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.
I've Never Loved a Man Before
Diana Ross Lyrics
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When you think the world is fast asleep
You come to me, take me where I want to go
Making promises I know you'll keep
You're the first love in my life
And the moment we touch
I can tell you how weak I've grown
Never held him in my arms, never told him I loved him
I remember all the lovers coming through my door
But you make me feel like I never loved a man before
It's hard to say it
Words don't come so easily to me
But it';s here in my heart
And it's making me lose control
What else can I tell you
Who'd refuse a night that takes you away
And touches your very soul
You make me feel like I never loved a man before
Never held him in my arms, never told him I loved him
I remember all the lovers coming through my door
But you make me feel like I never loved a man before
I went along looking at love differently
Oh but now it's so strong
Look what you've done to me
You make me feel like I never loved a man before
Never held him in my arms, never told him I loved him
I remember all the lovers coming through my door
But you make me feel like I never loved a man before
The lyrics to Diana Ross’s “I’ve Never Loved a Man Before” portray the emotions and vulnerability that come with falling in love for the first time. The song opens with the singer acknowledging the trust she has in her partner, who is the first love in her life. She describes feeling weak in the moment they touch, expressing the deep connection they have formed. The chorus highlights the intense impact that her partner has had on her, making her feel like she has never loved anyone else before. As the song progresses, she confesses to struggling with opening up and expresses how this love has changed her perception of romantic relationships. By the end of the song, the singer has surrendered herself to the newfound emotions and love she has discovered.
The lyrics of the song capture the feeling of discovering new love and allowing oneself to be vulnerable in a relationship. She expresses a deep trust in her partner and acknowledges the power he has over her emotionally. Her words demonstrate the difficulty that comes with expressing love and even admitting to feeling it, but how her vulnerability and surrender to it are what ultimately make her feel like she has never loved anyone else before.
Line by Line Meaning
Deep in the night
During the late hours of the night
When you think the world is fast asleep
When everything else is dormant and still
You come to me, take me where I want to go
You approach me, and take me to places that please me
Making promises I know you'll keep
You make commitments that I am sure you will honor
You're the first love in my life
You are the initial person I fell in love with
And the moment we touch
When we make physical contact
I can tell you how weak I've grown
I can reveal the vulnerability you make me feel
You make me feel like I never loved a man before
You make me feel a love that is entirely new and incomparable
Never held him in my arms, never told him I loved him
I have never experienced an emotion so intense before
I remember all the lovers coming through my door
I reminisce about all of my past lovers
But you make me feel like I never loved a man before
But you make me feel a love that is entirely new and incomparable
It's hard to say it
I find it challenging to express it
Words don't come so easily to me
Verbal communication is not one of my strengths
But it's here in my heart
But it's how I truly feel
And it's making me lose control
And it's causing me to lose my ability to remain composed
What else can I tell you
What more can I say to you
Who'd refuse a night that takes you away
Who would reject an evening that frees you from reality
And touches your very soul
And impacts your deeply personal being
I went along looking at love differently
I used to approach love from a different perspective
Oh but now it's so strong
But now my love is very powerful
Look what you've done to me
See the changes you have brought about in me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, KAREN SCHAUBEN PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATION
Written by: GERRY GOFFIN, TOM SNOW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind