She was born Laura Nigro on 18th October 1947 in the Bronx, New York, of Italian-American and Jewish-American parents. As a child, she taught herself piano, read poetry, and listened to her mother's records by Leontyne Price, Billie Holiday and classical composers such as Ravel and Debussy. She composed her first songs at age eight. While in high school, she sang with a group of friends in subway stations and on street corners.
As a teenager she experimented with using different names, and Nyro was the one she was using at the time. She sold her song "And When I Die" to Peter, Paul and Mary for $5,000, and made her first extended professional appearance in 1966, at age 18, singing at the "hungry i" coffeehouse in San Francisco. Mogull negotiated her a recording contract, and she recorded her debut album, More Than a New Discovery, for the Verve Folkways label. The album provided material for other artists, notably the 5th Dimension.
In 1967, Nyro made only her second major live appearance, at the Monterey Pop Festival. Although some accounts described her performance as a fiasco that culminated in her being booed off the stage,[8] recordings later made public contradict this view.[
Nyro was best known by the general public – and had the most commercial success – as a songwriter rather than a performer. Her best-known songs include "And When I Die" (made a hit by Blood, Sweat & Tears), "Stoney End" (covered by Barbra Streisand), "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Sweet Blindness", "Save the Country" (all covered by The 5th Dimension), and "Eli's Coming" (a hit for Three Dog Night). Ironically, Nyro's own best-selling single was "Up on the Roof", a cover of the Carole King-Gerry Goffin hit originally recorded by The Drifters in 1962.
She died on 8th April 1997.
In 2012 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Confession
Laura Nyro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the mornin'
Do your shoppin' baby
Love my lovething
You may disappear
But you'll be back I swear
I would love to love you baby now
Would you love to love me baby?
I would love to love you baby now
Super summer sugar croppin'
In the mornin'
Do you shoppin' baby
Love my lovething
Super ride inside my lovething
You may leave the fair
But you'll be back I swear
Would you love to love me baby?
I would love to love you baby now
Would you love to love me baby?
I would love to love you baby now
I keep hearin' mother cryin'
I keep hearin' daddy through his grave
"Little girl, of all the daughters
You were born a woman
Not a slave"
Oh I hate my winsome lover
Tell him I've had others
At my breast
But tell him he held my heart
And only now am I a virgin
I confess
Love my love thing
Love is surely gospel
The lyrics to Laura Nyro's song The Confession are somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation. At first glance, the words appear to be about a light-hearted, carefree summer romance. The repeated line "Super summer sugar croppin'" sets a playful tone, as if the singer is encouraging her lover to enjoy the good life and not take anything too seriously. However, there are a few lines that hint at something darker beneath the surface. For example, the line "You may disappear, but you'll be back I swear" suggests a level of possessiveness or control on the part of the singer. This idea is repeated later in the song with the line "You may leave the fair, but you'll be back I swear". While it's possible that these lines could simply be a reference to a summer fling that's coming to an end, there's a sense of urgency and intensity that suggests something more significant.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become increasingly complex and emotional. The lines "I keep hearin' mother cryin', I keep hearin' daddy through his grave / 'Little girl, of all the daughters, you were born a woman not a slave'" seem to be a direct reference to the singer's background and upbringing. It's possible that she's struggling with feelings of guilt or shame about her romantic choices, and feels like she's letting her parents down. The final verse takes a confessional tone, with the singer admitting that she's had other lovers but that her current love interest has held her heart. The line "But tell him he held my heart, and only now am I a virgin / I confess" is particularly intriguing, as it suggests that the singer has regained some sense of purity or innocence through her current relationship.
Overall, the lyrics to The Confession are full of contradictions and hidden meanings. On the surface, the song appears to be about a summer romance, but there are deeper themes of possession, guilt, and redemption that emerge as the song progresses. The line "Love is surely gospel" seems to tie everything together, suggesting that the singer is ultimately seeking some kind of spiritual, transcendent love that will help her find peace and meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Super summer sugar coppin'
Life is sweet and good, like it is during a perfect summer day.
In the mornin'
At the beginning of each day.
Do your shoppin' baby
Take advantage of all the good that life has to offer.
Love my lovething
Enjoy the love and pleasures of life.
You may disappear
You may go away, but you'll be back eventually.
But you'll be back I swear
You will come back, I promise.
Would you love to love me baby?
Do you want to be in love with me?
I would love to love you baby now
Yes, I want to be in love with you right now.
Super ride inside my lovething
Being in love is an exciting and wonderful experience.
You may leave the fair
You may walk away from the fun and excitement.
But you'll be back I swear
You will come back again, I promise.
I keep hearin' mother cryin'
I am haunted by my mother's sadness and pain.
I keep hearin' daddy through his grave
Even in death, my father's voice echoes in my head.
"Little girl, of all the daughters
My father saw me as more than a daughter; he saw me as a strong and capable woman.
You were born a woman
I have the power and strength of a woman inside me.
Not a slave"
I am not bound to anyone else's will or control.
Oh I hate my winsome lover
I despise my charming, seductive partner.
Tell him I've had others
Let him know I've been with other lovers too.
At my breast
Physically close to me and intimate with me.
But tell him he held my heart
He had a special place in my heart.
And only now am I a virgin
Until now, I have never experienced genuine love.
I confess
I admit this truth about myself.
Love my love thing
I enjoy being in love and experiencing all the pleasures that come with it.
Love is surely gospel
Love is a holy and sacred thing.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LAURA NYRO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Uwe Boll
This VOICE is far beyond gorgeous! Greatest VOICE ever & forever! Beautiful!!!
Lovemylovething
Great song from Laura's most fun album. "Eli" is legendary, it's her Sgt Pepper. Her vivid imagination really goes wild on this record, and she takes the listener on a non stop thrill ride. I dig the later, heavier message stuff by her as well, but this album will always be my fave, it's young Laura at her most imaginative, and a pure joy to listen to all the way though!
Tara, “Tara Tarot” Greene
I think i Unconsciously named my firstborn child Elijah because I loved Laura so much.
Barbara Butler
💗 💖 💘 💝 💟
mrkdemeritt
Yesss!!
mrkdemeritt
@Tara, “Tara Tarot” GreeneLove it!!
Hope you and your family are doing great!!!
Ben Kleschinsky
I've only listened to her first two albums. I have a lot to discover I take it.
grindlemeister
This whole album is absolutely FANTASTIC. Goosebumps all the way.
Chris Hunter
She is easily the greatest female artist I have ever heard...god bless you Laura Nyro, and thank you for your music..it affected my life, and my friends... you were and are a true genius...and I was once lucky enough to see you live...and I have never , ever gotten over you.....kiss....
Peter Cohen
We all owe a debt to her unflinching high diving artistry.
I was 20 when I first heard this earthy celestial song, before it was generally released. I found it sitting in a stack of demos from the record company. I was a lucky kid, because my dad owned a chain of record stores. The album cover and title puzzled me at first. What kind of music was this, with its biblical and religious references? Then I recalled her songs covered by groups like The 5th Dimension and Blood Sweat and Tears. (I always pay attention to who writes the songs. Not everyone has the pipes to sing their material.) So let's give it a spin. I was blown away that first magical time, but I couldn't understand why when I played the album, that there was always this exotic scent in the air. It was no hallucination. She had purposefully scented the paper insert for each album.
But it's the last song this collection that does you in. In less than 3 minutes she has invited you into her heart and soul. For me this was one of the first rare moments when a woman revealed in song the mystery of her identity and sexuality, leaving a half-formed man-child in awe.
(On a side note, if you are a choreographer, see what you can create with Captain for Dark Mornings. Take the leap. I dare you.)