After returning from the military, Price became more financially savvy than many of his fellow early Rock n Roll and gritty R&B artists. In 1957, he decided to launch his own label KRC (Kent Record Company) and retain control of his masters, leasing his tracks to labels like Atlantic and later ABC-Paramount in an arrangement that likely inspired Ray Charles to do the same.
His first single after returning from Korea was "Just Because". That was followed by a massive hit, "Stagger Lee", which has appeared in many multi-artist collection albums and served as one of Price's best known songs. Television host Dick Clark insisted the violent content of the track, which lyrically describes a shooting based on a gambling fight, be toned down when Price appeared on the popular but highly sanitized show American Bandstand.
Price’s biggest year was likely 1959, during which he had four hit records: “Personality,” “Where Were You (On Our Wedding Day),” “I’m Gonna Get Married” and “Come Into My Heart.” His increasing entrepreneurial efforts soon included new record labels and starting the Turntable nightclub in New York City. Price's Double L Records, started with partner Harold Logan discovered Wilson Pickett, who got his career started on their label. Price's biggest hit for Double-l was a 1963 revival of the old standard "Misty", but his remaining efforts at hitmaking drew little national attention. He signed briefly to Monument in 1964 and then Reprise, and later to JAD and to his own Turntable imprint to no avail. By 1971, he was recording in Muscle Shoals his own cover version of BJ Thomas hit "Hooked On A Feeling" for Scepter but the arrangement failed to catch fire.
In 1974 Price was a partner of boxing promoter Don King who staged the famous music festival in Zaire featuring James Brown, B.B. King, Etta James, Bill Withers, The Spinners, and the Fania All Stars as documented in Spike Lee's film about the Ali vs Foreman fight "When We Were Kings"
Price continued touring with a 9 piece group in the 1970's, issuing some singles on the GFS label, but seemingly retired for awhile. He then returned to performing and touring in 1993, when Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Gary U.S. Bonds accompanied him on a European tour. He was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of fame in 1998, and can still occasionally be seen on PBS performing during oldies revue concerts, or during fundraising breaks such as during a recent Sam Cooke documentary special, and remains surprisingly youthful despite well over 50 years in the music business.
Come Into My Heart
Lloyd Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never saw eyes, as quite as bright as yours
I've never found love that can't grow old
And that is why, and that is why, I love you
So come on
You better come on step right on to my heart
You better come oooonn, to my heart
E'en a heart, as good and pure as yours
I've never found love that can't grow old
And that is why, that is why, I love you
So come on
You better come oooon to my heart
Just sitting here thinking with a you on my mind
Don't go no where I'm worried all the time
Come on
You better come on come on into my heart
You better come ooonne into my heart!
In Lloyd Price's song "Come into My Heart," the lyrics express an unparalleled admiration for the addressee's beauty and a steadfast love that will never grow old. The first verse describes how the singer has never encountered a name as sweet and eyes as bright as theirs. The singer then declares that they have never found love that can't grow old, which is why they love this person. The chorus goes on to urge the addressee to come into the singer's heart and stay there.
The second verse goes further to describe the addressee's personality. The singer has never seen a smile as true and bright as theirs, and they declare that this person's heart is good and pure. The bridge is a plea for the addressee to come into the singer's heart because they cannot stop thinking about them and are worried about them leaving. Overall, the song's message is a declaration of love, admiration, and a desire for the addressee to come and stay in the singer's heart.
Line by Line Meaning
I've never heard a name, as quite as sweet as yours
The name you possess sounds extremely pleasant and attractive to me.
I never saw eyes, as quite as bright as yours
The brightness in your eyes is incomparable to anyone else I have seen.
I've never found love that can't grow old
I have never come across a love that won't age or deteriorate over time.
And that is why, and that is why, I love you
That's the main reason why I am in love with you, that the love we share will never get old.
So come on
I urge you to consider coming to me.
You better come on step right on to my heart
You ought to come and be a part of my heart, where I hold you dear.
You better come oooonn, to my heart
Please come to my heart, and grace me with your presence.
E'en a heart, as good and pure as yours
Even a good and innocent heart like yours is hard to find.
I've never seen a smile as true and bright as yours
The brilliance and sincerity of your smile is something I have never witnessed before.
Just sitting here thinking with a you on my mind
As I sit here, I can't stop thinking about you.
Don't go no where I'm worried all the time
I am worried all the time that you might leave and I'll lose you.
You better come on come on into my heart
I strongly suggest you join me and come into my heart, where I will love you forever.
You better come ooonne into my heart!
Please come into my heart, so that we can be the perfect couple together.
Contributed by Lincoln S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MikeBlitzMag
Of the many, many great singles that Professor Price released for ABC Paramount, this is the one I that heard far more than the others at the time of its release. A gem.
ava gd
Another great talented singer and composer of R& B music that will ever live in the ears millions.
dave legget
great song sung by a great singer
David Thompson
I love this song .
David Walsh
I love this mans music very special singer
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1959 {November 23rd} "Come Into My Heart" by Lloyd Price " peaked at #2 {for 2 non-consecutive weeks} on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides* chart, for its first week at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Don't You Know" by Della Reece, and for its second week at #2, "So Many Ways" by Brook Benton was in the top spot......
"Come Into My Heart" reached #20 on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
Between 1952 and 1976 the Kenner, Louisiana native had twenty-two records on the Hot R&B charts, fourteen made the Top 10 with four reaching #1, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" for seven weeks in July of 1952, "Stagger Lee" for four weeks in February of 1959, "Personality" for four weeks in June of 1959, and "I'm Gonna Get Married" for three non-consecutive weeks in September of 1959...
Plus he had two records peak at #3, "Just Because" in 1957 and "Lady Luck" in 1960...
Lloyd Price will celebrate his 88th birthday in four months on March 9th, 2021...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot R&B Sides' Top 10 on November 23rd, 1959:
At #3. "So Many Way" by Brook Benton
#4. "Mr. Blue" by The Fleetwoods
#5. "The Clouds" by the Spacemen
#6. "Dance With Me" by The Drifters
#7. "In The Mood" by Ernie Fields
#8. "Be My Guest" by Fats Domino
#9. "I Don't Know" by Ruth Brown
#10. "Mack The Knife" by Bobby Darin
MikeBlitzMag
All well and good. But for my money, the important thing is the music itself, not stats. If it sounds good to you, that is ultimately of far greater consequence than a position on some arbitrary listing of releases.
Lionheart Roar
The re recording not as good. This is the real deal
Reanna Turner
Sing stagger lee