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".
Stop in the Name of Love
Billy Preston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before you break my heart
Baby, baby, I'm aware of where you go
Each time you leave my door
I watch you walk down the street
Knowing your other love you'll meet
This time before you run to her
(think it over) after I've been good to you ?
(think it over) after I've been sweet to you ?
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over
I've known of your, your secluded nights
I've even seen her maybe once or twice
But is her sweet expression
Worth more than my love and affection?
But this time before you leave my arms
And rush off to her charms
(think it over) haven't I been good to you?
(think it over) haven't I been sweet to you?
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over
I've tried so hard, hard to be patient
Hoping you'll stop this infatuation
But each time you are together
I'm so afraid I'll be losing you forever
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
The Billy Preston song "Stop in the Name of Love" is a plea from the singer to their lover to reconsider their actions before leaving for another person. The song captures the fear that the singer is facing of losing their lover forever. The singer acknowledges that they are aware of their lover's infidelity and have even seen the other person they are seeing. Despite this, the singer begs their lover to think about the time they have spent together and reconsider their actions.
The chorus of the song delivers a powerful message to the lover to stop what they are doing before breaking the singer's heart. The singer has been patient and hopes that their lover will end the infatuation with the other person. However, each time they are together, the singer is afraid that they will lose their lover forever. The song highlights the pain, fear, and desperation of someone trying to hold onto someone they love who is slipping away.
Line by Line Meaning
Stop! in the name of love
Halt everything you're doing that might cause me pain
Before you break my heart
I'm asking you to refrain from hurting me emotionally
Baby, baby, I'm aware of where you go
I know where you go when you leave my side
Each time you leave my door
Every time you depart from my home
I watch you walk down the street
I observe you as you walk away
Knowing your other love you'll meet
I'm aware that you'll meet your other lover
This time before you run to her
Think before you head towards her
Leaving me alone and hurt
Don't abandon me and leave me in pain
(think it over) after I've been good to you ?
Reflect whether it's fair to betray me despite all the good I've done for you
(think it over) after I've been sweet to you ?
Consider whether it's justified to betray me after all the sweet things I've done for you
I've known of your, your secluded nights
I've always known about your secret rendezvous
I've even seen her maybe once or twice
I may have spotted your other love on one or two occasions
But is her sweet expression
Is her charming demeanor truly more appealing than mine?
Worth more than my love and affection?
Is it worth sacrificing my love and devotion for her allure?
But this time before you leave my arms
Before you walk out of my embrace
And rush off to her charms
And hurry towards her seduction
(think it over) haven't I been good to you?
Contemplate whether I deserve to be treated this way, despite all the good things I've done for you
(think it over) haven't I been sweet to you?
Ponder whether it's right to betray someone who has been nothing but kind and gentle to you
I've tried so hard, hard to be patient
I've made all efforts to be patient and persevere
Hoping you'll stop this infatuation
In the hopes that you'll cease this obsession with the other woman
But each time you are together
But every time you spend time with her
I'm so afraid I'll be losing you forever
I'm terrified that I'll lose you forever
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind