Phats & Small appeared on the scene in 1998 with "Turn Around", a track that featured sampled Toney Lee's "Reach Up" and Change's "The Glow of Love". The song debuted at number three in the UK Singles Chart, before climbing to number two, with career sales of this hit amassing them £5,000 in total due to their recording contract. Singer Ben Ofoedu appears in the video for the track miming to the vocals. Future releases featured his voice but "Turn Around" featured Lee's voice. However, Ofoedu has been known to perform the track live. In 1999, they also released their first album, Now Phats What I Small Music, a play on their name and the compilation series Now That's What I Call Music!. Ofoedu sang on two tracks, "Feel Good" and "Tonite", which were also released as singles. In 1999, Phats & Small also achieved notoriety for remixing the Earth, Wind & Fire track, "September" and Simply Red's "Ain't That a Lot of Love". Other remixes around the same time included PJ "Happy Days", Space Raiders "I Need The Disko Doktor", High Steppers "I Will Follow" and pop group A1's single "Be the First to Believe".
Ofoedu left the group to pursue a solo career as singer, songwriter and producer, and his backing vocalist Tony Thompson, was promoted to main vocalist. He sang on most tracks in Phats & Small's second album, This Time Around, released in 2001, which featured an eponymous single, as well as "Change" and "Respect The Cock" (which was supposed to feature the phrase uttered by Tom Cruise in the film Magnolia).[citation needed] The second album was co-produced by Jimmy Gomez.
After a few years away from the recording studio, Phats & Small returned in 2005 with a new vocalist, Ryan Molloy, and a new album, Soundtrack to Our Lives, featuring the single "Sun Comes Out", this track sung by a returning Ofoedu and a new female vocalist, Carrie Luer.
In 2016, a new version of "Turn Around" was made featuring new vocals from Ofoedu.
Small is also one half of the production team The Freemasons, along with James Wiltshire (Jimmy Gómez) who was a co-producer for Phats & Small.
Small is a Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. fan after being taken to games as a youngster by his uncle.
Their song "Turn Around" was on the CD of the computer game K.S.-n-Kickin.
This Time Around
Phats & Small Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, yeah
I never thought you'd take me back but you did
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
[Repeat: x 2]
This time around, I ain't gonna let you down
This time around
This time around
Never thought you'd come running
Never thought you'd come running
But you did, yeah, yeah
Never thought you'd come running
Never thought you'd come running
But you did, yeah, yeah
I never thought I'd come running back to you, but I did
Yeah, yeah
I, never thought you'd take me back
But you did, yeah, yeah, yeah
This time around I ain't gonna let you down
This time around (repeat for three times)
Never thought you'd come running
Never thought you'd come running
But you did, yeah, yeah [Repeat: x 3]
This time around I ain't gonna let you down
This time around [Repeat: x 2]
The lyrics of Phats & Small's song "This Time Around" talks about second chances in love. The song talks about two individuals who never thought they would run back into each other's arms but they eventually did. The repetition of the lines "I never thought I'd come running back to you, but I did" and "I never thought you'd take me back but you did" highlights the shock that both of them experienced in finding their love again.
The chorus "This time around, I ain't gonna let you down" shows the determination of the singer in making sure that they don't make the same mistakes twice. The repetition of this line signifies the strong willpower from the singer to make things right this time around. The line "Never thought you'd come running, but you did" represents the surprise when they met again and how unexpected it was for them to fall in love all over again with each other.
Overall, the song is about forgiveness, redemption, and giving love a second chance. The lyrics showcase how vulnerable and uncertain one can be in love, but it also exhibits hope in trying to make things work again.
Line by Line Meaning
I, never thought I'd come running back to you, but I did
I didn't expect to return to you, but I did anyway
Yeah, yeah
Just affirming what was said before
I never thought you'd take me back but you did
I didn't think you would forgive me and let me come back, but you surprised me
This time around, I ain't gonna let you down
I promise this time not to disappoint you
This time around
Referring back to the promise just made
Never thought you'd come running
I didn't expect you to pursue me
But you did, yeah, yeah
But you surprised me and came after me anyway
This time around I ain't gonna let you down
Again reaffirming the promise not to disappoint
This time around [Repeat: x 2]
Repeating the promise again for emphasis
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHAD VACCARINO, IAN AXEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dave 2020
I remember hearing this song in night clubs in 2001. I went almost 20 years before I heard it again and had no idea who sang it or the name of the song. I could only remember the chorus. 2001 was a great year for club music!
Sandro Mauro
Classic Disco House!!! 😍🎶🎵📽️🎄
Horrible Covers
gracias por subir esta canción. una de mi temas favoritas, y los paisajes de Cuba, precioso. One of their best songs, I'm not getting tired of listening to it after all these years
Harry Raam
im going to back to the 90s in Rotterdam Hollanda where phatts and small come! 24th of september 2022
Lucien Jolivet
Je ne connaissais pas ,excellent ce morceau
Sahil Doshi
Oui!
skurinski
Memories of watching MTV Europe in 2001
narc78
I was looking for this song for years.
Theodorious 84
I haven't heard this one in 20 years.
Wow... time flies
m.V
Magnifique je ne m'en lasse pas. A noter dans le clip, le frère de Tom CRUISE et le fils de BOURVIL...... B.V.