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
Nobody Wins
Jodeci Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nobody wins
(No, no, no, no, no, no) Bobby!
(No, no, no, no, no, no)
We don't see the same, and we don't speak the same
But if we don't get shit right this go 'round then we ain't gon' beat the game
You can see the pain, we entertain when disagreements turn into blame
Every nerve you got, and every working vein
gotta take a cool breath and respirate
We gon' get it right, no matter how many steps it takes (one, two)
'Cause the devil gon' lie, and Heaven don't hesitate
And Lord knows we need Heaven, 'cause we're going through Hell each and every day
These emotions bottled up inside
are hot enough to fry thermometers and lighters on my mind
A lot of us will find the answers obvious, but probably all the time
You gotta know the signs and loosen up how tight you hold your pride
Put emotions to the side and get a grip before you lose your mind
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
When we fight, fuss and argue
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
We say we're leaving but we never do
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
When we fuss, fight and argue
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
We say we're leaving but we never do
Nobody wins (watch it!)
Stop throwing those pots and pans
(Nobody wins) Watch it!
We don't have to use our hands
(No we don't) Watch it!
Baby, can you understand?
(Baby, can you understand?) Watch it!
I'm just being a man
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
When we fight, fuss and argue
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
We say we're leaving but we never do
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
When we fuss, fight and argue
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
We say we're leaving but we never do
Nobody wins (Watch it!)
Gossipin', gossipin' and gossipin'
Everybody don't got your back, even if you got a lot of friends
Everybody sins, everybody sins if somebody loses, nobody wins
Sometimes you just need space, sometimes you need oxygen
Negative ain't so bad when it's negative space
If you do anything with nothing, then nothing can get in your way
I always remember when karma comes 'round, 'cause she got a similar face
You gotta know when to hold what you got and know when to give it away
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
When we fight, fuss and argue
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
We say we're leaving but we never do
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
When we fuss, fight and argue
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
We say we're leaving but we never do
Nobody wins (watch it!)
Let's talk about this
(Let's just talk about this) Watch it!
I'm glad that you missed
(Nobody wins) Watch it!
You almost tore up my face
(You almost tore up my face) Watch it!
We can't afford to buy another place
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
When we fight, fuss and argue
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
We say we're leaving but we never do
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
When we fuss, fight and argue
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
We say we're leaving but we never do
Nobody wins (watch it!)
Nobody wins (watch it!)
(I don't care what you do)
Nobody wins (watch it!)
Might as well stay home
Nobody wins (watch it!)
Stay home, stay home, yeah
Nobody wins (no, no)
Nobody wins (no, no)
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
Don't fool yourself (nobody wins)
Trying to fool somebody else
Nobody, nobody, nobody
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
The song "Nobody Wins" by Jodeci is about the struggles in a relationship and the challenges faced when working things out. The lyrics highlight that in an argument, nobody truly wins, and both parties end up losing something in the end. The song talks about the need to communicate and understand each other's perspectives to build a healthy relationship. The lyrics also touch on the theme of forgiveness and being able to let go of past mistakes to move forward.
The opening lines of the song suggest that the couple has communication issues that make it difficult for them to understand each other. The lyrics emphasize the need for patience and understanding to work things out in a relationship. The song talks about how negative emotions can impact the relationship and how people need to take a step back to avoid hurting each other.
Overall, "Nobody Wins" is a reflective piece that highlights the importance of communication, understanding, and forgiveness in building and maintaining a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Nobody wins
The outcome is always negative when we argue
(No, no, no, no, no, no) Bobby!
A plea to stop and avoid the argument
We don't see the same, and we don't speak the same
We don't have the same opinions nor express ourselves the same way
But if we don't get shit right this go 'round then we ain't gon' beat the game
If we don't make things right this time, we won't succeed in our relationship
You can see the pain, we entertain when disagreements turn into blame
We cause each other emotional harm when arguments escalate into blaming each other
The heated words turn into flames under your skin, it just aggravates
The words exchanged are hurtful and inflammatory and exacerbate the situation
Every nerve you got, and every working vein
gotta take a cool breath and respirate
We need to calm down and take a deep breath to control our anger and emotions
We gon' get it right, no matter how many steps it takes (one, two)
We are committed to working through our issues no matter how long it takes
'Cause the devil gon' lie, and Heaven don't hesitate
Satan deceives us while God is always truthful and just
And Lord knows we need Heaven, 'cause we're going through Hell each and every day
Our relationship is a constant source of stress and trouble
These emotions bottled up inside
are hot enough to fry thermometers and lighters on my mind
Our repressed emotions are intense and need to be expressed
A lot of us will find the answers obvious, but probably all the time
The solutions to our problems are simple, but not always easy to put into practice
You gotta know the signs and loosen up how tight you hold your pride
We need to recognize when our ego is getting in the way and learn to let go of it
Put emotions to the side and get a grip before you lose your mind
We need to separate our feelings from the situation and regain control before we lose it
Stop throwing those pots and pans
(Nobody wins) Watch it!
Physical aggression only leads to negative outcomes, so we need to stop it
We don't have to use our hands
(No we don't) Watch it!
Violence is not necessary and should not be used to solve problems
Baby, can you understand?
(Baby, can you understand?) Watch it!
Asking the other person for understanding and empathy to work through things together
I'm just being a man
I am taking responsibility for my behavior and working to improve
Gossipin', gossipin' and gossipin'
Everybody don't got your back, even if you got a lot of friends
Gossiping only leads to mistrust and doesn't solve problems, even if we have friends who support us
Everybody sins, everybody sins if somebody loses, nobody wins
We are all flawed and make mistakes, and when we focus on pointing out each other's faults, we all lose
Sometimes you just need space, sometimes you need oxygen
Taking a break from each other can give us the space and clarity we need to work through our issues
Negative ain't so bad when it's negative space
If you do anything with nothing, then nothing can get in your way
Sometimes focusing on the empty, negative space in our lives can give us perspective and allow us to move forward without obstacles
I always remember when karma comes 'round, 'cause she got a similar face
We should always keep in mind that our actions have consequences and we will reap what we sow
You gotta know when to hold what you got and know when to give it away
We need to recognize what's important to us and what's not worth fighting for
Nobody wins (watch it!)
(I don't care what you do)
This is a warning that continuing to argue is pointless and will only lead to more negative outcomes
Might as well stay home
Going out will only lead to more conflict and is not worth it
Stay home, stay home, yeah
Nobody wins (no, no)
Nobody wins (no, no)
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
Repeatedly insisting on staying home and avoiding the argument rather than continuing to fight
Don't fool yourself (nobody wins)
Trying to fool somebody else
Pretending that everything is okay and trying to deceive the other person only leads to more problems
Nobody, nobody, nobody
Nobody wins (no no no no no no)
No one benefits from continuing to argue and fight
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: Donald Earle Degrate
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@djsoulchild
OK listen - i'm a huge Jodeci fan, ever since "Forever My Lady". And i want you guys to win and be on top again, i really do. It's awesome to have you back!
BUT!!!!! People - i really have an issue with the background vocals on this track, because they are NOT Jodeci, at least not entirely. For example, check 1:28 "no we dooooon't" and 1:34 "baby can you understand". That is NOT Jodeci. And i think that could be what's making people feel like it's missing that distinctive Jodeci sound (apart from the new production) - because it's missing THEIR trademark harmonies!
I just don't think we're getting the full Jodeci experience like the fans deserve after such a long hiatus. The harmonies played a huge role in who Jodeci were as a group and why we loved them so much, so i feel slightly unsatisfied and "cheated" and can't just ignore it by saying: "Yeah well, they gave us so many classics in the past, so they get a pass".
Don't get me wrong, this is no hate whatsoever - just pointing out facts, that maybe only trained musician ears will hear and the biased fans may have overheard.
I'm open for your thoughts, guys!
@CocoNellz
Remember when Dino tried to bring awareness to domestic violence with ladies album.. but it was not recognized like it should have. Definitely was a great album from H-TOWN with more of Dino on production ❤️😇🙏🏾
@shakatak1142
Listen on headphones, DeVante's sound has really evolved to another level of dopeness. I'm glad that finally we have a new song, but I am really looking forward to the other tracks he has created... On topics we use to hearing from Jodeci!
@jasminemiller3206
FINALLY! We have REAL MUSIC WITH MEANING TO LISTEN TOO!!!!! Domestic Violence & Violence as a whole is REAL!!! We need to spread this music to young people and people of our age. Nobody deserves to be a victim or Abuser in this world! CANT WAIT FIR THE TOUR!!!!!!
@ciavasquez5285
For me this was my Christmas present. So happy to hear their voices again and Devante not only sexy but he is a genius and so glad Jodeci is back to bring back REAL MUSIC. Love the message and look forward to hearing more from them Luv u guys.
@clarissawestbrook2203
This song has a great and uplifting message to it. This was Jodeci's comeback song and album after 20 years and they come back stronger, older and wiser. B.O.B. is such an underrated rapper.
@keianasimmons9524
Kci still have the best voice every!!!! This song sends a good message. Love jodeci!! Love B.O.B also.
@jaywad8876
Dalvin don't even rap the same anymore neither DeVante Swing his brother.
@HenrikFromDenmark
Amazing song with Devante Swing signature beats, guitar riff's etc. - Jodeci has grown up!
@BattleShots2521
This song is great! B.o.B kills it like he always does. He's probably the most underrated artist/rapper in the entire music industry
@dbabyt1981
Love it! It's a great song, with a great message! #Nobodywins! Please support it!