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.
Take my Breath away
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In my foolish lover's game
On this endless ocean
Finally lovers know no shame
Turning and returning
To some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion
As you turn around and say
Take my breath away
Take my breath away
Watching I keep waiting
Still anticipating love
Never hesitating
To become the fated ones
Turning and returning
To some secret place to hide
Watching in slow motion
As you turn to me and say
Take my breath away
Through the hourglass I saw you
In time you slipped away
When the mirror crashed I called you
And turned to hear you say
If only for today
I am unafraid
Take my breath away
Watching every motion
In this foolish lover's game
Haunted by the notion
Somewhere there's a love in flames
Turning and returning
To some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion
As you turn my way and say
Take my breath away
The first verse of Diana Ross's song "Take My Breath Away" captures the intensity and passion of a blossoming romance. The singer is deeply in love, but acknowledges the foolishness of her own emotions as she watches her lover's every move. The second verse exemplifies the excitement of waiting for her lover's love. Not only is the singer eagerly anticipating her lover's arrival, but she is also ready to become "the fated ones." The chorus repeats the phrase "take my breath away" multiple times, conveying the message that the singer is breathless with love and desire. The bridge describes both the timeliness and timelessness of the couple's love. The singer sees her lover slip away through the hourglass, but is comforted when they connect and share a moment in time. The final chorus, like the first, affirms the overpowering nature of this love.
Overall, "Take My Breath Away" is a song about the power of love to overwhelm and excite us. The lyrics suggest that true love is a passionate and intense experience, full of fire and emotion. The song captures the feeling of being caught up in the moment, lost in love, and completely breathless.
Line by Line Meaning
Watching every motion
Observing every action
In my foolish lover's game
Taking part in a foolish romantic pursuit
On this endless ocean
In the vastness of love
Finally lovers know no shame
Eventually, lovers lose all inhibitions
Turning and returning
Continuously coming back
To some secret place inside
To the innermost recesses of the mind
Watching in slow motion
Seeing every detail in slow motion
As you turn around and say
As you look back and speak
Take my breath away
You leave me breathless
Watching I keep waiting
Still observing and waiting
Still anticipating love
Expecting to fall in love
Never hesitating
Not having second thoughts
To become the fated ones
To be together as if meant to be
Turning and returning
Continuously coming back
To some secret place to hide
To a private place to conceal emotions
Watching in slow motion
Seeing every detail in slow motion
As you turn to me and say
As you face me and speak
Take my breath away
You leave me breathless
Through the hourglass I saw you
I saw you slipping away over time
In time you slipped away
Over time, you disappeared
When the mirror crashed I called you
After a moment of self-reflection, I sought you
And turned to hear you say
I listened as you spoke
If only for today
If only for this moment
I am unafraid
I am fearless
Watching every motion
Observing every action
In this foolish lover's game
In this reckless romantic pursuit
Haunted by the notion
Bothered by the idea
Somewhere there's a love in flames
A fiery love exists somewhere
Turning and returning
Continuously coming back
To some secret place inside
To the innermost recesses of the mind
Watching in slow motion
Seeing every detail in slow motion
As you turn my way and say
As you face me and speak
Take my breath away
You leave me breathless
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GIORGIO MORODER, TOM WHITLOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind