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.
Going Back
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the things I learned so well in my youth,
I think I'm returning to
The days when I was young enough to know the truth
Now there are no games
To only pass the time
No more coloring books,
But thinking young and growing older is no sin
And I can play the game of life to win
I can recall a time,
When I wasn't afraid to reach out to a friend
And now I think I've got
A lot more than a skipping rope to lift
Now there's more to do
Than watch my sailboat glide
Then everyday can be my magic carpet ride
And I can play hide and seek with my fears,
And live my life instead of counting my years
Let everyone debate the true reality,
I'd rather see the world the way it used to be
A little bit of freedom, all we're left
So catch me if you can
I'm goin' back
I can recall,
I can remember
I can recall,
I can remember
I can recall,
I can remember
In this song, Diana Ross expresses a desire to go back to the things that she knew and the people she once was. She reflects on her past and the lessons she learned when she was young, reminiscing about the times when she was fearless and unafraid to reach out to others. The absence of "games" and "coloring books" in her life makes her long for the days when those things occupied her time, and Christmas bells chimed. However, she understands that growing older is not a sin; it's just a natural part of life. She's learned to play the game of life to win, and she's no longer merely counting her years. Every day can be a magic carpet ride, and she knows that the key to that is to live her life instead of being preoccupied with counting her years. She's ready to face her fears and play hide and seek with them.
The second verse of the song sees Diana Ross reflect on how, in the past, life used to be easier. People had more freedom, and there was a simpler way of living. However, people's opinions about what reality is have now become the subject of debate. Diana would instead go back to the past when the world was a simpler place. She believes that a little bit of freedom is all that's needed, and she's going back to the time where there was less noise and more peace.
Line by Line Meaning
I think I'm goin' back
I am returning to my roots, back to the things I learned so well in my youth
To the things I learned so well in my youth,
I am returning to the knowledge and experience of my youth, which I have not forgotten
I think I'm returning to
I believe that I am coming back to a time when I was young enough to truly understand the world
The days when I was young enough to know the truth
As a young person, I was able to see things more clearly and understand things that I may have forgotten as an adult
Now there are no games
As an adult, life is no longer carefree and playful, but instead full of responsibilities and tasks
To only pass the time
Games and playtime are no longer just ways to pass the time
No more coloring books,
Childhood pleasures like coloring books are no longer available to me as an adult
No Christmas bells to chime
I no longer experience the excitement and joy of Christmas as I did when I was younger
But thinking young and growing older is no sin
It is acceptable to maintain a youthful attitude even as one grows older
And I can play the game of life to win
I can approach life with a winning attitude and strive for success
I can recall a time,
I can remember a time when I was not afraid to reach out to others and make connections
When I wasn't afraid to reach out to a friend
I was once more courageous and open to building relationships than I am now
And now I think I've got
I believe that as an adult, I have more to offer others than just a skipping rope
A lot more than a skipping rope to lift
I possess valuable skills, knowledge, and experience that can help others in meaningful ways
Now there's more to do
As an adult, there are more responsibilities and tasks that need attention
Than watch my sailboat glide
Playtime and leisure are no longer the primary focus of my life
Then everyday can be my magic carpet ride
If I approach every day with a positive and adventurous attitude, life can be filled with wonder and excitement
And I can play hide and seek with my fears,
I am able to confront and overcome my fears by approaching them with a playful attitude
And live my life instead of counting my years
I am able to focus on living in the present moment and making the most of my time, rather than obsessing over my age or time spent
Let everyone debate the true reality,
I am not concerned with the opinions or debates of others when it comes to my personal views on life
I'd rather see the world the way it used to be
I prefer to view the world through the lens of nostalgia and fond memories
A little bit of freedom, all we're left
As adults, we have limited amounts of freedom, and it is important to appreciate and enjoy the freedom that we do have
So catch me if you can
I am embracing life with an adventurous attitude and an openness to new experiences
I'm goin' back
I am returning to the mindset and attitude of my youth, with a youthful and playful outlook on life
I can recall,
I am able to remember vividly
I can remember
I have fond, clear memories of my past experiences
I can recall,
I am able to remember vividly
I can remember
I have fond, clear memories of my past experiences
I can recall,
I am able to remember vividly
I can remember
I have fond, clear memories of my past experiences
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, GERRY GOFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Robinson
Sung with such honesty and clarity. I love Ms. Ross's version. She is simply the best! Forever Diana Ross!
Stephan Ziegler
Es gibt keine schönere Version als Diana's. Sie berührt mich am meisten. Ein unvergesslicher Klassiker von der besten Sängerin aller Zeiten 💖💛💖
Straus Davis
Listen to this woman! Her emotions, her timing. Her delivery her interpretation of this song. It doesn't get any better than than this...Diana...Diana...
The RossFanOne Collection
Lovely video for a beautiful song
Rankan52
She sings like an angel❤ i get emotional when i here this song
Jerry White
Only One Diana Ross
L H
Flawless
Tim Winters
Sorry.。。。。。not a patch on Dusty!!!!