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.
T'ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That folks don't criticise me,
But I'm going to do just as I want to anyway,
And don't care if you all despise me!
If I should take a notion
To jump into the ocean,
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, do, do!
If I go to church on Sunday,
Then just shimmy down on Monday,
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, if I do!
If my friend ain't got no money,
And I say, "Take all mine, honey",
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, do, do do!
If I give him my lasy nickel,
And it leaves me in a pickle,
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, if I do!
There, I'd rather my man was hittin' me,
Than to jump right up and quittin' me,
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, do, do do!
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my papa,
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, if I do!
The song “T’ain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do” by Diana Ross is one of the most iconic blues songs of all time. It is a song that speaks of personal freedom, and the desire to live life according to one’s own terms. The lyrics talk about how people will always criticize and judge a person, but they will still do what they want to do in the end. The song speaks about the freedom to do what you want without having to justify your actions to others.
The first verse of the song acknowledges that no matter what you do or say, people will always criticize you. Despite this, the singer is determined to live their life the way they want to, without caring about the judgments of others. The second verse speaks to the freedom to make choices, no matter how unconventional they may seem. The singer asserts that it's nobody's business if they choose to jump into the ocean or go to church one day and then be wild the next.
In the next two verses, the song talks about the freedom to give of oneself without worrying about the consequences. The singer believes that if they want to give away their last penny to a friend in need, nobody has the right to judge them for it. They also mention that it is nobody's business if their actions leave them in a difficult situation. The final verse of the song speaks to the freedom of love. The singer declares that they would rather be hit by their partner than to be abandoned by them. They also assert that if they are beaten by their father, they won't call the police, as it is their own personal business.
Overall, “T’ain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do” is a song that highlights the importance of personal freedom and the right to make choices without fear of judgment. The song encourages people to live their lives freely, without worrying about what others may think of them.
Line by Line Meaning
There ain't nothin' I can do, or nothin' I can say
No matter what I do or say, people will find fault with me.
But I'm going to do just as I want to anyway,
I will do what I want regardless of what others think about it.
And don't care if you all despise me!
I am not bothered if people hate me for doing what I want.
If I should take a notion
If I suddenly decide on doing something.
To jump into the ocean,
Like plunging into the water from a high point.
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, do, do!
My actions are no one else's concern or problem.
If I go to church on Sunday,
If I attend church service on Sundays.
Then just shimmy down on Monday,
If I dance in a suggestive manner on Mondays.
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, if I do!
My personal choices do not need anyone's approval or attention.
If my friend ain't got no money,
If my friend does not have any money.
And I say, 'Take all mine, honey',
And I offer to give them all of my own money.
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, do, do do!
What I do with my own possessions is not anyone else's concern.
If I give him my lasy nickel,
If I give away my last bit of money.
And it leaves me in a pickle,
And I am left in a difficult situation because of it.
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, if I do!
My own financial decisions are not open for public scrutiny.
There, I'd rather my man was hittin' me,
There are things I would prefer happening than something else.
Than to jump right up and quittin' me,
In this case, I'd rather my man hit me than leave me.
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, do, do do!
My relationship issues are private and should not be commented on by others.
I swear I won't call no copper
I will not call the police.
If I'm beat up by my papa,
If my father is physically abusive towards me.
'T'aint nobody's business if I do, if I do!
My decisions on how I handle my life are mine and mine alone.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EVERETT ROBBINS, PORTER GRAINGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind