There are multiple artists called Jerry Butler:

1) Jerry Butler, Jr… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists called Jerry Butler:

1) Jerry Butler, Jr. (born December 8, 1939 in Sunflower, Mississippi) is an American soul singer also known as "The Ice Man" because of his cool demeanour while singing often intensely emotional lyrics.

Butler was dubbed the "Iceman" by a Philadelphia disc jockey while performing in a Philadelphia theater. However, Butler achieved what eluded many earlier Doo Wop groups during the 1950s and 1960s — longevity. Butler’s solo career had a string of hits, including "He Will Break Your Heart," "Moon River," "Make It Easy On Yourself," "Let It Be Me" (the Everly Brothers classic re-done as a duet with Betty Everett), "Brand New Me," "Ain’t Understanding Mellow," (duet with Brenda Lee Eager), and "Never Gonna Give You Up," followed by two hugely successful albums The Iceman Cometh in 1968 and Ice On Ice in 1970. The Iceman Cometh garnered Butler three Grammy nominations. Jerry Butler further made recordings for Philadelphia International Records in the 80's. His most noted song for the label was "Cooling Out"

Without Your Love
Jerry Butler Lyrics

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Your precious love
Means more to me
Than any love could ever be
For when I wanted you
I was so lonely and so blue
For that's what love will do

And darling, I'm

(I'm so surprised)
Oh, when I first realized
(I realized)
That a-you were fooling me

And darling
(Whoa-ooh)
They say that our love won't grow
But I just wanna tell them
(Ooo-ooo-ooo)
That they don't know-oh-ho

For as long
As you're in love with me
Our love will grow wider
Deeper than any sea

And of all the things that I want
In this whole wide world
Is just for you to say
That you'll be my girl

And woo-ooo-ooo
(Wanting you)
Wanting you
(Oh-ooh, I'm lonely and blue)
I'm so-whoa, lonely
(That's what love will do)

Overall Meaning

In "For Your Precious Love," Jerry Butler sings about the significance of love and the impact of his beloved's affection on his life. He compares their love to any other kind, emphasizing that it is unique and invaluable to him. The first verse describes how he felt especially lonely and down when he didn't have her in his life, which was what made him realize how important her love was to him. He then goes on to acknowledge that he was initially fooled by her, but he's overjoyed at the realization that they share a powerful connection that will continue to grow and deepen for as long as they are together.

The second verse talks about how others may doubt their love and whether it will last, but they shouldn't. He believes that their bond is strong enough to withstand anything and will only continue to grow. He wants her to be his girl above anything else in the world, as their love is what brings him the most happiness. The chorus repeats the feeling of loneliness and yearning that he experienced before their relationship and how it was only fulfilled by her love.

Overall, "For Your Precious Love" is a powerful love ballad that speaks to the importance of true love in one's life. Butler communicates how much his beloved means to him, and the song's melody reinforces the message of just how valuable having someone to love can be.

Line by Line Meaning

Your precious love
The love that you have for me is extremely valuable

Means more to me
It holds a greater importance to me

Than any love could ever be
It exceeds the love that anyone could give me

For when I wanted you
When I longed for your companionship

I was so lonely and so blue
I felt extremely alone and sad without you

For that's what love will do
That's the effect love had on me

And darling, I'm
My love

(I'm so surprised)
(It was a shock to me)

Oh, when I first realized
The moment I came to know

(I realized)
(I became aware)

That a-you were fooling me
You were deceiving me