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.
God Bless the Child
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Them that's not shall lose
So the Bible says
And it still is news
Momma may have
Poppa may have
But God bless the child
That's got his own
Yeah, the strong gets more
While the weak ones fade
Empty pockets don't
Ever make the grade
Momma may have
Poppa may have
But God bless the child
That's got his own
That's got his own
Money, you've got lots of friends
Crowdin' round the door
When its gone and
Spendin' ends
They don't come no more
Rich relations give
A crust of bread and such
You can help yourself
But don't take too much
Momma may have
Poppa may have
But God bless the child
That's got his own
That's got his own
Diana Ross's song "God Bless the Child" is a heartfelt tribute to hard work and resilience, and it speaks to the idea that those who possess their own resources, whether they be financial, emotional or mental, are better equipped to succeed in life. The song begins by referencing biblical scripture, suggesting that those who have spiritual connections have a greater chance of achieving their goals than those who do not. Later in the song, the lyrics describe the idea that strong individuals tend to get stronger while weaker ones tend to fade away, with empty pockets being a clear marker of weakness.
The chorus of the song highlights the importance of self-sufficiency, with the repeated line "God bless the child, that's got his own," emphasizing the value of independence and the ability to take care of oneself. The song also touches on the idea that having money can bring both opportunities and friends, but it can also lead to the loss of those friends once the money runs out. The final verse of the song encourages listeners to take only what they need from others and to be careful not to take too much.
One of the interesting things about "God Bless the Child" is that it was originally written by Billie Holiday, who recorded it in 1941. Since then, it has become a jazz standard and has been covered by many artists, including Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Etta James. Another interesting fact is that the song was ranked at number 249 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Additionally, the song was featured in Spike Lee's film "Crooklyn" and was also used in an episode of the TV series "Orange is the New Black."
The chords for "God Bless the Child" are A minor, D minor, E7, A minor (refrain); G7, C major, F major, A minor, D minor, B7, E7, A minor (verse).
Line by Line Meaning
Them that's God shall get
Those deemed deserving by society shall receive rewards
Them that's not shall lose
Those deemed undeserving by society shall face consequences
So the Bible says
This concept is supported by religious doctrine
And it still is news
This concept is still relevant today
Momma may have
Even if one's parents are financially stable
Poppa may have
Even if one's parents are financially stable
But God bless the child
But the child who has achieved financial independence deserves recognition
That's got his own
That has earned their wealth through hard work and perseverance
Yeah, the strong gets more
Those with advantages accumulate even more advantages
While the weak ones fade
Those without advantages struggle to succeed
Empty pockets don't
Having no money
Ever make the grade
Will never allow one to succeed in society
Money, you've got lots of friends
When you have wealth, you attract a lot of people
Crowdin' round the door
People will constantly be asking for money
When its gone and
Once the money is spent
Spendin' ends
The people who were once around will disappear
They don't come no more
Those people will stop coming around
Rich relations give
Wealthy family members will offer some assistance
A crust of bread and such
A small amount of help
You can help yourself
Use the resources available to you
But don't take too much
Don't be greedy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Arthur Herzog, Billie Holiday
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@petespearl616
#LYRICS
[Verse 1:]
Them that's God shall get
Them that's not shall lose
So the Bible says
And it still is news
Mama may have
Papa may have
But God bless the child
That's got his own
That's got his own
[Verse 2:]
Yeah, the strong gets more
While the weak ones fade
Empty pockets don't
Ever make the grade
Mama may have
Papa may have
But God bless the child
That's got his own
That's got his own
[Bridge:]
Money
You've got lots of friends
Crowdin' round the door
When it's gone
And spendin' ends
They don't come no more
[Verse 3:]
Rich relations give
A crust of bread and such
You can help yourself
But don't take too much
Mama may have
Papa may have
But God bless the child
That's got his own
That's got his own!
@TheRobinRedbreast
Dianna Ross should have gotten an Academy Award for her performance in this movie. It is decades later since the movie first came out and her performance still stands up and rings true. SHE IS AWESOME in this movie.
@hebrewsRus
I agree..i still get in my feelings when i watch this movie..
@Zeldarw104
I concur! The academy gave the Oscar to Liza Minnelli for that terrible movie Cabaret!
This film and the songs are classic, talk about getting cheated.😔
@arnoldamaral7406
Zelda Williams cheated and mistreated! The academy Awards are rigged! Fake news I love WikiLeaks can't get enough of it. The fat man has spoken LOL
@sarnahudane4583
@Zelda Williams Hollywood insiders voting for their favorites, no doubt Liza's link to her famous showbiz mother and father had some effect on votes going in her favor, and plus this was 1972, post Civil Rights Acts of 1964 & 1968, America was still racist as hell. Diana Ross was robbed of that Oscar.
@Mr7galvin
I said the same thing.
@JanDurgen
Diana's singing in this movie was epic!!!! And these lyrics are very wise. Beautifully done by Diana Ross, à fave of mine from a kid♡♡♡♡♡
@minniecarter8954
Brilliant Performance and Wonderful Tribute to Billie Holiday. I have the original movie soundtrack on vinyl, and have sung "God Bless the Child" many times in concerts. Love Diana Ross #FanforLife.
@arnoldamaral7406
Minnie Carter you go girl!
@lucky4724
Your name sound familiar, where were your concerts?? I may have been to one !!! JAZZ & BLUES LOVE 4LIFE!!! #RESPECT