The Reeves family was a musical family. There was always music and singing in their home, consequently, Martha wanted to become a singer.
Reeves first performace was in church singing the hymn, "Jesus met The Woman At The Well". She won a box of chocolate covered cherries.
As a teen she sang with several local girl groups. She was also trained in opera.
She met Motown executive Mickey Stevenson during one of her solo gigs. He invited her to audition for Motown records. Although she went to Motown as a singer, she became their first A&R secretary. She was "The Secretary that could sing her A--off".
When singer Mary Wells missed a recording session, Martha Reeves filled in and was given a recording contract.
Along with the Vandellas, Martha Reeves vibrant lead vocal can be heard on hits like: "Heat Wave", "Quicksand", "Jimmy Mack", "Nowhere to Run" and "Dancing In the Street".
Martha Reeves became the first Motown artist to get a release from her contract in 1972. She became a solo artist and recorded tracks for MCA, Arista, Fantasy and later her own label, Itch records. "Power of Love", Wild Night" and Love Blind" are her most popular solo efforts. Her solo album "Martha Reeves", released in 1974 is still a cult favorite among many fans.
Although her solo career failed to take off properly, Martha Reeves manged to remain an important entertainer gaining continous spots on national television and performing in concerts all over the world.
Today she is still performs solo or with a line-up of Vandellas that consists of her Sisters, Lois and Delphine Reeves.
S.T.
POWER OF LOVE
Martha Reeves Lyrics
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Keep the vampires from your door
Feels like fire
I'm so in love with you
Dreams are like angels
They keep bad at bay-bad at bay
Love is the light
I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
When the chips are down
I'll be around
With my undying, death-defying
Love for you
Envy will hurt itself
Let yourself be beautiful
Sparkling love, flowers
And pearls and pretty girls
Love is like an energy
Rushin' rushin' inside of me
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
This time we go sublime
Lovers entwine-divine divine
Love is danger, love is pleasure
Love is pure-the only treasure
I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
The power of love
A force from above
A sky-scraping dove
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
Keep the vampires from your door
The lyrics of Martha Reeves And The Vandellas's song Love are full of bold and poetic imagery that depict love as a powerful force that can protect and transform. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song as the singer promises to protect their lover from danger and darkness. The reference to the 'hooded claw' and 'vampires' creates a sense of foreboding that is later dispelled by the power of love. The next lines express the overwhelming feeling of being in love and the way it can banish fears and negativity. This sets the stage for the chorus which asserts that love is a force from above that cleanses the soul and burns with desire. Love is portrayed as a pure and beautiful thing that is worth striving for.
The verses that follow expand upon this theme, with the singer describing love as an energy that rushes inside of them and a danger and pleasure that is the only treasure. They urge their lover to purge their soul of negative emotions and to make love their goal. The final chorus repeats the message that love is a powerful force that can cleanse and transform, and reiterates the promise to protect the beloved from danger. The song ends on a triumphant note as the power of love is exalted as a sky-scraping dove.
Overall, the lyrics of Love are full of vivid and poetic language that depict love as a transformative force that can protect, cleanse and uplift. The references to danger, darkness and negativity create a sense of contrast that heightens the impact of the positive message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll protect you from the hooded claw
I'll always be there to shield you from danger and keep you safe
Keep the vampires from your door
I'll keep negative, harmful people away from you
Feels like fire
My passion for you is intense
I'm so in love with you
I have deep emotional feelings for you
Dreams are like angels
Positive thoughts attract positivity and keep negativity at bay
They keep bad at bay-bad at bay
Good dreams are powerful enough to keep negativity at a distance
Love is the light
Love is a positive force that shines in the darkness
Scaring darkness away-yeah
Love can overcome anything negative or harmful
Purge the soul
Remove negative thoughts or emotions from within oneself
Make love your goal
Focus on love and positive relationships
The power of love
Love has the ability to affect great changes
A force from above
Love is like a divine force that transcends human understanding
Cleaning my soul
Love can purify the soul and free it from negativity
Flame on burn desire
The intensity of passion and love can be almost overwhelming
Love with tongues of fire
Love can consume and energize one's entire being
This time we go sublime
This time, our love will surpass anything we've experienced before
Lovers entwine-divine divine
Our love is divine and unbreakable
Love is danger, love is pleasure
Love can be scary, but also brings immense joy and pleasure
Love is pure-the only treasure
Love is a pure and valuable thing that should be cherished above all else
The power of love
Love has the ability to create amazing changes in oneself and in the world
A sky-scraping dove
Love is like a peaceful, soaring bird that can inspire others
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind