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.
Crime Of Passion
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are my lover
Even though I know it's wrong
I hear them talking
But whatever they do
I need to love you
And if I love you couldn't we make it
He won't say goodbye
He's been so good to me
I don't want to make him cry
I need you both to love me
It's up to you
You can help me
You're the reason I can't decide
Breakin' my bones and shakin' my nerves
Till I just can't see tomorrow
Looking at him and looking at you
And I don't know who to follow
I'll never win in the state I'm in
It's a crime of passion, I'm bad to love you
Whenever I'm with you, I lose control
It's a crime of passion for me and for you
Whatever I give you
It's just too late to save my soul
I need to love you
My desperation is the power to go on
Each night I prayed for love
I'm at the mercy of
And if you don't hear me now
Then I'll be the only one
Don't want to be, don't want to be the only one
I saw him yesterday
The questions he asked
I think he knows about us
Did we move too fast
How can we hide it
When we know it's a lie
Keep our love under the covers
The pressure is too high
Why do I get myself tied up
Why tangle with love you borrow
I should have been known as a one man woman
Should have been one love but oh no
Never be a cure for the human law
It's a crime of passion, I'm bad to love you
Whenever I'm with you, I lose control
It's a crime of passion for me and for you
Whatever I give you
It's just too late to save my soul
I need to love you
My desperation is the power to go on
Each night I prayed for love
I'm at the mercy of
And if you don't hear me now
Then I'll be the only one
Don't want to be, don't want to be the only one
The lyrics to Diana Ross's Crime Of Passion explore the complexities of being in love with two people at the same time. Ross sings about the guilt and desperation she feels in this situation, knowing that what she is doing is wrong but still unable to resist the pull of her lover. She acknowledges that her actions are a crime of passion, highlighting the intense and irrational feelings that have led her down this path. She questions her own judgment and wonders who she should follow - her current partner who loves her deeply, or her forbidden lover who makes her lose control.
The verses of the song reveal the internal struggle Ross is experiencing. She feels torn and conflicted, unsure of what the right thing to do is. She fears the consequences of her actions, worrying that her lover will find out about her infidelity. She wants both men to love her, but realizes that this is impossible. The chorus of the song drives home the intensity of Ross's emotions, expressing her desperation and the depth of her attachment to her lover. She recognizes that what she is doing is wrong, but cannot help herself, and is willing to risk everything for the sake of love.
Overall, the song is a powerful exploration of the complicated nature of human relationships and the power of love to overwhelm reason and logic.
Line by Line Meaning
I must be crazy they don't know what we've done
I feel like I've lost my mind because nobody knows the secret relationship we have.
You are my lover
You are the person I am secretly in love with.
Even though I know it's wrong
Despite being aware that our love is forbidden, I can't help myself from loving you.
I hear them talking
I am aware that people are gossiping about us.
But whatever they do
Despite the rumors and judgment, I will still love you.
I need to love you
I am compelled to love you despite the consequences.
And if I love you couldn't we make it
I believe that our love can conquer all obstacles if we both commit to it.
Got someone loving me
I have another person who loves me.
He won't say goodbye
He is committed to me and won't leave me.
He's been so good to me
He has been a good partner to me.
I don't want to make him cry
I don't want to hurt him by leaving him for you.
I need you both to love me
I want both of you to love me, despite it being impossible and wrong.
It's up to you
Ultimately, the decision to continue this relationship is up to you.
You can help me
You can help me navigate this difficult situation.
You're the reason I can't decide
I am torn between my love for you and loyalty to the other person.
Breakin' my bones and shakin' my nerves
This situation has me feeling very anxious and scared.
Till I just can't see tomorrow
I am blinded by my emotions and can't think about the future.
Looking at him and looking at you
I am torn between two lovers.
And I don't know who to follow
I am unsure who to choose and who to follow.
I'll never win in the state I'm in
I know that I can't continue this way, as I will never find true happiness.
It's a crime of passion, I'm bad to love you
Our love is illegal and immoral, and I know it's wrong, but I can't help myself.
Whenever I'm with you, I lose control
When I am with you, my emotions take over and I can't resist the attraction I have towards you.
It's a crime of passion for me and for you
We are both guilty of engaging in this forbidden love affair.
Whatever I give you
Whatever I offer you emotionally or physically.
It's just too late to save my soul
I know that what we are doing is wrong, and I fear that my soul is lost because of it.
My desperation is the power to go on
My desperation to be with you is what fuels me to continue this relationship.
Each night I prayed for love
I pray every night that our love will somehow be accepted and allowed.
I'm at the mercy of
I am helpless and subject to the circumstances that surround us.
And if you don't hear me now
If you don't listen to me and leave me, I will be alone.
Then I'll be the only one
I will be left alone, with nobody else to love.
Don't want to be, don't want to be the only one
I don't want to be alone, but I also don't want to continue this relationship if it means hurting others and breaking the law.
I saw him yesterday
I recently saw the other person who loves me.
The questions he asked
He questioned me about my whereabouts and activities.
I think he knows about us
I suspect that he is aware of our secret relationship.
Did we move too fast
I wonder if our relationship started too quickly and recklessly.
How can we hide it
We need to find better ways to conceal our relationship from others.
When we know it's a lie
We are both aware that what we are doing is wrong, but we continue to do it anyway.
Keep our love under the covers
We need to keep our love a secret and hidden from others.
The pressure is too high
The pressure to keep our relationship a secret is overwhelming and stressful.
Why do I get myself tied up
I don't understand why I find myself in complicated and difficult situations.
Why tangle with love you borrow
Why would I involve myself in love that isn't meant for me and comes with so many problems.
I should have been known as a one man woman
I regret not being loyal to one person and involving myself in a love triangle.
Should have been one love but oh no
I wish I had committed myself to one person, but now it's too late.
Never be a cure for the human law
There is no way to avoid the consequences of breaking the law, no matter how much we love each other.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARRY GIBB, MAURICE ERNEST GIBB, ROBIN HUGH GIBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind