Gaynor was a singer with the Soul Satisfiers, a jazz/pop band, in the 1960s. Her first solo single was "She'll Be Sorry/Let Me Go Baby" in 1965.
Her first real success came in 1975 with the release of her album Never Can Say Goodbye, which established her as a disco artist. The first side of this album consisted of three disco songs ("Honey Bee", "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Reach Out, I'll Be There"), with no breaks in between the songs. This 19-minute dance marathon proved to be enormously popular, especially at dance clubs. All three songs were released as singles via radio edits, and all of them became hits. This album was so instrumental in introducing disco music to the public, that many later believed that Gloria Gaynor had been the first artist to record disco music. "Never Can Say Goodbye" became the first song to top Billboard magazine's dance chart - in that sense, she was the first. Capitalizing on the success of her first album, Gaynor quickly released her second album, Experience Gloria Gaynor, later that same year. While this album was also successful, it was not quite as popular as her previous album in the mainstream.
Some of her lesser-known singles, due to lack of recurrent airplay, include "Honey Bee", "Casanova Brown", and "Let's Make A Deal" which all became hits in the clubs and reached the Top 5 on Billboard's disco charts. After her 1976 album, I've Got You, Gaynor shifted from her hit production team to work with other productions. While it seemed like a good move, her subsequent producers did not seem to match Gaynor's vocal approach and style as well. This caused her the albums that followed, such as 1977's Glorious and 1978's Park Avenue Sound, to be regarded as merely good albums instead of excellent albums.
For the next few years, Gaynor would only enjoy a few moderate hits. However, in late 1978, with the release of her album Love Tracks, she climbed the pop charts again because of her now-signature song "I Will Survive". The lyrics of this song are written from the point of view of a woman, recently dumped, telling her former lover that she can cope without him and does not want anything more to do with him. The song has become something of an anthem of female emancipation, and is still a staple of office parties and karaoke nights. The song was awarded the first and only Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording in 1980 (the category was discontinued upon disco's fall from favor shortly afterward). In 1999, Pixar animator Victor Navone used this song to create an alien music video, which for a time, was a minor internet phenomenon.
Interestingly, "I Will Survive" was originally the B-side when Polydor Records released it in late 1978. The A-side, a song called "Substitute", then a recent worldwide hit for South African girl-group Clout, was considered to be more "radio friendly." Radio DJs flipped the record over, and audience response forced the record company to flip the songs, so that subsequent copies of the single listed the more popular song on the A-side. In late 1979, she released the album I Have A Right, which contained her next disco hit, "Let Me Know (I Have The Right)", featuring Doc Severinsen of The Tonight Show fame on trumpet solo.
Even though she exprienced difficulty having hit records in the U.S. after "I Am What I Am", the majority of her subsequent single chart on the UK Singles Chart. During the late 1990s and the 2000s, Gaynor returned to the American charts. She issued two albums, 2002's I Wish You Love and 2006's The Answer, that were well received with her fanbase.
I Want to Know What Love Is
Gloria Gaynor Lyrics
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A little time to think things over
I better read between the lines
In case I need it when I'm older
Now this mountain I must climb
Feels like a world upon my shoulders
I through the clouds I see love shine
In my life there's been heartache and pain
I don't know if I can face it again
Can't stop now, I've traveled so far
To change this lonely life
I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show me
I'm gonna take a little time
A little time to look around me
Ive got nowhere left to hide
It looks like love has finally found me
In my life there's been heartache and pain
I don't know if I can face it again
I cant stop now, I've traveled so far
To change this lonely life
I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show me
I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
And I wanna feel, I want to feel what love is
And I know, I know you can show me
Lets talk about love
I wanna know what love is, the love that you feel inside
I want you to show me, and I'm feeling so much love
I wanna feel what love is, no, you just cannot hide
I know you can show me, yeah
I wanna know what love is, lets talk about love
I want you to show me, I wanna feel it too
I wanna feel what love is, I want to feel it too
And I know and I know, I know you can show me
Show me love is real, yeah
I wanna know what love is
The lyrics to Gloria Gaynor's song "I Want to Know What Love Is" express a deep longing for love and a desire to understand what it really means. The singer admits that they have experienced heartache and pain in their life, but they are willing to face it in order to find true love. They acknowledge the weight of their past experiences, but are ready to take on the challenge of climbing the mountain to find love. They see love as a shining light that can keep them warm as they face the difficulties of life.
The singer expresses a sense of vulnerability and openness to experiencing love, asking their partner to show them what it means to truly love someone. They want to feel it for themselves, and are willing to take the time to look around and see where love has already found them. They recognize that love can be hidden, but they believe their partner can show them what it truly means to feel and experience love.
Overall, the lyrics to "I Want to Know What Love Is" are about the search for love and the deep desire to understand its true meaning. The song is a powerful expression of the human need for connection and intimacy, and it continues to resonate with audiences around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I gotta take a little time
I need to slow down and reflect on my life
A little time to think things over
I need to analyze and ponder about my experiences
I better read between the lines
I need to look beyond the surface to find deeper meaning
In case I need it when I'm older
I need to gain wisdom and prepare for the future
Now this mountain I must climb
I must overcome the challenges and obstacles in my life
Feels like a world upon my shoulders
The burden and weight of my struggle is overwhelming
I through the clouds I see love shine
Even in the darkest of times, the power of love can be seen
It keeps me warm as life grows colder
Love provides comfort and support during difficult times
In my life there's been heartache and pain
I have experienced emotional suffering and difficulties
I don't know if I can face it again
I am unsure if I can handle more pain in the future
Can't stop now, I've traveled so far
I have come too far to give up now
To change this lonely life
I am seeking to transform my isolated existence
I wanna know what love is
I am searching for the true meaning of love
I want you to show me
I need someone to guide and teach me about love
I wanna feel what love is
I desire to experience the sensation and emotion of love
I know you can show me
I have faith and confidence in the person who can teach me about love
I'm gonna take a little time
I am committed to taking the necessary time and effort to learn about love
A little time to look around me
I need to observe and appreciate the world and people around me
Ive got nowhere left to hide
I am exposed and vulnerable, unable to conceal my true feelings
It looks like love has finally found me
I have discovered love and it is reaching out to me
Lets talk about love
Let's explore the concept and idea of love together
the love that you feel inside
The deep and genuine emotion and connection you have for someone else
and I'm feeling so much love
I am experiencing a surge of positive emotions and affection
no, you just cannot hide
Love cannot be concealed or ignored, it will always reveal itself
And I know and I know, I know you can show me
I am confident that you have the knowledge and understanding of love to help me
Show me love is real, yeah
Prove to me that love is a genuine and authentic feeling
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michael Leslie Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind