In 1990 Usher joined an R&B local quintet called the NuBeginnings, which was organized by local music svengali, Darryl Wheeler and then he decided to pursue a career in music. Aside from recording, Usher has ventured into business. He has established his own record label, US Records, and is a part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. He has also dabbled in acting, with a recurring role on the teen sitcom Moesha, and roles in the films The Faculty (1998, with Josh Harnett) She's All That (1999, with Freddie Prinze, Jr.) and Texas Rangers (2001, with Ashton Kutcher).
If I Want To
usher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on
Come on
Every time I look up (come on)
I see it in your face, you wanna hook up with me
(You know you wanna hook up, stop playing)
Instead of acting like you're supposed to
And you know good and damn well that
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No, you can't get with me, but I want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
Ain't nobody trying to clown you
But you're too damn old to play high school games with me
(You know that man, too damn old)
Yes, you do
'Cause even when I'm not around you
I be hearin' from my friends you be asking 'bout me
"What's up with him?" That's what you be saying
I don't really care
How long you've been together with your man
It's just a matter of time
Before I make you mine
I wanna make it clear
So there's no misunderstandings
That I get, what I want
When I want (hey)
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please, believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No, you can't get with me, but I want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please, believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No, you can't get with me, but I want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
That I get, what I want
When I want
(You know how it go, girl)
If I wanted to
(If I wanted to)
(I could have you doing whatever I want you to, you know?)
(Right now, I'm just not really doing that)
(But if I wanted to, anything)
(I'm saying)
(You and your girls, I could have them too)
Listen to me (it's crazy)
Listen
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No, you can't get with me, but I want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No, you can't get with me, but I want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
In Usher's song "If I Want To," the singer seems to be addressing someone who has been giving him mixed signals. Although this person seems to act like they're not interested in him, Usher can see the desire in their eyes and knows that they want to hook up with him. But instead of being honest, this person copes an attitude and acts like they're too good for him. Usher warns this person that he could have them if he wanted to. He is fully aware of his power over women and their desire for him.
Usher seems to be challenging this person's loyalty to their current partner. He tells them that he doesn't really care how long they have been together because it's just a matter of time before he makes them his. Usher is sending a message that he will not be denied and that he always gets what he wants. He wants to make it clear that he can have anyone, any time, and he doesn't want there to be any misunderstandings about it.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on
Encouragement to the person he is addressing to listen to him
Every time I look up (Come on)
I see it in your face, you wanna hook up with me
You know you wanna hook up, stop playing
Instead of acting like you're supposed to
You cop an attitude like you're too good for me
And you know good and damn well that
The person he is addressing is giving him signs that she wants to hook up with him, but she is pretending to be uninterested. He knows that she knows that she wants him too
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
He has the power to take her away from her current relationship, and also seduce her friends if he wanted to. She may deny it, but he knows he has that much control over her
Ain't nobody trying to clown you
But you're too damn old to play high school games with me
You know that man, too damn old
Yes, you do
'Cause even when I'm not around you
I be hearin' from my friends you be asking 'bout me
"What's up with him?" That's what you be saying
He calls out the person he is addressing for pretending to be uninterested when she clearly wants him. He knows that even when he's not around, she talks about him to her friends
I don't really care
How long you've been together with your man
It's just a matter of time
Before I make you mine
I wanna make it clear
So there's no misunderstandings
That I get, what I want
When I want
He doesn't care about her current relationship status because he is sure that he will eventually have her. He wants to make it clear that he always gets what he wants, whenever he wants
That I get, what I want
When I want
If I wanted to
If I wanted to
I'd have you doing whatever I want you to, you know?
Right now, I'm just not really doing that
But if I wanted to, anything
I'm saying
You and your girls, I could have them too
Listen to me
It's crazy, listen
He emphasizes that he always gets what he wants whenever he wants, and he could have her and her friends too if he wanted to, but he is not doing that right now
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
Reiteration of the fact that he has the power to have her and her friends if he wanted to, and that he always gets what he wants
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Roger Troutman, Michael Paul Cox Bryan, Jermaine Dupri, Kenneth B Edmonds, Osten S Jr Harvey, Raymond Usher, Christopher Wallace
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thandoginindza5563
Verse 1: Usher & Jermaine Dupri]
Every time I look up
I see it in your face, you wanna hook up with me(You know you wanna hook up, stop playing
Instead of acting like you supposed to
You cop an attitude like you're too good for me
And you know good and damn well that
[Chorus: Usher]
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
[Verse 2 Usher & Jermaine Dupri]
Ain't nobody trying to clown you
But you're too damn old to play high school games with me
You know that, too damn old
Yes, you do
'Cause even when I'm not around you
I hear from my friends you be asking 'bout me
"What's up with him?" That's what you be saying
[Pre-Chorus: Usher]
I don't really care
How long you've been together with your man
It's just a matter of time
Before I make you mine
I wanna make it clear
So there's no misunderstandings
That I get, what I want
When I want
[Chorus: Usher]
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
[Bridge: Usher & Jermaine Dupri]
That I get, what I want
When I want
If I wanted to
If I wanted to
I'd have you doing whatever I want you to, you know?
Right now, I'm just not really doing that
But if I wanted to, anything
I'm saying
You and your girls, I could have them too
Listen to me
It's crazy, listen
[Chorus: Usher]
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
If I wanted, I could take you from your man (please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
@jhoanbaby
This is hands down Usher's greatest album
@tillyaryitey5459
Jojo Diamond of course!!!
@moedavis4495
Confessions🤔
@NiniEJ
I agree!!!
@teebee3631
@Moe Davis The visuals for Confessions were amazing, but I feel 8701 was better overall.
@Mylove_pleasestay65
No
@spyceeeboy5819
It’s 2023 & It’s still the vibe
@LadiDiggy
I fuckin love his confidence in this song lol
@latoyaanderson5027
I do too.
@86lanzo
One of the best R&B Albums ever..