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.
Last Time I Saw Him
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He sweetly kissed my lips
Last time I saw him
He said: "I'll be back for more of this"
Last time I saw him
We were crying at the bus
I knew he hated leaving
But he had to set us up
I gave him money
I know I invested well
Mamma doesn't trust him
But he loves me I can tell
Each time the greyhound
Arrives at nine o' clock
But I don't start my crying
'Till that last man's gotten off
Last time I saw him
Last time I saw my honey
Last time I saw him
He was greyhound-bound
But I'm still waiting here
Without a fear
That bus will someday turn around
I had no letter
It's been six months, maybe better
I try forgetting him
But I love him more then ever
I have decided
I've waited long enough
If there was nothing wrong
He would return right on that bus
There must be trouble
So I'm leavin' on the double
If he can't get to me
I know he needs me desperately
Last time I saw him
Last time I saw my honey
Last time I saw him
He was looking fine
And as he waved goodbye
He said don't cry
I'm coming back, no rain or shine
Last time I saw him
Last time I saw my honey
Last time I saw him
He was greyhound-bound
And as he waved goodbye
He said don't cry
I'm coming back, no rain or shine
La de da, la da do
Do la da da, da da da
Last time I saw him
He was looking fine
And as he waved goodbye
He said don't cry
I'm coming back, no rain or shine
The lyrics of Diana Ross’s song Last Time I Saw Him paint a picture of a deeply emotional and hopeful love story. The singer of the song is a woman waiting for her lover to return to her after he had to leave on a Greyhound bus for an indeterminate amount of time. The song begins with a memory of the last time she saw him, where they parted tearfully at the bus stop. The woman is investing both her money and emotions in this man, though her mother doesn't trust him. Despite this, she believes that he truly loves her.
As the song progresses, we see that time passes with no news from the man. She struggles to forget him, but the love she has for him only grows stronger. Eventually, the woman decides that she can't wait for him any longer and must go and find him since he can't come back on his own. She is optimistic that he still needs her desperately and will return to her. The song ends with a repetition of the last time she saw him, leaving the listeners with a sense of hope and possibility.
Overall, the lyrics of the song touch on themes of love, hope, and longing, emphasizing the emotional turmoil that long-distance relationships can bring. The song’s narration is effective in triggering emotions of hope and longing and establishing emotional connections with the listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Last time I saw him
The occasion during which I saw him most recently
He sweetly kissed my lips
He kissed me tenderly and affectionately
He said: "I'll be back for more of this"
He promised to return and experience more of our intimacy
We were crying at the bus
We shed tears together as he was leaving on a bus
I knew he hated leaving
I was aware that he did not want to depart
But he had to set us up
He had to leave to ensure our future success
I gave him money
I provided him with financial support
I know I invested well
I am confident that my financial contribution was worthwhile
Mamma doesn't trust him
My mother is skeptical of him
But he loves me I can tell
But I know that he loves me
Each time the greyhound
Every instance when the greyhound arrives
Arrives at nine o' clock
The scheduled time of arrival is 9:00 PM
But I don't start my crying
However, I do not begin to cry
'Till that last man's gotten off
Until the final passenger has disembarked
He was greyhound-bound
He was traveling by bus
But I'm still waiting here
However, I am still waiting for him to return
Without a fear
Without any concern or apprehension
That bus will someday turn around
I believe that the bus will eventually bring him back to me
I had no letter
I have not received any written communication from him
It's been six months, maybe better
It has been around six months since we last met
I try forgetting him
I attempt to remove him from my thoughts
But I love him more then ever
However, my love for him has increased
I have decided
I have made a resolution
I've waited long enough
I have been patient for a considerable length of time
If there was nothing wrong
Assuming there are no issues
He would return right on that bus
He would come back on the next bus without any delay
There must be trouble
There seems to be a problem
So I'm leavin' on the double
Accordingly, I am departing immediately
If he can't get to me
In case he is unable to reach me
I know he needs me desperately
I am sure that he needs me intensely and urgently
He was looking fine
He appeared attractive and appealing
And as he waved goodbye
When he bid farewell with a hand gesture
He said don't cry
He advised me not to weep
I'm coming back, no rain or shine
He assured me that he will return without fail, no matter the conditions
La de da, la da do
An expression that has no specific meaning
Do la da da, da da da
An expression that has no specific meaning
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MICHAEL MASSER, PAMELA JOAN SAWYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tomtv1
This is one Diana Ross song that is not played that often and l don't know why. A classic from 1974.
@angelchavez458
It was played all day here in ELA
@seabreeze9296
actual recording date Dec. 1973
@sproutcommunitiesllc6249
Love the song. I played it over and over and over.
@wendellthurmond2152
I Haven’t Heard This In Years😊
@roseoliver9464
***I remember me and my mom listening to this song on the radio❤️💚❤️...I had to be about 8yrs old and in the third grade🥰😇
Memories❤️❤️❤️ they just don't make music like they use to💯
@sexysagitarius1965
I had this album when I was a kid. Loved it!
@soniabishop7529
Love this song and don't know why it's never really played on the radio :-( One of his best songs ❤❤❤
@deannaharrell7165
My favorite Diana Ross song. I have known this song most of my life.
@jeaniemichelle8071
Diana was special because her voice has the sweetness of a child ❤️