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".
Money Can't Buy You Love
Ralph Tresvant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh yeah-yeah oh, ooh
Don't wanna sound like I'm a golddigger
But I like the finer things in life, alright
Can't be spending my time with nobody who ain't doing nothing
So now y'all wanna own my own leather
So I gotta keep my focus tight, alright
[Chorus:]
Money can't buy you love
But it sho-nuff pay's the bills around here, oh yeah
But you do without it you'll need money too
Money can't buy you love
But it sho-nuff pay's the bills up in here, oh yeah
Now baby let me make it real simple
I can do bad all by myself ooh babe
I aint never been one
Who needs somebody else to buy me something
But could you try to be a gift giver
Cause I don't want nobody else, oh no, said oh no baby
It might sound kinda funny but
[Chorus]
Baby, I know you love
But you know that I'm a shopper
See why can't you show you love me
(Show me dem dollers, dollers, dollers)
Just like I show you I love you
So if you wanna holla)
Don't be afraid to give...
I said I'm all about the money baby, the money baby
I'm all about the rent, oh yea-yeah
I need my hair done, my nails done
A new Prada bag, a brand new Jag
See that don't make me a golddigger
I just like the finer things you can bring
It might sound funny but...
[Chorus 2x]
Money can't buy you love
But it sho-nuff pay's the bills around here, oh yeah
But you do without it you'll need money too
So don't be afraid to give, oh
Ralph Tresvant's song "Money Can't Buy You Love" is all about the misconceptions and realities of money and love. The song starts by saying he doesn't want to seem like a "gold-digger," but he likes the finer things in life. He can't be with someone who isn't doing anything, so he has to focus and work hard to get what he wants. However, he acknowledges that while money can't buy love, it does pay the bills.
The chorus repeats throughout the song, emphasizing that while money can't buy you love, it pays the bills and is necessary to live. He then asks his partner to try to be a gift giver, but emphasizes that he doesn't need someone else to buy him things. Instead, he wants his partner to show him love by giving him gifts just like how he shows his love for them.
In the bridge, he acknowledges that he's all about the money but emphasizes that it doesn't make him a "gold-digger." He just likes nice things, and there's nothing wrong with that. He emphasizes that money doesn't buy love, but it can help pay for things like rent, nails, and a new Prada bag.
Overall, the song is a reminder that while money can help pay for things, it doesn't guarantee love. Love is something that can't be bought, and it's important to remember that when focusing on material things.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't wanna sound like I'm a golddigger
I don't want to come across as a materialistic person who loves someone just for their money.
But I like the finer things in life, alright
But I do appreciate and enjoy the luxurious things that life has to offer.
Can't be spending my time with nobody who ain't doing nothing
I can't waste my time with someone who isn't motivated and productive in life.
So now y'all wanna own my own leather
So now you want to criticize me for wanting to have nice things like leather.
So I gotta keep my focus tight, alright
So I need to stay focused and driven to achieve the things I want in life.
Money can't buy you love
Money can't buy genuine love and affection from someone.
But it sho-nuff pay's the bills around here, oh yeah
But money certainly helps to pay for necessities and bills in life.
But you do without it you'll need money too
Even if you don't care about material things, you still need money to survive.
Now baby let me make it real simple
Let me explain this in a straightforward manner.
I can do bad all by myself ooh babe
I can handle difficult situations on my own without relying on someone else.
I aint never been one
I have never been someone
Who needs somebody else to buy me something
Who depends on someone else to buy things for me.
But could you try to be a gift giver
But can you try to express your love through thoughtful gifts.
Cause I don't want nobody else, oh no, said oh no baby
Because I don't want to be with anyone else, I only want you.
Baby, I know you love
I know you love me
But you know that I'm a shopper
But you know that I like to shop.
See why can't you show you love me
Why can't you express your love for me in the same way?
(Show me dem dollers, dollers, dollers)
(By spending money on me)
Just like I show you I love you
Just like how I show you my love.
So if you wanna holla)
So if you want to be with me.
Don't be afraid to give...
Don't be afraid to give me gifts and show your love through spending money on me.
I said I'm all about the money baby, the money baby
I mean, I prioritize money in my life.
I'm all about the rent, oh yea-yeah
I need money to pay for rent.
I need my hair done, my nails done
I need to get my hair and nails done, which costs money.
A new Prada bag, a brand new Jag
I want to buy a new designer handbag and a luxury car.
See that don't make me a golddigger
But that doesn't mean I'm only with someone for their money.
I just like the finer things you can bring
I just appreciate and enjoy luxurious items.
[Chorus 2x]
Repeats the chorus lyrics
Contributed by Abigail H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.