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.
If I Ruled The World
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every day would be
The first day of Spring
Every heart would have
A new song to sing
And we'd sing of the joy
Every morning would bring
Every man would be
As free as a bird
Every voice would be
A voice to be heard
Take my word
We would treasure each day
That occurred
My world would be
A beautiful place
Where we would weave
Such a wonderful dream
My world would wear
A smile on its face
Like the man in the moon
When the moon beams
If I ruled the world
Every man would say
The world was his friend
There'd be happiness
That no man could end
No my friend
Not if I ruled the world
Every head
Would be held up high
There'd be sunshine
In everyone's sky
If day ever dawned
When I ruled the world
If I ruled the world
The lyrics of the song If I Ruled the World by Diana Ross express the desire to create a world where everyone is happy, free, and every day is a new beginning. The first line already sets the mood of the song – if the singer could make changes in the world, they would ensure that every day feels like the first day of Spring. Spring signifies renewal, hope, and change. It is a time for transformation and growth. Therefore, every heart would have a new song to sing, and a new joy to experience every morning.
In the second stanza, the singer envisions a world with absolute freedom, where every man is as free as a bird, and every voice could be heard. She promises that everyone would treasure each day and appreciate it deeply. Her world would be a beautiful place where people could dream wonderful things, and they would have a smile on their faces like the man in the moon when the moon beams.
By the end of the song, the singer insists that every man would say the world was his friend, and there would be happiness that no one could end. In her world, there would be sunshine in everyone's sky, with heads held high, and no one would feel weighed down with worries. The song's message is incredibly positive and optimistic, painting a beautiful picture of a world where people are free and happy.
Line by Line Meaning
If I ruled the world
If I had the power to control the world
Every day would be
The first day of Spring
Each day would be a fresh start, filled with promise and new beginnings
Every heart would have
A new song to sing
Everyone would have a renewed sense of purpose and lightness, with a newfound joy in their hearts
And we'd sing of the joy
Every morning would bring
We would celebrate the simple pleasures in life each and every day, finding happiness in the small things
Every man would be
As free as a bird
Everyone would have the freedom to pursue their dreams and live life to the fullest without any constraints holding them back
Every voice would be
A voice to be heard
Each person's unique perspective and point of view would be respected and valued, with everyone given a platform to express themselves
Take my word
We would treasure each day
That occurred
Trust that we would appreciate and cherish every moment that passes us by
My world would be
A beautiful place
The world would be filled with beauty and wonder, with magic and excitement hiding around every corner
Where we would weave
Such a wonderful dream
Everyone would be able to dream big and make their wildest fantasies come to life, with no limits or barriers to their success
My world would wear
A smile on its face
Happiness and positivity would reign supreme, with the world always looking on the bright side of things
Like the man in the moon
When the moon beams
The world would be at peace, with a calmness and tranquility that can only be found in outer space
Every man would say
The world was his friend
Everyone would feel a sense of camaraderie and kinship with the world around them, recognizing that we are all part of something much bigger than ourselves
There'd be happiness
That no man could end
True joy and contentment would be indestructible, with nothing capable of taking away the love in our hearts or the smiles on our faces
No my friend
Not if I ruled the world
But unfortunately, this is just a dream and not a reality, as no one person can truly control the world
Every head
Would be held up high
We would all feel a sense of pride and self-worth, walking with our heads held high and our hearts full of confidence
'There'd be sunshine
In everyone's sky
The world would be filled with warmth and light, bringing happiness and hope to all who live in it
If day ever dawned
When I ruled the world
But should a day come where I am given the power to control the world, this is the kind of world that I would aim to create
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CYRIL ORNADEL, LESLIE BRICUSSE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind