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.
Island In the Sun
Minnie Riperton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will show you things you always dreamed of
We can make it happen on our island in the sun
Every morning we will swim in
Cool clear sparkling waters
Wrapped in purple satin nights
We'll make slow love
If you come with me
Please bring all your secret yernings
You'll find what you need on our island in the sun
Close your eyes and you will hear the palm trees gently swaying
I can hardly wait to get my hands on you
Time is wastin'
Come pluck the fruit your mind is tastin'
Or will you keep on chasin'
"If only it could be"
If you come with me
We'll live happy ever after
We could be so free on our island in the sun
Secret thoughts your heart conceals like ancient buried treasures
Will at last be whispered in love's ear
Time is wastin'
Come pluck the fruit your mind is tastin'
Or will you keep on chasin'
"Oh, if only it could be"
Come with me
We could be so free
If you come with me
We could be so happy
Come to my island
Come to my island
Come to my island
The lyrics to Minnie Riperton's song "Island in the Sun" speak to the idea of escaping to paradise with a loved one. The singer invites their beloved to come along on a journey to a beautiful island where they can live freely and happily. The song creates a vivid picture of this paradise with imagery of swimming in clear waters and making slow love, wrapped in purple satin nights. The singer urges their beloved to let go of their fears and bring all their secret desires to the island, where they will finally be able to whisper them in love's ear.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of time passing quickly and the importance of seizing the moment. The singer encourages their beloved to stop chasing after things that may never come and instead, come with them to the island where they can pluck the fruit of their mind's desires. The song ends with a final plea to come with the singer to the island and experience true freedom and happiness.
Overall, "Island in the Sun" speaks to the universal desire to escape the stresses and struggles of everyday life and find paradise with the one we love. The song creates a powerful image of this paradise and urges listeners to let go of their fears and embrace the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
If you come with me
The singer is inviting someone to come with them.
I will show you things you always dreamed of
The singer promises to expose their companion to things they have only ever dreamt of seeing or experiencing.
We can make it happen on our island in the sun
The listener and speaker can make their dreams come true on their island paradise.
Every morning we will swim in
The artist envisions a daily ritual of starting the day with a swim.
Cool clear sparkling waters
The waters they swim in are crystal clear, refreshing and sparkling.
Wrapped in purple satin nights
The lovers will spend their evenings together luxuriously covered in soft purple satin sheets.
We'll make slow love
The singer desires to make love to their companion slowly and passionately.
Please bring all your secret yernings
The artist is asking the listener to bring all of their secret desires and longings.
You'll find what you need on our island in the sun
The artist promises that the listener will find everything they need on their island paradise.
Close your eyes and you will hear the palm trees gently swaying
If the listener closes their eyes they'll hear the sweet peaceful sound of palm trees swaying.
I can hardly wait to get my hands on you
The singer has a strong sexual desire for their companion and eagerly wants to be intimate with them.
Time is wastin'
The artist is aware that time is short and quickly running out.
Come pluck the fruit your mind is tastin'
The listener should act upon their desires and experience what they have been longing for.
Or will you keep on chasin'
The singer is questioning if the listener will continue to chase after their desires or if they'll take action.
"If only it could be"
The listener wishes their dreams could be a reality but has no idea how to make it happen.
We'll live happy ever after
If the listener comes to the artist's island, they will live happily ever after together.
We could be so free on our island in the sun
On their island paradise, the listener and speaker can be completely free and live in harmony.
Secret thoughts your heart conceals like ancient buried treasures
The singer acknowledges that the listener has hidden desires and refers to them as ancient buried treasures.
Will at last be whispered in love's ear
Finally, the listener will be able to share their deepest desires with the singer and feel loved and accepted.
Come to my island
The artist is urging the listener to come to their island paradise.
We could be so free
On their island paradise, the listener and speaker can be completely free and live in harmony.
Come to my island
The artist is urging the listener to come to their island paradise.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Richard Rudolph, Minnie Riperton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind