The tragic 1979 death of 31-year-old Riperton silenced one of soul music's most unique and unforgettable voices - blessed with an angelic five-octave vocal range, she scored her greatest commercial success with the chart-topping pop ballad, "Lovin' You". Riperton was born in Chicago on November 8, 1947. As a young girl, she studied music, drama, and dance at the city's Lincoln Center and later contemplated a career in opera. Her pop career began in 1963 when she joined the local girl group called The Gems (not to be confused with the 60s New York-based girl group Gems, led by Louise Bethune), who were also known at times as The Starlets (1963-1966), signing to the famed Chess label to release a handful of singles as well as lend backing vocals to acts including Fontella Bass, The Dells, and Etta James. After graduating from high school, Riperton went to work at Chess as a receptionist. A year before The Gems' dissolution in 1967, she also signed with the label as a solo act, releasing a single, Lonely Girl, under the alias Andrea Davis (a pseudonym she used in honor of Billy Davis, her mentor at Chess who wrote the song for her).
In 1967, Riperton was installed as the lead vocalist of the psychedelic soul band Rotary Connection, which debuted that year with a self-titled LP on Cadet Concepts. The singles "Amen" and "Lady Jane" found a home on underground FM radio, but the group failed to make much of an impression on mainstream outlets. While still a Connection member, Riperton mounted a solo career. Teaming up with producer/arranger Charles Stepney and her husband/composer Richard Rudolph, she issued her brilliant 1970 debut, Come to My Garden, but again commercial success eluded her. After Rotary Connection dissolved in the wake of 1971's Hey Love, she and Rudolph took a two-year sabbatical in Florida before relocating to Los Angeles, where she sang on Stevie Wonder's Fulfillingness' First Finale and toured as a member of his backing unit Wonderlove.
Wonder agreed to co-produce Riperton's 1974 album Perfect Angel, which included the international blockbuster "Lovin' You". The record made her a household name, although subsequent LPs like 1975's Adventures in Paradise and 1977's Stay in Love failed to repeat its success. By this time, however, commercial woes were the least of Riperton's concerns - diagnosed with breast cancer, she underwent a mastectomy in 1976, later becoming a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society and earning a Society Courage Award from then-President Jimmy Carter. Riperton continued performing despite her declining condition, with 1979's Minnie, the final record completed during her lifetime - but died in Los Angeles on July 12 of that year. Unreleased vocal tracks with new instrumental backing constituted 1980's posthumous collection, Love Lives Forever. - Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
genres: Soul, Pop-Soul, Chicago Soul, Smooth Soul, AM Pop, Uptown Soul.
Inside My Love
Minnie Riperton Lyrics
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Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Two people, just meeting, barely touching each other
Two spirits, greeting, tryin' to carry it further
You are one, and I am another
We should be one inside each other
Do you wanna ride inside my love?
You can see inside me, will you come inside me
Do you wanna ride inside my love?
Two strangers, not strangers
Only lacking the knowing
So willing, feeling
Infinite growing
While we're here, the whole world is turning
We should be one, fulfilling the yearning
You can see inside me, will you come inside me?
Do you wanna ride inside my love?
You can see inside me, will you come inside me?
Do you wanna ride inside my love?
You can see inside me, will you come inside me?
Do you wanna ride inside my love?
You can see inside me, will you come inside me?
Do you wanna ride, inside my love?
The lyrics to Minnie Riperton's song "Inside My Love" are a sensual and passionate invitation to explore the depths of love and intimacy. The song portrays two people who have just met and are attracted to each other at an almost spiritual level. They are two spirits trying to carry each other further, and they long to be one inside each other. The lyrics suggest that true intimacy lies in opening up to each other and exploring the depths of love, mind and soul.
The song is a beautiful celebration of physical and emotional intimacy. It suggests that physical pleasure is an integral part of a true love experience, and that one should invite their partner to "come inside" and explore each other's bodies fully. The song also acknowledges that true intimacy is not just skin deep, but involves getting to know each other deeply and fulfilling each other's yearnings.
In summary, the lyrics to "Inside My Love" invite the listener to explore the depths of love and intimacy, and suggest that true love involves opening up to your partner and experiencing physical and emotional pleasure together.
Line by Line Meaning
Two people, just meeting, barely touching each other
Two individuals who have just met, and are not physically intimate with each other yet.
Two spirits, greeting, tryna carry each further
Two souls who are trying to connect with each other on a deeper level.
You are one, and I am another
Both individuals are different yet distinct, with their own unique qualities.
We should be, one inside each other
They should come together in a spiritual and physical union, completely intertwined with each other.
You can see inside me, will you come inside me
The person is inviting their partner to explore and uncover their true selves deeply.
Do you wanna ride, inside my love
They are asking if their partner is willing to indulge in physical and emotional intimacy with them.
Say that you'll ride, inside this love with me
The person is asking for an affirmation of their partner's willingness to engage in a deep, loving relationship with them.
While we're here, the whole world is turning
While they are alive, the world around them is constantly changing and evolving.
We should be, one, fulfilling the yearning
They should come together to satisfy their mutual desire for emotional and physical closeness with each other.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Leon Ware, Minnie Riperton, Richard Rudolph
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind