause I got another love
So I'm saying...
You should know it's over now
Cause I got another love
[Verse 1]
You never gave me all your special time
Cause you're too busy hanging out
That's not what my love's about
I gave my heart my soul my trust to you
You tried to play me for a fool
That's why I found somebody new
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
You don't have to play these games no more
Cause there's someone new in my life
And they always treat me right
I don't even know why you still try
Cause there's no way I'm coming back
Girl it's way too late for that
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
I need someone who's there for me
You just don't have that quality
I tried to give you everything
But you couldn't love me
So I'm saying...
[Chorus/Vamp out
daphne27
This album can be played without skipping a track. love it.
06flipper
when music was music
Vista Reach
βΌοΈ
Reamerb
I know this is a late reply, but I think he is the most underrated rnb artist.
JuliaIPA
Can't do that with many albums
313Finest
You can tell Donell was influenced by east coast hip-hop. He's done several songs where he sampled biggie, junior mafia and mobb deep
G-man
East coast was running shit late 90s early 2000s
Jessica Williams
I love this song, heβs such an amazing singer β€π₯. Happy 50th Birthday to one of my top 3 favorite male singers, Donell Jones! β€π₯³ππ5/22/2023
Dominique Phillips
You can't have my love no more
[Chorus]
You should know it's over now
Cause I got another love
So I'm saying...
You should know it's over now
Cause I got another love
[Verse 1]
You never gave me all your special time
Cause you're too busy hanging out
That's not what my love's about
I gave my heart my soul my trust to you
You tried to play me for a fool
That's why I found somebody new
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
You don't have to play these games no more
Cause there's someone new in my life
And they always treat me right
I don't even know why you still try
Cause there's no way I'm coming back
Girl it's way too late for that
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
I need someone who's there for me
You just don't have that quality
I tried to give you everything
But you couldn't love me
So I'm saying...
[Chorus/Vamp out
Flatland Appalachia LLC
This beat is beyond legendary, and Donell Jones sung it as if she shoulda knew it was over. :)