Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a legendary … Read Full Bio ↴Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a legendary American R&B/soul singer and actress. She is best known for the hits she recorded during the 1960s and 1970s, for both the Motown and Buddah Records labels, with her group Gladys Knight & the Pips, the most famous incarnation of which also included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and her cousins Edward Patten and William Guest.
Knight started to record solo material due to legal issues that forced her and The Pips to record separately. Her solo debut "Miss Gladys Knight" was released in 1978 followed by "Gladys Knight" on Colombia Records. Knight recorded the title track for the James Bond movie "Licence To Kill." It became a Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at #6. Knight's third solo album, "Good Woman" was released in 1991 on MCA Records (now Geffen Records). The album quickly climbed the charts to #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album features the lead single, "Men" (#2 R&B). Her fourth album, "Just For You" followed in 1995. The album went Gold. Knight most recent album is her critically acclaimed ninth studio album, "Before Me", released in 2006.

License To Kill
Gladys Knight Lyrics

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Ooh
Oh oh
I feel, I need, I've got to hold on to your love, ooh

Hey baby, thought you were the one who tried to run away
Ooh, baby, wasn't I the one who made you want to stay?
Please don't bet that you'll ever escape me
Once I get my sights on you

Got a license to kill (to kill)
And you know I'm going straight for your heart
(Got a license to kill)
Got a license to kill (to kill)
Anyone who tries to tear us apart
(Got a license to kill)
License to kill, ooh

Hey baby, think you need a friend to stand here by your side?
Yes, you do (your side)
Ooh, baby, now you can depend on me to make things right (things right)
Please don't bet that you'll ever escape me
Once I get my sights on you

Got a license to kill (to kill)
And you know I'm going straight for your heart
(Got a license to kill)
Got a license to kill (to kill)
Anyone who tries to tear us apart
(Got a license to kill)

Got a license to kill (to kill)
And you know I'm going straight for your heart
(Got a license to kill)
Got a license to kill (to kill)
Anyone who tries to tear us apart
(Got a license to kill)

Say that somebody tries to make a move on you
In the blink of an eye, I will be there too
And they better know why I'm gonna make them 'em pay
Till their dying day
Till their dying day
Till their dying day

Got a license to kill (to kill)
And you know I'm going straight for your heart, baby
(Got a license to kill)
Got a license to kill
Anyone who tries to tear us apart
(Got a license to kill)

Got a license to kill (to kill)
And you know I'm going straight for your heart
(Got a license to kill)
Got a license to kill
Anyone who tries to tear us apart
(Got a license to kill)
License to kill

Gotta hold onto your loving
License to kill, ooh

Overall Meaning

The song "License to Kill" by Gladys Knight is about the intensity of love and the lengths one would go to protect it. The lyrics suggest that the singer has a fierce determination to keep her partner by her side, even to the point of violence. The title of the song, "License to Kill," implies that the singer has the ability to do whatever it takes to defend her love, as if she is a secret agent on a mission to protect her heart.

The first verse establishes the idea that the singer's partner has tried to leave her, but she has convinced him to stay. She warns him that she will not let him go, and that she has a "license to kill" to protect their relationship. The chorus reaffirms this sentiment, with the singer declaring that she will go "straight for your heart" and "kill anyone who tries to tear us apart." In the second verse, the singer offers her support to her partner, telling him she will stand by his side and make things right. The bridge suggests that if anyone tries to come between them, the singer will be there to defend their love, no matter what.

Overall, "License to Kill" is a passionate and intense love song that portrays love as a powerful force that can inspire and drive people to do extraordinary things. At the same time, the song warns of the dangers of possessiveness and obsession, suggesting that the singer's love may be bordering on unhealthy.

Line by Line Meaning

Ooh
Expressing emotional excitement or contentment

Oh oh
Expressing emotional excitement or anticipation

I feel, I need, I've got to hold on to your love, ooh
Emphasizing that the singer desires to maintain a loving relationship with their partner

Hey baby, thought you were the one who tried to run away
Addressing the partner and referencing a past situation where the partner thought about leaving

Ooh, baby, wasn't I the one who made you want to stay?
Challenging the partner's notion that they were the one who initially wanted to maintain the relationship

Please don't bet that you'll ever escape me
Warning the partner that they cannot easily leave the relationship

Once I get my sights on you
Implying that the singer is persistent and will pursue the relationship until their partner stays

Got a license to kill (to kill)
Metaphorically stating that the singer has permission or power to preserve the relationship by any means necessary

And you know I'm going straight for your heart
Detailing that the singer will not hold back and will take action to solidify the relationship

Anyone who tries to tear us apart
Stating that the singer will defend the relationship from external influences

License to kill, ooh
Reemphasizing the singer's metaphorical permission to use any means necessary to keep the relationship intact

Hey baby, think you need a friend to stand here by your side?
Reasserting that the singer is committed to helping the partner feel supported and connected

Yes, you do (your side)
Stressing that the partner does need this support

Ooh, baby, now you can depend on me to make things right (things right)
Reiterating the commitment to resolve relationship issues and improve connections with the partner

Say that somebody tries to make a move on you
Addressing a hypothetical situation where an outside party tries to interfere with the relationship

In the blink of an eye, I will be there too
Asserting that the singer can move swiftly to address threats to the relationship

And they better know why I'm gonna make them 'em pay
Implying that the singer will retaliate against external forces that threaten the relationship

Till their dying day
Stressing that the singer is willing to defend the relationship with a lifelong commitment

Got a license to kill
Restating the idea that the singer has permission or power to do whatever it takes to maintain the relationship

Gotta hold onto your loving
Expressing the need to maintain the partner's love and affections

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LESLIE BRICUSSE, WALTER AFANASIEFF, JEFFREY COHEN, NARADA WALDEN, JOHN BARRY, ANTHONY NEWLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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