In 1992, Blige released her debut album What's The 411?. The album sold 3.4 million copies on the strength of singles You Remind Me, Real Love, Reminisce, Sweet Thing, and Love No Limit. The album pioneered a new genre known as Hip-Hop Soul and is credited with influencing the marriage of Hip-Hop and R&B.
In 1994, Blige released her sophomore album My Life. Blige wrote or co-wrote fourteen of the seventeen album tracks. Supported by singles Be Happy, Mary Jane (All Night Long), I'm Goin' Down, and You Bring Me Joy, the album sold over three million copies and was certified 3x platinum by the RIAA in 1996. It has since been included in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Not Gon' Cry, a 1996 single written and produced by Babyface for Waiting To Exhale soundtrack (1995), peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Blige's highest charting single of the 1990s. The same year, Blige won her first Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for her performance on I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By by Method Man.
On April 22, 1997, Blige released her third album, Share My World on MCA Records. Blige cut ties with producers Sean Combs and Chucky Thompson and worked with the likes of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Rodney Jerkins, Babyface, R. Kelly, and Poke & Tone. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with sales of 240,000 copies, Blige's first to do so. Supported by singles Love Is All We Need, I Can Love You, Everything, Missing You, and Seven Days. Share My World was certified 3x platinum by the RIAA and sold nearly 4 million copies in U.S.
In Summer 1998, Blige embarked on the Share My World Tour, which resulted in a Gold-certified live album released later that year, simply titled The Tour. The album spawned one single, Misty Blue.
On August 17, 1999, Blige's fourth album, titled Mary was released. It marked a departure from her more familiar hip hop-oriented sound; this set featured a more earthy, whimsical, and adult contemporary-tinged collection of songs. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 239,000 copies in its first week. It spent 57 weeks on the chart and produced four charting singles: All That I Can Say, Deep Inside, Give Me You, and Your Child. Though not as successful as prior releases, the album still sold 2.1 million copies in the U.S. and was nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Album.
On August 28, 2001, MCA released Blige's fifth studio album, No More Drama. The album's first single, Family Affair (produced by Dr. Dre) became her first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for six consecutive weeks. Two other singles, Dance For Me and No More Drama were released, with the latter becoming a Top 20 hit. On January 29, 2002, the album re-released and featured three new songs, one being Rainy Dayz, which was released as a single and became another Top 20 hit for Blige. No More Drama has since sold 3.2 million copies in the U.S. and 5 million copies worldwide.
In 2003, Blige won her second Grammy (and first as a lead artist) for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "He Think I Don't Know".
On August 26, 2003, Blige's sixth album Love & Life was released on Geffen Records (which had absorbed MCA Records.) Blige reunited with producer Sean Combs for the album. Despite the album debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and becoming Blige's fourth consecutive UK top ten album, Love & Life became Blige's then lowest selling album selling 1 million copies. Still, it was nominated for Grammy Best Contemporary R&B Album.
Geffen Records released Blige's seventh studio album, The Breakthrough on December 20, 2005. For the album, Blige collaborated with J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Rodney Jerkins, will.i.am, Bryan-Michael Cox, 9th Wonder, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Raphael Saadiq, Cool and Dre, and Dre & Vidal. It debuted at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Selling 727,000 copies in its first week, it became the biggest first-week sales for an R&B solo female artist in SoundScan history. The official lead single, Be Without You peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, while peaking at number one on the R&B chart for a record-setting fifteen consecutive weeks. In March 2017, Billboard Magazine ranked "Be Without You" as the most successful R&B/Hip-Hop Song of all time. The song was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year and won the Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance categories at the 2007 Grammy Awards. Other singles included Top 40 Hit Enough Cryin, Top Five R&B song Take Me As I Am, and UK Top Three Hit One. The Breakthrough won the Grammy for Best R&B Album in 2007.
In December 2006, a compilation called Reflections (A Retrospective) was released. It contained many of Blige's greatest hits and four new songs, including the worldwide lead single We Ride (I See the Future). The album peaked at number nine in the U.S, selling over 170,000 copies in its first week, while reaching number forty in the UK. It has sold more than 1.6 million copies.
Blige's eighth studio album, Growing Pains, was released on December 18, 2007, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 and at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It sold 629,000 copies in its week and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album won Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2009. It spawned the Top 40 Hit Just Fine.
Blige's ninth studio album, Stronger with Each Tear, was released on December 21, 2009, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 and at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 332,000 units in its first week of release. The album had sold 726,100 copies in the United States by April 2010, and was certified Gold by the RIAA on January 6, 2011.
Blige was honored at the 2009 BET Honors Ceremony and was paid tribute by Anita Baker and Monica.
Blige's tenth studio album, My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1), was released in November 2011. The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, selling 156,000 copies in the first week; it was eventually certified Gold in 2012 and has sold 763,000 in the US.
A Mary Christmas, Blige's first holiday album, was released on October 15, 2013 through Matriarch and Verve Records. In early December, A Mary Christmas became Blige's 12th top ten album after it rose to #10 in its eighth week and was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Think Like A Man Too, which serves as Blige's 12th studio album, was released on June 17, 2014. On Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, the soundtrack album charted at number six, marking Blige's 16th top ten entry on the chart, tying her with Mariah Carey for the second-most top tens by a female artist.
Following her concert date at the Essence Festival, on July 9, 2014 it was announced Blige would move to London to experiment with a new sound for her new album. Blige spent a month in London recording her album in RAK Studios with a host of young British acts, including Disclosure, Naughty Boy, Emeli Sandé and Sam Smith. Twelve new songs, co-written and recorded by the singer, were released on November 24, 2014 on an album entitled The London Sessions. The album received acclaim and was included on many Best Albums of 2014 lists. The album debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 and number one on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, with 55,000 albums sold and 2,000 shifted in album-equivalent units. It became her 13th top ten entry on the Billboard 200 and her tenth number one entry on Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums.
Following a heavily publicized divorce from her husband and manager Kendu Isaacs, Blige released her thirteenth studio album Strength of a Woman on April 28, 2017. Supported by Urban AC hit singles Thick of It and U + Me (Love Lesson), Strength of a Woman debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 on the issue dated ending May 20, 2017, with 78,000 album-equivalent units, selling 72,000 standard copies in its first week. It became Blige's highest-charting album since 2009's Stronger with Each Tear, and her tenth top five entry on the chart.
In 2017, Blige starred in the period drama film Mudbound directed by Dee Rees. Playing Florence Jackson, the matriarch of her family. For her performance in Mudbound, Blige was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received nominations for Best Original Song for Mighty River, becoming the first person nominated for an Academy Award for acting and original song in the same year.
On July 12, 2018, Blige released a new single, titled Only Love.
Day Dreaming
Mary J. Blige Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
(look at my heart floating away)
He's the kind of guy that would say
Well I don't care
He's the kind of guy that you give your everything
And trust your heart, share all of your love, till death do you part
I want to be what he wants when he wants it, and whenever he needs it
And when he's lonesome and feelin love starved
I'll be there to feed it
I'm givin' him a little bit for each day
He turns me right on when I hear him say
(hey baby let's get away, let's go somewhere far
(baby can we?)
Well I don't care
(hey baby let's get away, let's go somewhere far
(baby can we?)
Well I don't care
I want to be what he wants when he wants it
And whenever he needs it
When it comes to being feelin' loved starved I'll be there to feed it
Lovin him a little bit more each day
It turns me right on when I hear him say
(hey baby let's get away, let's go somewhere far)
(baby can we?) well, I don't care
(hey baby let's get away, let's go somewhere far)
(baby can we?) well, I don't care
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you) hoooo
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
(look at my heart, floating away)]
(day dreaming) day dreaming of you
(day dreaming)
Thinking of you
Fades-
Day....dreaming
Day....dreaming
Mary J. Blige's song "Day Dreaming" is a love song that reflects on the artist's feelings for her lover, who to her, is a perfect match. The song conveys the messages of love, trust, and devotion, as well as the desire to be everything her lover wants and needs.
The lyrics are about a guy who, in Mary's eyes, is the type of man who always takes care of his woman's needs and wants. He is her partner, best friend, and soulmate. She expresses her love and willingness to always be there for him, to love him more each day, and to fulfill his every desire. She dreams of being with him, taking adventures, and building a life together.
Mary's unique voice and strong emotions add depth and soul to the song, contrasting with the dreamy melody, making it an excellent piece for any lover.
In summary, "Day Dreaming" is a beautiful love song that paints a picture of an ideal relationship built on love, trust, and devotion, with the desire to be everything her lover wants and needs.
Line by Line Meaning
Daydreaming
Mary is imagining and fantasizing about a particular person
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
She constantly thinks of this person throughout her daydreams
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
The person in her daydreams is heavy on her mind
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
Her daydreams are consumed by thoughts of this person
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
This person is the sole focus of her daydreams
(look at my heart floating away)
The person she daydreams about makes her heart skip a beat
He's the kind of guy that would say
Mary is describing a specific type of man
Hey baby let's get away let's go some place, huh?
Mary's ideal man is spontaneous and likes to travel
Well I don't care
Mary is agreeable and open to wherever this man wants to go
He's the kind of guy that you give your everything
Mary's ideal man is someone that she can give all of her love and trust to
And trust your heart, share all of your love, till death do you part
Mary is describing a deep and meaningful type of relationship
I want to be what he wants when he wants it, and whenever he needs it
Mary is willing to fulfill this man's every want and need
And when he's lonesome and feelin love starved
Mary will provide this man with love and affection when he is feeling alone or needy
I'll be there to feed it
Mary will nourish and sustain this man's love and affection
I'm givin' him a little bit for each day
Mary is willing to give this man small expressions of love every day
He turns me right on when I hear him say
This man's voice and presence excites Mary
(hey baby let's get away, let's go somewhere far
This man's desire to travel and explore excites Mary
(baby can we?)
Mary is receptive to this man's ideas and wants to act on them
(hey baby let's get away, let's go somewhere far
Mary is excited by the potential adventure this man is proposing
(baby can we?)
Mary is enthusiastic about this man's proposed adventure
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
Mary is interrupted from her daydreams by external sounds
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you) hoooo
Mary is still holding onto thoughts of this person even though she has been interrupted
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
Mary is still preoccupied with thoughts of this person
(day dreamin and I'm thinkin of you)
Thoughts of this person are still very present for Mary
(look at my heart, floating away)]
This person still makes Mary feel lovesick and infatuated
(day dreaming) day dreaming of you
Mary is still consumed by thoughts of this person
(day dreaming)
Mary is still lost in thought and fantasies about this person
Thinking of you
Mary's thoughts are still solely focused on this person
Day....dreaming
The song ends with Mary still lost in her daydreams
Day....dreaming
Mary is still consumed by her longing and fantasies for this person
Lyrics © SPRINGTIME MUSIC INC
Written by: Aretha Franklin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind