Having sold over 65 million records worldwide, TLC is the best-selling American girl group of all time. VH1 ranked TLC as the greatest female group, placing them at number 12 on the list of 100 Greatest Women in Music. Billboard magazine ranked TLC as one of the greatest musical trios, as well as the seventh-most-successful act of the 1990s. The group's accolades include four career Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards, and five Soul Train Music Awards.
Twenty years after their debut, TLC received the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at the 17th MOBO Awards and the Legend Award at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards Japan. Following Lopes's death in 2002, instead of replacing her, the remaining members chose to continue as a duo. In 2017, they released their eponymous fifth album TLC. In 2022, the group was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TLC_(group)
Discography
Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip (1992)
CrazySexyCool (1994)
FanMail (1999)
3D (2002)
TLC (2017)
Damaged
TLC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't always say, what's on my mind
You know that I've been hurt, by some guy
But I don't want to mess up this time
[Bridge]
And I really really really care
And I really really really want you
'cause I don't want to lose you
If you really really really care
Then maybe you can hang through
I hope you understand
It's nothing to you
[Chorus]
My heart's at a low
I'm so much to manage
I think you should know that
I've been damaged
I'm falling in love
There's one disadvantage
I think you should know that I've been damaged
I might look through your stuff, for what I don't want to find
Or I might just set you up, to see if you're all mine
I'm a little paranoid, from what I've been through
Don't know what you got yourself into
And I really really really care (And I care about you so much)
And I really really really want you (I really do want you)
And I think I'm kinda scared (But I'm scared with every touch)
'cause I don't want to lose you (Cos I don't want to lose you)
If you really really really care (If you care for me like you say)
Then maybe you can hang through (Then maybe you can hang through)
I hope you understand (I hope you understand)
It's nothing to you (It's nothing to you, you)
My heart's at a low (low)
I'm so much to manage
I think you should know that (I think you should know)
I've been damaged
I'm falling in love (I'm falling in love)
There's one disadvantage
I think you should know that I've been damaged (I think you should know that)
I've been damaged
My heart's at a low
I'm so much to manage (I'm so much to manage)
I think you should know that (I think you should know that)
I've been damaged (I've been damaged)
I'm falling in love (I love you so)
There's one disadvantage (I love you so)
I think you should know that I've been damaged
And I really really really want you
And I think I'm kinda scared
'cause I don't want to lose you
If you really really really care
Then maybe you can hang through
I hope you understand
It's nothing to you (It's nothing to you)
My heart's at a low
I'm so much to manage
I think you should know that (Ooh I think you should know I've been damaged)
I've been damaged (I've been damaged baby)
I'm falling in love (Falling in love with you baby, yeah)
There's one disadvantage
I think you should know that I've been damaged
My heart's at a low
I'm so much to manage
I think you should know that
I've been damaged
I'm falling in love
There's one disadvantage
I think you should know that I've been damaged
The lyrics of "Damaged" by TLC are a confession of a woman who has been previously hurt by men in relationships. She admits to being paranoid and searching through her partner's belongings to find a sign of infidelity, but at the same time, she desperately wants to be loved and not mess up the relationship. However, she feels she is damaged and has baggage that might make her a difficult person to manage in a relationship. Despite all of this, she still wants to be loved and hopes the partner will understand and hang through with her.
The lyrics reveal a deeper message about the impact of emotional scars on an individual's ability to trust and love again. The singer acknowledges her past relationships' hurt and trauma and how it has affected her approach to love. She is hesitant to trust another person fully and worried she might sabotage the present relationship. The fear of facing the same pain again makes her feel vulnerable and helpless, but she's still seeking affection. The melody of the song is melancholic and dependent, showcasing the vulnerability and uncertainty of the singer's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
I know I'm kinda strange, to you sometimes
I'm aware that I don't always fit in, and I may come off as odd to you at times.
Don't always say, what's on my mind
I have a tendency to keep my thoughts and feelings to myself.
You know that I've been hurt, by some guy
I've experienced emotional pain and trauma from a past relationship.
But I don't want to mess up this time
I'm hoping for a fresh start and a chance to have a healthy relationship without repeating past mistakes.
And I really really really care
I deeply care for you.
And I really really really want you
I desire a relationship with you strongly.
And I think I'm kinda scared
I'm afraid of getting hurt again and losing what we have.
'cause I don't want to lose you
I value what we have and don't want to lose you.
If you really really really care
If you care for me as much as you say you do...
Then maybe you can hang through
Then maybe you can stay with me through the ups and downs.
I hope you understand
I hope you can empathize with my situation.
It's nothing to you
My past traumas and insecurities are not a reflection of you, but rather my own personal experiences.
My heart's at a low
I'm feeling emotionally vulnerable and fragile.
I'm so much to manage
I come with a lot of emotional baggage and may be difficult to deal with at times.
I think you should know that
I believe it's important for you to be aware of my struggles.
I've been damaged
I've endured emotional pain and trauma that has affected me deeply.
I'm falling in love
I'm developing strong romantic feelings for you.
There's one disadvantage
However, my emotional baggage may pose obstacles and challenges for us.
I think you should know that I've been damaged
I want to be upfront and honest about the emotional pain and trauma I've experienced that may impact our relationship.
I might look through your stuff, for what I don't want to find
As a result of my past experiences, I may feel paranoid and distrustful and resort to checking your belongings to ease my worries.
Or I might just set you up, to see if you're all mine
I may test your loyalty and commitment to me to ensure that you're fully invested in our relationship.
I'm a little paranoid, from what I've been through
My past trauma has left me feeling anxious, paranoid, and mistrustful.
Don't know what you got yourself into
You may not fully understand the extent of my past traumas and how they may affect our relationship.
Falling in love with you baby, yeah
Despite my emotional baggage and past traumas, I am developing deep romantic feelings for you.
I've been damaged baby
I want to be clear that I have been emotionally hurt and traumatized and that this may impact our relationship.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: DALLAS AUSTIN, DALLAS L AUSTIN, TIONNE WATKINS, TIONNE TENESE WATKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jusjoshandthemic
What is sad is that a lot of people forget that TLC had some classics after Lisa passed. Of course, she will be missed and the music they made can't be duplicated. However, I hate to see great music be forgotten and this is a CLASSIC. I feel like some "fans' are punishing T Boz and Chilli (as if losing their friend wasn't enough) by not giving their music a chance now that Lisa is gone.
@FodeeFo
Joshua McCool very very true
@josephmass3052
Well said.
@josephmass3052
My two cents on this matter is that as a fan of TLC there’s not a single song that they performed that I didn’t like. These girls had a chemistry that was beyond full explanation. Their vocal ability, their beauty, their dress, their blend of musical styles (funk, hip-hop, and R&B), it was a combination that they alone possessed, and it was always amazing to experience. It is difficult to say, but I believe it’s true: the chemistry of the three is simply not there with the two. T-Boz and Chilli are still amazing but it is just not the same. All of the attributes that I listed earlier are important, but what seems to rise to the top is that funk, hip-hop, and R&B (three girl) combination that I believe many fans subconsciously or consciously cannot get past. “TLC” is “Three” and in our minds (many if not most fans) it really can’t be anything else. I will cut to the chase here: I truly think that T-Boz and Chilli were on the right path when they allowed Lil’Mama to perform with the group. I did not see it like Lil’ Mama taking Lisa’s place because no one could possibly do that. But I saw it as “TLC - featuring Lil’ Mama”. It was amazing to me to see that “Three Girl” dynamic restored and I actually believe that Lil’Mama carried the Hip-Hop part of the group sufficiently. She would have needed a great deal more work to fully capture the essence of the Hip-Hop part of the group, but I feel that she, having certain characteristic like Lisa, would have ultimately pulled it off. If Lil’Mama is out for good, I still hope that T-Boz and Chilli will realize that in the mind of most fans, “TLC is THREE and will always BE” and that they really should look to NOT replacing Lisa, but featuring another female that can carry the Hip-Hop part of the group and bring back that Three Girl dynamic that is TLC.
@tylerzwong3107
Doesn't even matter if the trillion people in this world wouldn't care for this single, but not me, period. They're my idols although my blood is forever Alternative genre. This song made pure impact to me and no doubt that TLC can rock their songs off. Brilliant. Rip Lisa.
@r0bz1985
T box got fat so no thanks
@Togepapi
This song was sooo underrated. Love this song.
@user-dm3uh3vb6v
I love this song than my mother
@lileye3d
It truly is! 💜
@nicoleharris3871
mrIntrikate AGREED