Atlantic Starr was among the top urban contemporary acts of the '80s and fa… Read Full Bio ↴Atlantic Starr was among the top urban contemporary acts of the '80s and fared well in the adult contemporary market as well, but their roots were '70s soul and funk. The East Coast outfit was formed in White Plains, NY, in 1976 by three brothers: lead singer/guitarist David Lewis, lead singer/keyboardist Wayne Lewis, and trombonist/percussionist Jonathan Lewis. After the Lewis Brothers hired lead singer Sharon Bryant, trumpeter William Sudderth, saxophonist Damon Rentie (who was replaced by Koran Daniels in 1981), bassist Clifford Archer, drummer Porter Carroll, Jr., and percussionist/flutist Joseph Phillips, Atlantic Starr's original nine-person lineup was in place. Influenced by '70s funk/soul bands like Earth, Wind & Fire, the Commodores, New Birth, and L.T.D., Atlantic Starr started playing around the northeastern U.S. They had only been together for about two years when they signed with A&M and started working with Bobby Eli, a well-respected producer/songwriter from Philadelphia. Produced by Eli in 1978, Atlantic Starr's self-titled debut album wasn't a mega-platinum blockbuster but did reasonably well and contained the funk hit "Stand Up" (which made it to number 16 on Billboard's R&B singles chart). Eli went on to produce the band's second album, Straight to the Point; while that 1979 release did OK, A&M knew that Atlantic Starr could be bigger. So in 1981, the band changed producers and enlisted James Carmichael for their third album, Radiance. It was a wise move; Radiance and its hit single "When Love Calls" established Atlantic Starr as a supergroup in the R&B market. It was on Radiance that the charismatic Bryant (who was featured on "When Love Calls") really blossomed as a singer and her lead vocals played a major role in the band's success. Carmichael went on to produce 1982's "Brilliance" (which contained the number two R&B single "Circles") and 1983's Yours Forever; the latter includes "Touch a Four Leaf Clover," another major hit featuring Bryant.

Although Bryant was never Atlantic Starr's only lead singer -- Wayne and David Lewis also provided their share of lead vocals -- she was a major asset. So it came as quite a disappointment when she left Atlantic Starr in 1984 to pursue a solo career. But all was not lost. The talented Barbara Weathers was hired as a replacement and 1985's As the Band Turns -- Atlantic Starr's first post-Bryant album and sixth album overall -- found the outfit unveiling a smaller lineup that consisted of Weathers, the Lewis Brothers, and Phillips. Sudderth, Daniels, Archer, and Carroll were all gone, but despite those personnel changes, Atlantic Starr was still distinctive and recognizable. As the Band Turns, which contained the major hit "Secret Lovers," turned out to be Atlantic Starr's last album for A&M; in 1987, they moved to Warner Bros. and fared well with the album All in the Name of Love and the smash hit "Always." A syrupy adult contemporary ballad, "Always" reflected the Lewis Brothers' desire to have the type of crossover success that Whitney Houston and Lionel Ritchie had been enjoying in the '80s; they got their wish when "Always" soared to number one on both the pop and R&B charts.

After All in the Name of Love, Weathers left the band to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Porscha Martin, who was featured on 1988's We're Movin' Up. Martin was around for a few years before being replaced by Rachel Oliver (Atlantic Starr's fourth female vocalist) in the early '90s. Atlantic Starr's relationship with Warner Bros. ended after 1991's Love Crazy, and in 1994, the band recorded one album for Arista: Time. That album was a commercial disappointment and the single "I'll Remember You" only made it to the fifties on Billboard's R&B and pop singles charts. Time (which was David Lewis' last album with the band) found a fifth female singer, Aisha Tanner, replacing Oliver. And when 1999's Legacy was distributed by the small, independent Street Solid label, Atlantic Starr unveiled yet another lineup -- one that consisted of two Lewis Brothers (Wayne and Jonathan) as well as Oliver (who had returned and replaced Tanner) and a new male singer named DeWayne Woods. Although Legacy received very little attention, Atlantic Starr hung in there and was still performing for die-hard fans when the 21st century arrived.

I Want Your Love
Atlantic Starr Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Shadows grow so long before my eyes
And they're moving across the page
Suddenly the day turns into night
Far away from the city
Don't hesitate
'Cause your love won't wait

Oh baby I love your way, everyday

Wanna tell you I love your way, everyday
Wanna be with you night and day

Moon appears to shine and light the sky
With the help of some firefly
Wonder how they have the power to shine, shine, shine
I can see them under the pine
Don't hesitate
'Cause your love won't wait

Oh baby I love your way, everyday
Wanna tell you I love your way, oh
Wanna be with you night and day, oh yeah

Well don't hesitate
'Cause your love won't wait

I can see the sunset in your eyes
Brown and gray, blue besides
Clouds are stalking islands in the sun
I wish I could buy one
Out of season

Don't hesitate
'Cause your love won't wait

Oh baby I love your way, everyday
Wanna tell you I love your way
Wanna be with you night and day

Oh baby I love your way, everyday

Wanna tell you I love your way
Wanna be with you night and day, yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "I Want Your Love" by Atlantic Starr is a love song filled with imagery and longing. Through the lyrics, the singer expresses their feelings of wanting to be with their love day and night, never wanting to be apart. The opening lines set the scene with shadows growing long and the day turning to night, creating a sense of transition and change. The singer then expresses their love through lines like "Oh baby I love your way, everyday" and "Wanna tell you I love your way," conveying a sense of passion that they feel towards their love.

The imagery in the song is also rich and evocative, with the moon shining and fireflies lighting up the sky. These symbols are used to enhance the sense of magic and wonder that the singer feels towards their love. In the final lines of the song, the singer talks about seeing the sunset in their love's eyes and wishing they could buy an island. While seemingly unrelated ideas, they add to the overall sense of love and desire that the singer is expressing.

Overall, "I Want Your Love" is a beautiful song that conveys the intense emotions of a person in love. The use of vivid imagery and powerful lyrics create a sense of longing and desire that many listeners can relate to and appreciate.

Line by Line Meaning

Shadows grow so long before my eyes
As time passes, problems keep piling up, and they are getting harder to ignore.

And they're moving across the page
These issues must be addressed and dealt with before they get worse and begin to affect other aspects of life.

Suddenly the day turns into night
The problems seem to take over and make the world seem darker and more hopeless.

Far away from the city
Escaping from the stresses of city life is an appealing option for finding peace and clarity.

Don't hesitate
Take action now instead of waiting for things to get worse.

'Cause your love won't wait
The opportunity for love and happiness should not be postponed or overlooked.

Oh baby I love your way, everyday
Expressing love and affection consistently is important for maintaining a strong relationship.

Wanna tell you I love your way, everyday
The singer yearns to express their love and have it reciprocated.

Wanna be with you night and day
The desire to be with the one they love constantly is consuming and powerful.

Moon appears to shine and light the sky
Even in the darkness, there is still beauty and wonder to be found in the world.

With the help of some firefly
Small things and unlikely sources of light can have a great impact.

Wonder how they have the power to shine, shine, shine
Reflecting on the resilience and strength of those who are able to shine despite the darkness and difficulty in their lives.

I can see them under the pine
The singer recognizes and appreciates the small joys in life.

I can see the sunset in your eyes
The beauty and wonder of nature is reflected in the eyes of the person they love.

Brown and gray, blue besides
The colors in their loved one's eyes are varied and complex, adding to their unique beauty.

Clouds are stalking islands in the sun
Even in places of beauty and tranquility, storms may appear unexpectedly and threaten to darken the world.

I wish I could buy one, out of season
The singer wants to have control over their situation and escape from the difficulties they are facing, even if it's not possible.

Contributed by Riley W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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