In 1959, Ross was brought to the attention of Milton Jenkins, the manager of the local doo-wop group The Primes, by Mary Wilson. Primes member Paul Williams convinced Jenkins to enlist Ross in the sister group The Primettes, which included Wilson, Florence Ballard and Betty McGlown.
In 1976, Billboard magazine named her the female entertainer of the century. In 1993, The Guinness Book Of World Records listed her as the most successful female artist ever (the title is now attributed to Madonna), partly due to her combined total of eighteen number-one singles, six of them recorded solo and the remaining dozen from her work with the Supremes.
Ross was also one of the few pop singers to find modest success in the acting world winning an Academy Award nomination for her role as Billie Holiday in the 1972 film, "Lady Sings the Blues" as well as having hits with other film roles such as "Mahogany", "Out of Darkness" and "Double Platinum", not to mention her role in "The Wiz".
Ross has been awarded many lifetime achievement accolades from many organizations and media outlets: she has been featured on BET, Soul Train, and awarded multiple times at the NAACP Image Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007 and given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement in 2011.
Ross' professional vocal collaborators have included the following during her career: Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Julio Iglesias, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, and Smokey Robinson, among many others.
But Beautiful
Diana Ross Lyrics
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Or it's quiet, or it's mad
It's a good thing, or it's bad,
But beautiful
Beautiful to take a chance,
And if you fall, you fall
And I'm thinkin'
Love is tearful, or it's gay,
It's a problem, or it's play
It's a heartache either way,
But beautiful
And I'm thinkin' if you were mine,
I'd never let you go,
And that would be just beautiful I know
Beautiful to take a chance,
And if you fall, you fall
And I'm thinkin'
I wouldn't mind at all
Love is tearful, or it's gay,
It's a problem, or it's play
It's a heartache either way,
But beautiful
And I'm thinking if you were mine
I would never let you go!
And that would be so beautiful
Yes, that would be but beautiful
I know!
The song "But Beautiful" beautifully portrays the complex and paradoxical nature of love. The lyrics of the song suggest that love can be either happy or devastating, joyful or troubling. It can make you take risks and plunge into the unknown, or it can hurt you badly. However, despite all the challenges that one may face in love, it is still beautiful. Love is a double-edged sword with its pros and cons, but it is undoubtedly worth it.
The song's verses talk about the contrasting traits of love, such as how it can be a good or bad thing, it can be quiet or mad, tearful or gay, but it's still beautiful. The chorus then highlights the singer's desire to possess their lover and how they will never let them go. The lines, "And I'm thinking if you were mine, I would never let you go! And that would be so beautiful, yes, that would be but beautiful I know!" perfectly capture the essence of the song.
Overall, "But Beautiful" is a romantic and pragmatic song that acknowledges the ups and downs of love, celebrates its beauty, and encourages lovers to take a chance and hold on to each other, no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is funny, or it's sad, Or it's quiet, or it's mad It's a good thing, or it's bad, But beautiful
Love comes in different forms- it can be funny or sad, quiet or mad, good or bad, but regardless of its form, it's beautiful.
Beautiful to take a chance, And if you fall, you fall And I'm thinkin' I wouldn't mind at all
Having the courage to take a chance on love is beautiful, even if it means falling down sometimes.
Love is tearful, or it's gay, It's a problem, or it's play It's a heartache either way, But beautiful
Love can be emotional and bring tears to your eyes, or it can make you feel happy and gay. It can be a problem or a fun game, but it's still beautiful.
And I'm thinkin' if you were mine, I'd never let you go, And that would be just beautiful I know
If the singer had the chance to have the person they love, they would never let them go, and that would be a beautiful thing.
And I'm thinking if you were mine I would never let you go! And that would be so beautiful Yes, that would be but beautiful I know!
The singer reiterates that if they had their love, they would never let them go, and they emphasize how beautiful that would be.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind