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.
Poppy Girls
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where there is mostly quiet
Flowers and butterflies
A rainbow lives beside it
And from a velvet sky
A summer storm
You can feel the coolness in the air
And then a mighty roar
Will start the sky to cryin'
But not even light'ning
Will be frightening my lion
And with no fear inside
No need to run
No need to hide
You're standing strong and tall
You're the bravest of them all
If on courage you must call
Then just keep on tryin'
And tryin' and tryin'
You're a lion
In your own way be a lion
Come on be a lion
I'm standing strong and tall
You're the bravest of them all
If on courage you must call
Keep on tryin'
And tryin' and tryin'
I'm a lion
In my own way
I'm a lion
A lion
A lion
A lion
The lyrics of "Poppy Girls" by Diana Ross are very poetic and beautifully written. The song talks about a magical place where there is mostly quiet, and where flowers, butterflies, and rainbows live. This place is described as having a velvet sky and a summer storm that makes you feel cool but still warm.
The most striking aspect of the song is the use of the metaphor of a lion for courage. The song talks about how even when there is a mighty roar that starts the sky crying, the lion doesn't get frightened. This suggests that no matter how tough things get, you don't have to be afraid, and you can stand strong and tall no matter what.
The lyrics encourage the listener to be like a lion, brave and strong, and to keep trying even in difficult circumstances. The repetition of the line "keep on trying" reinforces this idea that courage requires perseverance and determination. The song is ultimately a call to action for the listener to be brave and face their fears, just like a lion.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a place we'll go
There's a special place we can retreat to.
Where there is mostly quiet
It's a peaceful and serene setting.
Flowers and butterflies
The beauty of nature abounds in this place.
A rainbow lives beside it
Even more wonder and magic can be found there.
And from a velvet sky
This idyllic mood is maintained by the perfect weather.
A summer storm
But slight changes won't disrupt this feeling.
You can feel the coolness in the air
The storm brings a certain refreshing quality that's comfortable, not worrisome.
But you're still warm
Comfortable and cocooned against the harshness of the world outside.
And then a mighty roar
Despite the calm present now, other types of noise or events can and do happen in life, at any time.
Will start the sky to cryin'
It's okay to feel hurt or upset when things change suddenly.
But not even light'ning
Some things might inspire more fear
Will be frightening my lion
But I won't let them control me or disrupt the calm that I've built up.
And with no fear inside
Being brave is a choice that everyone can make, even when they'd rather give up.
No need to run
There's no reason to hide from problems or difficult situations.
No need to hide
Ignoring danger won't alleviate danger.
You're standing strong and tall
Being brave means acknowledging the danger, and then confronting it head-on.
You're the bravest of them all
And there's no one braver than the person who chooses this path.
If on courage you must call
Courage demands practice, patience, and perseverance.
Then just keep on tryin'
Building up courage doesn't happen overnight, but each step is valuable.
And tryin' and tryin'
It may take many tries and failures to get to the point where you feel brave.
You're a lion
But each time you do anything courageous, even something small, you are lionhearted.
In your own way be a lion
Not everyone's path to courage looks the same, and that's okay.
Come on be a lion
So everyone can find their way to be brave in their own way.
I'm standing strong and tall
I have found my own courage and it makes me strong and capable.
You're the bravest of them all
And everyone who finds their bravery is a hero to themselves.
If on courage you must call
Even the strongest people aren't brave all the time, and that's okay.
Keep on tryin'
Building bravery takes effort and commitment, and it's a process that's worth continuing.
And tryin' and tryin'
Each time we make an effort, we're getting closer to being as strong and brave as we want to be.
I'm a lion
I've found my strength and courage in my own way, and I'm capable of facing whatever challenges come my way.
In my own way
Everyone has their own unique strengths and weaknesses, and the path to courage is different for everyone.
A lion
But no matter who we are, we all have the power to be strong and brave in our own way.
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lucas Felipe
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