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.
Round and Round
Mary J. Blige Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Right next to that thing
Gon' have to roll over go have another round
I won't be holding back, my love
I won't be holding back
I won't be holding back, my love
No won't be holding back
Another round
Another round
Another round, oh I know I want another round
Another round (A round a round)
I used to want you and her and her and her and you with her and her
And now you got me alone and me tonight
I'ma give you my all, all I want is you
Hair in a bun 'cause sometimes the hair just hides your beauty
Swear on my son, ain't too many things could hide your booty
Call me what you like, but bet I slide with cutie
Kenny name wasn't Bud, but he still ride with Rudy
And that's why we comfortable as a Huxtable
You been around since the Lunchables, girl I fucks with you
In the back of the truck with you, same fingers I chuck with two
I'm just playing with you, thinking bout staying with you
Not forever but at least until the A.M. with you
Still playing with it, but you like it raw
Might need a morning after, what we did the night before
Might go another round if you're trying to fight me more
I won't be holding back, my love
I won't be holding back
I won't be holding back, my love
No won't be holding back
'Cause in the end you'll know I want another round
Another round
Another round
Another round, oh I know I want another round
Another round (A round a round)
I used to want you and her and her and her and you with her and her
And now you got me alone and me tonight
I'ma give you my all, all I want is you
Cake cake cake cake cake, you know you love it
Icing like Nuvo with a touch of red velvet, look at you,
You a star, I'm a G, Joe the Don
Super thief, I go hard in these sheets, I'm a God, Lord,
Emilio Pucci leggings for good behavior
I wanna tear them shits off you like Hulkamania
Then dive up in the pussy, Superfly Snuka
Have you coming back to back, more sex to cook up
But ask the girl will I hit advance
She post it out picture perfect, Instagram
I hit home runs and drink last shots
She tore her ACL from all the backshots
I won't be holding back, my love
I won't be holding back
I won't be holding back, my love
No won't be holding back
'Cause in the end you'll know I want another round
Another round
Another round
Another round, oh I know I want another round
Another round (A round a round)
I used to want you and her and her and her and you with her and her
And now you got me alone and me tonight
I'ma give you my all, all I want is you
So she done came down
Double cup with ice, man, I think she got some drink from me
Ever since I came round
She say she feel wrong, 'cause her boyfriend listen to me
I don't give a damn bout it
That nigga, if he trip, I got a whole clique of killers with me
See, I'm the man now
Rolling 24's through the hood, women checking for me
Girl, I ain't playing 'round
Pull up to the crib, hope you wearing something special for me
And I'mma lay it down
Round one, two, and three for you and me
I won't be holding back, my love
I won't be holding back
I won't be holding back, my love
No won't be holding back
'Cause in the end you'll know I want another round
Another round
Another round
Another round, oh I know I want another round
Another round (A round a round)
I used to want you and her and her and her and you with her and her
And now you got me alone and me tonight
I'ma give you my all, all I want is you
The song Round and Round by Mary J. Blige is a seductive and sensual tribute to a lover. The opening lines express the joy of waking up next to someone and the desire to have another round of intimacy. The lyrics are straightforward and unapologetically lustful, with Blige promising to give her all and hold nothing back. She celebrates the beauty of her partner, noting that she wears her hair in a bun to highlight her features.
Blige reflects on past desires for multiple partners but acknowledges that now she only wants her current lover. She uses playful language to describe her attraction, comparing her partner's booty to a precious gem and admitting that she is "just playing" but is also considering staying with her until morning. The song's rhythm and melody create an appropriately sexy and sultry vibe to complement the lyrics.
Overall, Round and Round is a steamy expression of attraction and desire that celebrates the joys of an intimate relationship. The lyrics are frank and honest, reflecting a confident and assertive personality that is unafraid to express her desires and passions.
Line by Line Meaning
I just like waking up
I enjoy waking up in the morning
Right next to that thing
Next to my lover/partner
Gon' have to roll over go have another round
I want to have sex again with my partner
I won't be holding back, my love
I will not hold back giving my love to you completely
No won't be holding back
I will not hold back
'Cause in the end you'll know I want another round
Ultimately, you will know that I want to have sex again
Another round
Another sexual encounter
I used to want you and her and her and her and you with her and her
I used to want multiple partners with you and others
And now you got me alone and me tonight
Now I am alone with you tonight
I'ma give you my all, all I want is you
I will give you all of my love and attention because all I want is you
Hair in a bun 'cause sometimes the hair just hides your beauty
I like your hair in a bun because it shows off your beauty
Swear on my son, ain't too many things could hide your booty
I swear that nothing could hide your great butt
Call me what you like, but bet I slide with cutie
You can call me whatever, but I will always be with my attractive partner
And that's why we comfortable as a Huxtable
We are comfortable with each other like the Huxtable family from the Cosby Show
You been around since the Lunchables, girl I fucks with you
We have been together for a long time since we were young and I love you
In the back of the truck with you, same fingers I chuck with two
I am comfortable being intimate with you in the back of my truck, using the same hand I use for other activities with you
I'm just playing with you, thinking bout staying with you
I am joking around, but I am thinking about being with you seriously
Not forever but at least until the A.M. with you
Maybe not forever, but I want to be with you at least until the morning
Still playing with it, but you like it raw
I am still messing around, but you enjoy having sex without any protection
Might need a morning after, what we did the night before
We might need some kind of birth control or protection because of what we did last night
Might go another round if you're trying to fight me more
We might have sex again if you are in the mood for it
Cake cake cake cake cake, you know you love it
You love cake and I am comparing that to our sex life
Icing like Nuvo with a touch of red velvet, look at you
Your body is special and delicious, like a fancy cake
You a star, I'm a G, Joe the Don
You are a star and I am a gangster, like Joe Pesci's character in Goodfellas
Super thief, I go hard in these sheets, I'm a God, Lord
I am really good at sex, it is like I am a god in bed
Emilio Pucci leggings for good behavior
You are wearing designer leggings as a reward for being good
I wanna tear them shits off you like Hulkamania
I want to rip off your leggings like Hulk Hogan tears his shirt off
Then dive up in the pussy, Superfly Snuka
I want to dive into your vagina like wrestler Superfly Snuka jumping off the ropes
Have you coming back to back, more sex to cook up
I want you to have multiple orgasms so we have to have more sex to satisfy you
But ask the girl will I hit advance
Ask any girl and they will say I want to have sex with them
She post it out picture perfect, Instagram
The girl is posting pictures of me and her on Instagram to show off that we are together
I hit home runs and drink last shots
I am a winner in bed and I celebrate with alcohol
She tore her ACL from all the backshots
She hurt her leg because we had so much sex from behind
So she done came down
She arrived at my place
Double cup with ice, man, I think she got some drink from me
She has a drink with ice and I think I gave it to her
Ever since I came round
Since I arrived
She say she feel wrong, 'cause her boyfriend listen to me
She feels guilty because she has a boyfriend and listens to my music
I don't give a damn bout it
I do not care about her boyfriend
That nigga, if he trip, I got a whole clique of killers with me
If her boyfriend causes any problems, I have a group of violent friends that will help me deal with it
See, I'm the man now
I am the man in her life now
Rolling 24's through the hood, women checking for me
I am driving through the neighborhood with fancy wheels and women are looking at me
Girl, I ain't playing 'round
I am serious about you
Pull up to the crib, hope you wearing something special for me
I arrived at your house and I hope you are dressed up for me
And I'mma lay it down
I am going to have sex with you
Round one, two, and three for you and me
We are going to have multiple rounds of sex together
Lyrics © DIVA ONE MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOYCE IRBY, DALLAS AUSTIN, CHRIS BROWN, JOSEPH CARTAGENA, MARCELLO VALENZANO, ANDRE LYON, BRIAN PICKENS, KENNETH JOSEPH, JARELL PERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind