She was born as Doris Elaine Higginsen, in The Bronx, the daughter of a Barbadian Pentecostal minister. She later took her grandmother's name and grew up as Doris Payne. Her parents disapproved of "subversive" forms of music like rhythm & blues, so she cut her teeth singing in her father's choir. She was working as an usherette at the Apollo where she was discovered by James Brown.
Troy worked with Solomon Burke, The Drifters, Cissy Houston, and Dionne Warwick, before she co-wrote and recorded "Just One Look", which hit #10 in the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1963. The song has been covered by The Hollies, Linda Ronstadt, Bryan Ferry, Anne Murray, Klaus Nomi, and Harry Nilsson. Her only foray into the UK Singles Chart, "Whatcha Gonna Do About It", peaked at #37 in December 1964.
As her solo career peaked, she sang back-up for the Rolling Stones, Humble Pie, Kevin Ayers, Pink Floyd (on their album The Dark Side of the Moon), George Harrison, Johnny Hallyday, Vivian Stanshall, Dusty Springfield, Nick Drake, Junior Campbell and Carly Simon.
She was signed by The Beatles to their Apple Records label in 1969, and released the Doris Troy album the following year, co-produced by Troy and George Harrison. Troy worked in the UK throughout the 1970s, appearing at Ronnie Scott's Club and recording a live album, The Rainbow Testament. Her People Records album, Stretching Out, was not a big seller.
Mama, I Want To Sing is a stage musical based on her life, and was co-written with her sister, Vy, a popular New York radio personality. It ran for 1,500 performances at the Heckscher Theatre in Harlem. Troy played her own mother, Geraldine. Chaka Khan played her aunt in the London production, as did Deniece Williams. The musical has been reinterpreted as an upcoming motion picture, starring Ciara, Patti Labelle and Hill Harper.
Troy died from emphysema at her home in Las Vegas, Nevada, aged 67.
Just One Look
Doris Troy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In love with you, oh oh, oh oh
I found out how good it feels
To have your love, oh oh, oh oh
Say you will, will be mine
Forever and always, oh oh, oh oh
Just one look and I knew
Oh oh oh oh!
I thought I was dreamin'
But I was wrong, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, but-a, I'm gonna keep on schemin'
Till I can a-make you, make you my own!
So you see, I really care
Without you I'm nothin', oh oh, oh oh
Just one look and I know
I'll get you someday, oh oh, oh oh
Just one look, that's all it took
Just one look, that's all it took
Just one look, that's all it took
The song "Just One Look" by Doris Troy is an upbeat love song that expresses the feeling of falling in love at first sight. The opening line, "Just one look and I fell so hard in love with you," exemplifies that love can be instantaneous and inexplicable. The singer of the song is empowered by the intensity of her feelings for her object of desire. She has discovered how good it feels to have his love and begs him to reciprocate.
In the second verse, the chorus repeats the line "just one look, and I knew that you were my only one" after the singer marvels at how her love interest reciprocates her feelings, encouraging him to be hers forever. The next verse shows her determination to make him her own, even though she realizes that her love for him seemed like a dream. Her love is persistent, and she vows not to give up until she makes him hers.
The chorus repeats three times at the end, "Just one look, that's all it took," proving that the singer understands that love is unpredictable and can happen at any time, and just one look is all it takes to ignite that fiery passion.
Line by Line Meaning
Just one look and I fell so hard
With just one glimpse of you, I was head over heels in love
In love with you, oh oh, oh oh
Madly, deeply, and uncontrollably in love with you
I found out how good it feels
I discovered the immense pleasure of being loved by you
To have your love, oh oh, oh oh
To be deeply in love with you and to receive your love at the same time
Say you will, will be mine
Promise me that you will be mine forever and ever
Forever and always, oh oh, oh oh
Eternally and unconditionally loving each other
Just one look and I knew
After a single glance at you, I was sure that you are the only one for me
That you were my only one
You are my soulmate, and I can't picture my life without you
I thought I was dreamin'
At times, I felt like this love was too good to be true
But I was wrong, yeah, yeah, yeah
However, I realised that this love is indeed real and true
Oh, but-a, I'm gonna keep on schemin'
I will keep trying and working hard to make you mine
Till I can a-make you, make you my own!
Until the time I can achieve the goal of making you mine
So you see, I really care
This love is genuine, and I care for you more than anything else
Without you I'm nothin', oh oh, oh oh
You are my reason to live, and I am incomplete without you
Just one look and I know
With just one glimpse of you, my heart knows that you are the one for me
I'll get you someday, oh oh, oh oh
I am determined to win your love someday, and I won't stop until I do
Just one look, that's all it took
A single look from you was enough to sweep me off my feet and fall in love
Just one look, that's all it took
This love is so intense, yet it began with just one look
Just one look, that's all it took
A single glance at you was enough for me to realise that you are the love of my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Doris Payne, Gregory Carroll
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@1BillHarding
Just one look, and I fell so ha-a-ard,
In love, with you. Oh-oh. Oh-oh.
I found out how good it fee-ee-eels,
To have your love. Oh-oh. Oh-oh.
Say you will, will be mi-i-ine,
Forever, and always. Oh-oh. Oh-oh.
Just one look, and I knew-ew-ew,
That you were my only one. Oh-oh-oh-oh!
I thought I was dreamin',
But I was wrong. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, but-a I'm gonna keep on schemin',
‘Til I can a-make you . . . make you my own.
So, you see, I really ca-a-are.
Without you, I'm nothin'. Oh-oh. Oh-oh.
Just one look, and I kno-o-ow,
I'll get you, some day. Oh-oh. Oh-oh.
Just one look. That's all it took.
Just one look. That's all it took.
Just one look. That's all it took. Just one look . . .
@michelleprie2854
Does anyone agree that this is the VERY BEST VERSION of this awesome Classic?!?
🎶💖🎶
@norbertpaulus9211
Totally agree, honey 💜
@markyeeee
Definitely agree!
@vivcroot8410
Absolutely!
@jakebarton9199
the hollies did a famous cover in 64 it’s one of their greatest hits
@pattygreen5229
Yes! Amazing. Linda R doesn't do this song justice.
@beanroid420
Oldies had so much soul in their music and you can feel it! Coming from a 34 year old man!
@kroakie4
The piano is so understated on this song, yet it’s my favorite part.
@downunderrob
All my life(I'm 58), I had only ever heard and loved the Linda Ronstadt version of this song.
But wow!
This Lady had one Hell of a Voice! 👏👏👏👏👏
@blueycarlton
The Hollies had the world wide hit with their cover not long after this was released, many years before Linda Ronstadt.