At an early age, Price's musical talents began to dominate her life. While most babies have to be taken from the crib and calmed from crying in the middle of the night, Price's mother has told of the times when the entire house would be awakened by the sound of a young Price singing out in her crib while the rest of the family tried to sleep. As a young child, Price knew that music was more than just something that happened on the radio, in church, or even during the commercials on TV. For her it was a part of life that quickly became a necessity. She became emotionally dependant on the music inside of her and quickly learned how to use music as an outlet to express what she was feeling even when she couldn’t speak about it. One day after experiencing deep sadness from a book she read for a Black history project in school, Kelly wrote a song to express her unexplainable emotions; this was her first song at only 7 years old.
Price sang on her first recording before the age of 10 and by the time she was 18, Price was recording and touring the world with multi-platinum pop diva Mariah Carey. Always a quick study, Kelly watched and learned the intricacies of studio and production work and soon after began to expand into areas other than just background singing. It was during these early years of her professional career that Price refers to as her formal education. While her classmates attended college to prepare for their careers, she went to work everyday and studied with the entertainment industry’s best to prepare for what would soon be her own music career. During these years and beyond, Price has shared her multiple musical gifts with many artists and reached the number one spot on Billboard several times before anyone even knew what the woman behind the voice and the pen looked like. Throughout her career, Price has sung for, recorded with, toured with, wrote songs for, arranged and produced music for George Michael, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Brian McKnight, LL Cool J, Ben Tankard, Mary J. Blige, Puff Daddy, Brandy, The LOX, Donnie McClurkin, The Williams Brothers, Faith Evans, Karen Clarke-Sheard, Yolanda Adams, MASE, Whitney Houston, Mary Mary, The Notorious B.I.G, Richard Smallwood, R. Kelly, Eric Clapton, Wynona Judd, Gerald Levert, Angela Winbush, The Isley Bros and the legendary Ronald Isley just to name a few. Though many record labels initially pursued Price as a recording artist, it was her connection with Isley and his relentless persistence that convinced her to begin to use her musical talents for herself resulting in a formal alliance between Isley and Price that birthed her solo career with the album Soul of A Woman in 1998 that featured the #1 hit women’s anthem of the year “Friend of Mine”, penned by Price herself.
She would follow with the platinum success of Mirror Mirror in 2000, One Family: A Christmas Album in 2002 and the critically acclaimed Priceless in 2003.
In October 2005, Price recorded her first live gospel project. The This Is Who I Am album was released on October 24, 2006 on her own label, EcclecticSounds Records. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Gospel Charts and peaked at #9 on the R&B album chart.
Price was inducted as an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in July 2006.
In early 2007, Price kicked off a tour with the "Sisters in the Spirit 2007".
In 2006, she recorded the song "Why?" for the soundtrack Why Did I Get Married?, a film version of the stage play of the same name she once acted in, playing the role of Sheila.
In early 2009, Price was featured on Coko's gospel album entitled The Winner In Me on the track "Oh Mary".
In June 2010, Price promoted her single "Tired" on The Jazz Joy and Roy syndicated radio show as "some of the best work of my career to date."
In September 2009, it was announced she would be joining Deborah Cox and Tamia to form the super group The Queen Project. The women seek to empower women of all ages, races and backgrounds by doing a number of community service projects. In September 2010, Kelly announced via her official Twitter profile that her new solo album Kelly will be released in 2011. Her second single "Not My Daddy" debuted on R&B charts at #87.
You Should've Told Me
Kelly Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wouldn't tuck you in and turn the nightlight out
You would walk through the door and I wouldn't say hi
I would walk out the door and wouldn't say bye-bye
It's funny that I never thought about it that way
I never knew the things that I did not say
But you were lonely and you were hungry
And I was living in my own world
You should've told me
I wasn't small enough
You should've told me
I didn't call enough
But you led me on
And kept me going
And we never should've wasted this time
You should've told me
I wasn't wild enough
You should've told me
I didn't smile enough
What you had in my mind
Made me lose my mind
And we never should've wasted this time
I wasn't there to help you take your clothes off
When it was time for work didn't see you off
When your tense didn't give a massage
I never told you I think you're hot
It's funny I never thought about it that way
Never knew the things I did not say
But you were lonely and you were hungry
And I was living in my own world
Thinking I'm a perfect lady
You should've told me
I wasn't small enough
You should've told me
I didn't call enough
But you led me on
And kept me going
And we never should've wasted this time
You should've told me
I wasn't wild enough
You should've told me
I didn't smile enough
What you had in my mind
Made me lose my mind
And we never should've wasted this time
When you thought you had to lie
Why didn't you come and tell me why?
Didn't you see those tears I cried?
Oh why?
You should've told me
I wasn't small enough
You should've told me
I didn't call enough
But you led me on
And kept me going
And we never should've wasted this time
You should've told me
I wasn't wild enough
You should've told me
I didn't smile enough
What you had in my mind
Made me lose my mind
And we never should've wasted this time
In Kelly Price's song "You Should've Told Me," the lyrics describe a relationship that has ended due to a lack of communication. The singer expresses regret for not being more attentive to their partner's needs and wishes that they had spoken up about what was missing in the relationship. As the lyrics progress, the singer realizes that their partner was lonely and hungry for love and attention while they were living in their own world, thinking they were a perfect lady. The singer also regrets not being there for their partner in times of need, not giving them a massage, and not telling them how attractive they found them.
The chorus repeats the lines "you should've told me" followed by several specific things the partner failed to communicate, such as not being small enough, not calling enough, not being wild enough, and not smiling enough. The repetition emphasizes the theme of the song, which is that communication is key in any relationship, and failing to communicate one's needs and desires can lead to the downfall of a relationship.
The bridge of the song has the singer posing questions to their partner, wondering why they didn't come and tell them why they felt the need to lie, and if they saw the tears the singer cried. These again emphasize that communication is necessary and that the relationship could have been saved if there had been more open and honest communication.
Line by Line Meaning
I wouldn't call in the midnight hour
I neglected to communicate with you in a time of need.
I wouldn't tuck you in and turn the nightlight out
I failed to demonstrate love and care for you in intimate moments.
You would walk through the door and I wouldn't say hi
I lacked basic acknowledgment of your presence and failed to greet you.
I would walk out the door and wouldn't say bye-bye
I left without saying goodbye, disregarding your feelings and needs for closure.
It's funny that I never thought about it that way
I am now realizing my own obliviousness to my actions and their impact.
I never knew the things that I did not say
I am acknowledging my previous ignorance of my own shortcomings and communication issues.
But you were lonely and you were hungry
You were in need of love and care, and I failed to provide it.
And I was living in my own world
I was self-absorbed and not attuned to your needs and feelings.
Thinking I'm a perfect lady
I saw myself as above reproach and didn’t think I had anything to improve on.
You should've told me
I am acknowledging the responsibility of the other person to communicate their needs to me.
I wasn't small enough
I did not make myself vulnerable or intimate enough with you.
I didn't call enough
I did not communicate with you enough or provide enough attention.
But you led me on
I am now realizing that I was falsely kept hopeful for the relationship despite these failings.
And kept me going
I stayed invested in the relationship due to false hope and uncertainty.
And we never should've wasted this time
This relationship was a wasted effort, as we failed to properly communicate and connect with each other.
I wasn't wild enough
I failed to show passion and excitement in the relationship.
I didn't smile enough
I was not joyful or happy enough, and did not express it to you.
What you had in my mind
Your perception of me and expectations influenced my behavior and thinking.
Made me lose my mind
I became confused and lost sight of what was truly important in the relationship.
When you thought you had to lie
You felt the need to deceive me, likely due to my own shortcomings in the relationship.
Why didn't you come and tell me why?
I am now realizing that you also had a responsibility to communicate with me and address issues.
Didn't you see those tears I cried?
I am expressing my hurt and sadness for the lack of communication and connection in the relationship.
And we never should've wasted this time
This relationship was a failed investment of time and effort due to communication issues and neglect.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JAMES LORELL MOSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juan Anthony Porter
The beginning of my teens were dark and sad for me... Especially when i was 14, and songs like this, especially the melody & words helped me through those times... Thanks Kelly Price❤
cojack
Kelly Price is Amazing...She actually stayed true to the game...she kept that soulful R&B sound that we as fans LONG for.....
Tyjuan Coffin
Conqck Right👌
sherelle willis
Yessss
Gabrielle Elliott
Her voice unmatched like fr
Ken Chambers
Why are you ignoring me
Dre Martin
Luv didnt sell her soul for the bag ... Luv this woman with her beautiful self!
Jay Shelton
One of the most powerful voices of All Time.
Johnathan Babino
I agree...A Song Bird 💖
Gagging4Lit
She looks stunning here. And this is such a bop. Throwing the running machine out of the window will forever be iconic 🤣