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.
Next Time
Gladys Knight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything you need
The power to believe
The stuff that sets you free
I wish I was the answer to everything you want
Shelter from the storm, somewhere to belong
It's not easy to make dream come true I know
Better luck next time, baby
For all eternity even if it's not with me
I wish you all that love could be
Maybe the next time, baby the sun will wanna shine
Seek and you will find, better luck next time
I hope you find someone to give you
What I couldn't give
Though I just can't imagine
What that something is
I hope you wake up every day
With roses at your door
Someone to live for
A heart that knows for sure
But if I can't be the one to hold your hand
No sense stopping you
If there's someone who can
Better luck next time, baby
For all eternity
Even if it's not with me
I wish you all that love could be
Better luck next time, baby
The sun is gonna shine
Seek and you will find
Better luck
(Better luck next time)
I wanna see you walk away with someone else
Wanna keep you here all to myself
Believe me if I could I would
(Believe me if I could I would)
Gonna take a lot of love to let you go
But anyone who ever loved like this would know
Oh they would know
(Next time, baby, I hope that's what you get)
I hope that's what you get
(Remember me with no regrets
Live in peace and happiness)
Better luck next time, baby
Somewhere down the line
Seek and you will find
Better luck next time
(Next time, next time)
In Gladys Knight's song Next Time, the singer reflects on a past relationship and expresses regret and sadness for not being able to give everything that the other person needs. The lyric "I wish I could have given you everything you need, the power to believe, the stuff that sets you free" suggests that the singer recognizes their limitations and feelings of inadequacy in the relationship. Nevertheless, the singer wishes for the other person to find what they didn't have in the relationship, from "shelter from the storm" to "someone to live for."
The chorus of the song, "Better luck next time, baby, for all eternity, even if it's not with me, I wish you all that love could be," expands on this theme of wishing the best for the other person in their future endeavors, even if they are no longer together. The use of "baby" and the repeated phrase "better luck next time" show an intimacy and familiarity with the subject, despite their separation. The line "I wanna see you walk away with someone else, wanna keep you here all to myself" embodies the conflict between the singer's desire for the other person's happiness and their own lingering feelings for them.
Overall, "Next Time" is a poignant reflection on love, regret, and the complexity of relationships. It's a song about recognizing our limitations but still hoping that the people we care about find happiness in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I could have given you
The singer wishes she could have given the person everything they needed, including belief and freedom.
Everything you need
The singer wished she could have provided the person with all their needs and wants.
The power to believe
The singer wishes she could have given the person the strength to believe in themselves and their dreams.
The stuff that sets you free
The singer wishes to have given the person whatever they needed to be able to live a fulfilling life without any worries.
I wish I was the answer to everything you want
The singer wishes she could have been everything the person wanted and needed in a partner.
Shelter from the storm, somewhere to belong
The singer wishes she could have provided the person with a safe haven when life gets tough and a sense of belonging.
It's not easy to make dream come true I know
The singer understands that achieving one's dreams is not easy, making her wish for the person even more.
So this much I wish for you before you go
The singer wishes for the person to find happiness and love before they leave, even if it's not with her.
Better luck next time, baby
The singer wishes the person better luck in their search for love and happiness.
For all eternity even if it's not with me
The singer wishes the person lasting happiness, even if they don't end up with her.
I wish you all that love could be
The singer wishes the person a love that is fulfilling and all-encompassing.
Maybe the next time, baby the sun will wanna shine
The singer hopes that the person will find love and happiness in the future.
Seek and you will find, better luck next time
The singer advises the person to keep looking for love because it will come one day.
I hope you find someone to give you
The singer hopes the person finds someone who can provide them with what she couldn't.
What I couldn't give
The singer acknowledges that she wasn't enough for the person in the end.
Though I just can't imagine
The singer doesn't know what the person needs that she couldn't provide.
What that something is
The singer is uncertain about what the person truly needs to be happy.
I hope you wake up every day
The singer wishes the person happiness and joy every day.
With roses at your door
The singer wishes the person will wake up every day to flowers, representing love.
Someone to live for
The singer wants the person to find someone they can dedicate their life to.
A heart that knows for sure
The singer wants the person to find someone who they have a strong emotional connection with.
But if I can't be the one to hold your hand
The singer acknowledges that she can't be everything for the person, including their partner.
No sense stopping you
The singer recognizes that the person needs to move on to find what they need.
If there's someone who can
The singer is accepting of the fact that there may be someone else who is better suited for the person.
The sun is gonna shine
The singer is hopeful that the person will find happiness and love in the future.
I wanna see you walk away with someone else
The singer wants the person to have a happy ending, even if it's not with her.
Wanna keep you here all to myself
The singer wishes she could have stayed with the person for herself, but knows she can't.
Believe me if I could I would
The singer would choose to be with the person if she could.
Gonna take a lot of love to let you go
The singer acknowledges that it will be difficult to let go of the person.
But anyone who ever loved like this would know
The singer knows anyone who loved as deeply as she did would understand.
Next time, baby, I hope that's what you get
The singer hopes the person finds love in their next relationship.
I hope that's what you get
The singer reinforces that she wants the person to find love and happiness.
Remember me with no regrets
The singer wishes the person remembers their time together fondly.
Live in peace and happiness
The singer wishes the person a life full of peace and joy.
Somewhere down the line
The singer is hopeful that the person will find love in the future.
Seek and you will find
The singer advises the person to keep searching for love.
Next time, next time
The singer is hopeful that the person will find love and happiness in the future.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAN FOGELBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DOMONIQUE AYERS
GLADYS KNIGHT SINGS THIS SONG WITH "TRUTH FOR
CONVICTION" & THAT'S WHAT
I'VE ALWAYS LOVE ABOUT THIS SONG AND ONE OF MANY. FAVORITE S I LOVE ALONG W/
"I DON'T WANT TO KNOW'
"I AIN'T MISSING YOU" DUE TO THE FACTS THAT YOU ARE S.O.S.
STUCK ON STUPID TO BE 67 YRS. OLD THAT REFUSE TO ACT HIS
AGE BUT ONLY HIS SHOE SIZE 8
AND HIS I Q. 6 YRS.. OLD WHO WASN'T
WORTH MY M.V.P. MOST VITAL PRECIOUS GOD-GIVEN TIME OF DAY THAT ONLY CHOSE TO LIE
AND DECEIVE ME BY PLAYING GAMES WITH MY BEAUTIFUL
MIND & I DON'T EVER WANT TO
SEE YOU AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU
ARE THE FOOL & YOU PLAYED YOURSELF.
ALVIN CAMP YOU'RE HISTORY
AND THERE WILL BE NO
"NEXT TIME"
angie oconnor
Even though there's lots of airbrushing - Gladys is looking absolutly beautiful. Love this track. Keep it coming honey.
Merle Anderson
the most soulfulest voice, the most soulfulest woman.
Carol-Ann Frontin De Peaza
This woman is timeless...ageless...and blessed
Sarah Simpkins
This came out when I was an freshman in school.they used to play this over the radio everyday back in the day. I love this song.and I still listen to this at 35 year's old
Rster462
One of the greatest singers ever !
Arnold Davids
Aretha Franklin
Terry Rowles
she still reaches down into me and makes me want to dance after all these years ,I grew up in this era and guess I was lucky enough to listen to all this music when it was released and we just didn't know how lucky we were then,soooo good to listen again
Fa waka
Produced by the equally brilliant Jam & Lewis, co written by Big Jim (rip). Love the shoop shoop part towards the end of the song. That whole album was and still is top notch.
Rose Murray
You're the best, Gladys!!
Kathy Johnson
This Lady still can jam at 75. Just saw her at the Arena Theater for my Birthday. Gladys the Baddest Knight