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.
Shine
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Plagued with memories, I can't forget us
Trying to fight it, trying to hide it
Rekindled flames are not recommended
But it never went out boy, it never ended
Trying to fight it, trying to hide it
But your love it shines
In a cruel hard world
It's a miracle to find
Someone good, someone whose love it shines
Your love it shines
Here in this apartment with oh too many rooms
Pearls once meant something, they brought me only gloom
Trying to fight it, trying to hide it
Rekindled flames are not recommended
But it never went out boy, it never ended
Crime can fight it, lies can hide it
But your love it shines
In a cruel hard world
It's a miracle to find
Someone good, someone whose love it shines
Your love it shines
You'd better shine your love, shine your love, shine it up
You'd better shine your love, shine your love, shine it up
In a cruel hard world
It's a miracle to find
Someone good, someone whose love it shines
Your love it shines
The song "Shine" by Diana Ross explores the idea of a lost love that remains strong even after time and distance. The opening lines describe old love letters that are filled with memories and unable to be forgotten. Though the singer tries to fight the feelings and hide them, the love has never truly ended. The lyrics express that rekindled flames are not typically recommended, but the love between the two still shines brightly.
The song goes on to describe a present situation where the singer is in an apartment with too many rooms, surrounded by pearls that bring only sadness. Despite this, the love she shares with her lost love still burns bright. The chorus emphasizes the rarity and beauty of finding someone whose love truly shines in a world that can be cruel and challenging to navigate.
Overall, the song is a bittersweet representation of a love that endures despite the passage of time and hardships. It speaks to the idea that true love never really fades away, but rather continues to shine even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh I remember those old love letters
The memories of our past relationship are still present through the old love letters we exchanged.
Plagued with memories, I can't forget us
The memories of our relationship continue to haunt me and I can't seem to move on.
Trying to fight it, trying to hide it
Despite the pain and memories, I try to avoid thinking about our past and pretend everything is okay.
Rekindled flames are not recommended
It's not wise to reignite a flame that once died down because it could lead to more heartache.
But it never went out boy, it never ended
Even though our relationship faded, our love for each other never truly disappeared.
Trying to fight it, trying to hide it
Despite knowing it may not be wise to rekindle our relationship, I continue to struggle with my feelings for you.
But your love it shines
Your love for me is still present and visible, even though we are no longer together.
Here in this apartment with oh too many rooms
I am alone in a large apartment with too many empty spaces, reflecting the emptiness I feel without you.
Pearls once meant something, they brought me only gloom
The things that once held meaning to me, such as the pearls that you gave me, now only bring me sadness and pain.
Crime can fight it, lies can hide it
Even though I try to hide my feelings for you, they still persist despite any wrong choices or lies I may make to try and forget you.
You'd better shine your love, shine your love, shine it up
You have the ability to make my life better by bringing your love back into it, and I encourage you to do so.
In a cruel hard world
The world can be tough, and finding someone who truly loves you is a rare and precious thing.
It's a miracle to find
Finding somebody who genuinely loves you is miraculous.
Someone good, someone whose love it shines
The person you want to find is someone who is truly good and whose love for you is genuine and clear.
Your love it shines
You embody the kind of love I am seeking, and I hope you will bring this love back into my life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MICHAEL JAMES HUCKNALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind