"This Had to Be" (originally titled "You Not Me") is a song by the Brothers Johnson released as the fifth track on their album, Light Up the Night. Michael Jackson originally wrote it for one of the projects he was working on at the time.
Background[]
The song was written in 1979 by Jackson and recorded it in the fall of the same year, originally under the title "You Not Me". It's said to have been made for either Off the Wall or The Jacksons' album, Triumph, the latter being plausible since the song was recorded after the former was released. The song didn't make the cut and was given to The Brothers Johnson, retitled "This Had to Be". Jackson is credited as a writer for the song. In 2009, a lyric sheet to the track was sold at an auction.[1]
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Yesterday, I set me free
Or is it that you walked out on me?
Too blind to see the truth that be
The hurt's on you, walk carefully
Open your ears if you cannot see
To see the eyes look beautifully
She took the car, but I hold the key
To happiness, this one's for me
[Pre-Chorus]
I used to say this is eternal love, no ending
I used to think this thing was real
And now, I see that light has blinded my beginning
You say that you my dear
You're just a cheatin' heart
[Chorus]
This had to be to make you see
That the truth, the truth is here to be
I'm living my life, no more are we
You're just a slap back in the face, even I could see
And you took the car, but I hold the key
To love and happiness that's just for me
You are the night, so feel the heat
You're just a slap back in the face, even I could see
I'm living my life for me
(Living my life for me, I'm living my life for me
Living my life for me, I'm living my life for me)
[Verse 2]
This smiling heart burned so tenderly
Now, don't believe everything you see
Flower vases don't mean much to me
When the heart's a thorn, it's the kind that be
So look inside everything you see (Uh, huh)
The truth's inside, look carefully
She took the car, but I hold the key
To happiness, that one's for me
[Pre-Chorus]
I used to say this is eternal love, no ending
I used to think this thing was real
And now, I see the light has blinded my beginning
You said that you're my dear
You're just a cheatin' heart
[Chorus]
This had to be to make you see
That the truth, the truth is here to be
I'm living my life, no more are we
You're just a slap back in the face, even I could see
I'm living my life for me
(Living my life for me, I'm living my life for me
Living my life for me, I'm living my life for me)
[Bridge]
Don't rescue me, this had to be
This had to be, this had to be
This had to be, this had to be
This had to be, this had to be
Don't rescue me, don't rescue me
Don't rescue me, this had to be
This had to be, this had to be
This had to be, this had to be
[Chorus]
To make you see
That the truth, the truth is here to be
I'm living my life, no more are we
You're just a slap back in the face, even I could see
You took the car, but I hold the key
To love and happiness that's meant for me
You are the night, so feel the heat
You're just a slap back in the face, even I could see (Ow!)
[Outro]
This had to be
It's the truth, it's the truth that we
This had to be
