Born in Houston, Texas, Nash began as a pop singer in the 1950s. He became famous for singing the theme song for The Mighty Hercules cartoon in the early 1960s (which song he also wrote). His biggest hits were the early reggae tunes Hold Me Tight, I Can See Clearly Now, and Stir It Up, written by Bob Marley prior to Marley's international success.
Nash was last active as a composer in the Swedish romance Vill så gärna tro (1971) in which he portrayed Robert. For many years he seemed to have dropped out of sight; however, in May 2006 he was singing again at SugarHill Recording Studio in his native Houston.
Halfway To Paradise
Johnny Nash Lyrics
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But your friend, is all I'll stay.
I'm only half-way to paradise,
So near, yet so far away.
I long for your lips to kiss my lips,
But just when I think they may,
You leave me halfway to paradise,
Bein' close to you is almost heaven, (heav-en)
But seein' you can do just so much.
It hurts me so to know your heart's a treasure, (trea-sure)
And that my heart is forbidden to touch
So put your sweet lips close to my lips, and tell me
That's where they're gonna stay,
Don't leave me half way to paradise
So near yet so far away,
So near yet so far away,
So near yet so far away,
So near yet so far away.
In "Halfway to Paradise" by Johnny Nash, the singer expresses his desire to be more than just friends with the person he loves. He wants to be their lover, but he knows that's just wishful thinking. Despite being so close to achieving his goal, he feels like he's still far away from paradise. Nash implies that the person he loves can see him only as a friend, which leaves him feeling frustrated and emotionally unsatisfied. He longs for the day when they can be fully together, with nothing standing in their way.
Nash's lyrics convey a sense of yearning and longing, which is accentuated by the melody's romantic and dreamy tone. The singer hopes that one day, his love interest will reciprocate his feelings, but for now, he can only keep waiting. The lines "Bein' close to you is almost heaven/But seein' you can do just so much" show that he's content just being around the person he loves, but it's not enough to satisfy his craving for a deeper connection. He knows that his heart is not allowed to touch the treasure that he sees in the person's heart, and that thought pains him deeply.
Overall, "Halfway to Paradise" is a song about unrequited love and the pain that comes with it. Nash's lyrics capture the bittersweet feeling of being so close to achieving what you want but still feeling like you're a long way off.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to be your lover,
He desires to be more than just friends with her.
But your friend, is all I'll stay.
But he is only able to remain her friend.
I'm only half-way to paradise,
He feels incomplete without her.
So near, yet so far away.
Although he is close to her, he still feels distant.
I long for your lips to kiss my lips,
He yearns for her affection.
But just when I think they may,
But he is always left disappointed.
You leave me halfway to paradise,
She continues to distance herself emotionally.
Bein' close to you is almost heaven,
Being near her feels incredibly fulfilling.
(heav-en)
But seein' you can do just so much.
Merely seeing her isn't enough for him.
It hurts me so to know your heart's a treasure,
Knowing how valuable she is to him causes him pain.
(trea-sure)
And that my heart is forbidden to touch
He is unable to express his true feelings to her.
So put your sweet lips close to my lips, and tell me
He implores her to end his suffering.
That's where they're gonna stay,
He wishes to be close to her permanently.
Don't leave me half way to paradise
He begs her not to leave him feeling unfulfilled.
So near yet so far away,
Despite their proximity, a deeper connection eludes him.
So near yet so far away,
So near yet so far away.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING, GERRY GOFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind