Gillan was born in Hounslow, Middlesex, England. He joined the band Deep Purple in 1969. In 1970, he sang the part of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. After leaving Deep Purple in 1973, he went into brief retirement before forming the Ian Gillan Band. The early band sound had a distinct jazz-rock aspect which proved unpopular and was replaced by a more high powered hard rock sound as Gillan reformed the lineup and shortened the groups name to Gillan. With the release of Mr. Universe Ian Gillan was back in the UK charts and through several more line up changes released a string of hit singles and successful albums including Glory Road, Future Shock, Double Trouble, and finally Magic.
Then he announced the band would fold as he needed to rest his damaged vocal cords. In 1983 he joined Black Sabbath to record the Born Again album before rejoining a reunited Deep Purple shortly after completing the Born Again tour in early 1984. He left Purple again in 1989, but rejoined for good in 1992. He remains in the band today.
Gillan is now working on a project to document his 40-year career, tentatively called Gillan's Inn. Tony Iommi, Jeff Healey, various members of Deep Purple and many others will be featured on this 2006 DVD project.
Loving on Borrowed Time
Ian Gillan Lyrics
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I'm gonna love you 'til the day I die
I turned around and saw a tear
In the corner of her eye
Sitting on the fence
The next afternoon
It didn't make a lot of sense
Not like that smoky room
I touched your hand
And felt a warmth that was reflected in your smile
I knew at once what we had started
Would be over in just a while
Hidden in the crowd
We touched a few times more
There was never any doubt
As we edged towards the door
And I don't know what you did to me
I was trembling at your touch
My feelings for you ran quick and deep
O Lord, we were loving on borrowed time
So sad, so sad I have to leave you now
I'm going home I'm going home
To my number one
Laughing off the pain I really have to go
You know we'll do it all again
In a while or so
The lyrics of "Loving on Borrowed Time" by Ian Gillan tell a story of a fleeting love affair, where two lovers know that their love is short-lived but still choose to enjoy every moment of it. The first verse begins with the woman telling the man that she will love him until the day she dies, and the man noticing a tear in the corner of her eye. The second verse describes the couple's time together, where they touch each other and feel the warmth of their connection. They are aware that their love will end soon, but they continue to hold onto the moment.
The chorus is the climax of the song, where the man confesses his love for the woman and acknowledges that they are "loving on borrowed time." In the final verse, the man tells the woman that he has to leave and return to his "number one," likely referring to his main partner or love interest. However, he reassures the woman that they will meet again soon and continue their love affair.
Overall, the lyrics of "Loving on Borrowed Time" convey the bittersweet experience of a love that is doomed to end but still cherished by the lovers.
Line by Line Meaning
and then she said
The storytelling begins with the singer referencing a conversation with a woman.
I'm gonna love you 'til the day I die
The woman expressed her love for the singer in a dramatic and permanent way.
I turned around and saw a tear
In the corner of her eye
The singer observed an emotional display from the woman who was expressing her love.
Sitting on the fence
The next afternoon
The artist seems to be reflecting on a specific day after the conversation with the woman.
It didn't make a lot of sense
Not like that smoky room
The artist is contrasting their time with the woman with some other experience and is unsure about the situation.
I touched your hand
And felt a warmth that was reflected in your smile
The singer and the woman touched and shared a moment of intimacy that was positively acknowledged non-verbally.
I knew at once what we had started
Would be over in just a while
Despite the positive connection, the singer seems to have already concluded that the relationship will be short-lived or not work out.
Hidden in the crowd
We touched a few times more
There was never any doubt
As we edged towards the door
The artist and the woman continued to interact and connected in a more physical way leading up to their parting.
And I don't know what you did to me
I was trembling at your touch
My feelings for you ran quick and deep
O Lord, we were loving on borrowed time
The artist is trying to capture the intensity and emotions of the experience with the woman and his fear that the joy was temporary.
So sad, so sad I have to leave you now
I'm going home I'm going home
To my number one
The artist acknowledges the sadness of separation but must return to his other priorities.
Laughing off the pain I really have to go
You know we'll do it all again
In a while or so
The singer tries to cope with his emotions, and gives the impression that he and the woman may reconnect in the future.
Contributed by Dylan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.