His hit songs include "Never Too Much", "Here and Now", "Any Love", "Power of Love/Love Power", "I Can Make It Better" and "For You to Love". Many of his songs were covers of original music by other artists such as "If This World Were Mine" (duet with Cheryl Lynn), "Since I Lost My Baby", "Superstar" and "Always and Forever". Duets such as "The Closer I Get to You" with Beyoncé, "Endless Love" with Mariah Carey and "The Best Things in Life Are Free" with Janet Jackson were all hit songs in his career.
During his career, Vandross sold over 35 million records worldwide, and received eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four different times. He won a total of four Grammy Awards in 2004 including the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for a song recorded not long before his death, "Dance with My Father".
Possessing a tenor vocal range, Vandross was commonly referred to as "The Velvet Voice" in reference to his exceptional vocal talent, and was sometimes called "The Best Voice of a Generation". He was also regarded as the "Pavarotti of Pop" by many critics.
In 2008, Vandross was ranked No. 54 on Rolling Stone Magazine's List of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Mariah Carey stated several times in interviews that standing next to Vandross while recording their duet "Endless Love" was intimidating.
By popular vote, Vandross was inducted into The SoulMusic Hall of Fame at SoulMusic.com in December 2012.
Take You Out
Luther Vandross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here it is
She caught me by surprised I must say
Cause I never had seen such a pretty face
With such a warm and beautiful smile
It wasn't hard for me to notice her style
I was fascinated surely
I wouldn't let her get away
Not until she heard me say
Excuse me miss
But what's your name?
Where are you from and can I come?
And possibly can I take you out tonight?
To a movie, to the park
I'll have you home before it's dark
So let me know, can I take you out tonight?
Don't care if I get rejected
At least then I won't regret it
Regret the fact I missed the chance for romance
At least I'll walk away knowing
I tried my best and I'm going
Cause at least she heard me say
I'm going on with my day
Cause at least she heard me say
Excuse me miss
But what's your name?
Where are you from and can I come?
And possibly can I take you out tonight?
To a movie, to the park
I'll have you home before it's dark
So let me know, can I take you out tonight?
Huh, that's why I had to come over
And introduce myself to you
Cause you never know where you're gonna find love
And hopefully I found it in you, yeah
Excuse me miss
But what's your name?
Where are you from and can I come?
And possibly can I take you out tonight?
To a movie, to the park
I'll have you home before it's dark
So let me know, can I take you out tonight?
In "Take You Out," Luther Vandross sings about the moment he meets a mysterious woman who catches his eye. He is captivated by her beauty and warm smile, which prompts him to approach her and ask for her name and where she is from. He expresses his desire to take her out on a date, to a movie or to the park, assuring her that he will have her home before dark. Despite acknowledging the possibility of being rejected, he decides to take the risk because he doesn't want to regret not giving love a chance.
The lyrics are relatable to many as it depicts the universal pursuit of love and human connection. The song is a testament to taking chances and following one's heart, especially when it comes to matters of love.
Line by Line Meaning
She caught me by surprised I must say
I was taken aback when I saw her
Cause I never had seen such a pretty face
I have never seen someone as beautiful as her
With such a warm and beautiful smile
Her smile was both kind and attractive
It wasn't hard for me to notice her style
Her sense of fashion was not hard to see
I was fascinated surely
She intrigued me and captured my attention
She took my heart and held it for me
I was captivated by her and held in a state of attraction
I wouldn't let her get away
I was determined to get to know her better
Not until she heard me say
I wanted her to hear my request
Don't care if I get rejected
I am willing to risk rejection in pursuing her
At least then I won't regret it
I would rather try and fail than regret not trying at all
Regret the fact I missed the chance for romance
I would be filled with regret if I did not at least try to pursue her romantically
At least I'll walk away knowing
Even if she says no, I will have no regrets because I tried
Cause at least she heard me say
It's important to me that she knows my intentions
Cause at least she heard me say
I want her to know how I feel
Huh, that's why I had to come over
I felt compelled to introduce myself to her
And introduce myself to you
I wanted to make a connection with her
Cause you never know where you're gonna find love
Love can be found unexpectedly
And hopefully I found it in you, yeah
I hope that you will be the one I fall in love with
So let me know, can I take you out tonight?
I would like to take her out on a date to get to know her better
Lyrics © RINCON AVE MUSIC, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDRE YOUNG, HAROLD LILLY, CALVIN BROADUS, WARRYN CAMPBELL, JOHN SMITH, MICHAEL ELIZONDO, NATHANIEL HALE, PERCY (MASTER P) MILLER, DANNY MEANS, KEIWAN DASHAWN SPILLMAN, TRACEY LA MARR DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blonzella
Heard my dad singing this today.. it was great considering he just turned 76. He said Luther was the man. All I could do was smile..
@akuasalaam490
William Dunston Thanks for sharing that beautiful sentiment...
@bbmj804
Your dad knows good music.
@dorettlewis1949
Bless your Dad❤
@emersonhenderson3509
Yes he was! Never had to over sing!
@emersonhenderson3509
Yes he was the ultimate singer! Never had over sing!
@adsilaphant
Garcelle still looks good in 2024 and Luther still sounds amazing in 2024 and beyond! ❤❤❤
@kimberlyturner820
He had me at "I'll have you home before it dark"...a true gentleman.
@miamiflutist
Right?! Agreed!
@debbieann3560
Yea