Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes.
Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honor.
http://singyoursongthemovie.com
Gloria
Harry Belafonte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't bear this strain any longer; I tell you "no," Gloria
You promised to marry me in the month of May
Now you try to run away; if it's the last thing I have to do
Gloria, my darling, I'm begging you
Please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
With all your faults, I want you like a long dose of Epsom salts?
Before I met Gloria
I don't know what she did to me
Some people think I'm crazy
Some say it's the treatment, some say it's this and that
Some say she's a diplomat; I don't care what the case may be
Come, darling, let's join in matrimony
So please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
My belly does boil, I want you like a bad dose of Castor oil?
You said you loved me but you lied
My friend saw you with another guy
And now you have me in a state
With all the doubts you create
Soon as I turned my back you were on the go
Gloria, girl, I tell you "no," and I beg you not to forget
A promise to me is more than a debt
So please, marry me, Gloria, sweetheart, can't you see, Gloria
You must understand I want you like a cop wants a wanted man?
Gloria is my only girl
My only hope in this world
Give me your hand and say you do
Come back to me, I'm telling you
I want you to have and hold until death we part
Please, don't try to break my heart
I say stop all this stupidness, darling, and seal it now with a kiss
Please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
You lovely flower bud, I love you like a pig loves a pool of mud?
In this song, Harry Belafonte is pleading with Gloria to fulfill her promise of marrying him in the month of May. He tells her that he can't bear the strain any longer and insists that she keeps her promise. He realizes that he loves her despite her faults and wants her like a long dose of Epsom salts. He feels that he may be crazy for wanting her, but he does not care; he just wants to get married to her.
Furthermore, Harry accuses Gloria of lying to him when she said she loved him. He tells her that his friend saw her with another guy, and she is creating doubts and causing him to be in a state. He begs Gloria not to break his heart and asks her to give him her hand and get married to him. He loves her like a pig loves a pool of mud and wants to be with her until death parts them. He pleads with her to stop the stubbornness and seal the marriage with a kiss.
In summary, the song "Gloria" is an emotional plea from Harry Belafonte to his lover, Gloria, to fulfill her promise of marrying him. He expresses his love for her despite her faults and accusations of lying to him.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't bear this strain any longer; I tell you "no," Gloria
I can't put up with this any longer and I refuse, Gloria.
You promised to marry me in the month of May
Now you try to run away; if it's the last thing I have to do
You made a promise to marry me in May but now you're trying to leave me, and I will stop at nothing to make sure it happens.
Gloria, my darling, I'm begging you
Please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
With all your faults, I want you like a long dose of Epsom salts?
My dear Gloria, I'm pleading with you to marry me. I want you despite your flaws, as desperately as someone would want a long gulp of Epsom salts.
I'd like to be a bachelor
Before I met Gloria
I don't know what she did to me
Some people think I'm crazy
Some say it's the treatment, some say it's this and that
Some say she's a diplomat; I don't care what the case may be
Come, darling, let's join in matrimony
I used to want the life of a single man before I met Gloria, and now I don't know what came over me. Some people believe that I'm insane, while others think that something about her has influenced me. I don't care what people think, let's get married, my love.
You said you loved me but you lied
My friend saw you with another guy
And now you have me in a state
With all the doubts you create
You said you loved me, but my friend saw you with another man, and now I'm left doubtful and upset because of what you've said and done.
Soon as I turned my back you were on the go
Gloria, girl, I tell you "no," and I beg you not to forget
A promise to me is more than a debt
As soon as I looked away, you left. Gloria, I'm telling you no, and I'm urging you not to forget that a promise you make to someone is worth more than debt.
So please, marry me, Gloria, sweetheart, can't you see, Gloria
You must understand I want you like a cop wants a wanted man?
Please, Gloria, marry me, my love, can't you see how deeply I want you, like how a law enforcement agent wants a criminal who is on the run?
Gloria is my only girl
My only hope in this world
Give me your hand and say you do
Come back to me, I'm telling you
Gloria is the only girl for me – my sole hope in this world. Take my hand and say yes to me – come back to me, I'm asking you.
I want you to have and hold until death we part
Please, don't try to break my heart
I say stop all this stupidness, darling, and seal it now with a kiss
Please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
You lovely flower bud, I love you like a pig loves a pool of mud?
I want you to be mine always and forever, and I implore you not to shatter my heart. Stop this foolishness, and let's seal our love with a kiss. Please marry me, my Gloria, my darling – can't you see how much I love you, like how a pig loves wallowing in mud?
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: GORDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kendyaugustin1497
Can't bear this strain any longer; I tell you "no, " Gloria
Can't bear this strain any longer; I tell you "no, " Gloria
You promised to marry me in the month of May
Now you try to run away; if it's the last thing I have to do
Gloria, my darling, I'm begging you
Please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
With all your faults, I want you like a long dose of Epsom salts?
I'd like to be a bachelor
Before I met Gloria
I don't know what she did to me
Some people think I'm crazy
Some say it's the treatment, some say it's this and that
Some say she's a diplomat; I don't care what the case may be
Come, darling, let's join in matrimony
So please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
My belly does boil, I want you like a bad dose of Castor oil?
You said you loved me but you lied
My friend saw you with another guy
And now you have me in a state
With all the doubts you create
Soon as I turned my back you were on the go
Gloria, girl, I tell you "no, " and I beg you not to forget
A promise to me is more than a debt
So please, marry me, Gloria, sweetheart, can't you see, Gloria
You must understand I want you like a cop wants a wanted man?
Gloria is my only girl
My only hope in this world
Give me your hand and say you do
Come back to me, I'm telling you
I want you to have and hold until death we part
Please, don't try to break my heart
I say stop all this stupidness, darling, and seal it now with a kiss
Please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
You lovely flower bud, I love you like a pig loves a pool of mud?
@chamyony1
何十回聴いたことか。ありがとう、どうか安らかに。
@paulgleitman7096
From the very fine album “Jump Up Calypso “, 1961 .
Belafonte’s second best calypso album .
A giant of the twentieth century.
An American legend.
@kendyaugustin1497
Can't bear this strain any longer; I tell you "no, " Gloria
Can't bear this strain any longer; I tell you "no, " Gloria
You promised to marry me in the month of May
Now you try to run away; if it's the last thing I have to do
Gloria, my darling, I'm begging you
Please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
With all your faults, I want you like a long dose of Epsom salts?
I'd like to be a bachelor
Before I met Gloria
I don't know what she did to me
Some people think I'm crazy
Some say it's the treatment, some say it's this and that
Some say she's a diplomat; I don't care what the case may be
Come, darling, let's join in matrimony
So please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
My belly does boil, I want you like a bad dose of Castor oil?
You said you loved me but you lied
My friend saw you with another guy
And now you have me in a state
With all the doubts you create
Soon as I turned my back you were on the go
Gloria, girl, I tell you "no, " and I beg you not to forget
A promise to me is more than a debt
So please, marry me, Gloria, sweetheart, can't you see, Gloria
You must understand I want you like a cop wants a wanted man?
Gloria is my only girl
My only hope in this world
Give me your hand and say you do
Come back to me, I'm telling you
I want you to have and hold until death we part
Please, don't try to break my heart
I say stop all this stupidness, darling, and seal it now with a kiss
Please, marry me, Gloria, darling, can't you see, Gloria
You lovely flower bud, I love you like a pig loves a pool of mud?
@Infested_Terran
Such a bittersweet song :’(
@medeamikadze8409
Lovely song:)
@tafimutekwe2855
Cruise-ship calypso. As much as Belafonte marketed and helped put Trinidadian calypso on the world stage he also profited handsomely from it considering that his debut calypso album was touted as the first million selling world music record.
@abdulrockman3992
my god almost all his song is good
@TF2killerZ
Very good !
@miguelherrera8840
orgulloso de escuchar musica latina!
@kurtdewittphoto
What rhythm is this?