Born in Leno, Tennessee, Wright, as a youngster, began singing in the church. In 1956, while still in high school, he joined The Sunset Travelers as one of the lead singers for the gospel group. He later fronted a gospel music group, the Harmony Echoes. It was during this time that he was discovered (along with James Carr) by Roosevelt Jamison a songwriter and manager. Their first pop recording in 1964 was "That's How Strong My Love Is," a ballad later covered by Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. It was issued on Goldwax, the label Wright signed to after leaving his gospel career. It was later determined that Don Robey still had him under a recording contract, due to his gospel group having recorded for Peacock. After his contract was shifted to Don Robey’s Back Beat label, further R&B hits followed. Working with record producer Willie Mitchell, success continued on songs including "Ace of Spades" and "A Nickel and a Nail".
Wright's hits were much more popular in the deep South. His biggest hits were "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (R&B #6, 1965), "Eight Men, Four Women" (R&B #4, 1967) "Ace of Spades" (R&B #11, 1970), "A Nickel and a Nail" (R&B #19, 1971). The remainder of his 17 hits charted higher than #20 on the R&B charts.
However, Wright was imprisoned for narcotics offenses during the mid-1970s, and, despite signing for Hi Records and releasing a series of recordings, his commercial success failed to recover after his release. A continuing drug problem weakened his health and he died from a heart attack, in Mobile, Alabama at age 41.
Wright is among the most remembered voices of soul music, perhaps mostly for being sampled frequently in hip hop music. In 1996, his song, "Motherless Child" was sampled on the Ghostface Killah album Ironman on a song also called "Motherless Child." It and another Wright recording, "Let's Straighten It Out" have been published on Shaolin Soul, a compilation of tracks that have been sampled by the Wu Tang Clan and its members. "Let's Straighten It Out" was sampled in a Wu-Tang Clan song called "America" from the charity compilation album America Is Dying Slowly. "Ace of Spades" was sampled by Slim Thug and the Boss Hogg Outlawz on a song named "Recognize A Playa".
Johnny Rawls joined Wright's backing band in the mid-1970s, and played together with Wright until the latter's death in 1980. The band then continued billed as the O.V. Wright Band for another 13 years, and toured and performed with other musicians over this time span. These included B.B. King, Little Milton, Bobby Bland, Little Johnny Taylor, and Blues Boy Willie.
Pledging My Love
O.V. Wright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
迷い道を抜ける場所 知っていた
あなたに出会った日から
何かが変わり始めて
いつしかここに立っていた
Thanks for your love
思い出に変える程
強い訳じゃ無いけど
もう二度と戻れない
see you, my best love これ以上
あなたが遠くなっても
輝いたあの頃は
何一つ変わらない
A view from the window 眺めてた
You & me, I had a flash back
見晴らしのいい窓越しに
座り見下ろしてた park street
そう 白い部屋にただ二人
穏やかに流れた時間達
For me, it was the best time
いつか景色に Time goes by
他の誰と 許しあう隙もなく
二人遠い明日を見て生きていた
分かっていたよね きっと
この先の交差点で
それぞれの場所へ向かう
It's our last day
寂しさに弱すぎて
優しさに不器用で
何も言えないままに
季節は通り過ぎてた
see you, my best love 重ね会う
偶然に溺れても
壊れてはまた築き
そして道が生まれる
Wisper dream 二人で秘密のstream
紡ぎ合わせ創ったsweet love scene
からっぽ達のsingin'
耳をふさぎstreetからswingin' out
抱きあう わかりあう
言葉も交さずただ溶け合う
不安なんてどこ探したって
こわれっぽちもなかったはずのlife
Won't you tell me why?
物事は終わってしまい
きっと誰のせいでもない
つらい嵐の中を進むしかない
それぞれの道を選んでく未来
いつしか誰かと出逢いたい
Don't look at my eyes,
cos I'm cryin' ...
cos I'm cryin' ...
あなたに出会った日から
何かが変わり始めて
いつしかここに立っていた
Thanks for your love
思い出に変える程
強い訳じゃ無いけど
寄り添ったあの頃に
もう二度と戻れない
see you, my best love これ以上
あなたが遠くなっても
輝いたあの頃は
何一つ変わらない
The lyrics to "Pledging My Love" by O.V. Wright express a sense of longing and nostalgia for a past love. The singer reflects on the day they met and how everything changed from that moment onwards. There is an acknowledgement that despite their love not being particularly strong, it holds a special place in their heart. They reminisce about the times they spent together and how those memories will never change, even if the person they love grows distant or the relationship ends.
The lyrics also touch upon the bittersweet nature of love and the passing of time. The singer recalls a specific moment where they sat by a window overlooking Park Street and felt a sense of peace and contentment. It was a time when they were happy and cherished, but now they can only look back on it as a memory. They recognize their own vulnerability to loneliness and their inability to express their feelings, as the seasons pass them by.
There is a sense of acceptance and resignation towards the end of the song. The singer acknowledges that things come to an end and it's not necessarily anyone's fault. They understand that they must continue to move forward through the storms of life, choosing their own path and hoping to encounter someone new along the way. Despite the tears and longing in their eyes, they express gratitude for the love they experienced, even if it wasn't strong enough to last.
Overall, "Pledging My Love" captures the wistful emotions of reminiscing about a lost love and the passage of time, with a touch of acceptance and hope for the future.
Line by Line Meaning
胸に残る何気ない言葉だけが
Only simple words remain in my heart
迷い道を抜ける場所 知っていた
I knew the place to escape from the lost path
あなたに出会った日から
Since the day I met you
何かが変わり始めて
Something started to change
いつしかここに立っていた
Suddenly, I found myself standing here
Thanks for your love
I am grateful for your love
思い出に変える程
Not strong enough to turn into memories
強い訳じゃ無いけど
But it's not a strong reason
寄り添ったあの頃に
To the time we were close to each other
もう二度と戻れない
We can never go back again
see you, my best love これ以上
See you, my best love, no matter what happens
あなたが遠くなっても
Even if you become distant
輝いたあの頃は
The shining days we had
何一つ変わらない
Nothing has changed
A view from the window 眺めてた
I was gazing out of the window
You & me, I had a flash back
You and I, I had a flashback
見晴らしのいい窓越しに
Through the clear window
座り見下ろしてた park street
I was sitting and overlooking Park Street
そう 白い部屋にただ二人
Yes, just the two of us in a white room
穏やかに流れた時間達
The calm times that flowed by
For me, it was the best time
For me, it was the best time
いつか景色に Time goes by
Someday, time goes by in the scenery
他の誰と 許しあう隙もなく
Without any chance to forgive others
二人遠い明日を見て生きていた
We were living, looking at a distant tomorrow
分かっていたよね きっと
I knew it, surely
この先の交差点で
At the intersection ahead
それぞれの場所へ向かう
We each head towards our own places
It's our last day
It's our last day
寂しさに弱すぎて
Too weak to handle loneliness
優しさに不器用で
Clumsy when it comes to kindness
何も言えないままに
Without being able to say anything
季節は通り過ぎてた
The seasons were passing by
see you, my best love 重ね会う
See you, my best love, even if we meet again
偶然に溺れても
Even if we drown in coincidences
壊れてはまた築き
Breaking and rebuilding once again
そして道が生まれる
And a new path is born
Wisper dream 二人で秘密のstream
Whispering dream, a secret stream between the two of us
紡ぎ合わせ創ったsweet love scene
We created a sweet love scene, intertwined together
からっぽ達のsingin'
Empty ones singing
耳をふさぎstreetからswingin' out
Blocking my ears, swinging out from the streets
抱きあう わかりあう
Embracing each other, understanding each other
言葉も交さずただ溶け合う
Melting together without exchanging words
不安なんてどこ探したって
No matter where I look for anxiety
こわれっぽちもなかったはずのlife
My life that was supposed to be not fragile
Won't you tell me why?
Won't you tell me why?
物事は終わってしまい
Things have come to an end
きっと誰のせいでもない
Surely, it's not anyone's fault
つらい嵐の中を進むしかない
We have no choice but to move forward in the painful storm
それぞれの道を選んでく未来
Choosing our respective paths for the future
いつしか誰かと出逢いたい
Eventually, I want to meet someone
Don't look at my eyes, cos I'm cryin' ...
Don't look at my eyes, because I'm crying
あなたに出会った日から
Since the day I met you
何かが変わり始めて
Something started to change
いつしかここに立っていた
Suddenly, I found myself standing here
Thanks for your love
I am grateful for your love
思い出に変える程
Not strong enough to turn into memories
強い訳じゃ無いけど
But it's not a strong reason
寄り添ったあの頃に
To the time we were close to each other
もう二度と戻れない
We can never go back again
see you, my best love これ以上
See you, my best love, no matter what happens
あなたが遠くなっても
Even if you become distant
輝いたあの頃は
The shining days we had
何一つ変わらない
Nothing has changed
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MOTSU, 貴志 木村
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind