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.
Where is the Love
Betty Wright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where is the love
You promised me
Where is the love
Where is the love
You promised me
You said I could have
If I wanted it
You'd give it to me
Now when it's down
To the real nitty gritty
You're hiding that love from me
Where is the love
Where is the love
You promised me
Where is the love
Where is the love
You promised me
You said I'd be the only one
That you'd be giving
Your sweet love to
Somebody else must be
Getting your love
'Cause loving me
You just don't do, no, no
Where is the love
Where is the love
You promised me
Where is the love
Where is the love
You promised me
Tired of waiting
On your love now, baby
Where is your love
I'm hurting for
Your love now, baby
Where is your love
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, oh
Where is the love
Where is the love
Where is the love
You promised me
Where is the love
Where is the love
You promised me
Don't tell me you're going
Back on your promises, baby
I got to have it
You know I need it
You know I want it
I got to have it, baby
Oh, ho, oh, hey, hey, baby
Where is the love
Got to know
Where is the love
You told me you were
Gonna give it to me
Where is the love
Where is the love, woo
Where is the love
You said was mine
I gotta know now, hey
I gotta know now
I gotta know, oh, oh
Hey, hey, hey, wow oh oh
Where is the love you said
You were gonna give to me
Oh, oh, oh, hey, hey, hey
Come on, I need it
I got to have it, woo hoo
Yeah, hey, hey
The lyrics to Betty Wright's song "Where Is The Love" speak about the broken promises of a lover. The singer questions where the love that was promised to her has gone. The song's opening lines repeat the title and the promise that was made, emphasizing the disappointment the singer feels. The lyrics describe how the lover had promised to give all of his love to the singer but is now hiding it from her.
As the song progresses, the singer suggests that someone else must have taken the love that was promised to her because the lover is not giving her the love he had promised. The frustration and confusion of the singer are highlighted by the lyrics, as she asks why her lover is going back on his promises. She demands that he follows through on his word.
Overall, the song's lyrics articulate the hurt and disappointment that can arise when someone fails to keep a promise, particularly a promise of love. The straightforward and honest language of the lyrics is what makes the song so compelling for many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Where is the love
Asking where the love that was promised is
Where is the love
Repeating the initial question for emphasis
You promised me
Reminding that love was promised
Where is the love
Repeating the question once more
Where is the love
Still searching for the promised love
You promised me
Emphasizing that a promise was made
You said I could have
Recalling being granted the possibility of love
All your loving
Referring to the love that was promised
If I wanted it
Stating the condition for receiving the love
You'd give it to me
Reiterating the statement that love would be given
Now when it's down
Relaying that a decision must be made
To the real nitty gritty
Getting to the important matter at hand
You're hiding that love from me
Accusing the person of concealing the love that was promised
You said I'd be the only one
Recalling that exclusivity was promised
That you'd be giving
Clarifying that the person would be giving the love
Your sweet love to
Describing the type of love that was promised
Somebody else must be
Suggesting that the person is giving love to someone else
Getting your love
Reiterating the idea of someone else receiving the love
'Cause loving me
Implying that the person doesn't actually love the singer
You just don't do, no, no
Confirming that the person is not giving the promised love
Tired of waiting
Expressing fatigue from waiting for the promised love
On your love now, baby
Describing a sense of urgency for love right now
Where is your love
Asking again where the love is
I'm hurting for
Describing the pain caused by the lack of love
Your love now, baby
Reiterating the desire for love right now
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Endearing term used for the person
Baby, baby, oh
More endearing language
Where is the love
Still searching for the promised love
Where is the love
Reiterating the question
Don't tell me you're going
Warning against breaking the promise
Back on your promises, baby
Reminding of the earlier promise
I got to have it
Emphasizing the importance of love
You know I need it
Asserting the necessity of love
You know I want it
Expressing desire for love
I got to have it, baby
Reiterating the importance of love
Oh, ho, oh, hey, hey, baby
Adding some filler language for effect
Where is the love
Still searching for the promised love
Got to know
Expressing the importance of finding out where the love is
You told me you were
Relaying a previous statement
Gonna give it to me
Reiterating that the person promised to give love
Where is the love
Reiterating the question again
Where is the love, woo
Asking a bit more emphatically
Where is the love
Asking for the love once more
You said was mine
Reminding of the implied ownership of the love
I gotta know now, hey
Expressing a sense of urgency to find out about the love
I gotta know now
Reiterating the need to know
I gotta know, oh, oh
Adding some vocalization for effect
Hey, hey, hey, wow oh oh
Adding a bit more filler language for effect
Where is the love you said
Asking again for the promised love
You were gonna give to me
Stating again that the love was promised
Come on, I need it
Urging the person to deliver the love
I got to have it, woo hoo
Reiterating the importance of having love
Yeah, hey, hey
Adding some more filler language for effect
Lyrics Ā© BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY WAYNE CASEY, WILLIE JAMES CLARKE, RICHARD RAYMOND FINCH, BETTY REGINA WRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@highlandroom
Betty Wright WHAT A TUNE!!! Sung this live at the casino 75/76. Blew the place apart! Still a Blackpool Mecca tune though.!!!! FUNKY SOUL AT ITS BEST.
@vicmwansa5073
RIP beautiful Angel šššš§”ššā¤š¤š
@adarshkeyx-press.1989
Grammy award winner
@tyjahkhan7708
My homegirl is killing it!!! RIP Betty!!!
@stefandautun8890
the love is gone...RIP
@isaiahmayweather3569
yes it is, Goodnight Ms. Wright
@colinmennie6447
Had this on RCA 45 . Amazing lady . RIP sweet Betty .ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
@soulmuchsoul
I played this on Soul much soul radio!
@njplr
I honestly feel sorry for anyone who wasn't around in the mid 70s - to the mid 80s - who missed the boat on the incredible club scene we had that era.. Especially in the NY, NJ Philly area. And it was all due to music like THIS. Thank you, Miss Betty, and R.I.P.
@TheSpeakingCoal
Grammy award winner š