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 Thought It Look a Little Time
Diana Ross Lyrics
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Perhaps I have such special needs
I wondered what was wrong with me
My friends all fall so easily
But today I fell in love with someone I hardly know
Did I make myself imagine that he could love me so?
'Cause the feeling was so unexpected
I thought it took a little time to learn about lovin'
Never did believe in lovin' on sight
I thought it took a little time to learn about lovin'
All I know is now it's gotta be right
In the midst of conversation he looked into my eyes
And all through the conversation
Much to my own surprise
Half the words he said to me were missin'
'Cause my mind was so intend on kissin'
I thought it took a little time to learn about lovin'
Never did believe in lovin' on sight
I thought it took a little time to learn about lovin'
All I know is now it's gotta be right
Am I really hard to please?
Perhaps I have such special needs
I wondered what was wrong with me
My friends all fall so easily
But today I fell in love with someone I hardly know
Did I make myself imagine that he could love me so?
And the feelin' was so deep inside me
I could feel it when he brushed beside me
I thought it took a little time to learn about lovin'
Never did believe in lovin' on sight
I thought it took a little time to learn about lovin'
All I know is now it's gotta be right
This song, "I Thought It Took a Little Time," by Diana Ross, speaks to the struggles many of us have with our romantic lives. The song is about the singer's growing skepticism of love after seeing their friends fall in and out of it easily. They question if they're hard to please or if they have special needs that are making it difficult to find love. However, after falling in love quickly and unexpectedly, the singer realizes that learning about love doesn't always take time and sometimes the feeling is just right from the start.
The first verse shows the singer's frustration with trying to find love. They compare themselves to their friends who "fall so easily" and wonder if they're "hard to please." They highlight the idea that perhaps they have "special needs" which is making love harder to come by. The second verse is where they fall in love with someone they barely know, but the feeling is so intense that they start questioning if they imagined it. In the midst of this, the singer brings up the idea that they never believed in love at first sight and that it should take a little time to learn about loving someone. The line "half the words he said to me were missin'" shows just how delirious the singer is with love, and how it is obstructing their perception of reality.
The chorus is the realization that the singer's previous conception of love was incorrect. They used to believe it took time to learn about love and didn't believe in love at first sight. However, their current experience of falling in love with someone they barely know has made them rethink that. Now they know it's "gotta be right." The last verse shows the singer trying to comprehend their newfound love. They can feel it deep inside them and get a rush from just being near the person they're in love with.
Overall, the song is about the singer's struggle with love and how they come to understand that it's not always about learning to love over time. Sometimes it just feels right and it's okay to accept it that way.
Line by Line Meaning
Am I really hard to please?
I question whether I have high expectations and am difficult to satisfy.
Perhaps I have such special needs
I may require particular or unique things in a relationship.
I wondered what was wrong with me
I previously questioned what was preventing me from finding love.
My friends all fall so easily
My acquaintances seem to find love easily and quickly.
But today I fell in love with someone I hardly know
I unexpectedly developed strong feelings for a new person in my life.
Did I make myself imagine that he could love me so?
I ponder whether I may have invented feelings of love in my mind.
'Cause the feeling was so unexpected
The emotions I experienced were surprising and unforeseen.
I could hardly keep myself collected
I struggled to maintain my composure and control my feelings.
In the midst of conversation he looked into my eyes
During our dialogue, he gazed into my eyes.
And all through the conversation, much to my own surprise
Despite my uncertainty, our discussion continued to intrigue me.
Half the words he said to me were missin'
Due to my fixation on him, I didn't fully pay attention to his words.
'Cause my mind was so intend on kissin'
My mind was preoccupied with thoughts of kissing him.
And the feelin' was so deep inside me
The emotions I experienced were profound and intense.
I could feel it when he brushed beside me
My emotions were heightened when he brushed past me.
All I know is now it's gotta be right
I now believe that I have found the right person for me.
I thought it took a little time to learn about lovin'
I used to believe that love required time and effort to develop.
Never did believe in lovin' on sight
I never thought it was possible to fall in love at first sight.
But today I fell in love with someone I hardly know
Despite my previous beliefs, I fell in love with someone quickly.
All I know is now it's gotta be right
I am now convinced that my newfound love is right for me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL MASSER, PAMELA JOAN SAWYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind