Like the Jackson 5 before them, New Edition became a pop phenomenon, and were big enough to have Madonna as an opening act during their early days.
The group parted company with Starr in 1984; Starr responded by promptly creating the group New Kids on the Block, essentially New Edition with Caucasian teenagers. After the split the boys still received success from singles such as "Cool It Now, Mr. Telephone Man", and "Count Me Out". Around 1986, Bobby Brown was voted out of the group, due to behavioral problems during concerts, He went on to pursue a solo career in 1987 but did not find success in his solo ventures until 1988. Brown was replaced by former solo child star Johnny Gill who would become an official member that same year. The group's sound also evolved at this time from bubblegum pop-styled R&B to smoother, more adult music. The new material, primarily produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, had a strong new jack swing feel. The first album recorded with Gill, Heart Break, had numerous R&B hits, including "If It Isn't Love", "Can You Stand The Rain", "N.E. Heart Break", and "Boys To Men" (which later lent its name to the Philadelphia-based group Boyz II Men).
New Edition essentially broke up in 1989, with Bell, Bivins, and DeVoe forming the popular hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant beginning his solo career and Gill restarting his solo career, with more success this time. In 1991, the group had a semi-reunion of sorts when they recorded a remix of the Bell Biv DeVoe track "Word To The Mutha!" in which all six members performed and appeared in the music video.
In 1996, the reunion became complete, as all six former members reunited for the Home Again album. Although the album featured the hit singles "Hit Me Off" and "I'm Still In Love With You", the ensuing tour would prove disastrous for the group. By the middle leg of the tour in 1997, Bobby Brown and Mike Bivins left, due to egos clashing and a less-than-harmonious time with the other members. The band canceled the tour and went on indefinite hiatus soon afterward.
The band reformed again in 2002 without Bobby Brown and released an album on Bad Boy Records entitled "One Love". They are currently working in the studio with plans to release another album with all six members in 2008.
Home Again
New Edition Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hope you still feel I belong
I didn't mean to cause you pain
Nothin' to lose, much more to gain
So can you stand the rain
Just when I thought that we were through
I found my way right back to you
I can't change what happened in the past
Can you stand the rain?
(Can you stand the rain?)
So on the story goes
Heaven only knows
The road of life will turn
A lesson we will learn
An no one knows but fate how we'll end
People who know
They say you can't go
Home again
But if you ask me
I'm happy to be home again
I stand here all alone confused
Cause I like living with and without you
Will our story end
Like a fairy tale
Or just another heartbreak
Only time will tell
(Can you stand the rain?)
So on the story goes
Heaven only knows
The road of life will turn
A lesson we will learn
An no one knows but fate how we'll end
People who know
They say you can't go
Home again
But if you ask me
I'm happy to be home again
(Home Again)
No matter where
No matter how
No turning back
No stopping now
Cause we may never ever pass this way again
Just give me one more chance
Let me come home again
Chorus:So on the story goes
Heaven only knows
The road of life will turn
A lesson we will learn
An no one knows but fate how we'll end
People who know
They say you can't go
Home again
But if you ask me
I'm happy to be home again
So now you kinda understand the story, right
Me and the fellas trying to bring this back together
Just like old times
Ya'll know when it used to be
Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky,Mike, Ralph, Johnny
Take it back like that
So fellas, let's take this record home
And this time, let's stay there
The lyrics to New Edition's song "Home Again" address the idea of returning to a place where one once belonged. The singer has been away for too long, and he hopes that he still fits in with the people and the surroundings that he left behind. He acknowledges that he has caused pain in the past, but he wants to make things right and start anew. The chorus asks a simple yet powerful question: can you stand the rain? It is a metaphor for enduring the obstacles and difficulties that will inevitably come their way. The singer is unsure of how their story will end, but he is content and happy to be back "home again."
The song is a powerful and emotional message about the importance of home, belonging, and forgiveness. It speaks to anyone who has ever left a place they loved and missed, and returned to it with mixed emotions. The lyrics are relatable, and the melody is catchy and uplifting. The song is a reminder that no matter where we go and what we do, there is always a place where we belong and people who will accept us.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been away for much too long
I have been gone for a significant amount of time
I hope you still feel I belong
I wish to be accepted after being gone
I didn't mean to cause you pain
I regret the hurt I may have caused
Nothin' to lose, much more to gain
There is nothing left to lose and everything to gain
So can you stand the rain
Will you persevere through any struggles that come our way?
Just when I thought that we were through
At the point where it seemed like it was the end
I found my way right back to you
I managed to make my way back to you
I can't change what happened in the past
I cannot alter what has already occurred
And won't promise this time it'll last
I cannot commit to it being permanent this time
Can you stand the rain?
Are you strong enough to weather the storm?
(Can you stand the rain?)
Repeating the question
So on the story goes
And the narrative continues
Heaven only knows
Only God knows what will happen
The road of life will turn
Our lives will have unexpected twists and turns
A lesson we will learn
We will gain knowledge from our experiences
An no one knows but fate how we'll end
No one but destiny knows our final outcome
People who know
Those who have experience
They say you can't go
They believe that you cannot return
Home again
Back to where you belong
But if you ask me
However, in my opinion
I'm happy to be home again
I am content to have returned
I stand here all alone confused
I am standing by myself, feeling perplexed
Cause I like living with and without you
Since I enjoy both being with and without you
Will our story end
What will be the conclusion to our tale?
Like a fairy tale
Will our ending be a magical one?
Or just another heartbreak
Or will it be like all the other times, disappointing and sad?
Only time will tell
Only the passage of time will reveal the answer
(Can you stand the rain?)
Repeating the question
No matter where
Regardless of location
No matter how
No matter the circumstances
No turning back
We cannot go back to the past
No stopping now
We cannot halt our progress
Cause we may never ever pass this way again
We may never have this opportunity again
Just give me one more chance
Grant me another opportunity
Let me come home again
Permit me to come back where I belong
Chorus:So on the story goes
Repeating the chorus
So now you kinda understand the story, right
Now you have grasped the concept, correct?
Me and the fellas trying to bring this back together
The group and I are attempting to reunite and reconcile
Just like old times
Just like it used to be
Ya'll know when it used to be
You all remember how it was before
Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky,Mike, Ralph, Johnny
Naming the group members
Take it back like that
Let's revert to how things were
So fellas, let's take this record home
So, group members, let's finish this song with great success
And this time, let's stay there
And this time, let's remain united
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL HARRIS, BEN HARRIS, STEVE SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind