Johnny Tillotson (born 20 April 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an A… Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Tillotson (born 20 April 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an American singer and songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored 9 top-ten hits on the pop, country and adult contemporary billboard charts including "Poetry In Motion" and the self-penned "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'".

In 1957 while still in high school, Tillotson was making records and performing on stage; as a student at the University of Florida, he had his own musical variety show on regional television. Following graduation in 1959 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Communications, he signed with Cadence Records and moved to New York City to pursue his music career. In 1960, he recorded his first hit, a composition entitled "Poetry in Motion" (written by Anthony/Kaufman), that went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and #1 on the UK Singles Chart.

A "crossover" artist, several of Tillotson's songs were successful on both the country music charts and pop charts. He earned a Grammy Award nomination for another of his own compositions, "It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin," and also for the song "Heartaches by the Number," nominated for Best Vocal Performance of 1965. He also appeared in the 1963 film "Just for Fun" and sang the theme song for the 1965 Sally Field television comedy "Gidget".

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Tillotson has recorded 26 singles that made it onto Billboard's charts, and performed at venues across the United States and other places around the globe.

He was featured in the 1966 camp comedy The Fat Spy starring Jayne Mansfield, Jack E. Leonard, Phyllis Diller, Brian Donlevy and Jordan Christopher & the Wild Ones. This film was featured in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (#46).

Pledging My Love
Johnny Tillotson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Forever my darling our love will be true
Always and forever I'll love only you
just promise me darling your love in return
May this fire in my soul dear forever burn

My heart's at your command dear
To keep love and to hold
Making you happy is my desire dear

Keeping you is my goal

I'll forever love you
For the rest of my days
I'll never part from you
Or your loving ways
Just promise me darling your love in return
May this fire in my soul dear forever burn

My heart's at your command dear
To keep love and to hold
Making you happy is my desire dear
loving you is my goal

I'll forever love you
For the rest of my days
I'll never part from you
Or your loving ways

Just promise me darling your love in return
May this fire in my soul dear forever burn

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Johnny Tillotson's "Pledging My Love" express a deep commitment to a lover. The singer promises to love and cherish his partner always, asking only for their love in return. The metaphor of a "fire in my soul" vividly captures the intensity and passion of the singer's emotions, emphasizing the all-consuming nature of romantic love.

Throughout the song, the singer emphasizes his willingness to do anything to please and keep his lover, stating that his heart is "at your command" and that his greatest desire is to make them happy. The repeated use of the word "forever" emphasizes the depth and longevity of his commitment, suggesting a love that will endure through all obstacles and challenges.

Overall, the lyrics to "Pledging My Love" celebrate the intensity, passion, and steadfastness of romantic love. The song highlights the importance of mutual commitment and devotion in a successful partnership, emphasizing that true love endures over time.

Line by Line Meaning

Forever my darling our love will be true
Our love will last a lifetime and never fade away

Always and forever I'll love only you
I will never stop loving you for as long as I live

just promise me darling your love in return
Please assure me that you will love me back with the same level of affection

May this fire in my soul dear forever burn
I hope this passion and love that I have for you burns inside of me forever

My heart's at your command dear
I give you control over my heart and emotions

To keep love and to hold
I want to cherish you and have you by my side always

Making you happy is my desire dear
My ultimate goal is to bring happiness into your life

Keeping you is my goal
I want to be with you and never let you go

I'll forever love you
My love for you will never die

For the rest of my days
Until the end of my life, I will love you

I'll never part from you
I will never leave you or be separated from you