In 1991, at the age of eleven, Monica was discovered by music producer Dallas Austin at the Center Stage auditorium in Atlanta performing Whitney Houston 1986's Greatest Love of All. Amazed by her voice, Dallas offered her a record deal with his Arista Records-distributed label Rowdy Records and consulted rapper Queen Latifah to work as Monica's first manager. Shortly afterwards Dallas and then staff producers Tim & Bob entered the studio with Monica to start writing and producing her debut Miss Thang which was eventually released in July 1995 and scored number thirty-six on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number seven on the Top R&B Albums chart. It was certified triple platinum by the RIAA for more than three million store-shipped copies and produced three top ten singles, including debut single Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days) and Before You Walk out of My Life both of which made Monica the youngest artist ever to have two consecutive chart-topping hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart. Miss Thang subsequently won Monica a Billboard Music Award and garnered her an American Music Award nomination in the Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist category.
After a label change to Clive Davis's Arista Records, Monica mainstream success was boosted, when Diane Warren-written For You I Will, from the Space Jam soundtrack, became her next top ten pop hit. The following year she was asked to team up with singer Brandy and producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins to record The Boy Is Mine, the first single from both of their second albums. Released in May 1998, surrounding highly publicized rumors about a real-life catfight between both singers, the duet became both the biggest hit of the summer and the biggest hit of 1998 in general in America, spending record-breaking thirteen weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It earned the pair a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and garnered multi-platinum sales (to date, it remains as one of the top twenty most successful American singles in history based on Billboard chart success).
Jermaine Dupri, David Foster and Austin consulted on the album The Boy Is Mine, which was released later that year and eventually became Monica’s biggest-selling album, becoming certified triple platinum by the RIAA for more than three million store-shipped copies. It yielded another two U.S. number-one hits with The First Night and Angel of Mine, a cover of Eternal's 1997 single, as well as a remake of Richard Marx' Right Here Waiting. Rolling Stone Magazine proclaimed it as "closer to soul's source... hearking back past hip-hop songbirds like Mary J. Blige and adult-contemporary sirens like Toni Braxton," while Allmusic called the album an "irresistible sounding [and] immaculately crafted musical backdrop [...] as good as mainstream urban R&B gets in 1998."
In 2000, Monica contributed chorus vocals for I've Got to Have It, a collaboration with Jermaine Dupri and rapper Nas. Released as the Big Momma's House theme song, the song saw minor success in the United States only. The following year, she released the Ric Wake production track Just Another Girl, recorded for the Down to Earth soundtrack, as a single.
A year later, Arnold channeled much of her heavily media-discussed experiences into the production of her third studio album, All Eyez on Me, her first release on mentor Clive Davis newly-founded J Records label. "I just wanted to give the people back something that had personal passion, instead of just, 'Oh, let's dance to this record'," she said about the issues worked into the tracks. The first single All Eyez on Me a Rodney Jerkins-produced R&B-dance track, saw minor to moderate success on the international charts but failed to enter the higher half of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. A follow-up song, Too Hood, also got a lukewarm response and as a result, the album's tentative release was pushed back several times. "I don't think people wanted to hear a big fun record from me, after knowing all the things that I had personally experienced," Monica second-guessed her new material which saw both early and heavy bootlegging via internet at that time.
After the Japan-wide release of All Eyez on Me Monica was asked to substantially reconstruct the record with a host of new producers, and as a result the singer re-entered recording studios to start work with songwriters Kanye West, Jazze Pha, Andre "mrDEYO" Deyo, Bam & Ryan and Dupri-replacing executive producer Missy Elliott. Finally released in June 2003, After the Storm debuted at number one on Billboard`s Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, and on top of the official Billboard 200, with sales of 186,000 copies emerging as Monica's first and only number-one album to date. It eventually received a gold certification, and has sold over one million copies domestically. Media reception of the CD was generally enthusiastic, with the Allmusic saying the album "has all the assuredness and smart developments that should keep Monica's younger longtime followers behind her — all the while holding the ability to appeal to a wider spectrum of R&B and hip-hop fans." The album's lead single, Elliott-penned So Gone, was one of Monica's biggest commercial successes in years, becoming her first top ten single since 1999's Angel of Mine. In addition, it reached the top position of the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks and Hot Dance Club Play charts. Subsequently, After the Storm spawned another three singles, with final single U Should've Known Better reaching number nineteen on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 2005, Monica appeared on the Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman soundtrack. The track was one of Monica's last production by Dallas Austin.
Returning from yet another musical hiatus, Arnold's fourth studio album The Makings of Me was released in October 2006. Titled after Curtis Mayfield's 1970 recording The Makings of You, the album saw her particularly reuniting with producers Elliott, Dupri, and Bryan Michael Cox, all of whom had previously contributed to After the Storm (2003). The Makings of Me received a positive reception from most professional music critics, with Allmusic calling it a "concise and mostly sweet set of songs," and Entertainment Weekly declaring it "a solid addition" to Monica's discography. While it debuted at number one on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, and at number eight on the official Billboard 200, it received a domestic sales total of 328,000 copies, it widely failed to revive the success of its predecessors and became the singer's lowest-selling effort to date. Singles such as snap-influenced Everytime Tha Beat Drop featuring Atlanta hip hop group Dem Franchize Boyz and Elliott-produced A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me) failed to reach the top forty of the regular pop charts.
In 2009, Arnold lent her voice to the ballad Trust a duet with Keyshia Cole, that peaked in the top five on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The recording of Arnold's sixth studio album Still Standing was chronicled by her BET reality series of the same name. Featuring production by Stargate, Ne-Yo, and Polow da Don, it was released in March 2010 and garnered a generally positive response by critics, who perceived its sound as "a return to the mid-'1990s heyday" of contemporary R&B, The album debuted atop on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, and number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 184,000 copies, becoming the singer's second highest-charting debut since 2003's After the Storm. The leading single Everything to Me scored Monica her biggest chart success since 2003's So Gone, reaching the top position of the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks charts for seven weeks. The album was certified gold by the RIAA with domestic shipments of 500,000 copies within a single month. With it success, the album and Everything to Me was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, presented at the 53rd Grammy Awards in 2011. In August 2010, Arnold joined Trey Songz on his Passion, Pain & Pleasure Tour, her first North American concert tour in ten years.
The New Life (Intro) Songfacts reports that New Life was Monica's debut release with RCA, following the disbandment of her former label, J Records in October 2011. The album was dropped on April 10, 2012 in the US. She explained the meaning of its title on Twitter: "A good word goes a long way. Life is hard enough. Me and my followers believe in God, love, strength, family, unity and growth [...] Don't be afraid of new things, new people, new opportunities or new love. It just may give you a New Life."
Take A Chance
Monica Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is as honest as I could be
My sole objective is to love listen and respect her
From this very second I'm just saying that
You special enough for me to want to protect you, against you
And don't love me shorty
I'm sure you did a lot of things
Didn't you wait, don't tell me
I know you kissed a lot of girls
Told a lot of lies
Broke a few heats but listen
I ain't feel none of that last night when you held me
I just wanna believe that you
Met a girl who felt something different
(different from all the other ones)
I believe that girl met you
And saw someone who had some beautiful intentions
So let's just take a chance
Take a hand, take a leap
And do what most won't underštand
(Let's just take a chance)
Who knows where we'll end
I'll be down if you tell me you can't
I'll learn to change my plans
I'm willing to change my plans
I'm willing to take that chance
(Just take a chance)
Uh, settle down queen
I've been begging you forever just for now queen
When the time's right
Get your mind right
We will tell our whole town this is our thing
But for now queen
This is how it'll be
I could fully understand if you gotta leave
When the time's right
Get my mind right
I'ma get these dummy form around me
Got a past I'm ashamed of
Past full of danger
I can give you everything but a last name is sacred
All I ask is a chance that you take
And be safe with yourself and never lack any patience
I'm a young wild bull who been through a lot
Use them get summer hot
I could stop, I take them down
But I take you out
It's funny how you get the ring and they only give 'em the box
So let's just take a chance
Take a hand, take a leap
And do what most won't understand
(Let's just take a chance)
Who knows where we'll end
I'll be down if you tell me you can't
I'm willing to change my plans
I'ma pay attention to the obvious
So there's no need for you to mention
Your past I'm ready
So let's just take a chance
Take a hand, take a leap
And do what mošt won't understand
(Let's just take a chance)
Who knows where we'll end
I'll be down if you tell me you can't
I'm willing to change my plans
I'm willing to take that chance
Let's take a chance
The lyrics of Monica’s “Take A Chance” featuring Wale focuses on the theme of taking risks in love despite past experiences. Wale starts off by expressing how he wants to protect Monica and is willing to love, listen and respect her. However, he acknowledges Monica’s past actions and regrets, stating that he wants to protect her against herself. He then assures her that despite her past, he doesn’t blame her for her actions and feels none of her past misdeeds during their time together. He believes that Monica is special and different from other girls and that he too has beautiful intentions. Therefore, he urges her to take a chance on him and do something that most people wouldn’t understand.
Monica reciprocates by admitting that she too has made mistakes in the past but believes that Wale is different from other guys. She trusts him enough to take a chance on him and to do what most people wouldn’t comprehend. Both artists understand that taking a chance on love is risky, but they are willing to do it anyway. They encourage each other to be patient and be with each other every step of the way.
In conclusion, the lyrics of the song convey the message of taking a leap of faith in matters of the heart, especially when you feel like you have met someone special who is worth the risk.
Line by Line Meaning
A couple of things
Let me share a few thoughts
This is as honest as I could be
I'm being truthful with you
My sole objective is to love listen and respect her
All I want is to love, listen, and respect you
From this very second I'm just saying that
Starting now, I want to express
You special enough for me to want to protect you, against you
You're so special to me that I want to protect you from yourself
And don't love me shorty
Love me for who I am
I'm sure you did a lot of things
I know you have a past
Before I got in the picture
Before I came into your life
Didn't you wait, don't tell me
Don't pretend you were waiting for me
I know you kissed a lot of girls
I know you've kissed other girls
Told a lot of lies
You've lied many times
Broke a few heats but listen
You've hurt some people before, but hear me out
I ain't feel none of that last night when you held me
Last night was different, I didn't feel any of that
I just wanna believe that you
I want to believe
Met a girl who felt something different
You met someone new
(different from all the other ones)
Different than the others you've been with
I believe that girl met you
I believe you've changed
And saw someone who had some beautiful intentions
And saw the beautiful person you truly are
Uh, settle down queen
Calm down, my queen
I've been begging you forever just for now queen
I've been asking you for a while now
When the time's right
We'll do it when it's right
Get your mind right
Get yourself together
We will tell our whole town this is our thing
We'll let everyone know we're together
But for now queen
For now
This is how it'll be
This is how things are
I could fully understand if you gotta leave
I would understand if you left
I'ma get these dummy form around me
I'll get rid of all the bad influences in my life
Got a past I'm ashamed of
I have a past I'm not proud of
Past full of danger
My past was dangerous
I can give you everything but a last name is sacred
I can give you everything except a marriage proposal
All I ask is a chance that you take
All I want is a chance
And be safe with yourself and never lack any patience
Take care of yourself and be patient
I'm a young wild bull who been through a lot
I'm young and wild, and I've been through things
Use them get summer hot
I've had fun in the past
I could stop, I take them down
I could stop being wild
But I take you out
But I choose you
It's funny how you get the ring and they only give 'em the box
It's ironic how some people only get the box for an engagement ring, but I value you more than that
I'ma pay attention to the obvious
I'll pay attention to what's important
So there's no need for you to mention
You don't have to bring up your past
Your past I'm ready
I'm ready for your past
Let's take a chance
Let's do this
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: OLUBOWALE AKINTIMEHIN, RICHARD BUTLER, ERIC GOUDY, EARL HOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind