Jody Watley

Songwriter: Jody Watley

Producer: Jody Watley

You couldn't tell little Jackie nothing
16, thought she knew it all
She was searching for the love she missed, yeah
And so she ran away

Slow down, you're moving way too fast
16, there's so much for you ahead
Sweet 16, do you know where you're running to

Fell in love with a man that was so fine
He made her promises, yeah
Didn't stop to think if he was serious
Until she had his baby

Slow down, you're moving way too fast
16, there's so much for you ahead
Sweet 16, do you know where you're running to

Sweet 16 on your own
And you're feeling all alone
Don't know what to do
So at 16, live your life
Mothers, fathers, teach them right
Show them how to cherish life

Slow down, you're moving way too fast
16, there's so much of life ahead
Sweet 16, do you know where you're running to
Sweet 16, do you know where you're going to

At 16, do you know where you're running to
Sweet 16, do you know where you're going to

Sweet 16
Sweet 16

Jody Watley is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer that first danced her way to fame at 14-years-old as a dancer on Soul Train. That experience led show host Don Cornelius and booking agent Dick Griffey to place her and fellow dancer Jeffrey Daniel in the group Shalamar in 1977, with lead singer Howard Hewett added to the group in 1979. They produced the hits “Second Time Around,” “Make That Move,” “This is for the Lover in You,” and “A Night to Remember” before Watley left the group in 1983 due to conflict within the group and a lack of payment from Dick Griffey’s SOLAR Records label.

She released her self-titled debut album in 1987 featuring the #1 Dance hits “Don’t You Want Me,” “Some Kind of Lover,” and “Looking for a New Love,” which also peaked at #1 on the R&B Singles chart and #2 on the Pop chart. This album went Platinum and led to her winning the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1988. Her follow-up album Larger Than Life was released in 1989 and featured the Top 10 Pop hits “Everything,” “Friends” with Rakim, and the #1 Dance and R&B hit “Real Love.” She worked on these albums with Prince bassist André Cymone, who she would later marry in 1991 before separating in 1995.

She released nine studio albums between 1987 and 2006, and in 2008, she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Billboard Music Awards. Her last project was the 2014 EP Paradise on her own Avitone label and she made an appearance on DâM-FunK’s Invite the Light album in 2015 on the track “Virtuous Progression.” She also formed “Shalamar Reloaded” with two new members and continues to tour.

more tracks from the album

Flower

From the album

Flower (1998)

Jody Watley popular songs

16Jody Watley

Jody Watley

Flower