With her classy, refined brand of romantic soul, Anita Baker was one of the definitive quiet storm singers of the '80s. Gifted with a strong, supple alto, Baker was influenced not only by R&B, but jazz, gospel, and traditional pop, which gave her music a distinctly adult sophistication. Smooth and mellow, but hardly lifeless, it made her one of the most popular romantic singers of her time.
Baker was born January 26, 1958, in Toledo, OH, and raised in nearby Detroit, where she grew up listening to female jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, and Ella Fitzgerald. At age 12, she began singing a gospel choir, and by age 16 she was performing with several local bands. In 1975, she successfully auditioned for Chapter 8, one of Detroit's most popular acts at the time; the group eventually signed with Ariola and released an album in 1979, but were immediately dropped when the label was acquired by Arista (which didn't care for Baker's vocals). Chastened, Baker worked low-paying jobs in Detroit and eventually found steady work as a receptionist at a law firm. In 1982, Otis Smith -- an executive who'd worked with Chapter 8 -- contacted Baker about recording for his new label Beverly Glen. Happy with her employment benefits and skittish over the experience with Arista, Baker was reluctant at first, but eventually flew out to the West Coast to record her debut album, The Songstress, in 1983. Though it didn't gain quite enough exposure to become a hit, it did help Baker build a strong fan base through word-of-mouth and she was signed by Elektra in 1985.
Working with producer Michael J. Powell (an old Chapter 8 cohort), Baker released her major-label debut Rapture in 1986. It was a platinum, Grammy winning smash, appealing to both urban and adult contemporary listeners and producing two all-time quiet storm classics in "Caught Up in the Rapture" and "Sweet Love." Baker toured the world in 1987 and her guest appearance on the Winans track "Ain't No Need to Worry" won a Grammy. Her equally stylish follow-up album, Giving You the Best That I Got, appeared in 1988, spawning more staples in the title track and "Just Because." "Giving You the Best That I Got" also won Baker two more Grammys, for Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song. For her third Elektra album, Baker decided to handle a greater share of the songwriting, hence the title Compositions, which was released in 1990 and featured even stronger jazz inflections than Baker's previous work (not to mention all live instruments).
Following Compositions, Baker took a break from recording and touring; after having her first son in 1993, she returned to the studio to craft Rhythm of Love, which was released in 1994. In the years that followed, Baker was mostly silent, despite her fans' clamoring for a jazz album; instead, she raised her family and became embroiled in contract disputes with Elektra, which eventually led her to move to Atlantic. She began working on a new album in 2000, but had to start over from scratch due to defective recording equipment that made the original tracks unsalvageable. In 2004 it was announced that she had signed with Blue Note and still working on her new album. In the meantime, the Atlantic imprint Rhino released Night of Rapture: Live, a 1987 concert originally available on video. Baker finally returned to the studio in 2003 and issued My Everything, her first album in 10 years. Two years later she released her first holiday album, Christmas Fantasy.
Just Because
Anita Baker Lyrics
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No limitations, no set of regimented rules
I'm amazed how much this love has touched my life
And the commitment that we share is a welcome sacrifice
This must be sweet fatal attraction
My lifelong date with destiny
Love this strong, it just brings out the passion
And I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin', you
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby (and I love you, and I love you)
Just because you're you
(Just because you're you)
Just because you're you
You're a diamond in my mind, a treasure found
A precious gem to me, you're so nice to have around
I'm so glad I took the path that led to this
And it's amazin' loving you
I'm doin' things I never thought I'd do
I don't know, there ain't no explanation
Of why I'm sharin' love at last this way
I won't try to work out all my reasons
I'll use these words to simply say
I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin'
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby (and I love you, and I love you)
I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin'
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you (and I love you, and I love you)
You're all I need, baby
Could it be that there's more to this than meets the eye?
Maybe that's the reason why
All I know is when I'm in your arms it feels all right
I hold you tight, and I come alive
I love you just because
I love you, surely I do, my darlin'
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you (and I love you, and I love you)
Hey, hey, hey, hey
I love you just because
I love you just because I do, oh yeah
I, I couldn't take it back if I wanted to
I just love (and I love you, and I love you)
Hey, I just love you, baby
I love you just because
I love you, ain't nothin' I can do
Nothin' I can do about it
Nothin' I can do about it
I just love you (and I love you, and I love you)
I just love you, yeah
I just love you
I love you just because
I love you
Couldn't take it back if I wanted to
That's just the way it is, baby
That's just the way it is, baby
(And I love you, and I love you)
Anita Baker's song "Just Because" is a beautiful ode to love and commitment. The singer reflects on how much she loves her partner, with no limitations or rules in place to define their relationship. She marvels at how their love has touched her life and how its strength has brought out a passion in her that she never knew existed. She sees her partner as a diamond in her mind—someone she treasures and is grateful to have around.
Throughout the song, Baker emphasizes that her love is inexplicable and says that she won't try to work out all her reasons for loving her partner. It seems that she recognizes that there is something about their relationship that goes beyond words and reason. She simply expresses her love for her partner, just because she does, and because her emotions are more than words can help her say. The song doesn't attempt to solve the mystery of love or explain it away but simply celebrates it for what it is.
In many ways, "Just Because" is a musically simple song. Its melody is straightforward, and the instrumentation is relatively sparse. But that is part of its beauty as it allows the focus to be on the lyrics and on Baker's soulful delivery. The song never feels forced or insincere. It is an honest expression of love, and Baker's powerful voice carries the listener along on the emotion of the journey.
Line by Line Meaning
When I think about how much I'm loving you
Reflecting on the intensity of the love she feels for her partner.
No limitations, no set of regimented rules
Their relationship is free of restrictions or rules that might block the natural flow of love between them.
I'm amazed how much this love has touched my life
Feeling awed by how much her love for her partner has influenced every aspect of her life.
And the commitment that we share is a welcome sacrifice
Their mutual commitment is something she values enough to willingly sacrifice for.
This must be, sweet fatal attraction
Their love feels irresistible and pulls them together in a way that seems fated.
My lifelong date with destiny
The idea that their love is part of something larger and more profound, that it is their destiny to be together.
Love this strong, it just brings out the passion
Their love is so intense that it inspires a passionate response in her.
I never knew was here in me
She is surprised by how much passion she has within her that she never knew about before.
I love you just because
Her love for her partner is unconditional, without a specific reason or explanation.
Emotions more than words can help me say
The depth of her feelings for her partner is beyond what words can express.
I love you, baby, just because you're you
Her love for her partner is not based on any external qualities, just on who they are as a person.
You're a diamond in my mind. a treasure found
She views her partner as a valuable and rare person who she cherishes.
A precious gem to me. you're so nice to have around
Her partner is important and valuable to her, and their presence is comforting and pleasant.
I'm so glad I took the path that led to this
Feeling grateful that she had the opportunity to meet and love her partner.
And it's amazin' loving you, I'm doin' things
Her love for her partner has inspired her to do things that she never thought she would do.
I don't know, there ain't no explanation
There is no logical explanation for why her love for her partner is so intense and unconditional.
Of why I'm sharin' love at last this way
Feeling like she has finally found the right person to share her love with.
I won't try to work out all my reasons
She doesn't feel the need to analyze or explain her love for her partner.
Could it be that there's more to this than meets the eye
Wondering if there is something deeper or more significant to their love than what is apparent on the surface.
Maybe that's the reason why
Suggesting that there might be an underlying reason for the intensity of their love.
All I know is when I'm in your arms it feels all right
Being in her partner's arms feels like everything is okay and nothing else matters.
I'll hold you tight and I come alive
Being close to her partner makes her feel more alive and present in the moment.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alexandra Louise Brown, Michael O'Hara, Sami R McKinney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind