Mario Mendell Winans (born August 29, 1974 in Orangeburg, SC) is an America… Read Full Bio ↴Mario Mendell Winans (born August 29, 1974 in Orangeburg, SC) is an American R&B producer, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist best known for his 2004 song "I Don't Wanna Know", which reached number 2 in the United States and number 1 in the United Kingdom. Winans also won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance for co-writing CeCe Winans's song "Pray".

Early career:
Mario Winans was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina but grew up in Detroit. He is a member of gospel music's most notable family, the Winans, being the son of Marvin Winans and Vickie Winans. He is also the nephew of gospel singers BeBe Winans and CeCe Winans.

Winans started out learning music in school learning piano, keyboards, and drums. His mother Vicki Winans bought him a roomful of recording equipment, and he learnt the function of every piece of equipment. He started producing gospel groups straight out of high school and soon accumulated credits for Fred Hammond, The Anointed, and the Clark Sisters as well as various Winans family member albums.

In the mid-1990's, he signed a production deal with Dallas Austin's Rowdy Records. His breakthrough came with credits on the tracks "I Can't Sleep Baby" and "You Remind Me Of Something" on R. Kelly's R. Kelly album in 1995. Work with Pebbles and 98 Degrees soon followed.

Winans released his debut album Story of my Heart on Motown in 1997. While the song "Don't Know" reached the U.S. R&B top 50, the album failed to chart.

Soon after, Winans teamed up with P. Diddy and his Bad Boy roster. His first work with Bad Boy was playing drums on "Come With Me" in 1998 by Diddy and Jimmy Page, based on the classic Led Zeppelin song "Kashmir" from their 1975 album Physical Graffiti.

Over the past few years, Winans has racked a sizeable list of production credits for Bad Boy artists including Diddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Lil' Kim, Faith Evans, Loon, Black Rob, and 112. He has also worked with notable artists outside Bad Boy including Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Tamia, and Brian McKnight.

Winans co-wrote the 2-part song "I Need a Girl" with P. Diddy and appeared on the "Pt. 2" version with Loon, Ginuwine, and Diddy, which became a hit recording in 2002. He also produced the Bad Boy remix compilation We Invented The Remix in 2002.

Solo Success:

Winans recorded his second album Hurt No More in 2001, 2002, and 2003 in between his busy schedule working with other artists. The album is based on stories of love and betrayal.

The first single "I Don't Wanna Know" was based on a sample of the Fugees' 1996 hit single "Ready Or Not", which itself was based on a slowed-down sample of the instrumental track "Boadicea" by Enya from her 1987 self-titled album. Enya and her representatives became annoyed since Winans did not seek her approval for the sample, as he was unaware that the Fugees sample he had used had itself been a sample. So, a compromise was reached to credit the single as "Mario Winans featuring P. Diddy and Enya". [1]. The song features a rap by P. Diddy and radio programmers and club DJs started playing the track when it started appearing on mixtapes. The song was released as the single in early 2004 and became a worldwide hit going to #1 in Germany and on the rhythmic top 40 radio chart in the United States; to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, on the U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart, and on the world internet download charts; and to #3 on a composite world R&B chart (based on the R&B charts in the U.S., UK, Germany, France, and Australia) and on both the Australian and Norwegian singles charts. It also reached the top ten on a composite European singles chart.

Hurt No More was released on April 20, 2004 in the U.S. and, by early June 2004, had reached #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, #2 on the Billboard 200, and #3 on the UK's album chart.

The album's second single, "Never Really Was", used a sample of the orchestrated beginning of Madonna's 1986 hit, "Papa Don't Preach", as its background music. However, the song failed to chart in America.

Can't Judge Me
Mario Winans Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh baby
I'm only human baby
Oh lady

We had some words the other day
I didn't mean to act that way
When I see you now
You won't look in my face

You just turn away

[Hook]
You think you got me figured all out
But look what you make me out to be
You think you got a nigga sold out
But don't really know the half of me
And I say things that I don't mean

[Chorus]
I know it feels so bad
To hear them words I said (that ain't me)
That ain't me, can't you see
I'm not like that at all
Only one side you saw
Understand, you can't judge me by that

Now I'm thinking back on a time
When everything with us was fine
I still know you name
But you forgot mine
And I can't let it go

You think you got me figured all out
But look what you make me out to be
You think you got a nigga sold out
But don't really know the half of me
And I say things that I don't mean

[Chorus]

Don't decide that you know me completely
Even though I hurt your feelings deeply
Don't judge me

[Chorus]

Think about how we used to be
Why did our friendship have to end there
So quick to pass judgment on me
Tell me why can't I make you see that
I say things that I don't mean

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

In Mario Winans's song Can't Judge Me, he sings about how he feels misunderstood and judged by someone whom he had a falling out with. The song starts with him acknowledging he is only human and admitting fault in a recent argument with this person. Despite his remorse, he feels that this person has already formed a negative perception of him and refuses to look him in the face. He does not want to be defined solely by one moment or one side they saw of him during this argument.

The song switches to Winans reflecting on their past and how it used to be when everything was fine. He cannot let go of the fact that this person believes they have him completely figured out and assumes the worst of him. He acknowledges that he said hurtful things but does not want to be judged solely on those words. In the chorus, he emphasizes that what he said was not reflective of his true character and people cannot judge him based on one moment or interaction.

In the last verse, Winans asks this person to think about how they used to be and why their friendship had to end so abruptly. He questions why they are so quick to pass judgment on him and begs them to see that he says things he does not mean. The song ends with the chorus, emphasizing his desire for people to not judge him based on one moment or interaction.

Overall, the song speaks to the human desire to be fully understood and not judged on one aspect of our personalities or interactions. It highlights the fact that humans are complex and multifaceted, and no one can be truly understood by just one interaction or moment in time.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh baby
Expressing affection towards a loved one

I'm only human baby
Acknowledging one's limitations and fallibility

Oh lady
Expressing affection and respect towards a woman

We had some words the other day
Recalling a past argument or disagreement

I didn't mean to act that way
Apologizing for one's behavior during the disagreement

When I see you now
Noting the awkwardness in the current situation

You won't look in my face
Noticing avoidance or unwillingness to engage

You just turn away
Observing a lack of communication or connection

You think you got me figured all out
Feeling underestimated or misunderstood

But look what you make me out to be
Feeling unfairly judged or labeled

You think you got a nigga sold out
Feeling betrayed or unsupported

But don't really know the half of me
Asserting that there is more to oneself than meets the eye

And I say things that I don't mean
Admitting to saying hurtful things in the heat of the moment

I know it feels so bad
Acknowledging the hurt caused by one's words or actions

To hear them words I said (that ain't me)
Admitting that one's actions were out of character

That ain't me, can't you see
Asserting one's true character and nature

I'm not like that at all
Asserting that one's true self is not reflected in recent behavior

Only one side you saw
Asserting that one's true self is not fully understood or seen

Understand, you can't judge me by that
Asserting that one cannot be defined by one's actions or mistakes

Now I'm thinking back on a time
Reflecting on a past memory or experience

When everything with us was fine
Recalling a time when things were good between two people

I still know you name
Remembering a person's name

But you forgot mine
Noticing a lack of recognition or acknowledgment

And I can't let it go
Feeling unresolved or unsettled about the past

Don't decide that you know me completely
Warning against assuming complete understanding or knowledge of oneself

Even though I hurt your feelings deeply
Acknowledging that one's actions have hurt someone else

Don't judge me
Making a plea to not be judged or criticized unfairly

Think about how we used to be
Encouraging reflection on a past relationship or connection

Why did our friendship have to end there
Questioning the reasons for a falling out or the end of a friendship

So quick to pass judgment on me
Feeling unfairly judged or criticized

Tell me why can't I make you see that
Expressing frustration at not being understood

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARIO WINANS, MARIO MENDELL WINANS, MICHAEL JONES, MICHAEL CARLOS JONES, TAURIAN SHROPSHIRE, TAURIAN ADONIS SHROPSHIRE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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