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.
Mahogany Suite
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to, do you know?
Do you get what you're hoping for?
When you look behind you there's no open door.
What are you hoping for, do you know?
Once we were standing still in time,
And you knew how I loved you but my spirit was free,
Laughing at the questions that you once asked of me.
Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to, do you know?
Now looking back at all we planned,
We let so many dreams just slip through our hands.
Why must we wait so long before we see
How sad the answers to those questions can be?
Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to, do you know?
Do you get what you're hoping for?
When you look behind you there's no open door.
Diana Ross’s "Do You Know Where You're Going To" is a soulful tune that is reflective in nature. The song talks about the uncertainties of life and the questions that arise with it. It raises questions like “Do you know where you're going to?” and “Do you like the things that life is showing you?” These questions are deep and profound - they invite us to reflect on the paths we’ve taken in life and make some sense of the things that we have experienced.
In the first verse, the singer asks whether the listener knows where they are heading in life; the things they like, and whether they will get them. The second verse highlights a sense of urgency: “Once we were standing still in time…”; we were chasing fantasies that filled our minds. The 'we' here could be the singer and the listener or the audience in general. The singer is making a reference to how we have all let our dreams go, and how we all need to take responsibility for what we want in life.
The chorus repeats the same questions but with a more intense feeling. The word 'know' is used four times to emphasize the importance of understanding what is happening in our lives. The last verse reminds us that if we do not act in time, we could lose so much, and our dreams will slip away, leaving us with a sense of sorrow. The three questions raised in the song are profound and, in the context of the lyrics, the repetition of the chorus invites the listener to confront these questions and think seriously about them.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you know where you're going to?
Do you have a sense of direction and purpose in your life or are you lost and uncertain?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
How satisfied are you with the experiences and opportunities life has provided you so far?
Where are you going to, do you know?
What are your long-term goals and plans, and are you actively taking steps to achieve them?
Do you get what you're hoping for?
Are you able to attain the things you desire and are working towards, or do you feel like your efforts are in vain?
When you look behind you there's no open door.
Are you able to leave your past behind you and move forward, or are you feeling stuck or hindered by past experiences and regrets?
What are you hoping for, do you know?
What are your deepest desires, and do you have a clear idea of what you want from life?
Once we were standing still in time,
There was a time in the past when we were not making progress or moving forward in life.
Chasing the fantasies that filled our minds.
We were pursuing dreams and desires that seemed idealistic or improbable, rather than realistic or achievable.
And you knew how I loved you but my spirit was free,
Even though you knew that I loved you deeply, I was still exploring my own individuality and freedom.
Laughing at the questions that you once asked of me.
I used to find amusement in the things you would inquire about, but now I realize they were important questions to consider.
Now looking back at all we planned,
With hindsight, reflecting on our past aspirations and the plans we made.
We let so many dreams just slip through our hands.
Many of our goals and aspirations were not realized or achieved, and we feel like we missed out on opportunities.
Why must we wait so long before we see
Why does it take time for us to realize the mistakes we made or the opportunities we missed?
How sad the answers to those questions can be?
It can be painful or regretful to face the reality of the paths we did not take or the goals we did not achieve.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GERRY GOFFIN, MICHAEL MASSER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@terryhawkins6591
40 years since 'Mahogany' and still nothing more beautiful than Miss Ross and Michael Masser's wonderful music.
@TheReturnOfStephan1
From 2:42 on, nothing but chills!
Thanks for posting.:)
@requiem1963
Beautifully orchestrated!
@wheninrome345
Thank you for posting. I used this soundtrack when I write. It calms me and sends me someplace else. Especially this song.
@marconmaricamateriaisdecon2439
Mahogani suíte e como o nascimento de uma música, ela começa aos poucos e vai crescendo:... e linda.
@shandaanderson8313
Love her and this movie is one of my top favorites!
@truthzone333
Fabulous job!!! Thanks for uploading!
@cottonceena
Miss Ross. The greatest entertainer of all time. The most beautiful. Most talented. Intelligent. Best fashion. Best make up. Sensitive. Sensible. Philosophical. Truly unique. Unforgettable. A self-made goddess. A true roll model for all women of any age, any race. For eternity.
@jonathanhensley7597
cottonceena her name is Cynthia jones
@ilovetheseventies6461
one of my favorite movies and Diana Ross's just simply gorgeous