Ne-Yo was a beautiful song writer before he became a recording artist. He has written songs for a number of artists, including Mary J. Blige, Ruben Studdard, Marques Houston, Faith Evans, Christina Milian, B2K, Nivea, Tyrese, Jamie Foxx , Heather Headley,and Mario . After coming off a bad deal with Columbia Records, Ne-Yo originally decided to remain as a songwriter until a close friend introduced him to L.A. Reid who signed him to Def Jam Records on the spot.
The origin of the name Ne-Yo was given by a mutual friend in 1999 who called him Neo because he could 'see' music akin to the character Neo from The Matrix trilogy. He altered the '-yo' part as an homage to his hip hop roots.
Ne-Yo's debut album, In My Own Words, was released in early 2006, through Def Jam Recordings, and debuted at number one on Billboard 200, selling over 301,000 copies in the first week and certified platinum. During the same week, Ne-Yo's second single "So Sick" (produced by Stargate) reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Ne-Yo is as famous for his songwriting as for his singing, writing such songs as Rihanna's top ten hit "Unfaithful", Mario's "Let Me Love You", Mario Vazquez's "Gallery", Paula DeAnda's "Walk Away (Remember Me)", and Beyoncé's Billboard Hot 100 ten-week number-one hit "Irreplaceable".
His second album, Because of You, was released May 1, 2007. The first single from the platinum-selling album was "Because of You". He has also said that he has written songs for Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Corbin Bleu, and Enrique Iglesias for their upcoming albums. Smith also has stated that he will write songs for Craig David, Usher, Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson, Leona Lewis, and he recently confirmed that he has been contacted by producer will.i.am to work on Michael Jackson's upcoming album.
Ne-Yo opened a recording studio called Carrington House and started his own label, Compound Entertainment, in 2007; Paula Campbell, Sixx John, and Shanell are now associated with Compound.
In December 2007, Ne-Yo and the Goo Goo Dolls performed at a fundraising concert for presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.
He appeared in the song "Deewangi Deewangi" in the Hindi movie Om Shanti Om.
In February 2008 at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, Ne-Yo won Best Contemporary R&B Album for Because Of You.
The Lazy Love Songfacts reports that Ne-Yo's fifth studio album was originally titled 'The Cracks in Mr. Perfect' before Ne-Yo changed it to R.E.D, which stands for "Realising Every Dream".
Fade Into the Background
Ne-Yo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the far end of the aisle
Standing where I should be standing
Some other man on his face there's a smile
I just walked in sat down silent
I stood outside for awhile
Wondering why did I come here
And now all I can do is smile
And fade into the background
I'll say congratulations and I'll fade into the background
Such a lovely reception
I sit here sipping Rosé
Then we catch eyes for a second
Both of us smile then quickly look away
It's funny you don't know what you got
Till you ain't got it no more
Put down my glass grab the bottle
I throw it back and I shout she with somebody else
And now all I can do is smile
And fade into the background
I'll say congratulations and I'll fade into the background
Fade right into the background
She's with somebody else
And now all I can do is smile
And fade into the background
I'll say congratulations and I'll fade into the background
The song “Fade Into the Background” by Ne-Yo depicts a man attending his ex-girlfriend’s wedding, realizing that he made a mistake by losing her, and now he must accept that she is with someone else. He describes her as looking stunning in a white dress and standing at the far end of the aisle where he should have been standing. Another man is standing next to her with a smile on his face, the smile that should have been on his face. The man is filled with regret and wonders why he even attended the wedding, knowing that he messed up and now she is happy with someone else.
As he watches her from afar, he realizes that he must fade into the background, offer his congratulations and move on. He acknowledges that he lost her and there is nothing more he can do. He feels helpless and trapped, sitting quietly and sipping on Rosé, watching her from a distance, catching her gaze and quickly looking away. In a moment of desperation, he throws the Rosé bottle back and shouts that she's with somebody else, realizing that he may never have a chance with her again. The song closes with a realization of his fate, fading into the background, and congratulating his ex-girlfriend on her wedding day, knowing that he may always hold a place for her in his heart.
Overall, the song “Fade Into the Background” is a powerful and relatable song about lost love, regret, and moving on. It's about the recognition that sometimes, we can't always get what we want and must accept the reality of a situation so that we can continue to grow.
Line by Line Meaning
She looks so good in that white dress
I am admiring my ex-partner as she walks down the aisle in a beautiful white dress.
At the far end of the aisle
She is standing at a distance from me, at the end of the aisle.
Standing where I should be standing
She is standing where I would have stood if I had not lost her.
Some other man on his face there's a smile
She is with someone new now, and he is happy to be with her.
I just walked in sat down silent
I have arrived and taken a seat quietly.
I stood outside for awhile
Before coming in, I hesitated and thought about why I was there.
Wondering why did I come here
I am questioning my decision to attend this event.
Face it you messed up and now she's with somebody else
I am acknowledging that I made a mistake and now she is with someone else.
And now all I can do is smile
I am trying to keep a brave face and not show my sadness.
And fade into the background
I will try to blend in and not draw attention to myself.
I'll say congratulations and I'll fade into the background
I will congratulate the couple and then try to blend in with the crowd.
Such a lovely reception
The event is well-planned and enjoyable.
I sit here sipping Rosé
I am having a drink to calm my nerves and cope with my emotions.
Then we catch eyes for a second
We make eye contact briefly.
Both of us smile then quickly look away
We are acknowledging each other, but we both avoid further interaction.
It's funny you don't know what you got
It is ironic that I did not appreciate what I had until it was gone.
Till you ain't got it no more
Now that she is with someone else, I realize how much I miss her.
Put down my glass grab the bottle
I am becoming upset and losing control of my emotions.
I throw it back and I shout she with somebody else
I am angry and upset that she is with someone else, and I cannot handle the situation.
Fade right into the background
I am trying to avoid causing a scene or drawing attention to myself.
She's with somebody else
I am accepting the reality that she has moved on and is now with someone else.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SHAFFER SMITH, SHOMARI WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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