L.T.D. was a R&B, disco and funk band that had a string of hits in the 1970… Read Full Bio ↴L.T.D. was a R&B, disco and funk band that had a string of hits in the 1970s.

Band formation
L.T.D. (which stood for Love, Togetherness and Devotion) was formed in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1968 by keyboardist Jimmie "J.D." Davis and saxophonist Abraham "Onion" Miller. Both were former backing musicians for soul duo Sam and Dave. The band was originally named Love Men, Ltd.

The other members of the band were recruited following the relocation of Jimmie and Abraham to New York City:

Henry Davis, bassist
Johnny McGhee, guitarist
Carle Vickers, trumpeter
Arthur "Lorenzo" Carnegie, saxophonist
Toby Wynn, saxophonist
Jake Riley, Jr., trombonist
Jeffrey Osborne, singer and drummer
The group then settled in Los Angeles, where Osborne's brother, Billy Osborne joined the lineup as the keyboardist.

Discography
L.T.D. signed with the A&M label to issue their 1974 debut Love, Togetherness and Devotion. On their third LP, 1976's Love to the World, the group scored their first Top 20 pop hit, Love Ballad. The follow-up, 1977's Something to Love, included the top five track (Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again. Four years later L.T.D. returned to the Top 40 once again with Shine On.

Love Ballad
L.T.D. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah
I have never been so much
In love
Before

What a difference
A true love made in my life
So nice

So right

Loving you gave me something new
That I've never felt
Never dreamed of
Somethings changed
No, it's not the
Feeling I had before
Ooh, it's much much more

Love I never knew that it's touch
Could mean
So much

What a difference
And when we walked hand in hand
I feel
So real

Lovers come and then lovers go
That's what folks say
Don't they know
They're not there
When you love me
Hold me and say you care

And what we have is much more
Than they could see
What we have is much more
Than they could see
What we have is much more
Than they could see
What we have is much more
Than they could see
What we have is much more
Than they could see
What we have is much more
Than they could see
What we have is much more
Than they could see
What we have is much more
Than they could see
And what we have is much more
Than they could see
What we have is much more
Than they could see

What we have is much more
Than they could see

Overall Meaning

In L.T.D.'s Love Ballad, the singer expresses his newfound love and how it has drastically changed his life for the better. He declares that he has never been so in love before and that true love has made a significant difference in his life. The joy and contentment that come with being loved by someone special are new feelings that he has never experienced before, and they make him feel nice and real. The love he shares with his significant other is something that he never knew could exist, and it has transformed his life in ways he never thought possible.

The singer talks about how some people come and go in our lives, but when you find true love, it is worth holding onto. Others may not understand or see the depth of what they have, but it doesn't matter because the love they share is much more significant than anyone can see. When they walk hand in hand, he feels something so real that he never thought was possible to experience. The love he has found has touched him in ways that he never knew were possible and has transformed him into a new person.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah
An expression of excitement or agreement with what is being said

I have never been so much
I have never felt this strongly

In love
Being deeply infatuated with someone

What a difference
An acknowledgement of the impact that love has had on the artist's life

A true love made in my life
Having found a genuine love that has enhanced the artist's life

So nice
A description of the positive nature of the singer's experience with love

So right
An acknowledgement that the singer has found the right person for them

Loving you gave me something new
The artist has experienced something they never have before as a result of being in love

That I've never felt
This experience is unlike anything the artist has experienced in the past

Never dreamed of
The level of love the artist is experiencing is beyond what they imagined they could feel

Somethings changed
The singer's experience of life and love has been altered since falling in love

No, it's not the
The change is not due to an external factor

Feeling I had before
The singer is not just experiencing a stronger version of a previous feeling, this is something entirely new

Ooh, it's much much more
The singer is trying to convey that the level of love they are experiencing cannot be fully expressed in words

Love I never knew that it's touch
Love has brought the singer a sensation they've never experienced before

Could mean
The artist is beginning to understand the deeper meaning of what love can offer

So much
Love can bring an immeasurable, transformative experience

And when we walked hand in hand
The singer is describing a moment of intimacy and closeness with their partner

I feel
The singer is describing an emotional sensation

So real
The artist is expressing how genuine and authentic their relationship feels

Lovers come and then lovers go
The artist is acknowledging that relationships don't always last

That's what folks say
There is a common saying that relationships are transitory

Don't they know
The singer is posing a rhetorical question, implying that others don't appreciate the depth of their own love

They're not there
Others cannot fully understand the relationship between the artist and their partner

When you love me
The singer is addressing their partner

Hold me and say you care
The singer is expressing their desire for physical and emotional closeness with their partner

And what we have is much more
The singer is emphasizing the depth of their relationship with their partner

Than they could see
The artist feels that others are not able to fully appreciate the strength of their relationship