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.
It's My House
Diana Ross Lyrics
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It's my house and I live here
(I wanna tell you)
It's my house and I live here
There's a welcome mat at the door
And if you come on in
There's my chair
I put it there
Everything you see
Is with love and care
It's my house and I live here
(I wanna tell you)
It's my house and I live here
On the table, there sits a rose
Through every window
A little light flows
Books of feeling on the shelf above
'cause it was built for love
I was built for love
It's my house and I live here
(I wanna tell you)
It's my house and I live here
There's a candle to light the stairs
Where my dreams await someone to share
Oh, there's music on the radio
And good vibrations won't let me go
I put my name on the ceilin' above
'cause it was buillt for love
It was built for love, ooh
You say you wanna move in with me
You say you wanna move in with me
Got to follow the rules to get me
Got to follow the rules to get me
You wanna visit my house
Say you wanna drop by
Wanna visit my house, yeah
To see me sometimes
There's a welcome mat at the door
And if you come on in
You're gonna get much more
I put my name in the ceilin' above
'cause it was built for love
It was built for love
It's my house and I live here
(I wanna tell you)
It's my house and I live here
Diana Ross's song "It's My House" is all about self-ownership and the power of individuality. The song is a declaration of ownership over one's personal space, and it celebrates the freedom and empowerment that comes with having control over one's living space. Ross sings about the pride she takes in her home, from the welcome mat at the door to the rose on the table, from the books on the shelf to the candle on the stairs. Every aspect of her home has been designed with care and love, and it is a reflection of who she is as a person.
Throughout the song, Ross repeats the phrase "It's my house and I live here" as a way of asserting her authority and making it clear that this space belongs to her and no one else. She sings about the good vibrations that fill her home and how she puts her name on the ceiling as a reminder of who she is and the love that surrounds her. The song has become an anthem for personal empowerment and self-love, encouraging listeners to take control of their own lives and to take pride in the space they call home.
Overall, "It's My House" is not simply a song about homeownership but rather a call to action for people to take charge of their lives and to make their homes a reflection of their unique personalities. Through her powerful vocals and uplifting lyrics, Diana Ross delivers a message of self-worth and encourages listeners to embrace their individuality and take pride in who they are.
Line by Line Meaning
It's my house and I live here
I want you to know that this is my house and I am the one who lives here.
There's a welcome mat at the door
There is a mat at the front door to welcome guests.
And if you come on in
If you choose to come inside my house,
You're gonna get much more
You will receive more than just a welcome if you step inside.
There's my chair
There is a chair in the room that belongs to me.
I put it there
I am the one who placed the chair in its current location.
Everything you see
All the items and belongings that you can see
Is with love and care
Were placed with love and care, and hold meaning to me.
On the table, there sits a rose
On a table in the room there is a rose placed there intentionally.
Through every window
No matter what window you look through in the house,
A little light flows
There is a little light that flows through every room.
Books of feeling on the shelf above
There are books on a shelf that hold a sentimental value to me.
'cause it was built for love
This house was built with love in mind and every item reflects that love.
There's a candle to light the stairs
On the staircase, there is a candle to use for lighting the way.
Where my dreams await someone to share
At the top of the stairs is where my dreams are kept waiting for someone to share them with.
Oh, there's music on the radio
There is always music playing on the radio in this house.
And good vibrations won't let me go
There are always good feelings and a positive energy in this house that I cannot let go of.
I put my name on the ceilin' above
I put my name on the ceiling to show that this house belongs to me.
You say you wanna move in with me
If you want to come and live in my house with me,
Got to follow the rules to get me
There are rules you must follow if you want to come and live in my house.
You wanna visit my house
If you just want to visit my house,
Say you wanna drop by
If you just want to come by for a quick visit,
To see me sometimes
To see me every now and then.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ADRIAN MISIEWICZ, NICKOLAS ASHFORD, VALERIE SIMPSON, THOMAS REICHOLD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind