Benson's next recording was It's Uptown with the George Benson Quartet with Lonnie Smith on organ and Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax. This album showcases Benson's talent in constructing swinging bebop lines at blistering tempos. Benson followed it up with "The George Benson Cookbook," also with Lonnie Smith and Ronnie Cuber.
One of his major hits is the song "This Masquerade", which is included in the top-selling album Breezin' . This album represents a shift to more commercially oriented music which brought Benson a wider audience but alienated some jazz fans. Other singles that have made the Billboard Hot 100 charts include "On Broadway" (1978), "Love Ballad" (1979), "Give Me The Night" (1980) and "Turn Your Love Around" (1982).
Benson continues to play outstanding jazz guitar, as evidenced on recordings such as Jimmy Smith's Off the Top, Benson's own live album Par Excellence, and Tenderly, on which Benson is accompanied by McCoy Tyner on piano.
For his contribution to the recording industry, George Benson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7055 Hollywood Blvd.
Family Reunion
George Benson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh
Oh, baby
Morning, noon, and night, I'm thinkin' about you
Things just ain't been right since you've been gone
'Til the end of time we've taken a vow to
Keep our family strong
Soon the magic of two meant nothing at all
So don't you think it's 'bout time (It's 'bout time)
We had a family reunion (Make things right)
Cause I'm losin' my mind (All my mind)
Without you here in my life (In my life)
Tell me what you want, let's get it together
No more wastin' time on what we're not
You and I should love each other forever
Family means a lot
So baby, let's make a move, find a new beginning
Set your feelin' the same way I feel tonight
Come on and give it a try (One more try)
Let's have a family reunion (Make things right)
Cause girl, it's a crime (It's a crime)
Not havin' you by my side (By my side)
So don't you think it's 'bout time (It's 'bout time)
We had a family reunion (Make things right)
Because I'm losin' my mind (All my mind)
Without you here in my life (In my life)
And now that we've been through everything, we don't have to worry
Let's put the pain of the past behind
And girl I promise you that love will always stay in our lives
So don't you think it's 'bout time (It's 'bout time)
We had a family reunion (Make things right)
Because I'm losin' my mind (I'm losin' my mind, baby)
Without you here in my life (Here in my life)
Come on and give it a try (Yeah, girl)
Let's have a family reunion (A family reunion)
You know it's a crime (You know it's a crime, baby)
Not havin' you by my side (I need you here by my side)
So don't you think it's 'bout time (It's 'bout time)
We had a family reunion (Make things right)
Let's get it together, baby
Let's get it together, baby
Together, together, together baby
Let's get it together, baby
The lyrics of George Benson’s “Family Reunion” describe a man who is deeply in love with a woman who he has lost. He is reminiscing about how he used to think about her all the time, and how he is struggling to cope without her now that she’s gone. The couple had been together for a long time and had made a vow to keep their family strong, but the magic of their relationship eventually fizzled out. The man hopes that they can reconcile and reunite, make things work out, and have a family reunion. He is willing to try again because family means a lot to both of them.
The chorus repeats and emphasizes that the man is losing his mind without the woman and that it’s time to have a family reunion, to make things right. He wants to know what she wants, to get it together, and move forward to find a new beginning. He promises that they don’t have to worry about the past and can put the pain behind them. The man is confident that their love will always stay in their lives and that their family must remain strong. The song ends with a plea for togetherness and a resolution to be made.
Overall, “Family Reunion” is a powerful love song with a message of hope, forgiveness, and perseverance. It speaks to the importance of family and reminds us that love can conquer all, even when it seems that all is lost.
Line by Line Meaning
Morning, noon, and night, I'm thinkin' about you
I can't stop thinking about you, even when I wake up or when I go to bed
Things just ain't been right since you've been gone
My life has felt off ever since you left
'Til the end of time we've taken a vow to keep our family strong
We promised each other to always prioritize our family, no matter what
But we were both tryin' to grow in our own direction, Soon the magic of two meant nothing at all
We were trying to be independent and follow our own paths, but it caused our relationship to lose its spark
So don't you think it's 'bout time (It's 'bout time) We had a family reunion (Make things right) Cause I'm losin' my mind (All my mind) Without you here in my life (In my life)
I believe it's time for us to come back together as a family, because I can't bear to live without you
Tell me what you want, let's get it together No more wastin' time on what we're not You and I should love each other forever Family means a lot
Let's stop pretending and be honest about our needs. We should work towards a love that lasts forever, because we both value family
So baby, let's make a move, find a new beginning Set your feelin' the same way I feel tonight
Let's start over and move towards a better future together. I hope you feel the same way as I do right now
And now that we've been through everything, we don't have to worry Let's put the pain of the past behind And girl I promise you that love will always stay in our lives
We've been through a lot together and have grown from our experiences. We can let go of the hurt and look forward to a loving future
Come on and give it a try (One more try) Let's have a family reunion (Make things right) Cause girl, it's a crime (It's a crime) Not havin' you by my side (By my side)
Let's give our love another chance and reunite our family, because being apart from you feels like a crime
You know it's a crime (You know it's a crime, baby) Not havin' you by my side (I need you here by my side)
I need you by my side to be happy, and not having you here feels wrong
Let's get it together, baby Together, together, together baby
Let's come together and work towards a brighter future. We can do it together as a family
Contributed by Alexandra C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.