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.
The Man I Love
Diana Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The man I love
And he'll be big and strong
The man I love
And when he comes my way
I'll do my best to make him stay
He'll look at me and smile
Then in a little while
He'll take my hand
And though it seems absurd
I know we both won't say a word
Maybe he'll come Sunday
Maybe Monday, maybe not
Still I'm sure he'll come one day
Maybe Tuesday will be
My good news day
We'll built a little home
Just meant for two
From which I'll never roam
Oh, what would you
And so all else above
I'm dreaming of the man I love
The lyrics of "The Man I Love" are a longing and hopeful expression of the singer's desires for her ideal partner. From the opening lines, the song is a tribute to the power of love to transform and elevate one's life. She describes a man who will come along someday, describing him as "big and strong" - qualities she values in a partner. She expresses her commitment to doing whatever she can to make him stay once he does arrive, emphasizing her willingness to work hard to ensure that their relationship is successful.
The second verse is filled with a deep sense of connection and intimacy, as the singer describes a moment when the two of them will lock eyes and understand each other without having to say anything at all. She expresses a sense of wonder and disbelief at the power of their connection, acknowledging that it might seem absurd to outsiders. Despite this, she knows that they are both feeling the same things and that they will be able to build a life together despite the doubters.
The final verse is a vision of the future, in which she and her partner will build a home for themselves and live a life of happiness and contentment. She describes this future as a place where she will never roam, underscoring the sense of stability and security that their bond will provide. All in all, the song is a powerful testament to the transformative power of love, and an expression of the hopes and dreams of anyone who has ever longed for a partner to share their life with.
Line by Line Meaning
Someday he'll come along
I know that someday, the man I love will come into my life.
The man I love
He's the one I've been waiting for, the man who will make my life complete.
And he'll be big and strong
He'll be my protector, my rock, someone I can lean on when things get tough.
And when he comes my way
When I finally meet him, I'll do everything I can to keep him close to me.
I'll do my best to make him stay
I'm willing to put in the effort to make this relationship work and keep him by my side.
He'll look at me and smile
I know he'll recognize how much I care and my love for him just by looking in my eyes.
I'll understand
Without him saying a word, I'll know what he means and how he feels.
Then in a little while
After we've been together for a short time, he'll take my hand.
He'll take my hand
He'll show his affection and love for me by holding my hand.
And though it seems absurd
Even though it might seem ridiculous to other people, I know we're meant to be together.
I know we both won't say a word
Our love will be so strong, we won't need words to communicate our feelings to each other.
Maybe he'll come Sunday
I don't know exactly when he'll come into my life, but I have faith that he will.
Maybe Monday, maybe not
It could happen any day, and I'm patient enough to wait for him.
Still I'm sure he'll come one day
I'm confident that he's out there, and someday our paths will cross.
Maybe Tuesday will be
I don't know what the future holds, but I'm hoping that Tuesday will be the day I meet him.
My good news day
The day when I finally get the news that he's the one for me.
We'll built a little home
Once we're together, we'll make a home that's just for us.
Just meant for two
It'll be our sanctuary, a place where we can be ourselves and enjoy each other's company.
From which I'll never roam
I'll never want to leave this home because it's where our love story began.
Oh, what would you
We'll share so many special moments together that we can't even imagine yet.
And so all else above
Regardless of everything else in my life, my top priority is finding the man I love.
I'm dreaming of the man I love
He's always on my mind, and I can't wait for the day when we're finally together.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRA GERSHWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind