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".
With You I
Billy Preston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comfort me through all this madness
Woman, don't you know with you I'm born again?
Come give me your sweetness
Now there's you, there is no weakness
Woman, don't you know with you I'm born again?
I was half not whole, in step with none
Come show me your kindness
In your arms I now I'll find this
Woman, don't you know with you I'm born again?
Lying safe with you I'm born again
Come bring me your softness
Comfort me through all this madness
Lying safe within your arms, I'm born again
Come give me your sweetness
Now there's you, there is no weakness
Lying safe within your arms, I'm born again
I was half not whole, in step with none
Reaching through this world, in need of one
Come show me your kindness
In your arms I now I'll find this
Lying safe within your arms, I'm born again
Lying safe with you I'm born again
The lyrics of Billy Preston's "With You I" express gratitude and appreciation towards the subject of the song, who is likely a romantic partner. The repetition of "I've got you" and "you are all my happiness" emphasizes the importance of this person in the singer's life. The chorus establishes the idea that being with this person makes everything better and easier to handle, and the verses further explain how this person has changed the singer's life. The line "Before you, life was a sad song" suggests a past of loneliness and unsuccessful relationships, but the discovery of this person has brought the singer to a state of "endless joy." The song ends with a heartfelt thank you to this special someone for their love, sweetness, and companionship.
Overall, the message of "With You I" is simple but powerful: the love and presence of another person can transform one's life in countless ways. The song stands out for its genuine expression of gratitude, as well as for the soulful vocals and upbeat instrumentation that convey the joy of being in love.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got you
I am thankful to have you in my life
And I don't need nobody else
Having you is enough for me, I do not need anyone else
You are all my happiness
You are the source of all my joy and happiness
Come what may
No matter what happens
You brighten all my darkest days
You are the light that shines through my toughest times
And for this
Because of this
I wanna thank you
I am grateful and want to express my gratitude to you
Just to spend
Even just spending
One day or night alone with you
One moment alone with you, be it day or night
Ooh, does make all
That one moment makes everything else feel worthwhile
(Does make all, ooh)
It makes all the difference
My plans, my schemes and dreams come true
Being with you makes my aspirations a reality
Just your smile
Simply seeing your smile
That's made all my livin' years worthwhile
Your smile has made my life worth living
Let me tell you why
Allow me to explain
Before you, life was a sad song
My life lacked happiness and joy before you
Every love affair I tried
I attempted multiple relationships
Always turned out wrong
None of those relationships worked out
But, darling, that's that day you came to me
But the day you came into my life
And you changed it, you changed it
You changed my life
You changed it to ecstasy
You made my life ecstatic
You have changed
You have transformed
(You have changed, ooh)
You have truly made a difference
All my sorrow into endless joy
You transformed my sorrow into never-ending joy
And ooh-hoo, you have made
And you have also created
(You have made, ooh)
You have made such an impact
A man out of a lonely boy
You have given me the confidence and happiness I needed to become a mature man
And there's no one else
There is no other person
There's no one else in this world
There is nobody else on this planet
Can make me feel the way you do, baby
That can make me feel the way you do, my dear
For all of this
Because of everything you have done for me
I wanna thank you
I am so grateful and want to express my immense thankfulness to you
For being so sweet to me
Thank you for being so kind to me
You've been good to me
You have shown me so much goodness
You didn't have to love me, but you did
You chose to love me, even when it was not required of you
And I wanna thank you, baby
And I want you to know how thankful I am, my love
Thank you, baby
Thank you so much, my dear
I'd like to take time out
I want to take some time to express my gratitude
I wanna thank you, girl, yeah, yeah
I am so grateful and want to express my immense thankfulness to you, my love
(I wanna thank you)
I really do want to thank you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CAROL CONNORS, DAVID SHIRE, DAVID L SHIRE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Manulannes
Come bring me your softness
Comfort me through all this madness
Woman, don't you know
With you I'm born again
Come give me your sweetness
Now there's you, there is no weakness
Lying safe within your arms
I'm born again
I was half, not whole
In step with none
Reaching through this world
In need of one
Come show me your kindness
In your arms, I know, I'll find this
Woman, don't you know, with you I'm born again
Lying safe with you I'm born again
Come bring me your softness
Comfort me through all this madness
Woman, don't you know
With you I'm born again
Come give me your sweetness
Now there's you, there is no weakness
Lying safe within your arms, I'm born again
Woman, don't you know, with you I'm born again
I was half, not whole
In step with none
Reaching through this world
In need of one
Come show me your kindness
In your arms, I know, I'll find this
Woman, don't you know, with you I'm born again
Lying safe with you I'm born again
@dbfoxybrown
If your listening to this in 2024 I salute you 🙏
@valentinepayne6464
Who is listening to this March 2023. A classic sweet harmony goosebumps every time i hear this song.
@barbie91766
Still listening in Feb 2024, Dallas, TX
@BeeApple-sr3db
This was my first marriage wedding song. My husband died at the age of 37. Rest in Peace Michael. ❤
@catmother4214
I'm so sorry. What a beautiful tribute then to your late husband. I just read Billy Preston's bio and it was very sad. Yet watching this, I believe he had some wonderful years because of his amazing talent. RIP. 💔💔💔
@vikkibrown2023
~I'm so very very sorry~~God be with you always~~💗💗💗
@KevinLong-jr1zv
Sorry for your loss🙏. This song is bananas. They don't make them like this anymore....
@BeeApple-sr3db
@@KevinLong-jr1zv Thank you.
@shawndemetrios7899
This song is beyond beautiful
@spyari18
Syreeta was underrated. She had such a pure beautiful tone and richness to her amazing voice. Billy also amazing talent. Those who gave thumbs down have no concept what this song is all about