Tony Rich got his start in the music industry as a staff writer at LaFace Records. While there, Rich penned hits for Boyz II Men, Johnny Gill, TLC and Toni Braxton.
While living in Detroit, Rich started playing in jazz fusion and soul bands and worked with local Detroit songwriters. It was at this time that John Salley, Detroit Pistons player and record producer, encouraged Rich to work with his artists and to even make his own tracks.
Meeting with R&B singer Pebbles, Tony Rich was introduced to her then-husband L.A. Reid. As co-founder of LaFace Records, Reid convinced Rich to move to Atlanta and to begin writing and producing for established acts. One of Rich's first projects was a session with Elton John and Sounds of Blackness for a Curtis Mayfield tribute LP. He then expanded his portfolio to include work with the previously mentioned stars.
In early 1996, Rich made his solo debut with the cd Words and the hit single Nobody Knows, which made it to number 2 on the top 100. Both the album and single went platinum and in 1997, Tony Rich won the Grammy for Best Male R&B album. The album featured two Grammy-nominated singles, Like A Woman and Nobody Knows.
The album was followed up in 1998 by Birdseye which, while critically praised, failed to generate much commercial success. Rich seemingly disappeared from the music world for several years after his album's release.
In 2003, Rich came back on the scene with the album Resurrected. Carrying a very different style this time around, the album featured Rich rocking out on the guitar as well as singing smooth ballads.
In 2006, Rich released a fourth album, Pictures. The album contains snapshots of a relationship, and is far more in the veins of his earlier works.
In 2008, he released his fifth album, Exist through Hidden Beach Recordings. Originally it was set for release on September 16, however it was pushed back to September 23, 2008. The album features download-only single, Part the Waves.
Ain't No Laughing
The Tony Rich Project Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When memories arise
Of a certain song in my head
It makes me think of you
In a spooky mood
With a halo hanging over your head
With the angels you dance, you sing
You told me once before
Now why would you lie to me
When you could set my pain free
My daddy knocking on the door
Who says that I'm enjoying life?
'Cause people all around
But the one I found, can't be around
So I'm feelin' down
On that early morning
Hey hey hey hey hey
When I think of you
I find it being on special days
Hee hee hee hee hee
Ain't no laughing
No joyous times
When you're not here with me
Here I sit and stare into the cold air
At a cloud that pays me no mind
Knowing in my heart
That I'm trying to see you
In the bright blue sky, above Tuxedo right?
You'd never wear a suit
Just a sweater and a pair of slacks
And some nice shoes to match
well, in the midst of them, my eyes are full
Cause I'm ready to cry
But I'm not afraid cause I'm a guy
Said I told myself
There's no use in waiting for you
In your precious car
But only God knows I'd give my all
To be with you on that early morning
Hey hey hey hey hey
When I think of you
I find it being on special days
Hee hee hee hee hee
Ain't no laughing
No joyous times
When you're not here with me
Hey hey hey hey hey
When I think of you
I find it being on special days
Hee hee hee hee hee
Ain't no laughing
No joyous times
When you're not here with me
The Tony Rich Project's song "Ain't No Laughing" tells the story of a man who is haunted by memories of a past romance. He is reminiscing about the good times they shared and how he used to feel about her. The lyrics are filled with nostalgia and longing for something that is no longer there. The chorus expresses the main theme of the song - that there is no joy in life without the person he's singing to, and that even happy memories feel incomplete and empty without her.
The opening lines "It's that time again, when memories arise" suggest that the singer has been here before, caught in a cycle of reminiscing and missing someone who is no longer there. The following lyrics "Of a certain song in my head, it makes me think of you" reveal that music triggers these feelings of nostalgia and longing for the past relationship. He recalls her as "in a spooky mood, with a halo hanging over your head" which hints at the complexity of their relationship and the emotional baggage that still haunts him.
The lyrics are raw and emotional, with lines like "Who says that I'm enjoying life? 'Cause people all around, but the one I found, can't be around, so I'm feelin' down" conveying a sense of loneliness and desperation. He misses the connection he once had with the person he's singing to and feels isolated and disconnected from the world around him. The song captures the feeling of losing someone you truly care about, and the sense that things will never be the same again.
Overall, "Ain't No Laughing" is a poignant reflection on the pain of lost love and the struggle to move on. The singer is frozen in time, unable to let go of the past and move forward with his life. The lyrics speak to anyone who has experienced a broken heart and understands the feelings of emptiness and longing that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
It's that time again
Here I am again, reminiscing about a particular song in my head
When memories arise
Those memories are triggered and come to mind easily
Of a certain song in my head
That song reminds me of past events and experiences
It makes me think of you
That song triggers memories and thoughts about a specific person
In a spooky mood
I am feeling apprehensive and uneasy
With a halo hanging over your head
In my mind, I imagine you as an angelic figure
With the angels you dance, you sing
You are in a heavenly place, joyful and carefree
You told me once before
You have shared this story with me previously
Now why would you lie to me
I am questioning your honesty with me
When you could set my pain free
You have the power to relieve me of my emotional suffering
My daddy knocking on the door
There is an unwanted intruder present, possibly a father figure
Who says that I'm enjoying life?
I am not necessarily happy or content with my current situation
'Cause people all around
There are other people present, but they are not significant to me
But the one I found, can't be around
The person I care about is absent
So I'm feelin' down
I am experiencing sadness and despair
On that early morning
It is an early hour of the day
Hey hey hey hey hey
A playful vocalization or exclamation
When I think of you
Thoughts of you are on my mind
I find it being on special days
These thoughts are usually associated with important or significant occasions
Hee hee hee hee hee
A playful or light-hearted vocalization
Ain't no laughing
I am not laughing; I am serious
No joyous times
I am not happy or joyful
When you're not here with me
My happiness is contingent upon your presence
Here I sit and stare into the cold air
I am sitting and gazing into empty space
At a cloud that pays me no mind
A cloud is present, but it is not paying attention to me
Knowing in my heart
I am certain and confident of my feelings
That I'm trying to see you
I am attempting to visualize and imagine your presence
In the bright blue sky, above Tuxedo right?
I am picturing you in a specific location or scenario
You'd never wear a suit
I have a clear image of you in my mind
Just a sweater and a pair of slacks
I am imagining you in casual clothing
And some nice shoes to match
I have a complete mental picture of your attire
well, in the midst of them, my eyes are full
I am surrounded by a group of people, and I am feeling overwhelmed or emotional
'Cause I'm ready to cry
I am on the verge of tears
But I'm not afraid cause I'm a guy
I am aware of societal expectations surrounding gender and emotional expression
Said I told myself
I have made previous commitments or resolutions
There's no use in waiting for you
I have accepted that waiting for you is futile
In your precious car
I have an image of you in your vehicle
But only God knows I'd give my all
I am willing to do whatever it takes to be with you
To be with you on that early morning
I long to be with you at any time of the day
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: TONY RICH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind