Released: September 6, 1988

Songwriter: Daryl Simmons LA Reid Babyface

Producer: LA Reid Babyface

[Verse 1]
Yesterday you told me that you love me
And you love me for good
You said that we'd get married
When the time was right and I understood

[Pre-Chorus]
But how long were you planning to deceive me?
Love me and then leave me
How long will you pull the wool all over my eyes?

[Chorus]
I wish you had told me
You were a family man
'Cause if you had told me
I would have made other plans

[Verse 2]
It wasn't very long ago
You promised me that we'd go away
Told me to be patient
You say good things come to those who can wait

[Pre-Chorus]
How long will you play with my emotions
Treat me like a token?
How long must you play your silly games with my heart?

[Chorus]
I wish you had told me
You were a family man
'Cause if you had told me
I would have made other plans
I wish you had told me (I'm walking out the door)
You were a family man (Oh yeah, oh yeah)
'Cause if you had told me (Don't come around no more, baby)
I would have made other plans
(I would have made other plans)

[Bridge]
Please, I've had enough of this mess
Baby, oh, how long?
How long?

[Pre-Chorus]
How long will you play with my emotions
Treat my like a token?
How long must you play your silly games with my heart?

[Chorus]
I wish you had told me
You were a family man
'Cause if you had told me (If you had told me)
I would have made other plans
I wish you had told me (I'm walking out the door)
You were a family man (Oh yeah, oh yeah)
'Cause if you had told me (So don't come around no more, baby)
I would have made other plans (Oh yeah, oh yeah)

[Bridge]
I know it just ain't right
To your family and your wife
And all your lies and alibis
Are messing up my life
How do I love you like I do, I do
Have perfect faith in you
How could I be so blind and let you play me
Play me for a fool

[Chorus]
I wish you had told me
You were a family man
'Cause if you had told me
I would have made other plans

Karyn White

Karyn White (born October 14, 1965) is a singer/songwriter from Los Angeles, California. On her 1988 self-titled debut album, she worked with the super-producer duo of L.A. Reid and Babyface, who wrote and produced the album’s four #1 singles: “The Way You Love Me,”, “Superwoman”, and the Babyface duet “Love Saw It” all hit #1 on the R&B singles chart along with “Secret Rendezvous” which hit #1 on the U.S. Dance singles chart. She won a Billboard Music Award in 1989 for “Superwoman” being the Number One R&B Single of the Year and she was nominated for a Grammy in 1989 in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance category for “The Way You Love Me.” The album reached #1 on the Billboard R&B chart and is certified platinum.

Her sophomore album Ritual of Love saw her team up with another legendary production duo, working with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, who produced her most successful single, “Romantic,” which reached #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts. This album was released in 1991 and is certified gold. She released her third album Make Him Do Right in 1994. She married producer Terry Lewis in 1992 but they divorced in 1999, the same year she left her record label Warner Bros in order to go take care of her family. In 2012, she independently released Carpe Diem, her first album in almost 20 years.