Starting singing gospel with the family group, the Echoes of Joy, Wright began switching to R&B music in 1965 when she was only 11. In 1968, she released her first album, My First Time Around, at the age of 15, and scored her first hit, "Girls Can't Do What Guys Can Do".
It was not until the end of 1971 that Wright's most successful phase of her career took place. The song, "Clean Up Woman", became a Top 5 pop and R&B hit, and would later influence a remix of Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" single with the sample of its guitar riffs; R&B girl group trio SWV's "I'm So Into You" also featured a sample from "Clean Up Woman", as did Afrika Bambaataa's song "Zulu War Chant". In 1974, Wright scored big with the songs "Tonight is the Night" (about a real-life love affair that happened with Wright when she was a teenager) and "Where is the Love" (which won her a Grammy for Best R&B Song).
After experiencing a brief slump in the early 1980s, she rebounded founding her own record label, Ms. B Records, and in 1988 made music history by being the first woman to have a gold record on her own label, with the release of Mother Wit, which featured two of her biggest hits in years, "No Pain (No Gain)" and the "After The Pain". On both songs, Wright displays her powerful upper register capabilities and five-octave range. In 1989, Wright released 4u2njoy which features the hit songs "From Pain To Joy", "Quiet Storm" and "Keep Love New". Her subsequent albums Passion and Compassion, B-Attitudes and Fit For A King kept her fanbase satisfied.
By 2001, a compilation album, The Very Best of Betty Wright, was released. In 2007, Wright scored her most successful single in over a decade with "Baby", a duet with fellow Soul singer, Angie Stone. The song peaked at #22 on the R&B chart and #2 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart.
Wright mentored several young singers, and did vocal production for the likes of Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez and Joss Stone.
In December 2010, Wright was given another Grammy Award nomination for the song, "Go", for the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.
In January 2011, Wright released her first album in ten years, Betty Wright: The Movie, and was credited to Betty Wright & The Roots .
On May 10, 2020, Wright sadly passed away due to cancer at age 66.
Shoorah Shoorah
Betty Wright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You gotta stay up, all night long
You still won't catch up, 'cause I've gotta want it
I've got a feeling you wanna do me wrong
Like a ball of lightning and a ball of heat
You wanna lock me right of my feet
But I recognize through the eyes of a fool
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can see you coming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't catch me
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can hear you humming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't catch me
I can see you moving, moving all around me
I know you're trying to get me upset
I can hear you grooving, thinking you have found me
But I'm here to tell ya you ain't got me yet
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can see you coming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't catch me
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can hear you humming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't catch me
I checked you out from the corner of my eye
You and the devil walking side by side
You ain't changed, let's be real about it
I can't change how I feel about it
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can see you coming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't get me
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can hear you humming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't get me
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can see you coming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't get me
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can hear you humming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't get me
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can see you coming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't get me, no, no
Shoorah Shoorah
Heey, I can hear you humming
Shoorah Shoorah
But you won't get me
The lyrics of Betty Wright's song "Shoorah Shoorah" is a declaration of strength and defiance against an unnamed enemy. The singer seems to be addressing someone who is trying to corrupt her or bring her down. She starts by proclaiming that she is always ahead of the game, working tirelessly to stay on top of her game. The enemy, on the other hand, is trying to sneak up on her, creeping up on her in the guise of a friend. But the singer sees right through the façade and is determined not to let the enemy get the upper hand.
In the chorus, the singer addresses the enemy directly, telling them that she can see them coming, but they won't be able to catch her. She is too strong for them and too resilient. She knows that they are trying to provoke her, to make her angry or upset, but she refuses to give them the satisfaction. She doesn't let them get under her skin, even though they are doing their best to try.
The verse that follows reinforces the idea that the singer knows exactly what the enemy is up to. She has watched them carefully and observed that they are aligned with the devil. They are, in essence, evil, and she is not going to be swayed by their false promises or duplicitous behavior. She ends the song by repeating the chorus, letting the enemy know that no matter how hard they try, they will never be able to take her down.
Overall, "Shoorah Shoorah" is a song about standing up for oneself, even in the face of adversity. The singer is determined not to let anyone get the best of her, and she uses her strength and resilience to stay one step ahead of those who would like nothing more than to see her fall.
Line by Line Meaning
You gotta wake up, early in the morning
You need to start working hard and early, before everyone else.
You gotta stay up, all night long
You need to put in a lot of effort and work tirelessly, without rest.
You still won't catch up, 'cause I've gotta want it
Even if you work as hard as me, you still won't achieve success if you don't have the same drive and motivation as me.
I've got a feeling you wanna do me wrong
I sense that you have bad intentions towards me or want to hurt me in some way.
Like a ball of lightning and a ball of heat
You come across as very intense and passionate.
You wanna lock me right of my feet
You want to sweep me off my feet and take control of the situation.
But I recognize through the eyes of a fool
Despite my attraction to you, I can see that you may not be the best choice for me, even if it's hard to admit.
That you've got the power to make your own rules
You are a strong and confident person who is not afraid to do things their own way.
Shoorah Shoorah
A nonsensical phrase meant to convey a feeling of defiance or challenge.
Heey, I can see you coming
I am aware of your intentions and actions towards me.
But you won't catch me
I am strong enough to resist your attempts to control me or bring me down.
I can see you moving, moving all around me
You are trying to manipulate or influence me in some way.
I know you're trying to get me upset
You are deliberately trying to provoke me or make me angry.
I can hear you grooving, thinking you have found me
You are confident that you can win me over with your charm or persistence.
But I'm here to tell ya you ain't got me yet
Despite your efforts, I am still in control of my feelings and actions towards you.
I checked you out from the corner of my eye
I have been observing your behavior and actions towards me, even if it's subtle.
You and the devil walking side by side
I see you as a potentially negative or malevolent force, even if you appear charming on the surface.
You ain't changed, let's be real about it
You have not changed your intentions or behavior towards me, and I am acknowledging this fact.
I can't change how I feel about it
Even if I am attracted to you, I cannot change the reality of your intentions towards me.
But you won't get me
I am still in control of my emotions and actions, and you will not be able to control me.
no, no
A repetition of the previous statement, emphasizing the artist's confidence and defiance towards the other person.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALLEN TOUSSAINT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DH-ij9pe
60's-70's Soul/Funk is the pinnacle of all music.
@derciofrancisco668
Betty Wright looked so cute with that afro!The dancing was on point too,she's underrated as hell!
@nicmart
Bring back the fro!
@stephencummings5047
Rest in peace soul sister with the beautiful smile, style and voice. What a song and songstress, you'll live on forever with the other great soul angels.
@carlahembery
RIP Betty Wright loved this song no one can belt it out like you did ❤
@knockshinnoch1950
This was Betty's biggest UK hit. It reached the Top 30 early 1975. I was 13 when I first saw Betty perform this song on BBC 1 Top of The Pops. I was mesmerised. I just had to buy this funky record. It was one of the first records I ever bought- 45p from Boots (yes they used to sell records and tapes). It still sounds awesome today.
@dddddadadad1796
What’s wonderful is.. this was all her own hair.. and she was BEAUTIFUL
@AlisonWild
She's great! I wish I had known sooner. Much respect to her and to her family.
@JoshWatsonTheGrandOleUproar
God bless Allen Toussaint. It doesn't matter who sings his songs, his personality shines through everytime.
@charlieisamonster
There isn't anything about this I don't love. Perfect groove.