Jody Watley (born Jan. 30, 1959, Chicago) emerged from the R&B group Shalam… Read Full Bio ↴Jody Watley (born Jan. 30, 1959, Chicago) emerged from the R&B group Shalamar to score a string of solo hit singles, chiefly from 1987 to 1990, a period in which she reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 six times. Watley got her start as a dancer on the television dance show Soul Train, which led to her being tapped for a spot in Shalamar. Her first solo album, Jody Watley, yielded #2 hit Looking for a New Love, which was followed by two more top 10 singles — Don’t You Want Me (#6) and Some Kind of Lover (#10). Two other singles from the album charted — Still a Thrill (#56) and Most of All (#60). The success propelled her to a Best New Artist Grammy win for 1987. Subsequent album Larger Than Life produced another three top 10 singles: Real Love (#2), Everything (#4) and Friends (#9). Her only other U.S. top 40 appearances came in 1992 with I’m the One You Need (#19) and as one of several featured artists on Babyface’s This is for the Lover in You (#6) in 1996. She is ranked #21 on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists.

Bed of Roses
Jody Watley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Job's gone, rent's too, I don't know what I'm gonna do
Baby's crying, baby's daddy always lying
A childhood flashback, a little kid with a dream
Can this really be? What happened to my dream?

Life ain't always a bed of roses
You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong
Life ain't always a bed of roses

You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong

Single mothers, incarcerated brothers
Loveless, hopeless, working to turn it all around
Government cutbacks, war kills, you can't take it back
Families left wondering, what happened to our dream?

Life ain't always a bed of roses
You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong
Life ain't always a bed of roses
You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong

It is said that only the strong survive
And remember how good it is to be alive
Well, around me, I see pain and poverty
And it's hard to imagine that thing of being all that I can be
But I visualize and I see the light that shines

Life ain't always a bed of roses
You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong
Life ain't always a bed of roses
You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong

Life ain't always a bed of roses
You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong
Life ain't always a bed of roses
You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong

Life ain't always a bed of roses
You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong

Life ain't always a bed of roses
You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong

Overall Meaning

Jody Watley's song "Bed of Roses" is a song about the struggles of life and how it can be difficult to achieve one's dreams. It starts with the singer talking about losing their job and not being able to pay rent. They also have a crying baby and a lying baby daddy. They remember being a kid with a dream and wonder how they got to this point. The chorus reminds us that life isn't always easy and can be challenging, but we have to be strong and get over it. The second verse talks about single mothers, incarcerated brothers, and families wondering what happened to their dreams. The bridge discusses how it can be challenging to look beyond pain and poverty, but it's important to remember how good it is to be alive. The song ends with the chorus, emphasizing the message to be strong and overcome struggles.

Line by Line Meaning

Job's gone, rent's too, I don't know what I'm gonna do
I have lost my job and cannot afford to pay rent. I feel helpless and unsure about what to do next.

Baby's crying, baby's daddy always lying
The father of my child is constantly lying, causing my baby to cry. This situation adds to the stress I am already experiencing.

A childhood flashback, a little kid with a dream
I am reminded of my childhood and a time when I had a dream for my future.

Can this really be? What happened to my dream?
I question whether my current circumstances align with the dreams I had as a child. I am unsure if I have veered off course or if life has simply not gone as planned.

Life ain't always a bed of roses
Life is difficult and full of struggles.

You got to get up, get up, get over it, be strong
One must persevere and stay strong in the face of adversity, even when it feels unbearable.

Single mothers, incarcerated brothers
There are many individuals facing difficult circumstances, including single mothers and those who are incarcerated.

Loveless, hopeless, working to turn it all around
Many people feel unloved and hopeless, but they are working hard to change their situations for the better.

Government cutbacks, war kills, you can't take it back
Government cutbacks and war have harmful and long-lasting effects that cannot easily be undone or forgotten.

Families left wondering, what happened to our dream?
Families are left questioning how their lives ended up so different from the dreams they had for themselves.

It is said that only the strong survive
Perseverance and strength are necessary to overcome life's difficulties and emerge triumphant.

And remember how good it is to be alive
It is important to remember the value of life and the blessings that come along with it, even in the midst of trying times.

Well, around me, I see pain and poverty
I observe widespread suffering and poverty in my surroundings.

And it's hard to imagine that thing of being all that I can be
It is difficult to see a future where I have achieved all that I desire, given the current state of my circumstances.

But I visualize and I see the light that shines
Despite the darkness, I hold onto hope and visualize a bright future.

Contributed by Victoria F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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