In 1958, Ben Nelson joined a doo wop group, The Five Crowns. Later that same year, The Drifters' manager fired the members of the group and replaced them with The Five Crowns, who had performed several engagements with The Drifters. He co-wrote the first hit by the new version of The Drifters, "There Goes My Baby" (1959). He also sang lead, using his birth name, on "Save the Last Dance for Me," a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, "Dance With Me," "This Magic Moment," "I Count the Tears," and other The Drifters hits.
In 1960 he left the group after failing to gain a salary increase and a fairer share of the group's royalties. At this point he assumed the more memorable stage name Ben E. King in preparation for a solo career. Remaining on Atlantic, King scored his first solo hit with the stylish, Latin-tinged ballad "Spanish Harlem" (1961). "Stand by Me" was his next recording. "Stand by Me", written by King along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller was voted one of the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. "Stand by Me" and "Spanish Harlem" were named as two of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and were both also given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.
King's records continued to place well on the pop charts until 1963, when British pop bands began to dominate the popular music scene. His hits after 1963 were "What is Soul?" (1967), "Supernatural Thing, part 1" (1975), and the re-issue in 1986 of "Stand by Me" following the song's use as the theme music to the movie of the same name.
I Promise Love
Ben E. King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe I am living in the past
But when I meet the right one
I know that I'll be true
My first love will be the last
When I fall in love it will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love
Love is ended before it began
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
When I give my heart it will be completely
Or I'll never, never, never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I give my heart to you
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I give my heart to you
The lyrics to "I Had A Love" by Ben E. King and Percy Sledge speak about finding true love and the importance of commitment. The first two lines show the singer acknowledging that they might be considered old-fashioned or out of touch with modern times due to their belief in long-lasting love. The singer then states that when they meet the right person, they will remain faithful and committed to them, with their first love lasting forever.
The lyric "When I fall in love it will be forever / Or I'll never fall in love" emphasizes the singer's reluctance to settle for anything less than true love. They know that in today's fast-paced world, relationships can end before they begin, with love being fleeting and fickle. The line "And too many moonlight kisses / Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun" reinforces this idea, highlighting how quickly love can fade away.
The final stanza shows the belief that the singer has that love must be complete and fully reciprocated in order for them to open up and give their heart to someone. Once they can feel that their partner feels the same way they do, only then will they fully commit themselves to the relationship.
Overall, the lyrics to "I Had A Love" speak about the importance of true love and commitment, and the difficulty of finding and maintaining it in today's world.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I'm old fashioned, feeling as I do
Perhaps my beliefs are outdated, but that is the way I feel
Maybe I am living in the past
Perhaps my views are not relevant to modern times
But when I meet the right one
When I meet the person who is perfect for me
I know that I'll be true
I am confident that I will be faithful to them
My first love will be the last
The person I fall in love with first will be the one I love for my whole life
When I fall in love it will be forever
If I fall in love, it will be a long-term commitment
Or I'll never fall in love
If I can't find a person to love long-term, I won't fall in love at all
In a restless world like this is
In this constantly changing world
Love is ended before it began
Sometimes love doesn't have the chance to develop before it ends
And too many moonlight kisses
Too many romantic moments
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
These moments lose their intensity when faced with reality
When I give my heart it will be completely
If I express my love, it will be with my whole heart
Or I'll never, never, never give my heart
If I can't give my whole heart, I won't give it at all
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
The moment I realize that you share my feelings
Is when I give my heart to you
Is when I will fully express my love to you
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Heyman, Victor Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind