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.
Super Natural Thing
Ben E. King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Supernatural thing
Your love, your love
Supernatural thing, oh, babe
Your love (your love, your love)
Supernatural thing (supernatural)
Oh, baby (supernatural)
Your love, your love
(Your love, your love)
Supernatural thing (supernatural)
Mmm, baby (supernatural)
When we touch, you give me such
A funny feeling in my brain
I'm so possessed by your love
Sometimes I don't even know my name
When we kiss
You know you make me hot
I break out sometimes
In little bitty green spots
You give me
Give me all you got
Don't stop it, baby
'Cause I need a lot
Your love (your love, your love)
Lord, it's a supernatural thing
(Supernatural)
(Supernatural)
Your love, your love
(Your love, your love)
Supernatural thing (supernatural)
Mmm hmm (supernatural)
Interplanetary, extraordinary love
(Interplanetary) what you say
(Extraordinary) hey (supernatural)
I like it (supernatural) listen
Interplanetary, extraordinary love
(Interplanetary)
(Extraordinary) like the way you love me
(Supernatural) oh, baby (supernatural)
You give me cosmic feeling
Every time, ebery time I squeeze you
Your love is so electrifying
So satisfying
Lord knows I ain't lying
Your love (your love, your love)
Supernatural thing (supernatural)
Oh, woman (supernatural)
Your love (your love, your love)
Lord, it's a supernatural thing
(Supernatural)
(Supernatural)
Interplanetary, extraordinary love
(Interplanetary) what you say
(Extraordinary) hey (supernatural)
I like it (supernatural) listen
Interplanetary, ooh, extraordinary love
(Interplanetary)
(Extraordinary) like the way you love me
(Supernatural) oh, baby (supernatural) listen
Interplanetary, oh, extraordinary love
(Interplanetary) I like
(Extraordinary) surely I like (supernatural)
Babe (supernatural) one more time
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
In Ben E. King's "Super Natural Thing," the singer is describing the intense and otherworldly feeling he experiences with his lover. He calls it a "supernatural thing," emphasizing how powerful and mystical their connection is. When they touch or kiss, he is overcome with a "funny feeling in [his] brain" and sometimes he feels like he loses his sense of self. He compares their love to something cosmic, interplanetary, and electrifying, saying that their connection is so strong that it creates green spots on his skin. Despite this, he is addicted to the supernatural feeling of their love and begs his lover not to stop.
The lyrics are an expression of the intense, overwhelming feeling of love that can sometimes feel inexplicable or out of this world. The repeated refrain of "your love, your love, supernatural thing" emphasizes the almost mystical or magical quality their love possesses. The description of green spots could be seen as a metaphor for euphoria or physical manifestations of intense emotion. Throughout the song, Ben E. King emphasizes how unexplainable and powerful this feeling of supernatural love truly is.
Line by Line Meaning
Your love, your love
The affection that you have for me
Supernatural thing
Is something rare, exceptional
Your love, your love
The affection that you have for me
Supernatural thing, oh, babe
It’s a special kind of affection that is out of this world
When we touch, you give me such
When we make physical contact, it is a feeling that is hard to describe
A funny feeling in my brain
It creates a sensation in my head that is unusual
I'm so possessed by your love
I am deeply under the influence of the love that you have for me
Sometimes I don't even know my name
It is so overwhelming that I forget who I am
When we kiss
When we touch our lips together
You know you make me hot
It ignites a fire in me
I break out sometimes
I begin to suffer from
In little bitty green spots
Small and strange physical symptoms
You give me
You provide me with
Give me all you got
Give me everything that you have to offer
Don't stop it, baby
Please continue doing it
'Cause I need a lot
I require a lot of it in my life
Your love, Lord, it's a supernatural thing
The love that you have is an extraordinary feeling
Mmm hmm
Indicates agreement, understanding or pleasure
Interplanetary, extraordinary love
A kind of love that is rare and out of this world
Like the way you love me, oh, baby
I enjoy the way you express your affection for me
You give me cosmic feeling
It is an otherworldly sensation
Every time, every time I squeeze you
Every time I hold you tight
Your love is so electrifying
The love that you have for me is powerful
So satisfying
It gives me great pleasure
Lord knows I ain't lying
I swear that what I am saying is true
Interplanetary, oh, extraordinary love
A kind of affection that is far from ordinary
I like it, surely I like, babe
I find it immensely pleasurable
One more time
One final instance or experience
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mbrad2002
I don't care where you come from or where you been, if you listen to this song you are officially groovy as he'll and I love you!
@inconito3961
thank you I am awn African man from Algeria
@craigwillumsen5825
I'mma white man raised in Baltimore, raised by people of color. They showed me love. Motown was always playing. I thank God for them everyday. MotherAnna Mae (R.I.P)
@imbees2
Alright now, craigwillumsen!. Glad you're loving the song.
@tonyqwabe5873
Bab'wami
@imbees2
Git it Craig!
@ahmedissa8702
Old days were days like no other days, everything was good and classic. We can’t compare old days life and music to today’s times.
@AndresGonzalez-dc8wb
Nunca.
@josegomez-fj3be
69 YRS. YOUNG STILL LISTENING TO THIS JAM 2020 FORGETTING ABOUT THIS COVID 19 WHO ELSE
@josegomez-fj3be
IM FROM CHI TOWN AND STILL STEPPING WHO ELSE OUT THERE IS STEPPING WITH ME