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.
Stairway to Heaven
Mary J. Blige Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she's buying the stairway to heaven.
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying the stairway to heaven.
There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on.
And it makes me wonder.
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him,
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.
And she's buying the stairway to heaven.
The lyrics of Mary J. Blige's version of "Stairway To Heaven" are essentially a reinterpretation of Led Zeppelin's version, with added guitar work from Steve Vai and Orianthi, as well as drumming from Travis Barker and bass from Randy Jackson. The song seems to explore the idea of the pursuit of wealth and power, and how it may lead one to a never-ending spiral of materialism, but ultimately, it remains ambiguous, much like the original Led Zeppelin version.
The first half of the song suggests that there is a "lady" who is "buying the stairway to heaven." She believes that everything that glitters is gold and that with a word, she can get anything she desires. However, the lyrics also suggest that she may not be sure of what she is doing, as there are "sometimes words with two meanings." There are also hints of regret and a longing to leave the material world behind in the line, "And my spirit is crying for leaving."
The second half of the song presents a somewhat surreal image of a "piper" who will lead people to a new way of living, and the idea that there are two paths one can take, but there is still time to change. The lyrics suggest that one must listen carefully and follow the whispers of the wind to find the path to their "stairway to heaven." Overall, the song is a poetic exploration of the human condition, with its themes of longing, regret, and the search for meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
There is a confident woman who believes that everything that shines is valuable and precious.
And she's buying the stairway to heaven.
She is acquiring the path to paradise, perhaps through means of wealth or power.
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
At her arrival, she is aware that if the shops are shut, she can still obtain whatever she wants with just a word.
With a word she can get what she came for.
Simply by speaking, she can acquire all that she desires.
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying the stairway to heaven.
She is taking ownership of the path that will lead her to eternal happiness.
There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
She notices the sign on the wall but wishes to verify its meaning so that there is no confusion.
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
(The sign's message could be ambiguous), as words can have dual interpretations depending on context.
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,
Perched in a tree beside the stream is a singing songbird.
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
Occasionally, our beliefs and ideas are incorrect or misguided.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
These mysteries and revelations cause me to consider different possibilities.
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
These enigmas inspire me to wonder further and seek deeper understanding.
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,
When I gaze towards the western horizon, I experience a specific sensation.
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
My soul is yearning to depart from my current circumstances.
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
I pictured smoke rings in the trees while in deep thought.
And the voices of those who stand looking.
In my visions, I hear the voices of the people who are observing my activities.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
These observations and reactions make me contemplate and question why they occur the way they do.
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
These stimuli are thought-provoking and stimulate me to consider all possibilities.
And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
There is quiet talk that if we all collaborate and have a unified message, we can influence the way things proceed.
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
If we have harmony and a common goal, we can be guided towards logical outcomes.
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
A new day will arrive for those who remain persistent and steadfast.
And the forests will echo with laughter.
As events unfold and positive outcomes occur, there will be an atmosphere of delight and humor throughout the world.
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
If there appears to be commotion and uncertainty in your life, do not panic or fret at this moment.
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
It is merely a time of refreshing and renewal in anticipation of new beginnings for the queen of May.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
There are both positive and negative choices to be made in life, but ultimately
There's still time to change the road you're on.
It is never too late to alter one's direction and take a more favorable course of action.
And it makes me wonder.
These insights and possibilities inspire me to curious contemplation.
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,
If you have a continuous and unrelenting thought in your mind, it will not dissipate unless you are cognizant of it.
The piper's calling you to join him,
An enigmatic personage, possibly a musician, is urging you to follow.
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Madame, can you perceive the whispering wind and do you realize
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
That your path to paradise is carried on the secret murmurings of the wind.
And as we wind on down the road
As we progress forward on our journey
Our shadows taller than our soul.
Our shadows are more prominent than our spiritual essence.
There walks a lady we all know
We encounter a woman who is universally recognized.
Who shines white light and wants to show
She is radiant and wishes to demonstrate
How everything still turns to gold.
That everything has the potential to maintain its preciousness and value.
And if you listen very hard
If you listen with great intensity,
The tune will come to you at last.
Eventually, you will hear the melody.
When all are one and one is all
In a world where we are all united as one
To be a rock and not to roll.
To be a steadfast and stable foundation without losing one's balance or composure.
And she's buying the stairway to heaven.
This woman is on the journey to paradise and actively pursuing that path.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tctennessee1722
That was a great studio of talent. Should had put together a whole album of cover songs with this group !
@ourhouse7796
Travis and Orianthi absolutely slayed.
@jawa6066
Mary has such a powerful voice .
@maidenfan237
ORIANTHI IS STRAIGHT MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@danialwidner3403
And with nails...
@sterlingspencer2934
She is a guitar Godess !
@americanmetalhead7318
that drummer is savage
@PPPH1L1PPP
Yes he was, and he has passed. Kinda sad there is no mention of it in the original video description.
@mattgreener2133
Travis Barker is not dead
@robertmirabilio5356
🎹No Doubt🎹 It Makes Us All Wonder!! Crónica!! Hearing it on a M radio and FM radio in constant rotation. If you were to like hear it on one channel you could go to another and it would be playing. It was one of the most played tracks on every playlist in the world