Known as the artist who "bridged the gap," Warwick's soulful blend of pop, gospel and R&B music transcended racial, cultural, national, and musical boundaries.
Throughout the 1980's and 1990's, Warwick collaborated with many of her musical peers, including Johnny Mathis, Smokey Robinson, Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osbourne, Kashif and Stevie Wonder. Warwick was also host of the hit television music show, "Solid Gold." In addition, she recorded several theme songs, including "Champagne Wishes & Caviar Dreams," for the popular television series "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous," and "The Love Boat," for the hit series from Aaron Spelling. More recently, Warwick recorded her first Christmas album entitled "My Favorite Time of the Year" featured jazzy interpretations of many holiday classics. In 2007, Rhino Records re-released the CD with new cover art, a critically acclaimed Gospel album, "Why We Sing," for Rhino/Warner Records, and a new jazz album, "Only Trust Your Heart," a collection of standards, celebrating the music of legendary composer Sammy Cahn for Sony Red/MPCA Records.
Dionne Warwick has won 5 Grammy Awards during her music career:
• 1969: "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" for the single, "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?"
• 1971: "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" for the single, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again"
• 1979: "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" for the single, "Déjà Vu"
• 1979: "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" for the single, "I'll Never Love This Way Again"
• 1986: "Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal" for the single, "That's What Friends Are For"
Dionne Warwick was born in a musical family of which numerous superstars arose.
Warwick's sister Dee Dee Warwick had a successful singing career, Warwick's aunt is gospel singer Cissy Houston, and one of Warwick's cousins is Whitney Houston.
Yours
Dionne Warwick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I understand
To think that only yesterday
You held me in your hands
And I became a woman
And you became the world , to me
I was lost , no dream to high
No star to far apart
You led me to believe that I was yours, yours
I swallowed every lie
And you will cry when I'm away ,on your own , like me
when I was yours
I could live my life without you, that is not enough
I can't lie awake believin' you don't want my love
Alone in my desire
And still the fire burns , my friend
I was there . I loved you well
Though we are far apart , I love you still
I relive the very moment when you called me yours , yours
Don't let me die inside
Save me from the memories, the hours that I cried
Say to me that I am yours, yours , mine eternity
And you will cry when I'm away
On your own , like me ,when I was yours
Yours, yours , don't let me die inside
Save me from the memories, the hours that I cried
Say to me that I am yours , yours for eternity
And you will cry when I'm away
The hours that I cry
Say to me that I am yours, yours
Don't let me die inside
The lyrics of "Yours" by Dionne Warwick depict a love story that has ended, yet the singer can't move on. The lines "They told me love don't last forever / Now I understand" imply that the relationship the singer had with her lover has come to an end. The next lines, "To think that only yesterday / You held me in your hands / And I became a woman / And you became the world, to me," demonstrate how much the lover meant to her, and that she has since lost her sense of self without him. The phrase "I was lost, no dream too high / No star too far apart" shows the level of trust that the singer had in her lover's support - he could've helped her achieve whatever she wanted, no matter how far off it may have seemed.
As the song progresses, the singer reveals that she still loves her old flame and that "I could live my life without you, that is not enough" - she needs his love and affection to sustain her. The chorus repeats, with the singer begging her lover not to let her die inside, to remind her that she is his forever. The lines "And you will cry when I'm away / On your own, like me, when I was yours" indicate that the lover may soon come to regret losing her, much like the singer did when she was left alone.
Overall, "Yours" is a melancholy tune that describes the price of love being unrequited.
Line by Line Meaning
They told me love don't last forever
People have told me that love is not permanent
Now I understand
Currently, I comprehend why people say that love is not long-lasting
To think that only yesterday
It's hard to believe that it was only yesterday when
You held me in your hands
You embraced me
And I became a woman
As a result, I matured
And you became the world, to me
To me, you transformed into the universe
I was lost, no dream too high, no star too far apart
Before you, I was directionless and had no boundaries
Your carpet ride holding me
You took me on an exciting journey
You led me to believe that I was yours, yours
You convinced me that I belonged to you
I swallowed every lie
I accepted every untruth you told me
And you will cry when I'm away, on your own, like me
You will also weep when you're by yourself, just like how I am right now
when I was yours
When I was under your control
I could live my life without you, that is not enough
Although it's possible for me to survive without you, it's not sufficient
I can't lie awake believin' you don't want my love
I can't deceive myself into thinking that you don't desire my affection
Alone in my desire
I am solitary in my yearning
And still the fire burns, my friend
Yet, the passion within me still blazes, my companion
I was there. I loved you well
I supported you, and I loved you deeply
Though we are far apart, I love you still
Despite the physical distance between us, I still feel love for you
I relive the very moment when you called me yours, yours
I frequently reminisce about the time you referred to me as yours, yours
Don't let me die inside
Please don't allow me to wither away internally
Save me from the memories, the hours that I cried
Alleviate me from the recollections of the moments when I wept
Say to me that I am yours, yours, mine for eternity
Tell me that I am permanently yours, yours
And you will cry when I'm away
When I'm not near you, you'll shed tears
The hours that I cry
The hours when I weep
Say to me that I am yours, yours
Tell me that I belong to you
Don't let me die inside
Please don't let me wilt internally
Contributed by Kaelyn I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aline Dowd
on I Cry Alone
Brings back oh so many memories.