John Berry has one of the most powerful and distinctive voices in country music. It's a stunningly rich, majestic tenor that he uses to its full effect. With multiple gold and platinum albums and nominations from the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, and the Grammy's, he has clearly forged an appreciation from the music industry and fans alike. One such fan includes former President George H. Bush and wife Barbara, who invited John to sing for Mr. Bush's birthday party.
Born in Aiken, South Carolina, and raised in the Atlanta, Georgia area, John grew up in an eclectic musical household. His father listened to concert pianist Van Clyburn, his mother had a strong taste for gospel, and his brother became an opera singer. John gravitated to both soul and country music and began recording his own albums at home in 1979. Two years later, John started performing solo acoustic shows in northeast Georgia, then expanded around the southeast, building a strong name and following. As his reputation grew, so did the demand for his self-styled recordings. He eventually made six self-produced albums, with the last one selling over 10,000 copies. He was finally signed to Capitol Records in 1992.
John had his first #1 single in 1994 with "Your Love Amazes Me," with "She's Taken a Shine" and "Standing on the Edge of Goodbye" following suit. Other Top 10 releases included "You and Only You" "I Think About It All The Time", "What's In It For Me", "If I Had Any Pride Left At All", and "Change My Mind." "Standing On The Edge", as well as his edgy top 10 hit "Kiss Me in the Car," showed off John's songwriting ability.
Making a difference is John's motivation, and he sees music as a profoundly important calling. He has conscientiously used his influence to improve both the global and local communities. He has contributed his time and talents for several children's charities, and lent his name to such causes as adult literacy and Cystic Fibrosis. John has been quoted as saying "If there are things we can do that may help make a difference in the lives of others, we should make the most of that opportunity".
John has been actively recording his own albums with his new independent label, Clear Sky Records. His album Songs and Stories was released in May 2002, and has sold over 25,000 copies at shows, online, and through his Fan Club. For the 2003 holiday season, he re-released his live Christmas CD, O Holy Night Live, formerly titled Christmas Live. That CD has been snapped up by fans also, creating the need for a fourth pressing.
During the summer of 2003, John hit the road with friends David Lee Murphy and Lee Roy Parnell on the "Paintin' the Town Tour". While on the tour, John and David Lee wrote the romantic single "Will You Marry Me?," which received high praise. On reviewing the single, music critic Robert K. Oermann says John has "still got the goods". Also, that "There's something special about saying something in a song for people who might not be able to express themselves in such a nakedly emotional way." Bill Lewis at WYTZ in Benton Harbor, MI, predicts "Will You Marry Me?" will make those single guys want to run out and get the ring for their lady and married couples will want to renew their vows." One fan did just that. He was inspired by hearing the song on the radio to "pop the question" to his girlfriend when he heard the song on the radio. This fan even called John's Fan Club to get the CD early, in order to use it for the special event.
The ambient/experimental/indie rock artist from Chicagoland, IL and the Upper Peninsula, MI has been in several bands since mid-high school around 2005, most recently Shipwreck Party during his time at the University of Northern Michigan, where he helped form Shipwreck Party. He released his solo debut, Big North on Thanksgiving, 2013, and is continuing to release EP's and other works. His music is freely available on johnberry.bandcamp.com, as well as Spotify, and is available for purchase on iTunes.
How Much Do You Love Me
John Berry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She burst into the room
Said: "Dad,I'm playin' dinosaurs
"Do you want to be one too?"
I set my grown-up world aside
An said: "I'll be right there"
She stopped to ask this question
When we were halfway up the stairs
"How much do you love me?"
"How much do you really care?"
I touched heart,spread my wings,and said:
"All the way to there"
She called me from a party late
One night,her junior year
And bravely gave an address
Through the stories and the tears
She was sittin' on the porch steps
As I pulled up to the curb
I could see the question in her eyes
She asked without a word
"How much do you love me?"
"How much do you really care?"
I touched heart,spread my wings,and said:
"All the way to there"
It's the simple things that matter most
In everybody's life
Sometimes just knowin' that you're really loved
Makes everything all right
Children grow and years go by
Moms and dads get grey
Little girl's get married
And give their dinosaurs away
They'll live their grown up lives and call
Their daddies now and then
And from a thousand miles away
I'll hear her on the stairs again
"How much do you love me?"
"How much do you really care?"
I touched heart,spread my wings,and said:
"All the way to there"
We'll touch our hearts,spread our arms and say:
All the way to there
John Berry's song "How Much Do You Love Me" tells the story of a father-daughter relationship by highlighting two moments in their lives. The first instance is when the daughter interrupts her father's work to ask him to play pretend dinosaurs with her. The father puts his responsibilities aside and joins in. The second moment is when the daughter calls her father late at night during her junior year of college. The father shows up at the address she gives and finds her sitting on the porch steps in tears. Without needing to ask what happened, she only asks him "how much do you love me?" The father answers by spreading his arms and touching his heart, reciting "All the way to there."
The message of the song is about the importance of showing love to those closest to us. It's a reminder that in times of need, the love of a parent or loved one is often what helps us through difficult times. It showcases memories shared between a father and daughter demonstrating the impact of a strong connection and affectionate bond.
In terms of interesting facts about the song, John Berry wrote it in collaboration with Chuck Jones, an incredible songwriter with over 500 Black Gospel songs to his name. The tune was part of Berry's album "Standing on the Edge," released in 1995, which peaked at the 61st spot on the US Country chart. The song had some success during its initial release, although it entered the charts only in 1997 after Berry's live performance of the tune was aired on TNN's "Prime Time Country." Berry has since released over fifteen albums and has become well-known in the country scene for his incredible vocal range and musical talents.
Chords for the song "How Much Do You Love Me" by John Berry are:
Verse 1:
G, C, G, D
G, C, G, D
Bm, C, D, G
Chorus:
G, C, G, D
G, C, G, D
Bm, C, D, G
Verse 2:
G, C, G, D
G, C, G, D
Bm, C, D, G
Chorus:
G, C, G, D
G, C, G, D
Bm, C, D, G
Outro:
G, C, G, D
G, C, G, D
Bm, C, D, G
Overall, "How Much Do You Love Me" conveys a touching story about the love shared within a father-daughter relationship. It's a reminder that often, the simple gestures and demonstrations of love have the most profound effects on our family members and friends.
Line by Line Meaning
She ran down from the upstairs
A girl runs down from her room upstairs to ask her dad a question.
She burst into the room
She suddenly entered the room in an excited manner.
Said: "Dad,I'm playin' dinosaurs
"Do you want to be one too?"
The girl asked her dad if he wants to join her in playing dinosaurs.
I set my grown-up world aside
An said: "I'll be right there"
The dad puts aside his adult responsibilities to play with his daughter.
She stopped to ask this question
When we were halfway up the stairs
While climbing the stairs, the girl stopped to ask her dad the important question of how much he loves her.
"How much do you love me?"
"How much do you really care?"
I touched heart,spread my wings,and said:
"All the way to there"
When asked by his daughter how much he loves her, the dad gestures to his heart and spreads his arms wide, saying he loves her all the way to the maximum extent possible.
She called me from a party late
One night,her junior year
Years later, the daughter calls her dad late at night during her junior year in college.
And bravely gave an address
Through the stories and the tears
Despite being emotional, the daughter gave her dad her address and shared her stories with him.
She was sittin' on the porch steps
As I pulled up to the curb
The daughter waits for her dad on the porch steps as he arrives.
I could see the question in her eyes
She asked without a word
Even without saying anything, the dad knows that his daughter wants to hear him declare his love for her again.
"How much do you love me?"
"How much do you really care?"
I touched heart,spread my wings,and said:
"All the way to there"
The daughter asks the question once more, and the dad repeats his declaration of love with the same gesture.
It's the simple things that matter most
In everybody's life
The dad reflects that it's the small gestures and simple expressions of love that mean the most in life.
Sometimes just knowin' that you're really loved
Makes everything all right
Knowing that you are truly loved can make everything better and easier to handle.
Children grow and years go by
Moms and dads get grey
Little girl's get married
And give their dinosaurs away
As time passes, children grow up, parents age, and eventually the daughter gets married and lets go of her childhood toys.
They'll live their grown up lives and call
Their daddies now and then
Even as adults, children will still reach out to their parents now and then.
And from a thousand miles away
I'll hear her on the stairs again
Despite distance, the father can still hear his daughter's voice and remember her as a child on the stairs asking him how much he loves her.
"How much do you love me?"
"How much do you really care?"
I touched heart,spread my wings,and said:
"All the way to there"
We'll touch our hearts,spread our arms and say:
All the way to there
The song ends with a repetition of the main question and response, and an invitation for others to join in the gesture of touching their hearts and spreading their arms wide to declare their love.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DONALD EWING II, KENT BLAZY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind