Boothe seemed, at the time, to have the makings of an international, long-lasting, hit maker, certainly when compared to most of the other latter-day reggae acts. His smoother style gave him a wider appeal, rather like UB40 and Aswad. Boothe's choice of songs also showed the breadth of his musical taste. But for all that, he only managed one more hit in the UK Chart, "Crying over You", which made Number 11.
In more recent times, Boothe has also recorded for Bunny Lee, Phil Pratt, King Jammy, Pete Weston, Jack Ruby, Hugh "Red Man" James, Castro Brown, and Tappa Zukie. Plus in 1995, he teamed up with Shaggy, for a new styled version of his old track, "The Train Is Coming", which appeared on the soundtrack of the film, Money Train.
A double-disc overview of Boothe's Trojan years, Crying over You, was released by the label in 2001.
Boothe's official Web site is at www.kenboothemusic.com
I
Ken Boothe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free, set me free
The finest years I ever knew
Is all the years I had with you
And I would give anything I own
And I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again
Is there someone you know
That won't let you go
And taking it all for granted?
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away
And you don't hear the words they say
And I would give anything I own
I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again
Just to talk to you words again
If there's someone you know
That won't let you go
And taking it all for granted?
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away
And you don't hear the words they say
And I would give anything I own
I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
And I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again
Just to talk to you words again
Just hold you once again
The first verse of Ken Boothe's "Anything I Own" describes a person who has been a source of love and protection to the singer. This person has been a guiding force in the singer's life, providing warmth and security during the defining years of his life. The love given by this person has been invaluable and has left an indelible mark on the singer's heart. The second verse is a warning not to take loved ones for granted. The singer warns that we may not hear what a loved one is saying until they're taken away from us. The longing and desperation of the chorus suggests that the person being referred to in the song is no longer in the singer's life. The singer would do anything to have that person back, to talk to them, to hear their voice, and to feel their embrace. Ultimately, the song is a contemplation and reflection on the value of love and the pain of losing someone important.
Line by Line Meaning
You sheltered me from harm
You protected me from danger and kept me safe
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You provided me with comfort and made me feel loved
You gave my life to me
You gave me a purpose and reason to live
Set me free, set me free
You allowed me to be independent and live my own life
The finest years I ever knew
The best times of my life were the ones I spent with you
Is all the years I had with you
The only years that mattered were the ones I spent with you
And I would give anything I own
I would sacrifice everything I have
I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
I would give up everything I am and have, including my life and my heart
Just to have you back again
Just to be reunited with you and have you in my life again
Is there someone you know
Do you know someone
That won't let you go
Who you cannot get rid of or leave behind
And taking it all for granted?
Are you not appreciating their presence and contribution to your life?
You may lose them one day
You might end up losing them someday
Someone takes them away
Someone might take them away from you
And you don't hear the words they say
You might not have taken the time to listen to what they had to say
Just to talk to you words again
Just to have a conversation with you once more
Just hold you once again
Just to have the opportunity to hug you again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Gates
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lorenzo_firinu
You sheltered me from harm
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free, set me free
The finest years I ever knew
Is all the years I had with you
And I would give anything I own
I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
And I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again
Is there someone you know
That won't let you go
And taking it all for granted?
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away
And you don't hear the words they say
And I would give anything I own
I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again
Just to talk to you words again
If there's someone you know
That won't let you go
And taking it all for granted?
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away
And you don't hear the words they say
And I would give anything I own
I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
And I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again
Just to talk to you words again
Just hold you once again
@AllyPally67
My Mum and Dad's song. Dad passed in 2018, Mum very recently. Played this at her funeral 😭😭
@pillaroflight4363
Sorry for your loss 💝
@jeraldsteve956
Am sorry for your lost. Stay strong.❤️🙏
@mickthompson584
quality music no better way to go.
@AllyPally67
@Jerald Steve thank you 🙏🏽
@josh-uj1gw
i felt that. stay strong 🔥🔥🔥❤️
@dusivri5882
David Gates of BREAD wrote this about his father in 1972. Many people think it's about a broken relationship, but it's about the loss of his father. This great version by Ken Boothe reached number 1 in 1974, as did Boy George's version in 1987. I lost my father in 2010 and miss him every day.
To everyone who has lost a parent or loved one, this great song is for you.
💜
@suraya1224
It's a beautiful song, but no cover version can hold a candle to the original version, by Bread.
@dusivri5882
@Susan Intinarelli Yes. Agreed. Personally I think all original songs are the best versions. If it weren't for the originals, then cover versions would never exist. And the version by Bread will always be the best.
@glorialouiise
Love you Daddy