New Edition

Released: November 8, 1985

Songwriter: Vincent Brantley Rick Timas

Producer: Vincent Brantley Rick Timas

[Verse 1: Ralph Tresvant, New Edition]
I grabbed my pillow in the middle of the night
Shook in a ice cold sweat
Curious of what real love feels like
It hasn't hit me yet (It hasn't hit me yet)

[Pre-Chorus: Ricky Bell, Bobby Brown, New Edition]
You'll reach that stage in your life
You wonder what love will be
My mama told me that one day I would find
(You will find) Love in reality

[Chorus: Ralph Tresvant & New Edition]
She said, "Baby, you don't have to wonder
Just kickback and love will come
Love will tap you on the shoulder
Kickback and love will grow"

[Verse 2: Ralph Tresvant]
I see the look that's in a young girls eye
As I watch TV
This thing called love I've got to try
Leave this script for me

[Pre-Chorus: Ricky Bell, Bobby Brown, New Edition]
It's time to learn all about
True love without a doubt
Can't fight the feeling when it comes around
(You will know) When the girl you found...

[Chorus: Ralph Tresvant & New Edition]
Mama said, "Baby, you don't have to wonder
Kickback and love will come
Love will tap you on the shoulder, girl
Kickback and love will grow"

My mama said, "Kickback and love will flow"
Mama said, "Kickback and love will grow"

[Verse 3: MIchael Bivins + Ronnie DeVoe]
Now I'm kind of young and I don't understand
What it is about love that attracts a man
Or it could it be you got to be of age
Or tell me Mike is love just a stage
Love when does it come, how, when, and why
Does it bring happiness,does it make you cry
My mother told me one day i'll know
Just kickback and love will grow

[Chorus: Ralph Tresvant & New Edition]
Baby, you don't have to wonder
Just kickback and love will come
Love will tap you on the shoulder
Kickback and love will grow
Baby, you don't have to wonder
Just kickback and love will come
Love will tap you on the shoulder
Kickback and love will grow
Baby, you don't have to wonder...

New Edition is a Boston-based R&B group that was seen as the inspiration of the boy bands that followed them during the 1980s and 1990s. The group initially consisted of Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe. They released their debut album Candy Girl in 1983 after being discovered by producer Maurice Starr. This album yielded the hits “Candy Girl,” “Popcorn Love,” and “Is This the End.” After a financial dispute, New Edition cut ties with Starr and released their second album New Edition in 1984, which features two of their biggest “Cool It Now” and “Mr. Telephone Man.” In November 1985, they released All for Love featuring the hits “Count Me Out” and “A Little Bit of Love (Is All It Takes)” and one month later released Christmas All Over the World.

Before the end of 1985, the group decided to vote Bobby Brown out of the group for his disruptive behavior. After their 1986 doo-wop cover album Under the Blue Moon, lead singer Ralph Tresvant was considering a solo career as the group’s direction was in question. In 1987, Johnny Gill was added to the group and the quintet went on to create their most popular album Heart Break with producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis in 1988. This album was released on June 20, 1988—the same day as Bobby Brown’s Don’t Be Cruel—and features two more of their biggest “If It Isn’t Love” and “Can You Stand the Rain.”

In 1990, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill and Bell Biv Devoe all went on to have successful hits. Among these hits was the remix to BBD’s “Word to the Mutha,” which was the first song to feature all six members. After a hiatus, all six members came together in 1996 to create the album Home Again, which hit #1 on the Billboard 200 and was a multi-platinum success. After some friction on the Home Again tour, Bobby Brown decided to depart the group again. In 2004, after leaving their longtime label MCA Records, New Edition signed with Bad Boy Records and released the album One Love but they left Bad Boy a year later due to a lack of promotion. The group continues to tour together and sell out shows after 30 years in the business. The group was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 23, 2017—one day ahead of the BET premiere of their 3-night mini-series The New Edition Story.

more tracks from the album

All for Love

From the album

All for Love (1985)

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KickbackNew Edition

New Edition

All for Love