Gill, the son of a minister, started singing at age five in a family gospel group called "Wings of Faith". His solo career began in 1983 when his childhood friend, singer Stacy Lattisaw convinced him to record a demo. The demo he recorded fell into the hands of the president of Atlantic Records, and his self-titled debut album was released shortly thereafter. Then, Johnny teamed up with Stacy for a duet album, which featured their first together, "Perfect Combination", a second album on Atlantic Records, Chemistry, yielded the song "Half Crazy,".
Gill's big break came in 1987, when he replaced Bobby Brown in New Edition, a 1980s pop group. With Gill as one of the lead singers, the group developed a more mature, adult sound, hitting the charts with songs such as "Can You Stand The Rain," "N.E. Heartbreak," and the Johnny Gill lead "Boys To Men". During a hiatus from New Edition, Johnny embarked on a solo career. The hits from his self entitled 1990 album include "My, My, My," "Rub You the Right Way," "Fairweather Friend" and "Wrap My Body Tight". On this album, Gill played guitar, bass, bongos, and drums in addition to performing his lead and background vocals.
In 1993, Gill released another solo project, Provocative, which included the songs "Quiet Time to Play," "A Cute, Sweet, Love Addiction," and a gospel song, "I Know Where I Stand." In 1996, Gill was reunited with his New Edition bandmates, including Brown, as they recorded Home Again together, an album noted for the singles "Hit Me Off" and "Still In Love". Gill also released Let's Get the Mood Right in 1996, which included the title song, "Love In an Elevator," and "Maybe." The following year, he collaborated with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat to form the supergroup LSG (Levert/Sweat/Gill) which resulted in the multi platinum debut album, Levert-Sweat-Gill, and a follow-up album entitled LSG2.
Gill, the only member of New Edition who is not from Boston, was raised in Washington DC where he attended Kimball Elementary and Sousa Junior High. His career dictated that he complete his high school education through the services of a tutor. Johnny had planned to attend college and pursue a degree in electrical engineering, but his career came first.
His latest recording, "You For Me (The Wedding Song)" from the Madea's Family Reunion Soundtrack received strong reviews from music critics as well as the general public. As of 2006, he is still performing with the group as well as performing solo as part of the Body and Soul Tour, which includes fellow NE members Bell Biv DeVoe.
At the 2011 BET Awards, he announced that he will be releasing a new album, after a 16 year hiatus.
5000 Miles
Johnny Gill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It doesn't seem to end
Can we just keep floating
'Cause it's too far to swim
No rescue or a boat insight
You know it's alright
'Cause when I'm with you
I'll drown in it all night
Girl, your kisses so addictive
And it's always on my mind
Can't resist it for a minute
'Cause it gets me every time
And when you wake up with no make-up
That's true beauty in my eyes
No matter how I try
I lose it when you smile
You take me 5000 miles past heaven
And by the way
I gotta say I love the view
(I gotta say I love the view)
Your beauty is 5000 miles past heaven
Every time
Every time I look at you
(Every time I look at you)
Baby, don't you keep me waiting
Your touch is all I want
'Cause I don't have much patience
When it comes to making love
No need to complicate this
There's nothing more to say
'Cause when you're not here
I'm missing you all day
Girl, your kisses so addictive
And it's always on my mind
Can't resist it for a minute
'Cause it gets me every time
When you wake up with no make-up
That's true beauty in my eyes
No matter how I try
I lose it when you smile
You take me 5000 miles past heaven
And by the way
I gotta say I love the view
(I gotta say I love the view)
Your beauty is 5000 miles past heaven
Every time
Every time I look at you
(Every time I look at you)
Hey God only knows (knows)
How far I'll go (go)
I swear it's like falling from the sky
If looks could kill
Then I would surely die
You take me 5000 miles past heaven
And by the way
I gotta say I love the view
(I gotta say I love the view)
Your beauty is 5000 miles past heaven
Every time
Every time I look at you
(Every time I look at you)
Every time
Every time I look at you
Every time
Every time I look at you
The song "5000 Miles" by Johnny Gill is a love ballad expressing the singer's deep emotions for a woman he loves. In the verses, the singer compares the depth of his love to the ocean and says he wants to keep "floating" in it rather than trying to swim to shore. He expresses his addiction to her kisses and describes her natural beauty. The chorus repeats the metaphor of the woman's beauty and love taking him 5000 miles past heaven, giving him a view that he finds stunning.
The song is about the idea that the love between two people can take them to great heights beyond what they thought was possible. The ocean and flying metaphors used in the song help convey this message to listeners. The singer is willing to take risks and leave behind rational thinking when he is with this special woman.
The song is a slow, romantic ballad that showcases Johnny Gill's powerful vocals. The music arrangement consists of a simple piano melody, strings, and drums. The overall feel of the song is smooth, and the music complements the lyrics perfectly. The performer's vocal delivery is also impressive, conveying the emotions of the lyrics in a heartfelt way.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl, your love is like the ocean
Your love is endless and deep like the ocean
It doesn't seem to end
Your love seems to have no limit
Can we just keep floating
Can we continue without any specific direction
'Cause it's too far to swim
The journey to your love is too long and tiring
No rescue or a boat in sight
There is no help around and no easy way to reach you
You know it's alright
It's okay because being with you is worth it all
'Cause when I'm with you
The time with you is precious and unforgettable
I'll drown in it all night
I'll happily immerse myself in your love throughout the night
Girl, your kisses so addictive
Your kisses are irresistible and leave me wanting more
And it's always on my mind
I can't stop thinking about your sweet kisses
Can't resist it for a minute
I cannot go without experiencing your kisses for any length of time
'Cause it gets me every time
Your kisses have an overwhelming emotional impact on me
And when you wake up with no make-up
Even without makeup you're beautiful to me
That's true beauty in my eyes
True beauty is beyond just outward appearance, but also includes inner qualities displayed through actions
No matter how I try
No matter how hard I try
I lose it when you smile
I can't help but smile when I see you smile
You take me 5000 miles past heaven
Being with you is a feeling that's far beyond normal pleasure
And by the way I gotta say I love the view
I can't help but notice your stunning physical beauty and appreciate every aspect of it
Your beauty is 5000 miles past heaven
You are incomparably beautiful to me, beyond what can be measured by physical standards
Every time every time I look at you
Every time I see you, I am awestruck by your beauty
Baby, don't you keep me waiting
I can't handle the suspense of not being with you
Your touch is all I want
Your touch is all I need for me to feel satisfied
'Cause I don't have much patience
I don't have the ability to wait for too long
When it comes to making love
When it comes to showing our love physically
No need to complicate this
Let's keep it simple and straightforward
There's nothing more to say
I've said all that needs to be said as my love for you is clear
'Cause when you're not here
I feel incomplete and miss every moment spent with you
I'm missing you all day
I can't stop thinking about being with you
Hey God only knows (knows)
No one truly knows what the future holds except for God
How far I'll go (go)
I don't know how far I'll go or how much I'll experience as I explore the depth of my love for you
I swear it's like falling from the sky
Being in love with you feels exhilarating and surreal
If looks could kill
The impact of your beauty is deadly
Then I would surely die
It would be too much for me to handle
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JARAMYE DANIELS, KYLE OWENS, CHUCK HARMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind