Tresvant sang lead on many of the New Edition lead singles including "Candy Girl", "Cool It Now" and "If It Isn't Love". Tresvant led the group from 1983 to 1989.
Despite the success of groupmates Bobby Brown, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Johnny Gill, Tresvant was cautious about his own solo career. Signing to MCA Records, Tresvant let his apprehension be known in several interviews.
Nevertheless, well-known producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis were confident in his abilities after having worked with him on the album Heart Break. They wrote the song "Sensitivity" for him which hit #1 on the R&B charts, #4 on the Hot 100 and it went gold. His self-titled album released shortly after in 1990 and went platinum as well, topping the R&B charts. The album scored two more hits with "Stone Cold Gentleman" reaching #3 on the R&B charts and "Do What I Gotta Do" which reached #2.
Tresvant appeared in the movie House Party 2 in 1991 and the play, "The Man Of Her Dreams" in 2002. In 1993, he released his second album, It's Goin' Down. The album gave Tresvant greater involvement as he produced many of the tracks himself. However, perhaps due to limited promotion, the album failed to perform commercially as well as the debut.
On September 18, 2004, he married Amber Serrano.
Ralph's third solo album, Rizz Wa Faire, was released March 7, 2006. The first single from the album was "My Homegirl".
Alright Now
Ralph Tresvant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too blind to see
I turned my back
On all your needs
What a price
I almost let you get away
You're like the precious air I breathe
I'm not complete
Now, I know
And my forever starts today
'Cause it's alright now with me
Yes, it's alright now, you see
I'll be all you'll ever need
This time
I can believe in who I am
Now that you're back with me again
I can see
That what is meant will always be
Let me reach out
And take your hand
I'll make you know
I am your man
You're the one that I will love eternally
'Cause it's alright now with me
Yes, it's alright now, you see
I'll be all you'll ever need
This time
'Cause it's alright now with me
Yes, it's alright now, you see
I'll be all you'll ever need
This time
This is the time
When we give to each other
Whatever we need
We learn that by giving
We'll always receive
And I know that our love
Will be all it can be
Ooh, this time
It's alright, babe
Yeah, love
'Cause it's alright now with me
Yes, it's alright now, you see
I'll be all you'll ever need
This time
'Cause it's alright now with me
Yes, it's alright now, you see
I'll be all you'll ever need
This time
Hey, baby
(It's alright now with me)
It's gonna be all right
(Yes, it's alright now, you see)
Oh, yes, it will
(I'll be all you'll ever need)
That's what I mean
This time
This is the time
When we give to each other
Whatever we need
We learn that by giving
We'll always receive
And I know that our love
Will be all it can be
Ooh, this time
Yes, it's
(Alright now with me)
And it's
(Alright now, you see)
(I'll be all you'll ever need)
I'll be all you need
This time
('Cause it's alright now with me)
(Alright now, you see)
(All you'll ever need)
(This time)
It's gonna work out
It's gonna work out
The song "Alright Now" by Ralph Tresvant is a love ballad that revolves around a man expressing how he had been foolish to take his love for granted and almost let her go. He acknowledges his mistake and now that she's back with him, he promises to be all that she'll ever need. He compares his need for her to the precious air he breathes, stating that without her, he's incomplete. The song speaks to the idea of understanding the value of something only after it's lost or almost lost.
In the second verse, the singer takes ownership of his actions and reaches out to take her hand, promising to love her eternally. He speaks to the idea of giving and receiving, stating that he's ready to give her whatever she needs, and he knows that their love will be all it can be. The chorus repeats the idea that everything is alright now with him because she's back. It's a beautiful love song that expresses the importance of appreciating and valuing one's partner.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a fool
In the past, I made poor decisions and wasn't able to see things clearly
Too blind to see
My blindness prevented me from seeing the bigger picture
I turned my back
I neglected my responsibilities and obligations towards you
On all your needs
I was indifferent to your requests and ignored your needs
What a price
It nearly cost me to lose you forever
I almost let you get away
I nearly lost you forever due to my foolishness
You're like the precious air I breathe
Your love and presence are as important to me as air to breathe
Without your love
My life would be lost without your affection and love
I'm not complete
Your love gives me a sense of wholeness and meaning in life
Now, I know
After reflecting on my mistakes, I understand the importance of your love in my life
And my forever starts today
I commit myself to you from today forevermore
'Cause it's alright now with me
I have made peace with myself and the situation
Yes, it's alright now, you see
Everything is good between us now
I'll be all you'll ever need
I promise to fulfill all your needs and make you happy forevermore
This time
This time, I will not make the same mistake again
I can believe in who I am
Your love gives me confidence in myself
Now that you're back with me again
Having you back in my life completes me
I can see
I have gained clarity and insight about the situation and relationship
That what is meant will always be
Our love was meant to be and will always exist forever
Let me reach out
Allow me to bridge the gap and initiate a fresh start
And take your hand
I want to hold your hand and never let you go
I'll make you know
I will make things right and show you how much you mean to me
I am your man
I am committed to you and will always be there for you as a man should be
You're the one that I will love eternally
My love for you is timeless and will last forever
Hey, baby
Affectionate term used to address a loved one
It's gonna be all right
Everything is going to work out for us now
That's what I mean
That is what I am trying to say
This is the time
Now is the right time to give and receive love
When we give to each other
By loving each other, we give and receive happiness
Whatever we need
We will provide for each other's needs and desires
We learn that by giving
Giving love and affection makes our relationship stronger
We'll always receive
We both will receive love and happiness from each other
And I know that our love
I am sure that our love is everlasting
Will be all it can be
Our love will reach its fullest potential and thrive
It's gonna work out
Our relationship will lead to a bright and prosperous future
Contributed by Levi E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.