Gladys Knight, born on May 28, 1944, developed her singing style while singing with her family at Baptist church functions. Though the group first released recordings in 1958, their career really got started when Motown founder Berry Gordy witnessed them perform at Harlem’s Apollo Theater in 1966 and felt very impressed. With a career following spanning decade after decade, featuring many hits, the group has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
Nobody but you
Gladys Knight & The Pips Lyrics
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That I could ever make it
Lord, no one ever gave me anything
All they did was take it
No one, no one, ever held my hand
When I needed them to
Oh, no, nobody but you
Nobody but you
Nobody but you
Nobody, nobody but you
No one ever looked inside
The walls I build around me
And I tell you, every time that I felt lost
No one, uh, no one ever found me
No one, no one ever cried for me
When my dreams fell through
Oh, no, no, nobody but you
(Nobody, nobody but you)
Nobody but you
Nobody but you
Nobody, nobody but you
No one ever said
(Lean on me)
No one ever told me
(You've got a friend)
No, nobody said
I'll be your bridge over troubled waters
I'm gonna be there, oh
(I'm gonna be there)
(Be there 'till the end)
No, no, nobody but you
Nobody but you
Nobody but you
Nobody, nobody, nobody but you
The lyrics of Gladys Knight & The Pips's song "Nobody But You" express gratitude and love for the one person who has been there through thick and thin. The first two lines touch upon the feeling of being underestimated and not given the chance to succeed. The third and fourth lines, "Lord, no one ever gave me anything / All they did was take it" emphasize how it felt like people were always taking from them and not offering anything in return.
In the next stanza, the lyrics reference the walls built around oneself as a coping mechanism. It's an acknowledgement that while there were people around, no one was able to see through the walls and understand what was really going on. The following lines "No one, uh, no one ever found me / No one, no one ever cried for me" further substantiate their loneliness and feelings of being lost.
The chorus then repeats the lines "Nobody but you / Nobody, nobody but you", which serves as a testament to the importance of that one person who has always been there. The final stanza is an admission that nobody has ever said or done what the person who is being addressed in the song has done. It's a declaration that this person is irreplaceable and that they will always be there through all of life's difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
No one ever made me feel
That I could ever make it
I have never felt capable of success due to others taking away my confidence and self-belief.
Lord, no one ever gave me anything
All they did was take it
People have only taken things from me, rather than give me anything positive or of value.
No one, no one, ever held my hand
When I needed them to
Oh, no, nobody but you
I have felt alone and lacked support during tough times, but there was one person who was there for me - you.
No one ever looked inside
The walls I build around me
And I tell you, every time that I felt lost
No one, uh, no one ever found me
I have kept my emotions and struggles hidden behind walls, and no one has ever taken the effort to truly understand me or reach out to me.
No one, no one ever cried for me
When my dreams fell through
Oh, no, no, nobody but you
(Nobody, nobody but you)
When my dreams were shattered and I felt alone, the only person who cried for me and gave me support was you.
No one ever said
(Lean on me)
No one ever told me
(You've got a friend)
No, nobody said
I'll be your bridge over troubled waters
No one has ever given me words of encouragement or promised to help me through difficult times; this is something only you have done.
I'm gonna be there, oh
(I'm gonna be there)
(Be there 'till the end)
No, no, nobody but you
You have promised to be there for me until the end; no one else has made that commitment.
Contributed by Isabelle D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.