The Supremes were a hugely successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia and disco. Second only to The Beatles in terms of records sales and chart success, The Supremes were the most successful American musical act of the 1960s, delivering twelve #1 hits between 1964 and 1969, many of them written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes.
Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in 1964 with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross and the Supremes in 1967. Ballard left the group that same year because of personal differences and was replaced by Cindy Birdsong.
Diana Ross left the group for a history-making solo career in 1970 and was replaced by Jean Terrell. After 1972, the lineup of The Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977.
Sweet Thing
Diana Ross and the Supremes Lyrics
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You turn darkness into light
You make everything alright
Sweet thing, you make the bells ring
Ding dong, and sweet and true
Attaching me to you.
(Sweeter than the taste of sugar cane)
As sweet as you are to me
(Sweeter than whatever you can name)
Like candy, cake or honey
Wouldn't give you up for love or money.
Sweet thing, you are my everything
You're all I need and more
Than my heart a-bargained for
Sweet thing, you are what's happening
You're just a bundle of love
Happiness and love.
Sweeter than the taste of honey dew
A honey-dew male is sweet, it's true
But it just ain't quite as sweet as you
Sweeping is the way to measure you
I look at the scale and it's a shame
I have more sweetness inch to inch
I have more sweetness pound to pound
Than any other sweet thing I have found.
Sweet thing, sweet, sweet thing
Sweet thing, sweet, sweet thing.
Sweeter than the taste of honey dew
A honey-dew male is sweet, it's true
But it just ain't quite as sweet as you
Sweeping is the way to measure you
I look at the scale and it's a shame
I have more sweetness inch to inch
I have more sweetness pound to pound
Than any other sweet thing I have found.
Sweet thing, you are what's happening
You're just a bundle of love
Happiness and love
Say it, sweet thing, you are my everything
You're all I need and more
Than my heart a-bargained for
Sweet thing, you make my heart sing
You turn darkness into light
You make everything alright
Sweet thing, you make the bells ring
Ding don
g, and sweet and true
Attaching me to you.
The song “Sweet Thing” by Diana Ross and the Supremes is a beautiful love song that is all about how their significant other is the sweetest thing in their lives. The lyrics describe how their sweetheart makes their heart sing, brings light into their life, and makes everything right. They compare their love to sugar cane, honey, and candy, emphasizing that nothing else in the world could ever compare to their love. The song describes how their love is all they need, and it is a bundle of love, happiness, and everything good in life. The song ends with the repeated phrase “sweet thing” emphasizing that their love is the sweetest and the best.
Interestingly, the song “Sweet Thing” was not released as an official single by Diana Ross and the Supremes. Instead, it was featured on their eleventh studio album titled “Love Child” which was released in October 1968. However, the song became quite popular as a fan favorite and was often performed live by the Supremes during their concerts.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet thing, you make my heart sing
You bring so much joy and happiness to my life that my heart sings like a beautiful melody
You turn darkness into light
Your presence illuminates everything around me and makes everything better
You make everything alright
No matter what challenges I may face, you have the power to make everything okay again
Sweet thing, you make the bells ring
Your impact on my life is so great that even the bells ring out in celebration of our love
Ding dong, and sweet and true
The sound of the bells ringing is a testament to the sweet and true nature of our love
Attaching me to you.
Our love is so strong that it has attached me to you and I never want to let go
(Sweeter than the taste of sugar cane)
Your love is so much sweeter than even the sweetest taste of sugar cane
No sugar cane could be
Even the most coveted and desirable things in life could never compare to the level of sweetness that you bring to my life
As sweet as you are to me
Your sweetness is unmatched and unparalleled, and I am so grateful to have you in my life
(Sweeter than whatever you can name)
Even the things that I cannot even fathom to describe as sweet would never compare to the sweetness you bring to my life
Like candy, cake or honey
Even the sweetest treats and indulgences in life could never match the sweetness of your love
Wouldn't give you up for love or money.
Your love is so valuable and irreplaceable that I would never give it up for anything in the world
Sweet thing, you are my everything
You mean everything to me and I cannot imagine my life without you
You're all I need and more
You fulfill all of my needs and desires and provide even more than I could ever ask for
Than my heart a-bargained for
My heart did not even know what it was missing until you came into my life and exceeded all expectations
Sweet thing, you are what's happening
You are the most important and exciting thing happening in my life right now
You're just a bundle of love
Your love is so abundant and overflowing that it consumes everything around you
Happiness and love.
All of the happiness and love in my life stems from your presence and the love you provide
Sweeter than the taste of honey dew
Even the sweetest taste of honey dew cannot compare to the level of sweetness that you bring to my life
A honey-dew male is sweet, it's true
Even a honey dew male, known for being sweet, cannot compare to the sweetness of your love
But it just ain't quite as sweet as you
Your sweetness is on a level all its own and cannot be matched by anything else
Sweeping is the way to measure you
The only way to accurately measure the level of your sweetness is to sweep through all the other things in life and see how they compare
I look at the scale and it's a shame
When I try to measure your sweetness, it is a shame because nothing else can compare
I have more sweetness inch to inch
Every inch of you is filled with unmatched sweetness that cannot be replicated
I have more sweetness pound to pound
Even your weight cannot detract from the level of sweetness you bring to my life
Than any other sweet thing I have found.
I have searched and experienced many sweet things in life, but none of them compare to your level of sweetness
Sweet thing, sweet, sweet thing
You are so sweet and amazing that I cannot help but repeat how much I adore you at every opportunity
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Van Morrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind