Guthrie was born in Okemah, Oklahoma and raised in Newark, New Jersey. In school, she studied classical music, and her father began teaching her piano when she was eight years old. By the early 1970s, she had joined vocal groups such as the Ebonettes and the Matchmakers, meanwhile working as an elementary school teacher. When a backup singer scheduled to sing on Aretha Franklin's 1974 single "I'm in Love" fell ill, Guthrie took the vocalist's place beside Cissy Houston; thus Guthrie would happily state that her career on record began "at the top".
Guthrie soon began moonlighting as a singer of commercial jingles, sometimes with her friend Valerie Simpson (of Ashford & Simpson fame). A songwriting partnership with Patrick Grant resulted in Ben E. King's comeback single, "Supernatural Thing", and "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", covered by numerous artists. Together they wrote seven tracks on the Sister Sledge's 1975 album Circle Of Love: Cross My Heart, Protect Our Love, Love Don't You Go Through No Changes On Me, Don't You Miss Him Now, Pain Reliever, You're Much Better Off Loving Me, and Fireman. She was also the writer of Roberta Flack's "God Don't Like Ugly".
As Guthrie's solo career developed, she worked extensively with Sly and Robbie on dub-influenced club cuts, and began racking up dance hits. She was dubbed "The First Lady of the Paradise Garage" as several of her songs became anthems at the venue, helped by the frequent and dynamic performances she gave there. She soon teamed musically with famed Paradise Garage DJ Larry Levan.
Guthrie is probably best known for her 1986 dance anthem "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent", a self-written and -produced track which garnered some controversy for lyrics such as: "No romance without finance/You've got to have a j-o-b if you want to be with me". (and "...Rent" was later sampled by numerous dance and hip hop artists, notably by Foxy Brown in 1998 "Job").
She also had a hit with a cover of "(They Long to Be) Close to You", which reached #25 in the UK charts the same year.
Her single "Can't Love You Tonight" boldly addressed AIDS at a time when the disease was a taboo subject, and she was an ally to the gay community, and people with AIDS long before the masses caught up. Proceeds from the single went to the AIDS Coalition.
Other club hits of hers include "Padlock", "Peanut Butter", and "Peek-a-Boo".
Is This Love
Gwen Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to love you, every day and every night,
We'll be together, with a roof right over our heads,
We'll share the shelter, of my single bed,
We'll share the same room, yeah! For Jah provide the bread
Is this love, is this love, is this love,
Is this love that I'm feelin'?
Is this love, is this love, is this love,
I want to know, want to know, want to know now!
I got to know, got to know, got to know now!
I, I'm willing and able,
So I throw my cards on your table!
I want to love you, I want to love and treat, love and treat you right,
I want to love you every day and every night,
We'll be together, yeah! With a roof right over our heads,
We'll share the shelter, yeah, oh now! of my single bed,
We'll share the same room, yeah! For Jah provide the bread
Is this love, is this love, is this love,
Is this love that I'm feelin'
Is this love, is this love, is this love,
Is this love that I'm feelin'?
Whoa! Oh yes I know, yes I know, yes I know now!
Oh yes I know, yes I know, yes I know now!
I, I'm willing and able,
So I throw my cards on your table!
See, I want to love ya, I want to love and treat ya,
love and treat ya right
I want to love you every day and every night,
We'll be together, with a roof right over our heads!
We'll share the shelter, of my single bed,
We'll share the same room, yeah! Jah provide the bread
We'll share the shelter, of my single bed
The lyrics to Gwen Guthrie's "Is This Love" are a declaration of love where the singer expresses their will to love their partner every day and every night. The song speaks about sharing a life together, with a roof over their heads, a single bed to share, and the same room. The singer mentions that Jah (which refers to God in Rastafarianism) will provide the bread, which suggests that they trust that their love will be sustained.
The chorus of the song repeats the question "Is this love that I'm feeling?" This line shows that the singer is unsure if what they are experiencing is really love. Despite their uncertainty, they express their willingness to love and treat their partner right. The song ends with the singer reiterating their desire to love and treat their partner rightly and willing to put their cards on the table to make it happen.
Overall, "Is This Love" is a beautiful love song that speaks to the promise of love and the importance of being willing to love and treat your partner right.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to love you, and treat you right,
I desire to love and respect you in every possible way.
I want to love you, every day and every night,
I want to love you constantly and unconditionally.
We'll be together, with a roof right over our heads,
We'll stay close under the same roof.
We'll share the shelter, of my single bed,
We'll sleep together in the same bed, safe and protected.
We'll share the same room, yeah! For Jah provide the bread
We'll share the same space and rely on God to provide for our needs.
Is this love, is this love, is this love,
I'm questioning if this feeling of affection is true.
Is this love that I'm feelin'?
I'm wondering whether this is really love, or just infatuation.
I want to know, want to know, want to know now!
I'm eager to understand what's going on in my heart.
I got to know, got to know, got to know now!
I need to find out what this emotion means as soon as possible.
I, I'm willing and able, So I throw my cards on your table!
I am ready and capable of loving you, so I'm making my intentions clear.
See, I want to love ya, I want to love and treat ya, love and treat ya right
I want to show you love and respect, to treat you properly and honorably.
Whoa! Oh yes I know, yes I know, yes I know now!
My feelings are certain and strong, I'm deeply aware of them.
We'll share the shelter, of my single bed
We'll find comfort and warmth in each other's arms, in a cozy shared space.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bob Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind