If Boyz II Men are portrayed as a clean-cut, wholesome R&B vocal group, then Jodeci's wild, sexual, bad-boy image represents the other side of the coin. Made up of two sets of brothers, the group's name is a consolidation of three members' aliases: "JoJo" Hailey, Donald "DeVante Swing" DeGrate, and Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey; the group also includes Dalvin DeGrate. Natives of Charlotte, NC, all four members toured the South as young boys singing gospel music, even recording albums; both families belonged to the Pentecostal church, and the DeGrates' father was a minister. The boys were able to hear each other's gospel songs played on the radio, and eventually were introduced through girlfriends as teenagers. However, when they did meet, K-Ci was with a girl Dalvin had been dating, and a fight nearly broke out. The Hailey brothers and DeVante started hanging out together, partying and talking about making R&B records together, coming up with the name Jodeci at this time.
At age 16, DeVante ran away to Minneapolis to get a job in Prince's organization, but was refused. He returned to Charlotte, where he wrote a song and recorded JoJo singing it. The two planned on going to New York to shop the demo around by themselves, but both K-Ci and Dalvin decided to tag along at the last minute. By the time they got to New York, they had demo recordings of 29 songs, which they brought to the offices of Uptown Entertainment. They were almost rejected, but rapper Heavy D overheard the tape and talked Uptown president Andre Harrell into hearing the group. Harrell was impressed, and just like that, Jodeci signed a recording contract. In 1991, they recorded Forever My Lady, which featured the gold single "Come and Talk to Me" and went on to sell over three million copies. A minor feud resulted over the band's follow-up album, Diary of a Mad Band; Jodeci, unhappy with their treatment by Uptown, flirted with the idea of leaving for Dr. Dre's Death Row Records, which resulted in almost zero promotion for their new album. It didn't matter much, as Diary went platinum. The group's troubles got worse in 1993; DeVante and K-Ci were involved in an incident with a woman K-Ci met at a club and brought back to DeVante's apartment. The woman filed charges against the two, saying that K-Ci had threatened her and fondled her breast, while DeVante pointed a gun at her. Both pleaded guilty, but that wasn't all; shortly afterwards, DeVante's house was robbed of over 160,000 dollars in jewelry and clothes as the singer was held with guns in his mouth and at the back of his head.
Jodeci's third album, The Show, the After Party, the Hotel, was released in the summer of 1995. DeVante also was afforded the opportunity to work with Al Green, one of his idols, writing and producing the song "Could This Be the Love." ~ Steve Huey, Rovi
Jodeci Albums:
* 1991: Forever My Lady #18 US (3x platinum)
* 1993: Diary of a Mad Band #3 US (2x platinum)
* 1995: The Show, The After Party, The Hotel #2 US (platinum)
* 2005: Back to The Future: The Very Best of Jodeci (300,000)
Jodeci Singles:
* 1991: "Gotta Love"
* 1991: "Stay" (US #41, R&B #1)
* 1991: "Forever My Lady" (US #25, R&B #1)
* 1991: "Come and Talk to Me" (US #11, R&B #1)
* 1993: "Cry For You" (US #15, R&B #1)
* 1993: "Feenin'" (US #25, R&B #2)
* 1993: "Lately" (US #4, R&B #1)
* 1993: "Let's Go Through the Motions" (US #65)
* 1994: "What About Us" (R&B #14)
* 1995: "Freek'n You" (US #14, R&B #3)
* 1995: "Love U 4 Life"
* 1996: "Get on Up" (US #22, R&B #4)
Jodeci Side-Projects:
(K-Ci & JoJo)
* 1997: Love Always
* 1999: It's Real
* 2000: X
* 2002: Emotional
* 2005: All My Life "Their Greatest Hits"
(Dalvin Degrate)
* 2000: Met.A.Mor.Phic
(K-Ci Solo)
* 2006: My Book
My Phone
Jodeci Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For straight two months now
How did we do it I just don't know how
Life's a real big pain
Without you
You left you did the same
Cause my love was so true
You kept up with me I don't understand
Why we both can't see
Why is it this way
When we knew it could be
Could we both just stop
And listen to me
All alone I sit at home baby
Waiting for the phone to ring
All I know is that I miss you baby
This loneliness is driving me crazy
My phone doesn't ring anymore
No face, knocking at my door
Lonely days are here again
I know you feel the same girlfriend
Who was that guy I caught you walking with
In your smile I knew you wasn't with it
Let's stop awhile
And start our love again
It won't take no time
For our hearts to mend
All alone I sit at home baby
Waiting for the phone to ring
All I know is that I miss you baby
This loneliness is driving me crazy
My phone doesn't ring anymore
No face, knocking at my door
Lonely days are here again
I know you feel the same girlfriend
My phone doesn't ring anymore
No face, knocking at my door
Lonely days are here again
I know you feel the same girlfriend
I want to tell you why I'm lonely
I'm so lonely without you
Don't know what
I'm about do, oh girl I guess I've got to
Take you, back now
Driving me crazy, baby
Crazy, loneliness is driving me crazy
Loneliness is driving me crazy
I don't know what to tell you
My phone doesn't ring anymore
No face, knocking at my door
Lonely days are here again
I know you feel the same girlfriend
You don't come around
You don't call me no more, baby
This loneliness is driving me crazy
My phone doesn't ring anymore
No face, knocking at my door
Lonely days are here again
I know you feel the same girlfriend
My phone doesn't ring anymore
Ring anymore, baby
The song "My Phone" by Jodeci talks about the loneliness and pain that the singer feels after a breakup. The lyrics talk about how life feels like a big pain without the other person, but the singer doesn't know how they managed to make it through the past few months without them. The song talks about how the love between the two was strong, but the singer doesn't understand why they can't be together. The chorus speaks to the loneliness that the singer is experiencing, waiting for the phone to ring and missing their former partner.
As the song progresses, the singer questions their former partner's actions and who they were seen walking with. Despite it all, the singer wants to stop and try to work things out, believing that it won't take much time for their hearts to mend. The bridge of the song speaks to the desperation that the singer feels, they are so lonely without their partner and don't know what to do. The song ends with the realization that the phone doesn't ring anymore, and the loneliness is driving the singer crazy.
Overall, the song is an emotional ode to the pain and loneliness that come with a breakup. The lyrics are straightforward, but the emotions conveyed are powerful and resonate with those who have experienced heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday was pouring
It's been pouring down with rain for a while now.
For straight two months now
It's been this way for two months now.
How did we do it I just don't know how
I don't know how we managed to go on without each other.
Life's a real big pain
Life is painful and difficult without you.
Without you
I need you in my life.
You left you did the same
You left me just like I left you.
Cause my love was so true
I loved you so deeply and genuinely.
Your friends told me that
I heard from your friends that you've been talking about me.
You kept up with me I don't understand
You kept tabs on me, but I don't know why.
Why we both can't see
Why can't we realize that we both need each other?
Why is it this way
Why are we still apart?
When we knew it could be
We both knew how good we were together.
Could we both just stop
Can we just stop now and take a moment to listen to each other?
And listen to me
And try to hear my side of the story.
All alone I sit at home baby
I spend all my time at home, all by myself.
Waiting for the phone to ring
I'm hoping that you will call me.
All I know is that I miss you baby
I just miss you so much.
This loneliness is driving me crazy
This loneliness is really affecting me.
My phone doesn't ring anymore
I never get any calls from you anymore.
No face, knocking at my door
No one comes to visit me anymore.
Lonely days are here again
I feel lonely again, just like before we met.
I know you feel the same girlfriend
I know that you feel the same way too.
Who was that guy I caught you walking with
Who was that guy I saw you walking with the other day?
In your smile I knew you wasn't with it
I could tell from your smile that you were not happy to see me.
Let's stop awhile
Let's pause for a moment.
And start our love again
Let's pick up where we left off and give our love a second chance.
It won't take no time
It won't take us long.
For our hearts to mend
For our hearts to heal and be whole again.
You don't come around
You don't visit me anymore.
You don't call me no more, baby
You stopped calling me too.
I want to tell you why I'm lonely
I want to explain to you why I feel so lonely.
I'm so lonely without you
I feel very lonely whenever you're not with me.
Don't know what I'm about do, oh girl
I don't know what to do anymore.
I guess I've got to take you, back now
I have to take you back into my life.
Driving me crazy, baby
This is driving me insane.
Crazy, loneliness is driving me crazy
Being lonely is making me feel crazy and insane.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DONALD DEGRATE, DONALD EARLE DE GRATE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jay Wad
My Phone:
[Phone rings]
[Somebody picks up the phone]
Woman:
Hello
Who's calling?
Intro:
It's JoJo, honey.
This Dalvin, baby.
It's K-Ci, sugar.
Breakdown: DeVanté, sexy!
Hha, and you know I'm...
Jodeci/(K-Ci) :
Lonnelyyyy (whOAAAohohhohohhhohohh)
Without youuu (Baby baby baby baby BABYYY)
TAKE youuu
(Ahhhahh)
BACK NOwwww (uhh)
Craazy!
(Ohh, my phonne)
DeVanté and K-Ci talks while the music plays:
My phoone [repeat four times]
...doesn't rin--
(My phone don't ring anymore
My phone don't ring an'yy'morrre
No haands knockin' at myy door
Yea uuhh)
Yo, K
Yo what's up, DeVanté
It's that house time.
What chu talking about?!
Let's do it, let's do it.
What's up with this girl? She gon' call or what, man..?
I don't know, man but um, I'm just gon' house her for a little while.
Maybe she'll come back, you know what I'm sayin'?
HhAA! What's up, baby.
A'ight, let's kick it!
Come on, baby!!
1st verse - K-Ci:
Yesterday was boriin' for straight two months noww
Howw did we doo iit?
I just don't know howw
Liife's a real big draaag wiithout youu
You have to feel the same 'cause our love was so truue
Your frieends told me that you kept up with mee
Iii don't understannd why we booth can't seee
whYY is it this way when we knew it could bee
If we both just stoop aand listen to meee, yeah
Pre-chorus - K-Ci/(Jodeci) :
All alonne I sit at hooome, babyyy
(Waitin' for the phone to riiing) huhOHHohohh
All I knoww is that I mISS youu, babyyy
(This loneliness is drivin' mee 'craazyyyy!!!')
Myy phoone...
Chorus - Jodeci/(K-Ci) :
My phoone doesn't riing anymoorre (Uuh)
No haands knockin' aat my doooorr (Noo Knockin' at myy door)
Lonely dayys arrre heere agaaain ("WOO!" II know they arre "listen, baby! ho!")
I know you feeeel thee same, girlfrieeeend
[1, 2, 3, 4...]
2nd verse - K-Ci again
WHOO WAS that guuy I saw you waalkin' wiith
In your smiile I knew you wasn't with 'i'iiit
LEET'S STOP this priide and find our loove agaaain
It wonn't take no tiime for our heearts to mennd
Repeating pre-chorus
You knoww you knoww you knoww you KNOOW
'MYY' phone, baby...
Repeating chorus (2 times)
My phonne don't ring anymore, babyyyy
kNOCCKIN' at MYY DOOR, babyy
III know they arrre
Huuh, myyy phoone
My phone don't ring anymoorre
No hands knockin' at myyy dooorrr
'OH' OH hohh hoh oh
Girrl
"Check it out girlfriend"
Bridge - "?"/(Jodeci) :
III WANNA TELL you whyyyy
(I'm lonelyyyy)
I'm so lonely
(Without youuu youuuooooh)
Know what I'm bout to DOOO oh girrrl I guess I'll justt
(TAKE youu) take youuuuuu
(BACK NOwwww)
drIIVin' me CRAZYy , babyy
Refrain:
('Craazy!')
Ohh looneliness is drivin' mee
('Me craazy!')
Looneliness is drivin' mee
(Cra-'craazy!')
II don't knoww what to tellll yoooouu
('C-c-c-c-c-craazy!')
Myy'Y'yy ('crazyyyy!!!') MYyyyyyy
Repeating chorus again once
My phoone
Rring anymore babyy
Youu don't come around like you uused to
Myy lonely days aare back
OOH WA ah aah aah ahh oohh ohh oh oh ohh ohhh...
[Breakdown] - Jodeci/("?"):
My phoone [2 times]
(Youu don't comme arouund
Youu don't caall me no more, baaby)
This loneliness is drivin' mee craazyyyy!!!
( HeeEYyy heyyy)
...'craazyyyy!!!'
Repeating chorus for the last time (2 times)
"?" :
Uuh
rRINNG anyMORRE YEAheahheah
KNOCKin' , KNOCKin' at MYY door, baby
MYY lonely dayys
MYY lonely days
MY my my my lonely daayss
Iii don't know what I'm gonna doo, baby
III just can't take it no more, baby
MYY MY my my myyy
MYY MY my my my myymyy mymymymy Myy my, baby
Outro - K-Ci ends it/(Jodeci) :
Ohh
Uh, what am ii to do? - repeat two times
(This loneliness...)
Ii just can't take it! - repeat two times
Iiii just can't take it!!!
(This loneliness is drivin' mee 'craazyyyy!!!')
OHHohhohohhhhh....
Ooooh yeah! - repeat two times
(My phoone - repeat two times
This loneliness... - repeat three times)
Huhhh... (...is drivin' mee 'craazyyyy!!!')
I don't want to stop lovin' youu no nooo, baaby
[Stop!]
(My phoone doesn't ring anymooore) Ohhh... ring anyymore, baaby
TL Carman
Love all the uptempo songs on this album 😍. I feel like they get overlooked
Jay Wad
Yeah man. DeVanté put the pipes together in this song!
Natasha Green
OMG, Jodeci was the truth......they will forever be my favorite R & B group ❤💕
Jay Wad
Yeah
Reginald Swinton
This was 1 of my favorite tracks on this album. nice drum programming
Jay Wad
Reginald Swinton Mine too for real!
Pompey Productions
man this whole album is classic. for real!
dubg06
Favorite song off the album if I remember correctly this is the middle song and it transitions from the ballads to the uptempo songs so perfect! DeVante is that dude haha
Brandon Maurice
jtgotfacts yeah the album cuts on this album were more uptempo new jack swing songs wheras the other 2 albums had a more rough hip hop feel
Jay Wad
jtgotfacts the interlude was the bomb though that went strictly to this jam right here'!