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.
Thank You Pretty Baby
Brook Benton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to thank you pretty baby, for givin' your love to me
My heart was locked up till you came and set it free
And I'm gonna love you pretty baby, love you till the end of time
And I'm gonna love you, love you till the end of time
I wanna thank your folks for making you so divine
Oh, thank you, 'cause you've been so kind
I'm gonna take my time and just thank you, honey
Because you're mine, all mine, all mine
I'm gonna kiss you in the morning, kiss you in the evening too
And I'm gonna kiss you in the morning, kiss you in the evening too
I'm gonna spend my life loving no one but you
I'm gonna spend my life loving no one but you
In Brook Benton's song Thank You Pretty Baby, the singer expresses his gratitude and adoration towards the woman he loves. He starts by thanking her for giving her love to him, which had opened his heart that was locked up. The woman had set him free, and he promises to love her till the end of time. The singer also thanks the woman's folks for giving birth to such a divine person as her. He goes on to explain that he appreciates the woman's loving ways and how kind she has been to him. He states that he will take his time to thank her because she is all his, and he will spend his life loving no one but her.
Benton's song is a classic expression of love and gratitude that resonates with many people. The lyrics showcase the depth of the singer's emotions towards his lover and how much he values her. From the way he describes his love for her, it is clear that she means the world to him. The use of repetition in the song's structure emphasizes the singer's commitment and strengthens the song's message.
The use of metaphorical language in the lyrics adds to the song's overall appeal. The locked heart conveys the impression that the singer had been hurt before and had shut himself off from love. The woman's love had opened him up, and he was now ready to love and be loved. The use of the word divine to describe the woman also shows that the singer sees her as being special or heavenly.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to thank you pretty baby, for givin' your love to me
I am grateful to you, my lovely partner, for sharing your affection with me
My heart was locked up till you came and set it free
Before we met, I was emotionally closed off, but you opened my heart and allowed me to love again
And I'm gonna love you pretty baby, love you till the end of time
I am committed to loving you forever, my beautiful sweetheart
I wanna thank your folks for making you so divine
I appreciate your parents for creating someone as special and wonderful as you
Thank you for your loving ways
I am grateful for the caring and affectionate person that you are
Oh, thank you, 'cause you've been so kind
I am thankful for your kindness and generosity towards me
I'm gonna take my time and just thank you, honey
I will make sure to express my gratitude to you, my dear, for all that you do for me
Because you're mine, all mine, all mine
I am possessive of your love and cherish the fact that you are mine and mine alone
I'm gonna kiss you in the morning, kiss you in the evening too
I will shower you with affection at all times of the day, morning and evening
I'm gonna spend my life loving no one but you
I have no desire to love anyone else but you, and I intend to spend the rest of my life loving you
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BROOK BENTON, CLYDE LOVERN OTIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind