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.
Love Tko
Regina Belle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, I gotta let this thing go
I, yi, my, da
Ey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Oh, baby
Looking back over my years
I guessed, I've shedded some tears
This time I'm gonna win
But another fight, things ain't right
I guess I'm losing again
Takes a fool to lose twice
And start all over again
I think I'd better let it go (Mmm, mmm)
Looks like another love T.K.O.
(Whoa, oh, oh, whoa)
I think I'd better let it go, let it go, baby
Looks like another love T.K.O.
(Mmm, mmm, mmm, yeah)
Tried to take control of the love
The love took control of me
'Cause you lose all thoughts, sense of time
And have a change of mind
Taking the bumps and the bruises
Of all the pain of a two-time loser
Trying to hold on, my faith is gone
It's just another sad song, I
I think I'd better let it go
(Oh, baby, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Looks like another love T.K.O.
(Whoa, oh, oh, yeah)
I think I'd better let it go
(Let it go, baby)
Let it go, baby (Baby, yeah, yeah)
Looks like another love T.K.O.
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah)
I don't to, but I better
But I need let it go, baby, yeah
Let it go, baby
Tryin' to hold on, boy
But I need to let it go, yeah
I still love you, baby
I still want you, baby
But I gotta let it go
Takin' the bumps and the bruises
Of all the pain of a two-time loser
Tryin' to hold on, my faith is gone
It's just another sad song, I
I think I'd better let it go (let it go)
Looks like another love T.K.O.
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah, baby)
Think I'd better let it go
Let it go, baby (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Looks like another love T.K.O.
(Ooh, yeah, yeah, oh, yeah, yeah)
Ain't no use in tryin' to hold on
Think I'd better let it go
I don't think that I could stand
Another love T.K.O. (Another love T.K.O. yeah)
Ain't no use in tryin' to hold on
Think I'd better let it go (let it go, baby, hey)
I don't think that I could stand
Another love T.K.O. (T.K.O.)
Think I'd better let it go
Looks like another love T.K.O.
Think I'd better let it go
(I tried to hold on)
Let it go, baby
(Oh, my, baby, oh my, baby)
Looks like another love T.K.O.
(Oh, boy, oh, yeah, hey, yeah, hey)
Ain't no use in tryin' to hold on
Think I'd better let it go (I)
I don't think that I could stand
Another love T.K.O. (Think I better let it go)
Ain't no use in tryin' to hold on
Think I'd better let it go
In "Love T.K.O.", Regina Belle narrates her struggles of trying to keep a failing relationship alive. She mentions how she has shed tears over the years and has always told herself that she will come out victorious in the end. However, after multiple fights, things still aren't right and it seems like she's losing the battle. She acknowledges that it takes a fool to lose twice and start all over again, but it's time for her to let go. Belle talks about how she has tried to take control of the love in the relationship, but unfortunately, love has taken control of her. She is facing bumps and bruises from all the pain of being a two-time loser, and even though she is trying to hold on, her faith is gone. She finally concludes that she needs to let go of the love before she encounters another TKO (knockout).
The lyrics appear to be about a love that has faded and one person is trying to hold onto it while the other has lost interest. Even though the other person is not reciprocating love, the first person is still holding on to the hope that the love can be rekindled. The singer is trying her best to hold on, but she knows that she needs to let go because another love T.K.O is coming. We can infer that Regina Belle was trying to tell someone she loved that she was fighting for the relationship, but the other person had given up on it, and it was time for her to do the same. In the end, despite still loving and wanting the person, the singer knows that it's in her best interest to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, hoo, ooh
Opening phrase indicating emotional distress
Oh, I gotta let this thing go
Realization that it's time to move on from a failing relationship
I, yi, my, da
Nonsensical vocalization of pain and frustration
Ey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Another expression of emotional distress
Oh, baby
Affectionate term of address to someone who is causing pain
Looking back over my years
Contemplating past relationship experiences
I guessed, I've shedded some tears
Acknowledgment of the emotional difficulties in past relationships
I told myself time and time again
Repeated attempts to convince oneself of future success in love
This time I'm gonna win
Optimism for future success in love
But another fight, things ain't right
Current relationship problems that continue despite optimism
I guess I'm losing again
Feeling defeated in relationship struggles
Takes a fool to lose twice
Acknowledgment of making the same mistakes in love
And start all over again
Feeling of needing to completely restart in love
I think I'd better let it go (Mmm, mmm)
Decision to end the current relationship
Looks like another love T.K.O. (Whoa, oh, oh, whoa)
Realization that this love is going the same way as past failed relationships
I think I'd better let it go, let it go, baby
Reaffirmation of decision to end the relationship
Tried to take control of the love
Attempts to manage the relationship
The love took control of me
Feeling overwhelmed and powerless in the relationship
'Cause you lose all thoughts, sense of time
Being consumed by thoughts of the relationship and losing track of time
And have a change of mind
Feeling indecisive and uncertain in the relationship
Taking the bumps and the bruises
Enduring emotional pain and hardship in the relationship
Of all the pain of a two-time loser
Feeling like a failure in love, having experienced multiple failed relationships
Trying to hold on, my faith is gone
Struggling to stay in the relationship, having lost hope and trust
It's just another sad song, I
Feeling like this is a common pattern in love life
I still love you, baby
Continued affection for the partner despite recognizing the need to end the relationship
I still want you, baby
Desire for the partner despite the relationship difficulties
But I gotta let it go
Reiteration of the decision to end the relationship
Ain't no use in tryin' to hold on
Realization that continuing the relationship is futile
Think I'd better let it go
Final decision to end the relationship
I don't think that I could stand
Fear of enduring another failed relationship
Another love T.K.O.
Another emotionally painful and unsuccessful relationship
I tried to hold on
Attempts to stay in the relationship despite difficulties
Oh, my, baby, oh my, baby
Combination of pain, concern, and affection for partner
Oh, boy, oh, yeah, hey, yeah, hey
Anxiety and resignation about future relationships
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cecil Womack, Gip Edward, Jr. Noble, Linda Womack
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rueben44
My favorite album by Regina that no one knows about. She sings male songs and slays most of them. I LOVE this album and have purchased it 4 times.
@danicaabboud
Love this album
@leteshathomas1499
What Album is that ?
@jamaicancutie5160
Dang that’s Regina she so over looked in her career but woah her voice
@jamaicancutie5160
Dang that’s Regina she so over looked in her career but woah her voice
@alexisward8621
2023❤
@Sangria3
I Love the expression of pure CLASS and PASSION Regina displays in her gift from GOD. Some singers just sing and you hear the notes. This lady sings and you not only hear the notes, she actually makes you feel every note!!! Thanks for this post.
@loveyu2778
Her vocals are top notch here..Her ablibs, inflictions..Runs are superb...❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🧡🧡🧡🧡
@MrBlactye
This is why Regina Belle is in my top 5 female singers of all. I just how she made this song her own and I just love it. Bravo! Bravo! To you Regina for putting your on spin on this classic.
@micheledeun1048
She killed it! ❤️