Billy Preston (2 September 1946 - 6 June 2006) was an American soul and roc… Read Full Bio ↴Billy Preston (2 September 1946 - 6 June 2006) was an American soul and rock singer, famously known as a child prodigy pianist before releasing several rnb hits (including #1 smashes "Will It Go 'Round in Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing") and working with classic artists such as Aretha Franklin and The Beatles. He notably performed with Mahalia Jackson at the age of 16 and appeared as a young W.C. Handy in a 1958 biopic. His first solo record was a gospel album called '16 Year Old Soul'.

Preston first came to widespread attention of a U.S. mainstream audience as the organist (and sometimes vocalist) in the house band on the television show 'Shindig,' popular during 1964-66. On tour backing stars Little Richard and Sam Cooke, he met the Beatles (early in their career) in Hamburg, Germany in 1962. He was later invited by George Harrison to join The Beatles in the studio for the filming/recording of 'Let It Be' (1970). Preston's most memorable performance with the Beatles is on the track "Get Back".

The apparent reason for the collaboration was that the project was being done live— without overdubs— and the Beatles wanted a second keyboardist. Preston's soulful style was to compliment the rhythm and blues approach the Beatles had for this album. His was a genre they'd grown up listening to and were reaching back to as well as paying tribute to.

Another apparent reason for Preston's involvement was to buffer the growing tensions between the members of the band (that had started around the time of filming). Everyone set aside their differences to make Preston feel welcome at the sessions. Members of the band have later commented on their joy with working with Preston, whom they respected as a talented musician.

While Preston was never considered for permanent membership in the Beatles (despite stories to the contrary), he did continue working with them through to the end of the 60s: releasing two solo albums on Apple Records (the Beatles' label), collaborating with George Harrison on 'All Things Must Pass', and joining in on the Concert for Bangladesh— one of the first significant benefit concerts of its kind (at Madison Square Garden in 1972). Preston also later made an appearance in the infamous Beatles tribute film 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' (1978), as the title character— Sgt. Pepper. He's sometimes been referred to as a 'Fifth Beatle'.

In addition to work with said group, Preston also played and toured with The Rolling Stones, playing on significant albums such as 'Sticky Fingers' and 'Exile on Main St.' In the 70s, Preston also worked with Bob Dylan, playing as an accompanist on ' Blood on the Tracks', and Aretha Franklin, on her record 'Young, Gifted and Black'. As the years went on, Preston collaborated with numerous other artists including Barbra Streisand and Miles Davis, also notable touring with Sly and the Family Stone for a time. He also played organ with the Ray Charles big band on tour in the late 60s.

In terms of his solo career, Preston's hit tracks "Will It Go 'Round in Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing" both reached all the way to number one in the U.S. and still remain staples of oldies stations. He won a Grammy Award for best pop instrumental performance for "Outa Space" in 1971, and he received an invitation to the White House no less in 1974. Though perhaps overshadowed by his collaborative work, he devolved a strong and devoted fan-base as album after album made it into the Billboard top 200 album chart.

Preston was also the music director and band leader for the Garry Shandling show in the 80s, returning to the TV work that had given him his start. Yet, in the 80s and 90s, Preston sadly suffered substance abuse and financial issues. He spent three years in prison in 1997 for a drugs possession charge handed out earlier that year (cocaine possession and assault).

His last recordings were on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' album 'Stadium Arcadium' and with Neil Diamond for his "12 songs" record, both produced by Rick Rubin.

A U.S. musical legend, Preston passed away at the age of 59 in a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, as a result of "malignant hypertension that resulted in kidney failure and other complications".

Go Where No One's Gone Before
Billy Preston Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let us go where no one's gone before

Born under a brilliant star
Stay with me, we can't go wrong
I don't care who's listening
Come on, help me sing along

Daring you on the count of three
You're gonna feel like you're royalty
I'll storm the palace and make you my queen
Let us go where no one's gone before, yeah!

Born under a brilliant star
Stay with me we can't go wrong
I don't care who's listening
Come on, help me sing along

Take my hand with all your might
Time for you and I to settle the score
Our future's out there and we're getting it right
Let us go where no one's gone before

Let us go where no one's gone before
Let us go where no one else has gone before

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Billy Preston's song, "Go Where No One's Gone Before," entail the singer taking their love interest on a wild ride, promising to show them sights and experiences they have never seen before. Preston sings about how he has a "formula" for providing a better experience than any they have had in the past. This is evident when he talks about "tripping up electric lights." He also promises his love, "too damn good," that they will go "where no one's gone before," indicating this adventure will be both unique and extraordinary. The lyrics seemingly elaborate on the theme of experiencing something new with someone, leaving behind routine and comfort to embark on a thrilling journey.

The song's lyrics continually return to the idea of being with someone born under a "brilliant star" and how these two figures together will make their journey a success. Through the use of count-downs, storming of palaces and being made a queen, Preston is clearly reflecting a desire to take risks, challenge the status quo, and enjoy life to the fullest. The use of the phrase, "let us go where no one's gone before," may seem like a nod to Star Trek, but it's also a way of conveying the excitement of the unknown, the unexplored.

When considering the lyrics of "Go Where No One's Gone Before," it's important to note the context in which it was written as it was a precursor to the disco era. This song was released in 1978 and exemplifies the sound of a new decade, with its emphasis on upbeat rhythms and lyrics about enjoying life. It also highlights the spirit of adventure and the idea of finding oneself which was present at that time.

Line by Line Meaning

Trippin' up electric lights
I'll show you sights you've never seen before

I'll take you places you ain't gone before
I'll take you on an adventure to uncharted territories

I've got a formula for givin' the lights
I have a secret or a way to make things even better

Better, girl, stick with me
You'll have a better time if you stay by my side

Take my hand and hold on tight
Hold on tightly because this is going to be a wild ride

This rollercoaster's gonna go all night
This adventure will last a long time

Too damn good, this love, it must be a crime
This feeling of love is so strong, it feels like it's breaking the rules

Let us go where no one's gone before
Let's explore new places and experiences no one has ever had

Born under a brilliant star
We were destined for greatness or destined to have a bright future

Stay with me, we can't go wrong
As long as we're together, we can't fail

I don't care who's listening
I don't care about others' perceptions or opinions

Come on, help me sing along
Join me in celebrating or sharing this experience

Daring you on the count of three
Challenging you to try something bold or daring

You're gonna feel like you're royalty
I'm going to treat you like a queen and make you feel special

I'll storm the palace and make you my queen
I'll do whatever it takes to make you feel desired and adored

Take my hand with all your might
Hold on tightly, give it your all

Time for you and I to settle the score
Time for us to achieve our goals or to triumph over past obstacles

Our future's out there and we're getting it right
We're going to make the best of what's to come

Let us go where no one's gone before
Let's keep pushing ourselves to new heights and experiences

Let us go where no one else has gone before
Let's be pioneers and explore new frontiers

Contributed by Skyler W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Comments from YouTube:

Myzao Labandaria

4y↑3

Finally! A full version of this song

Ray Chan

Trippin' up electric lights
I'll take you places you ain't gone
before
I've got a formula for givin' the lights
Better, girl, stick with me

Take my hand and hold on tight
This rollercoaster's gonna go all night
Too damn good, this love, it must be a
crime
Let us go where no one's gone before

Born under a brilliant star
Stay with me, we can't go wrong
I don't care who's listening
Come on, help me sing along

Daring you on the count of three
You're gonna feel like you're royalty
I'll storm the palace and make you my
queen
Let us go where no one's gone before,
yeah!

Born under a brilliant star
Stay with me we can't go wrong
I don't care who's listening
Come on, help me sing along

Take my hand with all your might
Time for you and I to settle the score
Our future's out there and we're getting
it right
Let us go where no one's gone before

Let us go where no one's gone before
Let us go where no one else has gone
before