Just to Be Close to You
Lionel Richie; The Commodores Lyrics


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Just to be close to you, girl
Just for a moment, well,
Just for an hour
Just to be close to you girl

I was a lonely man
A man with no direction
With no purpose
With no one to love
And no one to love me, for me

Oh girl then you came into my life
You made my jagged edges smooth
You made my direction so clear
And you oh women you became my purpose
My reason for living girl you see

You're my heart, you're my soul
You're my strong inspiration baby
That's why I'm standing here
Singing and opening my arms to you
I want to say child, why don't you

Take my hand,
Oh we'll live and love forever
Take my hand,
Ooh we'll be alone you and me
Take my hand
Girl we'll live our lives together
Yeah together

Just to be close to you, girl
Just for the moment baby,
Well just for an hour
Just to be close to you, girl
I need you baby

To make love, to be loved by you baby
To have your warm body close to mine
To whisper words that make you feel like a woman
Girl I know our love will stand the test of time

Just to be close to you girl
For the moment baby (for the moment baby, for the moment baby)
For the sugar sugar yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah





Just to be close to you girl
Just for the moment

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lionel Richie/The Commodores' song Just to Be Close to You expresses the depth of a man's yearning for the woman he loves. He expresses his profound need to be next to her, even if it's just for a fleeting moment. Through the lyrics, the man reveals that he was once severely lonely and directionless in life. The woman he loves has brought purpose into his life, smoothed out his jagged edges, and made his path clearer. The woman is not just a partner for him; she has become his purpose, his reason for living.


The man is devoted to the woman he loves, and he acknowledges that she is his heart, soul, and strong inspiration, and he wants to spend forever living and loving with her. The duration, be it a moment, an hour, or a lifetime, the man stresses that all he needs is to be close to her. The lyrics are heartfelt, sincere, and touching.


Line by Line Meaning

Just to be close to you, girl
Expressing the desire to be close to and spend time with the girl that he loves


Just for a moment, well,
Even if it's just for a brief moment, he wants to be near her


Just for an hour
He is willing to wait and spend time with her for as long as she can give him


I was a lonely man
He used to feel lonely without love


A man with no direction
He had no idea where his life was headed before he met her


With no purpose
He had no goal or meaning in life


With no one to love
He had no one to share his love with


And no one to love me, for me
He didn't have anyone who loved him for who he truly was


Oh girl then you came into my life
When she came into his life everything changed for the better


You made my jagged edges smooth
She smoothed out his rough edges and made him a better person


You made my direction so clear
She helped him find his purpose and the path he wanted to take in life


And you oh women you became my purpose
She became the reason he wakes up every morning


My reason for living girl you see
He now lives for her and their love together


You're my heart, you're my soul
She is the most important thing in his life


You're my strong inspiration baby
She inspires him to be a better person every day


That's why I'm standing here
He is expressing his love and gratitude for her


Singing and opening my arms to you
He wants to embrace her and show her his love


I want to say child, why don't you
He wants to ask her why she doesn't


Take my hand,
He is inviting her to take his hand and be with him


Oh we'll live and love forever
He promises to love and cherish her for the rest of their lives


Ooh we'll be alone you and me
He wants to be alone with her and enjoy their love together


Girl we'll live our lives together
He wants to spend their lives together and build a future with her


Yeah together
He emphasizes the idea that they will be together


I need you baby
He expresses how much he needs her in his life


To make love, to be loved by you baby
He wants to make love with her and be loved by her in return


To have your warm body close to mine
He desires the physical closeness and intimacy with her


To whisper words that make you feel like a woman
He wants to express his love and make her feel special


Girl I know our love will stand the test of time
He is confident that their love is strong enough to last forever


For the sugar sugar yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Repeating the desire to be near her and keep their love sweet




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lionel Richie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@user-kq1iw2ei7p

My sweetheart played this song before he proposed to me last night! It was absolutely the most precious time. At 53 he made me feel like a girl again. Love and Life is precious never give up on it!!!

@catherinelavernedickinson3620

There is so much meaning and feeling to the songs of the 70`s. There is nothing like it!! The music on the radio these days is nothing but noise, without any story to it. So much talent back in the 70`s.

@catboyzee

"I was a lonely man; a man with no direction, with no PERPPUSSSSSS." - The Right Reverend Lionel Richie, Pastor of Soul(1976).

@sosexymagazinerobinwatkins8467

🙌🏽🙌🏽

@cliftonmoore5706

One song that The Commodores made that reminds one how much ballads were a big thing back in the day.

@theodorebryan4196

Driving up from Florida. Stopped by a service station/store. Picked up the Commodores' Greatest Hits. Before I knew it, we were in New Jersey. I wanted more time on the road listening to this album over and over.

@thandiqinga7620

Wow it reminds me about the beautiful life I had with my loving ❤️ husband who passed in in 2021...May his loving soul rest 💕

@cynthiarobertson5523

Can never ever get over the sweetness of this song! God bless this true masterpiece! 🙏♥️

@noelspinks7945

.😊😊

@kevinwilliams1083

Omg. My dad loved this song. When the monologue came on he would go word for word. Rest on daddy. 😢😢😢😢

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