Jackson was trained as a gospel singer from an early age, singing at the White Rock Baptist Church. There he met Paul Laurence, who would later become his record producer and songwriting partner. After completing school, Jackson joined Laurence's group LJE (Laurence-Jones Ensemble) and played the New York nightclub scene. During the early 1980s, Jackson moved to the West Coast and sang lead with the R&B band 'Mystic Merlin', but soon returned to New York to work with Laurence at the Hush Productions company. He sang on demo recordings of Laurence's compositions, and also served as a backing singer for Melba Moore after she saw his nightclub act.
In 1985, Jackson landed a recording contract with Capitol Records, and issued his debut album, Rock Me Tonight. The Laurence-penned title track stormed the R&B charts, spending six weeks at number one, and made Jackson an instant hit on urban contemporary radio. "You Are My Lady" gave him a second straight R&B chart-topper, and also proved to be his highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 13. With "He'll Never Love You (Like I Do)" and "Love Is Just a Touch Away" also hitting the R&B Top Ten, Rock Me Tonight topped the R&B album chart and went platinum. Jackson issued the follow-up Just Like the First Time 1986, on the heels of a number one R&B duet with Melba Moore, "A Little Bit More" (from her album A Lot of Love). Another platinum seller, Just Like the First Time continued Jackson's dominance of the R&B singles charts; "Tasty Love," "Have You Ever Loved Somebody," and "Jam Tonight" all hit number one, while "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love" went to number two.
The pace of Jackson's success slowed with the 1988 release of Don't Let Love Slip Away, which nonetheless featured another R&B chart-topper in "Hey Lover", plus further hits in "Nice and Slow" and "Crazy (For Me)". The title track of 1990's Do Me Again duplicated that feat, and "Main Course" just missed, topping out at number two. Even so, Jackson's earlier placings in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 had long since disappeared, and some critics charged that his albums were growing too similar to one another. Perhaps it was a lack of distinctiveness in his material that hurt Jackson's chances for a pop breakthrough; whatever the case, 1992's Time for Love failed to duplicate the crossover success Luther Vandross was belatedly enjoying, despite a hit cover of the soul classic "Me and Mrs. Jones."
Seeking a new beginning, Jackson parted ways with Capitol in late 1993, and signed with RCA. His label debut, Here It Is, appeared the following year, with diminished commercial returns -- in part because his straightforward romantic ballad style was increasingly out of step with the sexually explicit, new breed of R&B crooner. Following a Christmas album, Jackson split with RCA and recorded Private Party for the much smaller Street Life imprint in 1995. Several years of silence ensued, until Orpheus issued Life After 30 in late 1999; the equally low-key release Live in Concert followed in 2000. After returning to the charts with It's Your Move in February 2004, Jackson released his tenth studio album, Transitions, in September 2006 under the record label Orpheus Music.
Rock Me Tonight
Freddie Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on and rock me, ooh, girl
Oh...ooh...oh...ooh...ooh...oh...
Come on and rock me, ooh, girl
Hey, girl, long time no see
Do you have a little time to spend with me
I wanna know what's been going on
Your hair, perfume you wear
Brings back memories, oh, of you and me
You look so fine, you blow my mind
All over again, ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...
So much has happened in my life
Since we parted
What about you
Now I've got myself together
And I know just what I want
And right now,I know that it's you, you
Rock me tonight for old times sake
Would you baby, hey
Roll with me tonight for old times sake
Ooh...ooh...ooh...oh...oh...
Ooh, girl, I'm gonna love you real good
Come on let me do it now, you know I could
I really miss the way you squeeze and moan
And call out my name, woo...woo...woo...you can call me, baby
I remember you love to take your time
To get in the mood, ooh...ooh...ooh...yes, you do, yeah
But once you're in the mood
You like to go straight to the groove, oh...oh...oh...oh...oh...yes, you do, girl
It's been so long since we've had
A night together
I miss you
When I get through lovin' you, girl
Fire and desire
Will burn in you forever more, more
Rock me tonight for old times sake
Would you, baby, hey
Roll with me tonight for old times sake
Woo...woo...would ya, would ya, would you
Rock me tonight for old times sake
Sweet, baby, yeah
Roll with me tonight for old times sake
Oh, girl, come on and rock
--------
So much has happened in my life
Since we parted
What about you
Oh, now I've got myself together
And I know just what I want
And right now, girl it's you, you
Rock me tonight for old times sake (Sake)
Won't you, baby, hey
Roll, roll with me tonight for old times sake
Feels so good, feels so right
Would you rock with me tonight for old times sake
Sweet baby, yeah
Would you come and roll with me tonight for old times sake
Oh, girl
Come on and rock me
Come on and roll with me, baby
Come on and rock me
Roll with me
I wanna feel you next to me
I want you to do the things that we used to do together
Come on let's make it right
I wanna feel you rock with a lot of lovin'
The way I used to do, girl
Do you remember
I wanna rock and roll with you, baby
Come on, hey
I'm gonna rock and roll and hold and squeeze ya
Sweet thing, yeah"
The song 'Rock Me Tonight' by Freddie Jackson expresses a desire to reunite with a past lover while reminiscing about old times. The opening verse establishes this as the singer asks the girl to "rock" him again for old times' sake, indicating that they have been apart for some time. He reminisces about their relationship when they were together, how beautiful she is and the memories of how she looked, smelled and acted. The singer talks about taking his time and the way she gets into the mood, only to go straight to the groove once she's there. He then mentions that it has been a long time since they spent a night together, saying "I miss you" before promising that "fire and desire will burn in you forever more".
The chorus repeats the desire for a reunion and to be "rocked" and "rolled" again. The second verse reiterates the singer's desire for the girl, saying that he has now sorted himself out and that he knows what he wants. He asks what has been happening in her life since they parted and then invites her to come rock with him, where he promises to give her the love that she deserves.
The song speaks to the memories that people hold onto and the intensity of desire to be reunited with someone they have been away from for a long time. It highlights the longing to feel the passion that they once shared and excitement of being reunited after so many years.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh...ho...ah...
Opening sounds/effects
Come on and rock me, ooh, girl
Asking the girl to rock him and have a good time
Hey, girl, long time no see
Addressing the girl and commenting on not seeing her in a while
Do you have a little time to spend with me
Asking if the girl has time to spend with him
I wanna know what's been going on
Asking the girl what has been happening in her life
In your life, huh, talk to me, baby
Encouraging the girl to talk to him about what has been going on in her life
Your hair, perfume you wear
Commenting on the girl's appearance and scent
Brings back memories, oh, of you and me
The girl's appearance and scent remind him of their past together
You look so fine, you blow my mind
Complimenting the girl's appearance and attractiveness
All over again, ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...
Feeling the same way about the girl as he did before
So much has happened in my life
Reflecting on the events that have occurred in his life since he last saw the girl
Since we parted
Referring to the time when he and the girl were no longer together
What about you
Asking the girl what has happened in her life since they were last together
Now I've got myself together
Implying that he has overcome any personal struggles or obstacles
And I know just what I want
He knows what he wants in life and in this moment with the girl
And right now,I know that it's you, you
Indicating that he wants to be with the girl right now
Rock me tonight for old times sake
Asking the girl to rock him like she used to in the past
Would you baby, hey
Asking the girl if she will comply with his request
Roll with me tonight for old times sake
Asking the girl to roll with him and have a good time like they used to
Ooh...ooh...ooh...oh...oh...
Vocalizing sounds/effect
Ooh, girl, I'm gonna love you real good
Telling the girl that he plans to love her well
Come on let me do it now, you know I could
Expressing his desire to make love to the girl right now
I really miss the way you squeeze and moan
He has been thinking about and missing the girl's reactions during their intimacy
And call out my name, woo...woo...woo...you can call me, baby
Recalling how the girl would call out his name during their intimacy and encouraging her to do it again
I remember you love to take your time
Recalling the girl's preference of taking her time while being intimate
To get in the mood, ooh...ooh...ooh...yes, you do, yeah
Recalling how the girl likes to be in the mood before getting intimate
But once you're in the mood
Explaining that once the girl is in the mood, things change
You like to go straight to the groove, oh...oh...oh...oh...oh...yes, you do, girl
Suggesting that the girl is ready to get right into being intimate when she's in the mood
It's been so long since we've had
It's been a long time since they've been intimate
A night together
Referring to spending the night being intimate with each other
I miss you
Having missed the girl
When I get through lovin' you, girl
When they're done being intimate
Fire and desire
A euphemism for passion and sexual energy
Will burn in you forever more, more
The passion and sexual energy they share will stay with the girl forever
Rock me tonight for old times sake (Sake)
Repeating his request for the girl to rock him like they used to
Feels so good, feels so right
Describing how being intimate with the girl feels
Would you rock with me tonight for old times sake
Asking the girl to comply with his request again
Sweet baby, yeah
Referring to the girl affectionately
Would you come and roll with me tonight for old times sake
Asking the girl to roll with him again
Oh, girl
Referring affectionately to the girl
Come on and rock me
Encouraging the girl to rock him again
Roll with me, baby
Asking the girl to roll with him and have a good time
I wanna feel you next to me
Expressing his desire to be close to the girl
I want you to do the things that we used to do together
Describing what he wants to share with the girl again
Come on let's make it right
Encouraging the girl to agree with him and make things right between them
I wanna feel you rock with a lot of lovin'
Desiring the girl to show him a lot of love like she used to do
The way I used to do, girl
Describing how the girl used to be with him
Do you remember
Asking if the girl remembers the times they shared
I wanna rock and roll with you, baby
Desiring to be intimate with the girl again
Come on, hey
Encouraging the girl to comply with his request
I'm gonna rock and roll and hold and squeeze ya
Expressing what he plans to do to the girl while being intimate
Sweet thing, yeah
Referring to the girl affectionately
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL LAURENCE JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ericaamoakoattah620
Who is still listening to this song is 2023. Timeless
@touie1404
🙋🏽♂️
@TIMCOWBOY1971
Me November 25th, 2023 ❤🎶
@jadengregg4832
@@TIMCOWBOY19713 REPLIES
@ms.maison2107
Me mee me mee mih mih mihhh mee meeeeeee!!!!!!!
@dianebonner8827
I got my Xmas present to Se him loved it dosent matter what happened Brill voice
@kimbishop8257
Still listening in 2024!! Always be my jam
@Southern2Gemini
Mine too!
@user-hr9du1cw1g
A BIG "Kia Ora!" ("Hello!") from
Aotearoa-New Zealand. ❤ So
very true! 1 of the great classic
slow-jamz 'back-in-the-day' - &
STILL! slow-jammin' in Feb '24!
4all U Eternal and Classicslow-
jammin' lovers out there! 😂❤
Peace & "Aroha!"(❤) to y'all!❤
@lowhangingreviews
Right there with you!!!