I Want to Take You Higher
Ike & Tina Turner Lyrics
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Beat is gettin' stronger
Beat is gettin' longer too-oo-oo
Music's soundin' good to me
But I want to, said I want to
I want to take you higher
Baby, baby, let me light your fire
Ooo yeah, little bit higher
Boom-shaka-laka-laka
Boom-shaka-la-boonka-boo
(Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!)
Beat is nitty-gritty
Music's in your city too-oo-oo
Music's gettin' good to me
But now don't ya, I said don't ya
Don't ya want to get higher
Yeah, don't ya want to get higher
Baby, baby, let me light your fire
Ooo ha, little bit higher
Boom-shaka-laka-laka
Boom-shaka-la-boonka-boo
(Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!)
------ guitar ------
Come on baby (higher!)
Don't ya want to get high (higher!)
Ooo yeah! (higher!)
Light your fire (fire!)
Come on daddy (higher!)
A little bit higher (higher!)
I want to (higher!)
Said I want to light your fire (fire!)
Boom-shaka-laka-laka
Boom-shaka-la-boonka-boo
(Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!)
Beat is here to make you mo-ove
Music's here to help ya groo-oo-oove
Music's soundin' good to me
But take your places
I'm gonna take you higher (higher!)
Yeah, baby (higher!)
Gonna take ya higher (higher!)
Ooo yeah (higher!)
Little bit higher (higher!)
c'mon daddy (higher!)
A little bit (higher!)
(higher!)
(higher!)
(higher!)
(higher!)
(higher!)
{fade}
The lyrics of Ike & Tina Turner's song I Want To Take You Higher celebrate the power of music to elevate the mind and spirit. The repetitive "boom-shaka-laka-laka" and "boom-shaka-la-boonka-boo" lines create a tribal-like chant that invites listeners to follow the rhythm and let themselves be carried away by the beat. The singer exclaims that the "beat is gettin' stronger" and "nitty-gritty," while the music is "soundin' good." Yet, there is something missing, and the singer confesses that "I want to take you higher." The call to transcendence is repeated throughout the song, with the singer urging the listener to let themselves go and feel the music in their bones. The refrain of "baby, baby, let me light your fire" reinforces the idea that the song is intended to ignite a passion that goes beyond the physical realm.
Moreover, the lyrics use call and response techniques, with the singer asking a question or making a statement, and the background singers echoing it. This creates a sense of community and shared experience, as if everyone is part of a ritual where the music is the conduit for a higher state of consciousness. The guitar solo towards the end of the song is a moment of liberation, as if the instrument is breaking free from the song's structure and soaring into a cosmic realm. The lyrics of I Want To Take You Higher are simple and repetitive, but their power lies in the way they capture the essence of the human desire to connect with something greater than oneself, and how music can be the vehicle to achieve it.
Line by Line Meaning
Beat is gettin' stronger
The rhythm of the music is intensifying
Beat is gettin' longer too-oo-oo
The rhythm of the music is also steadily increasing in length
Music's soundin' good to me
The sound of the music is appealing to the singer
But I want to, said I want to
The artist expresses a desire to take things to a higher level
I want to take you higher
The artist wants to elevate the energy and excitement of the music
Yeah, let me take you higher
The singer wants to guide the listener to a more intense musical experience
Baby, baby, let me light your fire
The singer wants to ignite a passion for music in the listener
Ooo yeah, little bit higher
The artist wants to increase the energy of the music just a little bit more
Boom-shaka-laka-laka
This is an exclamation of excitement and enthusiasm
Boom-shaka-la-boonka-boo
This is another exclamation of excitement and enthusiasm
Beat is nitty-gritty
The rhythm of the music is now more detailed and complex
Music's in your city too-oo-oo
The music is emanating from within the listener's own environment
But now don't ya, I said don't ya
The singer asks the listener to pay attention to their desire to intensify the music
Don't ya want to get higher
The singer is asking if the listener shares their desire to elevate the music
Baby, baby, let me light your fire
The singer wants to excite the listener with the music
Ooo ha, little bit higher
The artist wants to increase the intensity of the music even more
Come on baby (higher!)
The artist is urging the listener to join them in elevating the energy of the music
Don't ya want to get high (higher!)
The singer continues to encourage the listener to experience the heightened musical intensity
Ooo yeah! (higher!)
The singer emphasizes the excitement of the music
Light your fire (fire!)
The artist wants to inspire passion through the music
Come on daddy (higher!)
The artist addresses a male listener and encourages him to join in the musical excitement
A little bit higher (higher!)
The artist continues to ask for a slight increase in the intensity of the music
I want to (higher!)
The singer reiterates that they are striving for greater musical intensity
Said I want to light your fire (fire!)
The artist wants to ignite a passion for music in the listener
Beat is here to make you mo-ove
The rhythm of the music is meant to get the listener to dance
Music's here to help ya groo-oo-oove
The music will assist the listener in finding their own groovy rhythm
Take your places
The singer is preparing the listener for the ultimate musical experience
I'm gonna take you higher (higher!)
The artist is confident that they will be able to increase the intensity of the music
Yeah, baby (higher!)
The artist expresses eagerness to pursue greater musical excitement
Gonna take ya higher (higher!)
The singer reiterates their determination to elevate the energy of the music
Ooo yeah (higher!)
The singer emphasizes the excitement of the music
Little bit higher (higher!)
The artist continues to ask for a slight increase in the intensity of the music
c'mon daddy (higher!)
The artist directs this line at the male listener, asking them to participate in elevating the music's energy
A little bit (higher!)
The artist continues to urge a slight increase in intensity
(higher!)
The singer is intent on taking the music to its highest level of energy and excitement
(higher!)
The artist wants the listener to share in the excitement of the intense music
(higher!)
The singer is exhilarated by the intense music
(higher!)
The singer is encouraging greater energy and excitement in the music
(higher!)
The singer continues to urge greater intensity in the music until the song fades out
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sylvester Stewart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lechat8533
It`s incredible how much quick movements all the ladies are performing while singing at the same time. Tina is an energy bomb. No wonder she managed to stay famous and present for so many years. It is always a delight and an uplifting experience to watch her.
My deepest respect, Tina!
@timburr4453
She is one of the greatest performers in music history.
@Keitarts
And Ike was no musical slouch.
@Conda17
Keitarts - quite the boxer also from what i’ve heard
@Digmen1
I am so glad That I saw her live in the 1980's I think!
@John-nz6jb
@@Conda17?
@riderskater7248
OMG. Thank you for posting this incredible performance by Tina Turner. I've never seen this before. How on earth was Tina able to perform such high quality routines while being in an extremely abusive situation. Astounding brilliant Artist!
@stephenedgecock
she gave back as good as she got - Ike Turner
@madysmimi
Rest in peace dear lady!! There will never be another like her 😢
@porkfied
Yes so true and I knew it was coming sad.