Patricia Louise Holt (born May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), bet… Read Full Bio ↴Patricia Louise Holt (born May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), better known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is a highly revered, Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, author, businesswoman and actress. LaBelle has fronted two moderately successful groups, Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles and LaBelle, before rising to superstardom as a solo artist in the late 1970s. She is best known for her strong soprano vocals and her signature high-octave vocal belting. LaBelle has been largely compared to Aretha Franklin during the 1970s, but her distinguishing vocal range remains unique and recognizable, and she is widely regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all-time by such industry publications and media outlets as Jet Magazine, BET and VH1. LaBelle has recorded 16 solo studio albums since her solo debut in 1977. LaBelle has also reportedly sold more than 50 million albums. Her biography, Don't Block the Blessings, remained at the top of the New York Times best seller list for several weeks. In addition, she is also a bestselling cookbook author - on Twitter as @LaBelleFoods.
She has received recognition of her works in music, being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Apollo Hall of Fame, the Songwriters' Hall of Fame as well as the World Music Awards presenting her with the prestigious Legend Award. In 2012 and 2013, LaBelle embarked on the 50th Anniversary Tour, celebrating her years in the music business.

come as you are
Patti LaBelle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here you come again,
just when I've begun to get myself together,
you waltz right in the door,
just like you've done before
and wrap my heart 'round your little finger.

Here you come again,
just when I'm about to make it work without you,

you look into my eyes and lie those pretty lies
and pretty soon I'm wond'rin how I came to doubt you.

All you gotta do is smile that smile
and there go all my defenses.
Just leave it up to you and in a little while
you're messin' up my mind and fillin' up my senses.
Here you come again lookin' better than a body has a right to;
and shakin' me up so that all I really know
is here you come again and here I go.

All you gotta do is smile that smile
and there got all my defenses.
Just leave it up to you and in a little while
you're messin' up my mind and fillin' up my senses.
Here you come again lookin' better than a body has a right to;

and shakin' me up so that all I really know
is here you come again and here I go and here I go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Patti Labelle's "Come As You Are" can be interpreted in different ways, but the most obvious is that it is about a person who keeps coming back into her life even when she tries to move on without them. The singer is trying to get her life together and move on, but the person keeps returning, telling her lies and messing up her mind. Despite her best efforts to resist this person, all they have to do is smile and she falls under their spell. The singer is aware of this pattern, but she can't seem to break free from her feelings for this person.

On a deeper level, the song may also be about the difficulty of letting go of toxic relationships. The singer acknowledges that the person is not good for her, but she can't resist their charm and ends up getting hurt each time. She may also be questioning her judgment and wondering how she could doubt this person who has hurt her before. The line, "Here you come again, looking better than a body has a right to," suggests that the person is not just physically attractive, but also has a way of making the singer feel weak and helpless.

Ultimately, the song captures the cycle of attraction, infatuation, and heartbreak that can happen in relationships. The singer knows that the person is not good for her, but she can't stop herself from falling for them each time they come around. The cycle repeats itself over and over again, leaving the singer feeling confused and helpless.

Line by Line Meaning

Here you come again,
You have returned to my life once again.

just when I've begun to get myself together,
Just as I am starting to recover from our past.

you waltz right in the door,
You enter my life with confidence and ease.

just like you've done before
Just like you have done in the past.

and wrap my heart 'round your little finger.
And take control of my emotions.

just when I'm about to make it work without you,
Just as I am about to move on without you.

you look into my eyes and lie those pretty lies
You deceive me with your charming lies.

and pretty soon I'm wond'rin how I came to doubt you.
And before I know it, I am questioning why I ever doubted you.

All you gotta do is smile that smile
All you need to do is show me that smile.

and there go all my defenses.
And all of my protection disappears.

Just leave it up to you and in a little while
I put my trust in you and soon after.