Actively involved in the Liverpool punk rock/new wave scene, Johnson played bass with Big in Japan and released several solo singles on the Eric's label, before finding fame as the lead singer and lyricist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, who enjoyed considerable controversy and commercial success during their heyday in the early 1980s.
Holly left the group in 1987 after growing increasingly unhappy with their musical direction, but was immediately the subject of an injunction from the group's record company, ZTT Records, which cited his prior recording agreement and effectively barred him from releasing solo material with new label MCA Records.
Johnson famously embarked on a protracted legal battle with ZTT, the case finally being settled in Johnson's favour in 1989, the judge ruling that ZTT's original contract had constituted an unreasonable restraint of trade. The result represented a landmark legal outcome within the music business. Johnson's relationship with ZTT owners Trevor Horn and Jill Sinclair apparently broke down irretrievably due to the court case.
Johnson finally released his first solo album, Blast, which reached number one in the UK and spawned three hit singles. However, relations with MCA cooled over dissatisfaction with promotional budgets for his second solo album, Dreams That Money Can't Buy, released in 1991 after Johnson had left the label.
In November of that year, Johnson discovered he was HIV positive. This triggered a temporary withdrawal from the music business and public life in general. His condition was made public in April 1993. In 1994 his critically acclaimed autobiography, A Bone In My Flute, was published.
Since the mid 1990s, Johnson has worked primarily as a successful painter. His works have been exhibited at the Tate Liverpool, and The Royal Academy. He has contributed to Modern Painters magazine and the Paul Smith sponsored CARLOS magazine. He has continued to make music via his own Pleasuredome label, such as 1999's Soulstream, an album that includes a re-recording of "The Power Of Love", Johnson's de facto signature song.
Holly's 3 MCA albums have now been released on itunes via Universal.
The Power Of Love
Holly Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They keep bad at bay
Love is the light
Scaring darkness away
I'm so in love with you
Make love your goal
The power of love
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
When the chips are down I'll be around
With my undying death-defying love for you
Envy will hurt itself
Let yourself be beautiful
Sparkling light, flowers and pearls and pretty girls
Love is like an energy
Rushing in, rushing inside of me
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
This time we go sublime
Lovers entwined divine, divine
Love is danger, love is pleasure
Love is pure, the only treasure
I'm so in love with you
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
The power of love
A force from above
A sky scraping dove
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
Make love your goal
Holly Johnson's song The Power Of Love has always been interpreted as a love song, asking people to believe in the power of love and its strength to overcome darkness and protect their loved ones. The first stanza of the lyrics talks about how good dreams and the feeling of love can keep bad energies away and void the darkness. By emphasizing the importance of love and its energy, the chorus stresses that love is a force from above that can clean one's soul, burn desires with flames of love, and purge the sins. By making the goal of one's life to love and be loved, they can have a fulfilling and meaningful existence.
The second stanza talks about how one person can protect their loved ones from dark and harmful things, even if it means risking their life. The lyrics mention that envy cannot harm them if they find themselves beautiful; hence they should not be afraid of it. The verse also stresses that love is like an energy that can rush inside of a person and make them feel genuinely happy and alive.
In conclusion, The Power Of Love's lyrics are a reminder of how love and the power of love can help us in our lives. By giving importance to love and having it as a goal of life, we can find a higher purpose and a feeling of completeness that cannot be found in any other way.
Line by Line Meaning
Dreams are like angels
Dreams have the power to keep negativity and evil at bay, just like how angels protect us from harm.
They keep bad at bay
Dreams prevent us from getting consumed by negative thoughts or feelings, much like how angels protect us from harm.
Love is the light
Love is a guiding light that shows us the way and helps us find happiness and fulfillment in life.
Scaring darkness away
Love has the power to dispel negativity and darkness, and fill our lives with joy, hope, and positivity.
I'm so in love with you
The artist is completely and deeply in love with someone and wants to express their affection to that person.
Make love your goal
The singer encourages us to prioritize love and make it the central focus of our lives in order to find true happiness, peace, and fulfillment.
The power of love
Love is an immensely powerful force that has the ability to transform and heal us, and help us overcome all obstacles and challenges.
A force from above
Love is a divine energy that comes from a higher power, and connects us to the universe and all living beings.
Cleaning my soul
Love has the power to purify and cleanse our souls, and rid us of all negative emotions, thoughts, and habits.
Flame on burn desire
Love is like a burning flame that ignites our passion and desire, and makes us feel alive and vibrant.
Love with tongues of fire
Love is an intense feeling that consumes us from within and fills us with warmth, excitement, and ardor.
Purge the soul
Love has the power to rid us of all impurities and negativities, and make us pure, whole, and complete.
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
The singer promises to protect the person they love from any harm or danger, just like how a hero protects their beloved from evil creatures.
Keep the vampires from your door
The singer assures their beloved that they will always be there for them and guard them against any negative or harmful influences in life.
When the chips are down I'll be around
The singer vows to support and stand by their beloved in times of need or difficulty, and provide them with strength, comfort, and reassurance.
With my undying death-defying love for you
The artist's love for their beloved is immortal and invincible, and can conquer even death and adversity.
Envy will hurt itself
Negative emotions like envy, jealousy, and resentment will only harm the person who holds them, and have no impact on the object of their feelings.
Let yourself be beautiful
The singer encourages their beloved to embrace their inner beauty and let it shine for the world to see, instead of hiding it or doubting it.
Sparkling light, flowers and pearls and pretty girls
The singer describes the beautiful and wondrous things that love can bring into our lives, such as happiness, beauty, and grace.
Love is like an energy
Love is a dynamic and vibrant force that can uplift, motivate, and inspire us, and propel us forward in life.
Rushing in, rushing inside of me
Love is an overwhelming feeling that fills us with energy, excitement, and enthusiasm, and drives us towards our goals and dreams.
This time we go sublime
The artist is confident that their relationship with their beloved will go beyond ordinary love and reach a level of divine or sacred love.
Lovers entwined divine, divine
The singer describes how their love for their beloved is not just physical or emotional, but also spiritual and divine, and connects them on a deeper level.
Love is danger, love is pleasure
Love is a risky and unpredictable journey that can bring both joy and pain, but is ultimately worth taking for the sake of experiencing true love and connection.
Love is pure, the only treasure
Love is a pure and valuable gift that makes life worth living, and is the only thing that truly matters in the end.
The power of love
Love is an immensely powerful force that has the ability to transform and heal us, and help us overcome all obstacles and challenges.
The power of love
Love is an immensely powerful force that has the ability to transform and heal us, and help us overcome all obstacles and challenges.
A force from above
Love is a divine energy that comes from a higher power, and connects us to the universe and all living beings.
A sky scraping dove
Love is a symbol of peace, hope, and freedom that soars above all worldly troubles and conflicts, and unites us all in its embrace.
Flame on burn desire
Love is like a burning flame that ignites our passion and desire, and makes us feel alive and vibrant.
Love with tongues of fire
Love is an intense feeling that consumes us from within and fills us with warmth, excitement, and ardor.
Purge the soul
Love has the power to rid us of all impurities and negativities, and make us pure, whole, and complete.
Make love your goal
The artist encourages us to prioritize love and make it the central focus of our lives in order to find true happiness, peace, and fulfillment.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN PHILIP NASH, HOLLY JOHNSON, MARK WILLIAM O'TOOLE, PETER GILL, RUDY PEREZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Caroline Aylott
I just love this compilation , it's the most beautiful song and it is in my top 5 songs EVER ! I doubt there will ever be a love song that penetrates to the heart as this song does . Holly Johnson is a heart , love and soul man whom I adore :-)
Robert Spratt
Will I ever get bored of this song? Er, no. There have been a few different versions now but no one will ever touch Holly's brilliance at performing it. It is completely his song.
Dacht et wel...
You still have a beautiful voice, Mr. Johnson. I wish you all the luck of the world :-)
1walkgirl
Just lovely! :-)
Twornpoobar
Rolling back the years Mr J. Nice one on the JFT96 single as well. Have a Happy Christmas everyone
fenella
fab :-)