Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, a 14-year-old Tiffany Evans celebrates a very special piece of jewelry in her 2007 debut single, “Promise Ring.”
In the song, the former Star Search Grand Champion in the Junior Singer Division tells her boyfriend that sometimes a girl needs a token of love to show how much she’s appreciated for all the things she does. Apparently, her boyfriend was thinking the same thing.
He surprises her with a small velvet box containing a promise ring. In the official video, the yellow-metal ring features a gleaming red gemstone.
Evans recounts her boyfriend's vow: “I promise not to hurt you, I promise not to lie / I promise to befriend you and defend you with my life / I promise you forever, I promise you today, he said / Would you wear my promise ring? I said yes.”
Later in the song, Evans sings, “How in the world could a girl say no / I knew it the moment he made my finger glow.”
The recurring hook is, “Yes, I’ll rock your promise ring.”
“Promise Ring” was the lead single from the teenager’s self-titled debut album. The song went to #1 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 list and #66 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs list. The album scored a Top 20 position on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop albums chart.
The official video for the song spotlights the teenybopper rockin’ her promise ring with a special appearance by Grammy Award-winner Ciara, who was 21 years old at the time. The video has been viewed on YouTube more than 27 million times.
While the now-32-year-old Evans still has an active singing career, "Promise Ring" remains her most successful single to date.
Born in the Bronx, NY, Evans rose to fame in 2003 as an 11-year-old contestant on Star Search, hosted by Arsenio Hall. Evans was the only performer in the talent show’s history to earn perfect scores on all of her appearances. The Grand Champion in the Junior Singer Division soon caught the attention of Columbia Records, which signed her to a record deal.
Please check out the video of Evans and Ciara performing “Promise Ring.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Promise Ring”
Written by Ezekiel Lewis, J. Que, Balewa Muhhammad, Candice Nelson, Bryan Reid and Michael Crooms. Performed by Tiffany Evans, featuring Ciara.
To the beat, to the beat, to the beat ’cause I need
Everybody to the floor, why? ’cause this beat is sick, yeah
It’s time to rock, uh, that’s what it is
Tiffany’s her name, love is the game
And the only way to play is with this promise ring
Sometimes a girl needs to know that she’s
Appreciated for all the things she does
With some sorta token of love
‘Cause without it her young heart won’t know
And right then to my surprise, he
Pulled out a small velvet box, pink ribbon tied
I’m wondering what’s inside
He opened it and then he replied
He said, I promise not to hurt you, I promise not to lie
I promise to befriend you and defend you with my life
I promise you forever, I promise you today, he said
Would you wear my promise ring? I said yes
If ya break ya promise we breakin’ up
Got a couple things that I want
Walks in the park and sweet things
If I rock your promise ring
I could be your pretty young thing
You could become my king
I gotta know you got me
Yes, I’ll rock your promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, promise, promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, yes, I’ll rock your promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, promise, promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, yes, I’ll rock your promise ring
How in the world could a girl say no
I knew it the moment he made my finger glow
It was good to know I’m who he chose
It was your heart he felt now it shows, now it shows
You know when you see me floss
No way it’s gon’ get lost, I’ll never take this off
I’m older and they call me by your name
I’ll wear it on a chain, because I can hear you say
He said I promise not to hurt you, I promise not to lie
I promise to befriend you and defend you with my life
I promise you forever, I promise you today, he said
Would you wear my promise ring? I said yes
If ya break ya promise we breakin’ up
Got a couple things that I want
Walks in the park and sweet things
If I rock your promise ring
I could be your pretty young thing
You could become my king
I gotta know you got me
Yes, I’ll rock your promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, promise, promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, yes, I’ll rock your promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, promise, promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, yes, I’ll rock your promise ring
Everybody get up and rock to this beat
My name is Tiffany and why’all know me
All my girls with me, all the boys like me
Come correctly with the promise ring
And you just might be my boo, my boo
Promise that you’ll never let me go and boy I’ll
Boy I’ll wear your promise ring
All you have to do is say the word and boy I’ll
Boy I’ll wear your promise ring
Just let me know, just let me know, what I gotta do
Just let me know, just let me know
You ain’t goin’ nowhere, I ain’t goin’ nowhere
I’ll be on for sure but you gotta know that
If ya break ya promise we breakin’ up
Got a couple things that I want
Walks in the park and sweet things
If I rock your promise ring
I could be your pretty young thing
You could become my king
I gotta know you got me
Yes, I’ll rock your promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, promise, promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, yes, I’ll rock your promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, promise, promise ring
Yes, I’ll rock your promise, yes, I’ll rock your promise ring
If I rock your promise ring
Young thing, my king
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / Tiffany Evans.