Anita Ward (born 20 December 1956 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA) is an America… Read Full Bio ↴Anita Ward (born 20 December 1956 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA) is an American Disco and R&B singer.

Before signing a recording contract, Ward obtained a degree in psychology from Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, and had become a schoolteacher. While recording her first album (on Juana records) Frederick Knight, who owned the label, presented her with a song he had written the previous year for singer Stacy Lattisaw. Ward did not like the song, but Knight insisted that a dance track was needed to capitalize on the current disco trend, and Ward relented. The song, which was originally a juvenile-targeted tune about teens talking on the telephone, was rewritten with more "adult" lyrics, and the result was the single "Ring My Bell" which reached number one in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom in 1979. Disputes with Knight, a car accident, and the fading appeal of disco music halted Ward's career and she came to be regarded as a one hit wonder. Only one other single of hers made the Billboard charts in the U.S., "Don't Drop My Love," which halted at #87.

On New Year's Eve 2002 she performed "Ring My Bell" in New York City's Times Square before a crowd of revelers as part of the city's official celebration. On New Years's Eve 2005, Anita performed in Memphis, Tennessee at Backstreet. She sang her number one classic hit "Ring My Bell" and several other disco hits.

She has also appeared in Zagreb, Croatia on 4 January 2006, the night before the FIS World Cup slalom race on nearby Sljeme with some other groups and singers from disco era (Nile Rodgers & Chic, Village People, Thelma Houston and Rose Royce).

Singer Anita Ward is most well-known for her 1979 disco single "Ring My Bell," a number one pop hit in the U.S. and the U.K. Born on December 20, 1957 in Memphis, Tennessee, Ward developed an interest in music -- particularly gospel -- at an early age. She went on to sing with the Rust College A Cappella Choir (which included recording alongside renowned Metropolitan Opera vocalist Leontyne Price), and recorded an obscure album with her own gospel quartet. After graduation, however, Ward didn't set out to pursue a career in music and instead became a substitute teacher in the Memphis elementary school system. It wasn't long before Ward realized music was too much a part of her life to ignore, and her manager put her in contact with singer/songwriter Frederick Knight (who had scored a substantial hit in the summer of 1972 with "I've Been Lonely for So Long"). Knight signed on to help produce a three-song demo session with Ward, but once the tape was rolling, Knight became so taken by Ward's singing ability that the sessions soon produced an album's worth of material.

After listening to what they'd recorded, both agreed that they were still one song short, which resulted in Knight digging up an old track titled "Ring My Bell," which he had originally penned for a younger singer, Stacy Lattisaw (who would later score several hits in the early '80s). The song's original lyrics dealt with teens chatting away on the phone and even though Knight gave the track a quick lyrical overhaul, Ward was less than enthusiastic about the song. Still, she agreed to record it, with Knight providing most of the musical accompaniment. Recorded over the course of two days, "Ring My Bell" turned out to be the best track of the bunch. It resulted in a recording contract with the T.K.-affiliated Juana label, and the release of Ward's debut album, Songs of Love, in 1979. It didn't take long for "Ring My Bell" to scale the charts. That summer, it topped Billboard's Hot 100 and remained on that chart for five months. A subsequent single, "Don't Drop My Love" -- taken from the quick-to-follow second album Sweet Surrender -- peaked at only number 87. A few songs were recorded during sessions for a third album abandoned prior to completion. They surfaced on various Ward anthologies released during the following decades. Although Ward rarely recorded -- she released a single in 2011 -- she continued to perform into the 2010s. ~ Greg Prato, Rovi

I Love The Night Life
Anita Ward Lyrics

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Talk about a sweet situation
Girl, you've got me in one
You can lock me in your heart
And throw away the key
We can get a little fire going
Let burn it all night
'Cause I love the way you do that

It makes me want you so bad
And baby you can do that anytime at all
Fingers on my skin, you're doing it again
I love the way you do that, do that
If you doubt my love and affection
Girl, I'm gonna show you
I ain't holdin' anything back, you can have it all
You're wrapping me around you finger

And I don't want you to stop
'Cause I love the way you do that
It makes me want you so bad
And baby you can do that anytime at all
Fingers on my skin, you're doing it again
I love the way you do that, do that
Well, I can see it in your eyes
You can probably read my mind

Oh, you know just exactly what I want
I love the way you do that
It makes me want you so bad
And baby you can do that anytime at all
Fingers on my skin, you're doing it again
I love the way you do that, do that
I love the way you do that
It makes me want you so bad

And baby you can do that anytime at all
Fingers on my skin, you're doing it again
I love the way you do that, do that
I love the way you do that
It makes me want you so bad

And baby you can do that anytime at all
Fingers on my skin, you're doing it again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Anita Ward's "I Love The Night Life" are about a deep romantic attraction between two people. The singer describes being "locked" in the other person's heart and wanting to be with them all night long. They admire the other person's ability to excite and arouse them, and are completely taken in by their charm. The singer is confident in their love and dedication to the other person, promising to give themselves completely to them.

The lyrics are sensual and intimate, full of desire and vulnerability. The singer is completely enamoured with the other person and is willing to do anything to be with them. They use phrases like "wrapping me around your finger" and "fingers on my skin" to describe the physical connection that they share. The song is a powerful declaration of love and admiration, showcasing how love can completely consume a person.

Overall, "I Love The Night Life" is a testament to the power of love and attraction. The lyrics are deeply personal and intimate, showcasing how love can take hold of us and change us completely.

I Love The Night LifeAnita Ward Lyrics

I Love The Night Life
Anita Ward Lyrics