When Benton was young he enjoyed gospel music and wrote songs and in 1948 he went to New York to pursue his music career.
He was a member of several gospel groups including "The Langfordairies", "The Jerusalem Stars", and "The Golden Gate Quartet".
After returning to his home state he joined a R&B singing group, "the Sandmen", and soon went back to New York to try for a big break. Eventually the record company decided to drop The Sandmen and push Brook as a solo artist.
Benton wrote songs for artists such as Nat King Cole, Clyde McPhatter, and Roy Hamilton. Soon he released his first minor hit A Million Miles From Nowhere, and later he joined the Mercury label, which would later bring him big success.
In 1952 he got his big break with It's Just a Matter of Time and Endlessly.
It's Just a Matter of Time made it to #3 on the U.S. Pop charts, while Endlessly made it to #12 . Both hits were written by Benton himself.
Benton had many #1 hits including Rainy Night in Georgia and Hotel Happiness. According to Songfacts, his version of the blues standard The Boll Weevil Song has the unique distinction of being the first #1 song on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.
Altogether, Benton had 38 hit singles through out his career. His last album was "Fools Rush In", released posthumously in 2005. He died on April 9, 1988.
It's Been A Long Long Time
Brook Benton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then kiss me once again.
It's been a long, long time.
Haven't felt like this, my dear
Since I can't remember when.
It's been a long, long time
You'll never know how many dreams
Or just how empty they all seemed without you.
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again.
It's been a long, long time.
Ah, kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again.
It's been a long time.
Haven't felt like this my dear
Since I can't remember when
It's been a long, long time.
"It's Been a Long Long Time" is a romantic song by the American singer Brook Benton. The song talks about someone who is deeply in love with their partner and hasn't felt like this in a long time. The lyrics convey the longing and the passion that the person feels for their loved one. The song starts with "Kiss me once, then kiss me twice, then kiss me once again", suggesting that the person is desperate for affection and is cherishing the moment they are spending with their partner. The repetition of the line "It's been a long long time" emphasizes the distance between the two and the length of time that has passed since they last felt this way.
The second verse reveals the depth of the person's love as they admit to having dreamed about the one they love and how empty their life was without them. The chorus repeats again, emphasizing the person's desire for affection and how much they cherish the moment. The song ends with the same passionate plea for affection as the singer repeats the chorus for a third time.
Overall, the song is a beautiful declaration of love and desire, with lyrics that are heartfelt and romantic. The singer's performance is both powerful and soulful, perfectly conveying the emotions behind the words.
Line by Line Meaning
Kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Give me your affection and attention, not just once but twice.
Then kiss me once again.
And kiss me once more, to show me that you really care.
It's been a long, long time.
It has been a long time since we have been together like this, and it feels so good.
Haven't felt like this, my dear
I have not felt this way before, and it is special.
Since I can't remember when.
I cannot even remember the last time I felt this way with you.
You'll never know how many dreams
I have dreamed about being with you or how much I have longed for you.
I've dreamed about you.
I have had many dreams and fantasies about being with you.
Or just how empty they all seemed without you.
But none of these dreams was as fulfilling as being with you in real life. Without you, everything else seems incomplete.
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
So keep on showering me with love and affection.
Then kiss me once again.
Because being with you feels so good, and I don't want it to end.
It's been a long, long time.
It has been a long time since we have been together like this, and it feels so good.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Milton Moore
Beautiful!!!!! A voice
to die for; he sang
circles around most
of his contemporaries.
Ruth Boykin
How wonderful! If I had been around when he sang this; I could have melted into his arms! I leave this song feeling beautiful again!
Milton Moore
This "baby boomer
special" was composed in 1945 by Jule Styne, with lyrics
supplied by Sammy Cahn. It was hugely popular
during it's release as
World War Two was
winding down and combatants
were returning to
their lovers. I was
born the year of this
song's release, my
father having served
in the U.S. Army.
NONEXISTENT
Yet another winner from the velvet voice of Brook Benton. He sang so many wonderful love songs. Just lovely. Thank you for this post.
Ruth Boykin
I may not come from "class", but listening to Brook Benton sing makes me feel like Cinderella dancing at the ball! Thank you, Milton!
Milton Moore
Amen to the trillionth power! Somehow there's a few of us
left who have class
and excellent taste,
which I daresay we
owe a lot of to our
parents, and to GOD.