Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz (born May 26, 1964. New York, USA) is an Ame… Read Full Bio ↴Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz (born May 26, 1964. New York, USA) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, guitarist and actor whose retro amalgam of rock, pop, funk, and even techno is inspired by such music icons as David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon. Like Prince and Sly Stone before him, Kravitz uses a multi-ethnic, mixed-gender backing band.

Kravitz plays guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, percussion, and sitar. He often plays these instruments on each recorded track, but frequently collaborates with other musicians as well when recording.

His 1989 debut album Let Love Rule was a moderate success. In 1991 he released his second album, Mama Said, which reached the top 40 of the Billboard album charts. In 1993, the album Are You Gonna Go My Way was released, reaching #12 on the Billboard 200 and Kravitz earned a Brit Award for best international male artist in 1994. He released the Circus album in 1995, which reached number 10 on the Billboard chart on the back of his past achievement. With 5 (1999), Kravitz embraced digital technology such as Pro Tools and samplers for the first time. He would win the first of his four consecutive Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1999.

His cover version of The Guess Who's hit "American Woman" won him another Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 2000. Kravitz released a Greatest Hits compilation in 2000. It proved to be his most successful album. The single "Again" would earn him his third consecutive Grammy for the Best Male Rock Vocal in the Grammy Awards of 2001. Kravitz released his sixth album Lenny in October 2001. He won his fourth consecutive Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal at the Grammy Awards of 2002. Kravitz's seventh album Baptism was released in May 2004. His album, It Is Time For A Love Revolution was released in 2008. He has always edited his albums on Virgin Records America. The lead single from Kravitz’s ninth album, Black and White America, "Stand" was released on June 3, 2011. (Stand Songfacts).

He is the son of Ukrainian-Jewish American NBC television news producer Sy Kravitz, and Bahamian American actress Roxie Roker, best known as her character Helen Willis on the hit 1970s television sitcom The Jeffersons. Black and White America's title track is an autobiographical look back at his upbringing in New York. (Black and White America Songfacts).

Artist website: www.lennykravitz.com

Pay To Play
Lenny Kravitz Lyrics

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She said I want the money
I know you want it honey
Your skies will not be sunny
If you don't bring it home to me
Don't want to hear your crying
'Cause baby I'm not trying
To wait for your dreams to fly in
Then she smiled and said to me

Well I don't believe in what you do
And I don't believe in what you say
I don't believe in you
You've got to pay the price
If you want to play

Well I don't believe in what you do
And I don't believe in what you say
I don't believe in you
You've got to pay the price
If you want to play

You told me that you loved me
Was it just a charade ?
Were you not thinking of me ?
When are we going to get paid?
I have been waiting all the time
And I'm about to fade
You better make that money
Do you hear what I am saying ?

Well I don't believe in what you do
And I don't believe in what you say
I don't believe in you
You've got to pay the price
If you want to play

Well I don't believe in what you do
And I don't believe in what you say
I don't believe in you

You've got to pay the price
If you want to play

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lenny Kravitz's song "Pay to Play" depict a relationship where one person demands money from the other in order to continue the relationship. The singer is being asked to pay a price in order to be with his lover. The lyrics suggest that without the financial support, his skies will not be sunny, indicating that the singer's happiness is dependent on the other person's needs being met.

The chorus repeats the phrase "Well I don't believe in what you do, and I don't believe in what you say, I don't believe in you, you've got to pay the price if you want to play." This indicates that the singer is being held hostage in the relationship, with his partner demanding money and not believing in him or his actions.

The final verse asks if the love the singer was given was just a charade, and wonders if the partner was even thinking of him when making the demands for money. The repetition of "you've got to pay the price if you want to play" serves as a warning that the relationship is contingent on financial support.

Overall, the song explores themes of dependency, power dynamics, and manipulation in relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

She said I want the money
She requested the money from me

I know you want it honey
She knows that I also want the money

Your skies will not be sunny
If I don't bring the money, our future together will be gloomy

If you don't bring it home to me
I am required to bring the money to her

Don't want to hear your crying
She doesn't want to listen to my excuses

'Cause baby I'm not trying
She feels that I am not putting in enough effort

To wait for your dreams to fly in
She is not willing to wait for my aspirations to materialize

Then she smiled and said to me
She puts on a smile and continues with her demand

Well I don't believe in what you do
She expressed disbelief in my actions

And I don't believe in what you say
She doesn't believe in my words