Released: July 23, 1989

Songwriter: Babyface

Producer: LA Reid Babyface

[Verse 1]
You're not alone, no
And no one's gonna hurt your heart again
And this I know, yes
You can count on me, I'll be there as your friend
For no one knows the pain that you've endured
They took the best from you
Girl, I know
You gave 'em all ya got

[Pre-Chorus]
You tried, they played around
You cried, they let you down
You gave 'em everything you had
They treated you oh so bad

[Chorus]
Given a chance
I'd make it up to you
Given a chance
I'd prove this world was wrong
Given a chance
I'd give my all to you
I'd teach this world a lesson
And I'd never let you fall
Given a chance

[Verse 2]
It's not your fault, no
That you were born with such a trusting heart
Erase that thought
You're so beautiful, please stay the way you are
And no one understands how much it hurts
You tried to make it work
Girl, I know
You gave it all you got

[Pre-Chorus]
Don't cry, it's over now
Don't sigh, things are better now
I will give you everything you need
You can always count on me

[Chorus]
Oh, given a chance
I'd make it up to you
Given a chance
I'd prove this world was wrong
Given a chance
I'd give my all to you
I'd teach this world a lesson
And I'd n-n-n-n-never let you fall, no

[Pre-Chorus]
Don't cry, it's over now
Don't sigh, things are better now
I will give you everything you need
You can always count on me

[Chorus]
Oh, given a chance, yeah
I'd make it up to you
Given a chance, yes, yes, yes
I'd prove this world was wrong
Given a chance, yeah, yeah, yeah
I'd give my all to you
Oh, I'm gonna teach this world a lesson
And I'm n-n-n-n-never gonna let you fall

Given a chance
I'd make it up to you
Given a chance
I'd prove this world was wrong
Given a chance
I'd give my all to you
Oh, I'm gonna teach this world a lesson...

Babyface

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds (born April 10, 1959 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is a Grammy Award-winning producer, singer, and songwriter responsible for a string of hits in the 1980s and 1990s. He has written and produced more than 20 number-one hits and won 11 Grammys—including three for Producer of the Year—for his work with Boyz II Men, Whitney Houston, Eric Clapton, Alicia Keys, and Toni Braxton, as well as his own work as an artist.

Babyface got his nickname from funk legend Bootsy Collins after joining his backing band in the 1970s. He joined the group Manchild in the late ‘70s—a group that also included his frequent collaborator Daryl Simmons—before moving out West and working with the group The Deele in the early 1980s, forming a bond with his bandmate and future production partner L.A. Reid. After producing the hit “Two Occasions” for The Deele, L.A. & Babyface broke off and became one of the biggest superproducer duos in R&B, rivaling the hits of fellow superproducer duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.

L.A. & ‘Face had their hands in a string of #1 R&B hits in the late '80s and early '90s from artists such as Pebbles (“Girlfriend”), Karyn White (“Superwoman”), The Whispers (“Rock Steady”), Johnny Gill (“My, My, My”) and many more. They were also instrumental in the success of post-New Edition era Bobby Brown as they produced his #1 hits “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Every Little Step,” “On Our Own,” and “Humpin' Around.” They made history with Boyz II Men in 1992 as they wrote and produced “End of the Road,” which spent a record-breaking 14 consecutive weeks atop the pop chart.