Betty Harris (born 1939, Orlando, Florida, United States) is an American so… Read Full Bio ↴Betty Harris (born 1939, Orlando, Florida, United States) is an American soul singer. Her recording career in the 1960s produced three hit singles that made the US Billboard R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts: "Cry to Me" (1963), "His Kiss" (1964) and "Nearer to You" (1967). However, her reputation among soul music connoisseurs far exceeds her commercial success of the 1960s, and her recordings for the Jubilee and Sansu record labels are highly sought after in the 2000s by fans of Northern soul and deep soul.

In 1963, after being in the music business for a few years, Betty Harris recorded a slowed down version of Solomon Burke's hit of the year before, "Cry to Me", produced by the original record's producer, Bert Berns, and released on the Jubilee record label. Taken at a slower pace, Harris' rendition turned the song into a Billboard Hot 100 number 23 hit, with a corresponding number 10 listing on the R&B chart, and it became a deep soul classic. A total of three further singles including a reissue of "Cry to Me" were released on Jubilee, also produced by Bert Berns, with "His Kiss", which was released on January 4, 1964, another deep soul ballad, reaching the lower part of the Billboard Pop and R&B charts.

In 1964, Betty Harris switched record labels to Sansu, a New Orleans label, where she was produced by Allen Toussaint. Her recording with Sansu produced ten singles. Of those, only "Nearer to You", an atmospheric, dramatic soul ballad, now considered one of the milestones of deep soul, achieved U.S. national chart success (Billboard number 85). However, practically all of her recordings for Sansu, uptempo tunes and ballads alike, featuring Toussaint's raw yet sophisticated Southern soul arrangements behind Harris' rich, distinctive vocal, are considered prime specimens of the classic soul era; some notable recordings were "I'm Evil Tonight", a beat ballad favored in Northern soul circles; "I Don't Want to Hear It", "Show it" and "Twelve Red Roses", stirring up-tempo tracks; "Can't Last Much Longer" and "What'd I Do Wrong", emotive deep soul ballads.

Harris retired from performing in 1970 to raise a family.
All of the Sansu recordings were compiled into an album released in the UK (but not the US) in 1969, called Soul Perfection, an album which, in its vinyl format, although not extremely rare, commands relatively high prices of $200 to $300 today.

A comprehensive CD compilation of Harris recordings, titled Soul Perfection Plus, was released in 1999 by the UK re-release label, West Side.

In 2005, Harris returned to the music industry after a long absence.

She has made several public appearances in the US and Europe, including the 2007 Porretta Soul Festival in Italy, and has recorded a new album, Intuition.

Harris toured Australia in 2006 and appeared on the TV show RocKwiz, where she performed "Cry to Me", and a duet of "Love Lots Of Lovin'" with the Australian singer John Paul Young.

Discography

US singles

1962 "Taking Care of Business" "Yesterday's Kisses" Douglas 104
1963 "Cry to Me" "I'll Be A Liar" Jubilee 5456
1964 "His Kiss" "It's Dark Outside" Jubilee 5465
1964 "Mojo Hannah" "Now Is The Hour" Jubilee 5480
1965 "What A Sad Feeling" "I'm Evil Tonight" Sansu 450
1966 "I Don't Want to Hear It" "Sometime" Sansu 452
1966 "Twelve Red Roses" "What'd I Do Wrong" Sansu 455
1967 "Lonely Hearts" "Bad Luck" Sansu 461
1967 "Nearer to You" "I'm Evil Tonight" Sansu 466
1967 "Can't Last Much Longer" "I'm Gonna Git Ya" Sansu 471
1968 "Love Lots of Lovin'" "Take Care of Our Love"
(with Lee Dorsey) Sansu 474
1968 "What'd I Do Wrong" "Mean Man" Sansu 478
1968 "Hook Line 'N' Sinker" "Show It" Sansu 479
1968 "Ride Your Pony" "Trouble With My Lover" Sansu 480
1969 "There's A Break in The Road" "All I Want Is You" SSS International 766

Albums

2007 Intuition Evidence

Vinyl compilations

1969 Soul Perfection Action (UK) ACLP 6007
1980 In The Saddle Charly (UK) CRB 1002
[12]

Compilation CD

1999 Soul Perfection Plus West Side (UK) WESA 807

All I Want Is You
Betty Harris Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All I want is you (wait a minute)
You know it feels so right (wait a minute)
My love will last forever
I want more more more

All I want is you (wait a minute)
You know it feels so right (wait a minute)
My love will last forever

I want more more more
More and more and more

Do it all for me
don't you let it be
I would give up my whole world just for you
I guess I'm just a fool

Say you'll always care
Say you're really there
Say you'll give up your whole world just for me
I love you can't you see

All I want is you (wait a minute)
You know it feels so right (wait a minute)
My love will last forever
I want more more more

All I want is you (wait a minute)
You know it feels so right (wait a minute)
My love will last forever
I want more more more
More and more and more

Now you really know
Yeah I told you so
I would give up my whole world just for you
Now you say that's pretty cool

Will it always be?
Always you and me
Would you be my sun up in the sky?
Baby you can get my high

All I want is you (wait a minute)
You know it feels so right (wait a minute)
My love will last forever
I want more more more

All I want is you (wait a minute)
You know it feels so right (wait a minute)
My love will last forever
I want more more more
More and more and more

All I want is you!

Overall Meaning

The song "All I Want Is You" by Betty Harris is a classic love song that showcases the deep affection and desire of the singer for her lover. The main theme of the song is the desire to be with her lover forever, and the lyrics reflect her heartfelt plea for his love and commitment.

The song starts with the repeated line "All I want is you, wait a minute" which creates a sense of urgency and importance in the singer's desire to be with her lover. She then confirms her feelings by saying, "You know it feels so right." The refrain "My love will last forever" shows the depth of her love and commitment, and her desire for more and more of his attention and affection.

The second part of the song is a plea for her lover to reciprocate her feelings. She asks him to "do it all for me" and promises to give up her whole world just for him. She underscores her commitment by calling herself a fool for love. She asks him to say that he cares, and that he will give up his whole world for her, displaying her need for affirmation and love.

Overall, the song highlights the strong affection and desire for love between two people, and the plea for love and commitment from both sides.

Line by Line Meaning

All I want is you (wait a minute)
I want to be strictly with you, but hold on

You know it feels so right (wait a minute)
Your presence is perfect and we can take a pause

My love will last forever
My love for you is infinite

I want more more more
I want more love, attention, and affection from you

More and more and more
I want an increasing amount of love, attention, and affection from you

Do it all for me
I want you to do everything for me without hesitation

don't you let it be
Don't let anything come between us

I would give up my whole world just for you
I would sacrifice everything I have for you

I guess I'm just a fool
I may be naive and foolish for loving you so much

Say you'll always care
Promise me that you'll always care for me