Regina Belle was born in Englewood, New Jersey. Her early musical experience was in gospel music. She also studied trombone, tuba and steel drums and graduated from Dwight Morrow High School. In college at Rutgers University, she studied opera and jazz.
She met the Manhattans and began working as their opening act. She even recorded a duet with them, "Where Did We Go Wrong." her hard work earned her a record deal with Columbia Records.
In 1987, she released her album All By Myself which featured the hit single "Show Me The Way" which reached #2 on the R&B charts. In 1989, Belle released her sophomore album, "Stay With Me". Going gold, the album was packed with several strong and catchy songs. "Baby Come To Me", the album's first single, topped the R&B charts at # 1 and was followed by "What Goes Around" which reached #3. The album featured two additional popular singles, "This Is Love" which reached #7 and "Make It Like It Was" which was another #1 single on the R&B charts and #5 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Belle recorded a duet in 1991 with singing superstar Johnny Mathis, "Better Together" which appeared on his album Better Together: The Duet Album. Continuing her success with duets, Belle teamed up with Peabo Bryson for the song "A Whole New World" from the Aladdin Soundtrack. The song went gold and won the Grammy Award in 1993 for "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Unfortunately, the duet did not catapult Regina into Pop superstardom as Peabo's duet with Celine Dion, "Beauty and the Beast" did.
During the same year, Belle released her third album, "Passion". Going Gold, the album featured the previously mentioned "A Whole New World", "Dream In Colour and "If I Could" which reached #9 on the R&B charts. Both did well on the A/C chart. A fouth single, "The Deeper I Love" was released but it did not chart.
After a five year hiatus without any original content released, Belle put out the album "Believe in Me" in 1998. If was much more of a commercial Urban contemporary album than any of her other albums. Although the album had two hit singles, the lead single being "I've Had Enough" (it was also remixed into a sizable dance music hit), the album didn't met MCA Records sales goal. She was droped by MCA Record in 1999. In 2001, she released the album "This Is Regina!" which featured the sensual hit single, "Ooh Boy". Another single was not lifted from the album. "This Is Regina!" went Gold.
Belle is still active in the music industry and in 2004, released the album, "Lazy Afternoon". In 2005, she had several successful concerts and apprances singing both new songs and older favourites. Regina Belle is not a well known figure by the Caucasion music audiences but should be since she is one of the highest quality Adult Contemporary/Pop singer to arise in recent times.
in 2008, Belle released her first Gospel album, "Love Forever Shines" on Pendulum Records. The album peaked at #115 on the Billboard 200, #15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #3 Top Gospel Albums chart. The albums' single, "God Is Good" became a hit, peaking at #34 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, #36 Hot Adult R&B Airplay and #2 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart. She continues to tour. She also also become a regular on the Gopsel music circuit since then.
I Hope He Understands
Regina Belle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then I heard a voice
Was it in my mind?
Sometimes I cant be sure of what I see in him
Sometimes I lose my way, I get down and pray, and ask him for his strength
I hope he understands
Sometimes I cant go on, living gets so tough
I gave it all I had, that was not enough
And I become so weak I cant even speak, then I need his strength
I hope he understands
I hope he understands just how hard I tried
Put my trust in him I hope he understands
I hope he understands, I hope he understands its just me
So I go on each day, do my very best
Deeds and time will tell
If I have met his test
I'll meet him at the gate and if he shakes my hand
I'll thank him for his help, I was not alone, always used his strength
I know he understands
I know he understands just how hard I tried, I put my trust in him
I hope he understands, hope he understands, I hope he understands its just me
So I go on each day, do my very best
Deeds and time will tell
If I have met his test
I'll meet him at the gate and if he shakes my hand
I'll thank him for his help, I was not alone, always used his strength
I know he understands
The lyrics of "I Hope He Understands" by Regina Belle convey a sense of spiritual struggle and hope in the face of adversity. The listener is presented with a series of doubts and fears faced by the singer, who sometimes can't even trust what she sees in the man she loves. However, amid all these uncertainties, the singer turns to a higher power for strength and guidance.
The repeated phrase "I hope he understands" suggests a sense of doubt about whether anyone other than God can truly comprehend the singer's struggles. The line "Sometimes I lose my way, I get down and pray, and ask him for his strength" highlights the importance of faith and prayer as a source of comfort and strength. The singer also acknowledges her own limitations, saying "I gave it all I had, that was not enough," and expressing frustration at the seeming impossibility of her situation.
Despite these challenges, the singer remains determined to do her best and hopes that her efforts will be recognized by her Creator. The final lines of the song, in which the singer vows to thank God for his help and affirms her belief that "I know he understands," provide a sense of hope and reassurance for listeners who may be facing their own struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
I looked into the dark and thought I saw a light
Despite facing darkness, I saw a glimmer of hope that made me doubt my perception
Then I heard a voice
I heard a reassuring voice that comforted me
Was it in my mind?
I questioned whether the voice was real or a figment of my imagination
Sometimes I cant be sure of what I see in him
Occasionally, I don't know what to think of my partner's actions or feelings
Sometimes I lose my way, I get down and pray, and ask him for his strength
On some occasions, I feel lost and helpless, so I pray for assistance and guidance from my partner
I hope he understands
I hope my partner comprehends my internal struggles and doubts
Sometimes I cant go on, living gets so tough
Occasionally, the challenges of life become overwhelming, and I feel like giving up
I gave it all I had, that was not enough
I put forth my best effort, but I still fell short
Impossibility are all I ever see
I often focus on the obstacles and difficulties that seem insurmountable
And I become so weak I cant even speak, then I need his strength
The burdens of life sometimes leave me emotionally and physically incapable, so I rely on my partner for support
I hope he understands
I wish my partner comprehended the scope of my struggles and how much I count on him
I hope he understands just how hard I tried
I hope my partner realizes the effort I put in to overcome my obstacles
Put my trust in him I hope he understands
I have placed my faith in my partner, and I pray he acknowledges the trust I have in him
I hope he understands, I hope he understands its just me
I hope my partner sees that my struggles are my own, and I am trying my best to overcome them
So I go on each day, do my very best
I persevere each day and try my hardest to overcome my obstacles
Deeds and time will tell
My actions and the way I spend my time will indicate whether I am successful or not
If I have met his test
If I have made my partner proud and succeeded in my efforts
I'll meet him at the gate and if he shakes my hand
If I make it to the end of my journey, I will be grateful to meet my partner and shake his hand
I'll thank him for his help, I was not alone, always used his strength
I will express my appreciation for his support and candidly express that I could not have done it without him
I know he understands
Ultimately, I know my partner is aware of my struggles, and I have faith in him to help me overcome them
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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