History
Their first album was released in 1988 and was titled Who?. The album went gold and had several hit singles. The first of these, "Little Walter", went to #1 on the R&B charts. While none of the singles went gold, the next three singles, "Born Not To Know", "For The Love Of You" and "Baby Doll" were all Top 10 R&B singles.
Firmly establishing themselves, the group's second album The Revival was released in 1990 and reached platinum status. The album spawned several #1 R&B hits with "It Never Rains", "Feels Good", and "Whatever You Want", all topping the R&B charts. "Feels Good" was the group's first single to breach the Top 10 of the Hot 100 and managed to go gold.
Furthering the group's success, they released their best selling album to date, Sons Of Soul, in 1993. The album went double platinum and had hit singles: "If I Had No Loot" which hit #7 on the Hot 100, "Anniversary" which reached #10 on the Hot 100, and "(Lay Your Head On My) Pillow" which reached #4 on the R&B charts.
In 1996, the group released their last album to date, House of Music. The album lacked the strong singles of earlier entries, only getting "Thinking Of You" into the top 10 on the R&B charts but the album still managed to go platinum.
Raphael Saadiq released his first solo effort, the Top 20 Billboard hit "Ask of You" from the Higher Learning soundtrack, in 1995. Around the same time, Saadiq became a much-sought-after R&B producer, scoring hits for D'Angelo, Total, The Roots and others. Later in the 2000s, he started a solo career, releasing two albums, Instant Vintage (2002) and Ray Ray (2004).
In 2003, most members of Tony! Toni! Toné! except for Saadiq were invited by Alicia Keys to guest on her album The Diary of Alicia Keys. The song that resulted from that session was called "Diary", and when it was released as a single in the fall of 2004, it gave them their first Top 10 US hit in eleven years. In 2005, Dwayne Wiggins became the band leader for the Weekends at the D.L. television show hosted by comedian D. L. Hughley, which airs on the Comedy Central cable network.
In 2006, the group reunited for the New Jack Reunion Tour, running throughout the U.S.
261.5
Tony Toni Toné Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of picking women up, fellas
But she was kinda different, guess you′d say risky
And that's what caught my attention
These sights on prying eyes, strong mind
She came onto me
How was I to know that she was only fifteen?
Now I fell a victim of a 261.5
Hanging out in B-Town, thought I′d chill out
And find myself a legal judger
I'm in a position, must get worked out
Now I fell a victim of a 261.5
She's right man, my 261.5
You got to meet her
I was still not [Incomprehensible]
She told me age was only a number
You should have seen how this lady got her kicks
You never would have thought she was 21 minus 6
Bright eyes, strong mind, she came onto me
How was I to know that she was only fifteen?
Cute smile, style and grace, sure looked right to me
Now I fell a victim of 261.5
Hanging out in Westwood, thought we′d be good
Find myself a legal judger
Now I′m in a position, must get worked out
I gotta find myself a lawyer now
Hanging out in Judge Town, [Incomprehensible]
Find myself a legal [Incomprehensible]
I'm in a position, must get worked out
Now I fell a victim of a 261.5
People, let me tell you about my best friend
She′s the one that tells turns me on, my 261.5
People, let me tell you about my best friend
You gotta meet, you gotta meet my 261.5
People, let me tell you about my best friend
The lyrics of Tony Toni Toné's song "261.5" tell the story of a man who thought he had a skillful way of picking women up, but then falls for a girl who turns out to be only fifteen years old. Despite her young age, the girl is portrayed as being mature and sexually adventurous, making the singer even more attracted to her. He eventually realizes his mistake and falls victim to section 261.5 of the California Penal Code, which deals with statutory rape. The song is both a cautionary tale about the consequences of engaging in sexual activity with minors and a commentary on society's complex attitudes towards age and sexuality.
Line by Line Meaning
Always thought I had a little sexy way
Of picking women up, fellas
But she was kinda different, guess you'd say risky
And that's what caught my attention
The singer is confident in their ability to attract women, until they meet someone who is unlike the others they have pursued. They are drawn to this person because of their perceived riskiness.
These sights on prying eyes, strong mind
She came onto me
How was I to know that she was only fifteen?
Cute smile, style and grace, sure looked right to me
Now I fell a victim of a 261.5
Despite the attention of others, the singer is drawn to a young woman who appears mature beyond her years. It is revealed too late that she is underage, and the singer is now in trouble with the law.
Hanging out in B-Town, thought I'd chill out
And find myself a legal judger
I'm in a position, must get worked out
Now I fell a victim of a 261.5
The singer attempts to find a way out of their legal problems by seeking the advice of others. They are feeling the stress of their predicament.
She's right man, my 261.5
You got to meet her
The artist is still enamored with the young woman despite the problems that have arisen. They implore others to meet her.
I was still not [Incomprehensible]
She told me age was only a number
You should have seen how this lady got her kicks
You never would have thought she was 21 minus 6
The artist still struggles to understand how they had gotten themselves into such a situation. They reflect on the young woman's behavior, which seemed mature for her age.
Hanging out in Westwood, thought we'd be good
Find myself a legal judger
Now I'm in a position, must get worked out
I gotta find myself a lawyer now
The singer is searching for solutions to their legal problems, now seeking out a lawyer to help them.
Hanging out in Judge Town, [Incomprehensible]
Find myself a legal [Incomprehensible]
I'm in a position, must get worked out
Now I fell a victim of a 261.5
The singer is searching for legal help in a last-ditch effort to solve their problems. They are still feeling the weight of their crime.
People, let me tell you about my best friend
She's the one that tells turns me on, my 261.5
People, let me tell you about my best friend
You gotta meet, you gotta meet my 261.5
People, let me tell you about my best friend
Despite the controversy around their relationship, the artist still thinks fondly of the young woman. They encourage others to meet her, emphasizing their close relationship.
Writer(s): Dwayne Wiggins, Raphael Saadiq, Timothy Riley Christian
Contributed by Nolan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.