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 Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wished I had some good man, to tell my troubles to
Seem like the whole world's wrong, since my man's been gone
I need a little sugar in my bowl,
I need a little hot dog, on my roll
I can stand a bit of lovin', oh so bad,
I feel so funny, I feel so sad
I need a little steam-heat, on my floor,
What's the matter, hard papa, come on and save you mama's soul
'Cause I need a little sugar, in my bowl, doggone it,
I need a little sugar in my bowl
I need a little sugar, in my bowl,
I need a little hot dog, between my rolls
You gettin' different, I've been told,
Move your finger, drop something in my bowl
I need a little steam-heat on my floor,
Maybe I can fix things up, so they'll go
(spoken: Get off your knees, I can't see what you're drivin' at!
It's dark down there!
Looks like a snake! see'mon here and drop somethin' here in my bowl,
Stop your foolin', and drop somethin', in my bowl)
The lyrics to Diana Ross's song I Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl are a plea for romance and sexual intimacy. Ross sings about feeling lonely and blue since her man has been gone, and how she wishes she had someone to share her troubles with. She expresses her desire for sex and affection through colorful metaphors like "I need a little sugar in my bowl" and "I need a little hot dog on my roll." These lyrics are classic examples of innuendo, with sugar and hot dog standing in for sexual desire and need for physical pleasure. Ross sings about being able to "fix things up" with some steam-heat on her floor, hinting at her desire for lovemaking.
The song captures the essence of blues and jazz music, featuring seductive rhythms and catchy melodies that transport listeners to the smoky jazz clubs of the past. Ross's sultry voice adds to the allure of the song, inviting listeners to get lost in its suggestive lyrics. The lyrics also reflect the sexual liberation of the 1960s and 70s, as women started to assert their desire for sexual pleasure and intimacy.
**Here are some interesting facts about the song:**
* "I Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl" was written by J. Mayo Williams, Clarence Williams, and Lucy Fletcher, and was first recorded by Bessie Smith in 1931.
* Diana Ross's version of the song was released in 1976 on her album "Diana Ross."
* The song was originally written as a blues ballad, but Ross's version gave it a more upbeat and disco-inspired sound.
* The song was controversial at the time of its release because of its suggestive lyrics, but it still became a hit for Ross.
* The song has been covered numerous times by other artists, including Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, and Muddy Waters.
* The song was featured in the film "The Color Purple" in 1985.
* The song was performed by Ross on her "An Evening with Diana Ross" tour in 1977.
* The song was praised for its instrumentation, which included a harmonica and a slide guitar.
* The song was one of the first recordings to use the term "hot dog" as a euphemism for sex.
* The song's suggestive lyrics were edited for radio play, with "hot dog" being replaced by "here's what I'm thinking of."
**Chords (key of G):**
Verse: G D G D G D A D G D A D
Chorus: G D G D G D A D G D A D G D A D G D A D G D A D.
Line by Line Meaning
Tired of bein' lonely, tired of bein' blue,
I am exhausted from feeling alone and sad all the time.
I wished I had some good man, to tell my troubles to
I wish I had someone to share my problems with.
Seem like the whole world's wrong, since my man's been gone
Everything feels wrong since my partner left me.
I need a little sugar in my bowl,
I need some affection and intimacy in my life.
I need a little hot dog, on my roll
I need some excitement and pleasure in my life.
I can stand a bit of lovin', oh so bad,
I am craving physical intimacy desperately.
I feel so funny, I feel so sad
I am experiencing complex emotions that are difficult to describe.
I need a little steam-heat, on my floor,
I need some passion and warmth in my home and relationships.
Maybe I can fix things up, so they'll go
Perhaps if I can find what I need, everything else in my life will improve.
What's the matter, hard papa, come on and save you mama's soul
What's wrong, tough guy? Help me out and give me what I need emotionally and physically.
'Cause I need a little sugar, in my bowl, doggone it,
I really need some affection and intimacy in my life, no matter what.
I need a little sugar in my bowl
I still need some affection and intimacy in my life, even more than ever.
I need a little sugar, in my bowl,
I really do need some affection and intimacy in my life, and it's not going away.
I need a little hot dog, between my rolls
I really could use some excitement and pleasure to help me feel better.
You gettin' different, I've been told,
People are telling me that I'm changing or acting differently.
Move your finger, drop something in my bowl
Come on, make a move and give me what I need in terms of intimacy and affection.
I need a little steam-heat on my floor,
I still really need some passion and warmth in my home and relationships.
Maybe I can fix things up, so they'll go
If I can just find what I need emotionally and physically, everything else will fall into place.
(spoken: Get off your knees, I can't see what you're drivin' at!
Stop playing games and give me what I need without any drama or fuss.
It's dark down there!
I can't tell what you're trying to do, and it's frustrating me.
Looks like a snake! see'mon here and drop somethin' here in my bowl,
I don't know what you're doing, but you need to drop what you're holding into my bowl.
Stop your foolin', and drop somethin', in my bowl)
Stop playing games and give me what I need emotionally and physically without hesitation or games.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CLARENCE WILLIAMS, J. TIM BRYMN, DALLY SMALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind