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.
My Place
Diana Ross Lyrics
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And I want to share it with you
I got myself a place to dream
I touch the wind
Caress the sea
And I want you there
To hold me
Where the silver bird of tomorrow
Will fly away with the sorrow
And time won't pass for you and I
We'll be standing still
As the world goes by
This is my place
And I want to share it with you
I've got the sky to shelter me
And like the tide I'm moving free
I've waited here for you only
We will walk along
Never lonely
This is my retreat, we're together
And my place is now even better
My life's reflected on the sand
And it shows my love
When I touch your hand
This is my place
And I want to share it with you
I want to share, I want to share it with you
This is my place
And you know wherever your place is
Loving only makes it better
And I want you there to hold me
To love me there is to know me
Where the silver bird of tomorrow
Will fly away with the sorrow
And time won't pass for you and I
We'll be standing still
As the world goes round
This is my place
This is my place
This is my place
The lyrics of the song "My Place" by Diana Ross seem to express the idea of finding a place to escape the world and be with your loved one. The song opens up with the singer talking about having her own sanctuary where she can dream and touch the wind while caressing the sea. She then expresses her desire for her lover to be there with her to hold and love her. The bridge of the song expresses hope, where the silver bird of tomorrow will fly away with any sorrow, and time will stop for the two lovers as they standstill while the world continues to turn.
The chorus emphasizes the ownership of the place by Ross with her wanting to share it with her partner. The second verse of the song emphasizes the freedom that the singer gets from the sky and the tide, and how she has waited for her lover to join her there, and now they will walk along in that special place, never lonely. The final verse emphasizes that wherever one's place may be, loving someone only makes it better. The song's message is quite straightforward, where the right person by your side can make any place feel like home.
Line by Line Meaning
This is my place
The singer has found a special, personal location that she wants to share with someone else.
And I want to share it with you
The singer desires to invite someone else into her personal space for a deeper connection.
I got myself a place to dream
The singer has found a place where she can be alone with her thoughts and dreams.
I touch the wind
The artist enjoys feeling the natural elements around her as a way to connect with her surroundings.
Caress the sea
The artist physically expresses her appreciation for the ocean and feels a powerful connection to it.
And I want you there
The singer wants someone else to be a part of her experience and share in her joy.
To hold me
The singer desires physical affection from her companion.
To love me there is to know me
The artist believes that experiencing her special place with another person will lead to a deeper understanding and love between them.
Where the silver bird of tomorrow
The artist references a metaphorical bird that represents hope and a better future.
Will fly away with the sorrow
The artist believes that hope and positivity will eventually overcome negative feelings and experiences.
And time won't pass for you and I
The singer wants to fully live in the present moment with her companion without worrying about time.
We'll be standing still
The artist wants to metaphorically freeze time in order to savor the moment with her companion.
As the world goes by
Despite the passage of time, the singer wants to remain fully present in her current moment with her companion.
I've got the sky to shelter me
The singer feels protected and supported by the vast sky above her.
And like the tide I'm moving free
The singer feels free and unencumbered, like the ebb and flow of the ocean tide.
We will walk along
The artist wants to share a physical connection with her companion as they explore her personal space.
Never lonely
The artist feels that sharing her special place with a companion will lead to feelings of togetherness and companionship, rather than loneliness.
This is my retreat, we're together
The singer considers her personal space a place of retreat, or escape, where she can share a special moment with her companion.
And my place is now even better
The singer believes that sharing her space with her companion has made it even more special and meaningful to her.
My life's reflected on the sand
The artist sees her own life reflected back to her in the sand, perhaps as a way to gain perspective.
And it shows my love
The artist believes that the love she feels for her companion is reflected in her surroundings, particularly as she touches her companion's hand.
When I touch your hand
The artist believes that physical touch is an important way to connect with another person and feel their love.
And you know wherever your place is
The singer acknowledges that everyone has their own personal space that is special to them.
Loving only makes it better
The artist believes that sharing one's personal space with someone they love will only enhance the experience.
This is my place
The singer reiterates the importance of her personal space and how it has become a special part of her life.
I want to share, I want to share it with you
The singer emphasizes her desire to share her personal space with someone else and make a deeper connection with them.
This is my place
The singer again reminds the listener of the importance of her personal space and her desire to share it with someone else.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HAL DAVIS, JERRY MARCELLINO, MEL LARSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind