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)
This Is How It Should Be Done
TLC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is how it should be done comin' out of the black shade
Fightin' to lighten a path made back
Let's go way back to the beginnin'
That's when an idea took part from the start
Listen to another Marley beat I'm impatient
I gotta leave my seat for motivation
Pump the bass what's next
So hard that I cracked my neck
And I'm popping sweat now I'm soakin' wet
But I feel it
Grab the beat cause I must
Defeat it's a funky groove
So I steal it
To improve what could
Soon be the Left Eye move
Pin it down and snatch a sample to loop it up
And start makin' my own example cause
[Chorus]
This is how it should be done
This is how it should be done (yeah, yeah)
This is how it should be done
This is how it should be done
This style is identical to none
This is how it should be done steppin' into a shade a bit lighter
Now is the time to write a rhyme a rhythmic type of memo
Tick-tack it to the track it is now my demo-kay
What's to do where's to go yo I don't know
Who's to see see ya at the local show
Me and Mo takin' a chance and he's dancin'
Round and round the deck as I flow
But what an awkward situation
Cause there's not much crowd participation
For checkin' me out I'm too new it
Gots to be somethin' else another way to do it
So I sit back and think for a minute
Which city needs a little more talent in it
Maybe A.T.L. is the place packed up left Philly gotta hit LaFace
[Chorus]
This is how it should be done (hey)
This style is identical to none
This is how it should be done and I'm comin' through
Grippin' the mic spittin' out what's after verse 2
And ready to rock the spot cause I'm on it
They want to see what I got
Givin' it all and makin' it seem so simple to be myself
Along wit' doin' what I do
Cool they want me not knowin' I'm soon to be the "L" of TLC
Word up T.B.O.Z. that's T-Boz
Saucin' it up is Chilli
We three alike all small in height but I'm Left Eye
Cause the eye is right
So now they thinkin' well is we ready enough
Yeah it's time to get busy
The aftermath is the brightest path so far
Yo cause here we are
This is how it should be done
This is how, this is how
[Chorus]
The lyrics of TLC's "This Is How It Should Be Done" are all about the journey to success in the music industry. The first verse talks about finding inspiration in Bob Marley's music and getting motivated to make something of oneself. The line "let's go way back to the beginning" suggests that this quest for inspiration has been ongoing for some time.
The second verse talks about the challenges of getting noticed in a crowded music scene. Left Eye describes performing in front of a small and unengaged crowd, and wanting to find a way to stand out. She decides to focus on Atlanta (referred to as "A.T.L.") as a potential city to make a name for oneself in.
The chorus repeats the phrase "this is how it should be done" over and over, emphasizing that the journey to success is about working hard and being true to oneself. The final verse finds the girls of TLC working together, determined to make their mark on the music industry.
Overall, "This Is How It Should Be Done" is a song about the hard work that goes into achieving success in music. The lyrics emphasize the importance of finding inspiration, working hard, and staying true to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
This is how it should be done
We are doing things the right way.
This is how it should be done comin' out of the black shade
We are overcoming obstacles and rising to the top.
Fightin' to lighten a path made back
We are struggling to pave a better way forward.
Let's go way back to the beginnin'
Let's reflect on where we started and how far we've come.
That's when an idea took part from the start
Our journey began with a spark of inspiration.
Listen to another Marley beat I'm impatient
I'm eager for another musical inspiration.
I gotta leave my seat for motivation
I need to stand up and move to get motivated.
Pump the bass what's next
I'm getting pumped up and ready for what comes next.
Kickin' the steps me and the mirror's havin' wreck
I am dancing and practicing my moves in front of a mirror.
So hard that I cracked my neck
I'm dancing so hard that I'm getting physically into it.
And I'm popping sweat now I'm soakin' wet
I'm sweating and drenched from my intense dancing.
But I feel it
Despite the physical exhaustion, I feel energized.
Grab the beat cause I must
I am taking hold of the rhythm and making it mine.
Defeat it's a funky groove
I am taking something challenging and making it funky.
So I steal it
I am borrowing and improving upon an existing beat.
To improve what could
I am improving upon something that has potential.
Soon be the Left Eye move
I am creating a new dance move unique to me.
Pin it down and snatch a sample to loop it up
I am capturing the beat and using it repeatedly to create a loop.
And start makin' my own example cause
I am creating my own path and leading by example.
[Chorus]
We are doing things the right way and setting an example for others.
This style is identical to none
Our style is original and unique.
This is how it should be done steppin' into a shade a bit lighter
We are making progress and moving towards brighter things.
Now is the time to write a rhyme a rhythmic type of memo
We are using our music to express ourselves and inspire others.
Tick-tack it to the track it is now my demo-kay
We are recording our music and creating demos to share.
What's to do where's to go yo I don't know
We are unsure of our next steps in this journey.
Who's to see see ya at the local show
We are performing at local shows to get noticed.
Me and Mo takin' a chance and he's dancin'
We are taking a risk and performing together.
Round and round the deck as I flow
We are performing our music and getting into the flow of things.
But what an awkward situation
We are experiencing some difficulty or discomfort.
Cause there's not much crowd participation
The audience is not responding or engaging.
For checkin' me out I'm too new it
As a new artist, I am not yet established or well-known.
Gots to be somethin' else another way to do it
We need to try other methods or approaches to gain more traction.
So I sit back and think for a minute
I take a moment to reflect and strategize.
Which city needs a little more talent in it
We are looking for opportunities to grow our fanbase in new cities.
Maybe A.T.L. is the place packed up left Philly gotta hit LaFace
We are moving on to new cities like Atlanta and collaborating with other artists.
[Chorus]
We are doing things the right way and setting an example for others.
This is how it should be done (hey)
We are proud of our process and how we are doing things.
This style is identical to none
Our style is original and unique.
This is how it should be done and I'm comin' through
We are making moves and succeeding.
Grippin' the mic spittin' out what's after verse 2
We are performing our music and giving it our all.
And ready to rock the spot cause I'm on it
We are pumped up and ready to perform.
They want to see what I got
The audience is excited to see us perform.
Givin' it all and makin' it seem so simple to be myself
We are giving our all while staying true to our authentic selves.
Along wit' doin' what I do
We are performing our music and doing what we love.
Cool they want me not knowin' I'm soon to be the 'L' of TLC
We are gaining recognition and becoming well-known as a musical group.
Word up T.B.O.Z. that's T-Boz
We are giving a shout-out to each member of the group.
Saucin' it up is Chilli
We are recognizing Chilli's unique contribution to the group.
We three alike all small in height but I'm Left Eye
We are acknowledging our similarities and differences as a group.
Cause the eye is right
I am confident in myself and my abilities.
So now they thinkin' well is we ready enough
We are being evaluated and questioned about our readiness.
Yeah it's time to get busy
We are ready to work hard and make things happen.
The aftermath is the brightest path so far
We are optimistic that our hard work will lead to great success.
Yo cause here we are
We have arrived and are ready to make our mark.
[Chorus]
We are doing things the right way and setting an example for others.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD, JAMES BROWN, CHARLES BOBBITT, BOBBY BYRD, ERIK BARRIER, WILLIAM GRIFFIN, MARLON LU REE WILLIAMS, LISA LOPES, LISA NICOLE LOPES, MARLON LU'REE WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind