Percy Sledge (born 25 November 1940 in Leighton, Alabama; died 14 April 201… Read Full Bio ↴Percy Sledge (born 25 November 1940 in Leighton, Alabama; died 14 April 2015 in Baton Rouge) was an American R&B and soul performer who most notably recorded the single "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1966, an international top 40 hit that the RIAA has certified as gold. Having achieved his best successes in the mid-to-late 60s and early 70s with a series of emotional soul songs, in his later years he received the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Career Achievement Award and was inducted in 2005 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Percy Sledge worked in the fields in Leighton before he worked as an orderly at Colbert County Hospital in Sheffield. By the mid-1960s, Sledge was touring the Southeast with the Esquires Combo on weekends and working at the hospital. A former patient who was a friend of producer Quin Ivy introduced the two, an audition followed, and Sledge was signed to a recording contract.

Sledge's smooth voice was perfect for the series of soul ballads produced by Ivy and Marlin Greene, which rock critic Dave Marsh called "emotional classics for romantics of all ages."

"When a Man Loves a Woman" was the first song recorded under the contract (released in 1966), and it became not only an international hit (it reached #1 in the US) but was also the first gold record released by Atlantic Records. The magnificent soul anthem became the cornerstone of Sledge's career and was followed by "Warm and Tender Love," "Take Time to Know Her," and "Cover Me."

Sledge charted with "I'll Be Your Everything" and "Sunshine" during the 1970s, and has become an international concert favorite throughout the world, especially in the Netherlands, Germany, and on the African continent.

His career enjoyed a renaissance in the 1980s when "When a Man Loves a Woman" re-entered the Top 10 in the UK after being used in a Levi's commercial.

Sledge was an inaugural Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award honoree in 1989. In 2005, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Bring It On Home to Me
Percy Sledge Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you ever change your mind
About leaving, leaving me behind
Oh-oh, bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me

I know I laughed when you left
But now I know I only hurt myself

Oh-oh, bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me

I'll give you jewellery and money, too
That ain't all, that ain't all I'll do for you
Oh, if you bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me

You know I'll always be your slave
'Til I'm buried, buried in my grave
Oh honey, bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me

One more thing
I tried to treat you right
But you stayed out, stayed out at night
But I forgive you, bring it to me

Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Percy Sledge's song Bring It On Home to Me are about pleading with a former lover to come back home. The song is a reflection of the singer's regret after taking his partner's love for granted and allowing her to leave him. The chorus of the song, "bring your sweet loving, bring it on home to me," becomes a desperate plea for the woman to reconsider her decision to leave.

In the first verse, the singer pleads with his former partner to change her mind about leaving him behind. He longs for her return and begs her to bring back her "sweet loving" to him. In the second verse, he acknowledges that he made a mistake by laughing at her departure and realizes that he had only hurt himself by doing so. He reaffirms his plea for her to come back to him.

The third verse sees the singer offering material possessions, such as jewelry and money, to entice his former love to come back home. He promises to do anything for her if she returns. In the fourth verse, he pledges his loyalty and devotion to her, saying he will be her "slave" until he dies. Finally, in the fifth verse, he forgives her for staying out at night, and reiterates his desire for her to bring her love back home to him.

Line by Line Meaning

If you ever change your mind
If you have second thoughts about leaving me

About leaving, leaving me behind
Leaving me behind to be alone and forsaken.

Oh-oh, bring it to me
Bring your love to me.

Bring your sweet loving
The type of love that makes me happy and satisfied.

Bring it on home to me
Bring the love back to where it belongs, to me.

I know I laughed when you left
I tried to laugh it off when you went away.

But now I know I only hurt myself
But now I understand I only hurt my own feelings.

I'll give you jewellery and money, too
I'll spoil you with expensive gifts and money.

That ain't all, that ain't all I'll do for you
That's just the beginning of what I'll do to make you happy.

Oh, if you bring it to me
If you bring your love back to me.

You know I'll always be your slave
I'll always be devoted and obedient to you.

'Til I'm buried, buried in my grave
Until I die and am buried in my grave.

Oh honey, bring it to me
Oh my dear, please bring your love back to me.

Bring your sweet loving
Bring back your sweet, satisfying love.

Bring it on home to me
Bring the love back to where it belongs, to me.

One more thing
And there's one more thing.

I tried to treat you right
I tried to be a good partner to you.

But you stayed out, stayed out at night
But you stayed out all night, which hurt my feelings.

But I forgive you, bring it to me
But I am willing to forgive you and want you to bring your love back to me.

Bring your sweet loving
Bring back your sweet, satisfying love.

Bring it on home to me
Bring the love back to where it belongs, to me.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sam Cooke

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS