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.

You Send Me
Percy Sledge Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Darling, you send me
I know, you send me
Darling, you send me
Honest, you do
Honest, you do
Honest, you do
You thrill me
I know, you thrill me

Darling, you thrill me
Honest, you do
Honest, you do
Honest, you do
At first I thought it was infatuation
But it lasted so long
Now I find myself wanting
To marry you and take you home
You send me
You send me
You send me
Honest, you do
Whenever I'm with you
Whenever I'm near you
Honest, you do
I know when you hold me
Whenever you kiss me
Whenever I'm with you
Whenever I'm near you
Honest, you do

I know when you hold me
Whenever you kiss me

Overall Meaning

The song "You Send Me" by Percy Sledge is a classic love song that is about the strong feelings of love that the singer has for his lover. The lyrics are simple and repetitive, but the emotions behind them are deep and sincere. The song begins with the repeated lines, "Darling, you send me, I know, you send me." This is a declaration of the powerful effect that the lover has on the singer. He feels that she sends shivers down his spine and makes him feel alive.

As the song progresses, there is a sense of the singer being overwhelmed by his feelings. He repeats the phrase "You thrill me, honest you do" several times, indicating how deeply he is affected by his lover. However, there is a sense of confusion as well, as he admits at one point, "At first I thought it was infatuation, but it lasted so long." This indicates that he was initially unsure if what he felt was real love, but it has persisted and he has come to the realization that he does indeed love his partner.

The final lines of the song bring the story full circle. The singer declares that he wants to marry his lover and take her home, indicating that he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. The repeated lines of "Honest you do" and "Whenever I'm with you, whenever I'm near you" reinforce the message that his love for her is genuine and profound. In summary, "You Send Me" is a simple yet powerful love song that captures the intense emotions of falling in love.

Line by Line Meaning

Darling, you send me
My dear, you cause me to feel a certain way

I know, you send me
I'm aware that you have a powerful effect on me

Honest, you do
Truly, you have this effect on me

You thrill me
You excite me and make me feel alive

At first I thought it was infatuation
Initially, I believed my feelings for you were purely physical attraction

But it lasted so long
However, those feelings persisted for a considerable amount of time

Now I find myself wanting
Currently, I yearn for something more with you

To marry you and take you home
To legally bind ourselves together and create a home with you

Whenever I'm with you
Each time we're together

Whenever I'm near you
Whenever we're in each other's presence

I know when you hold me
I'm aware of the feelings that arise when you embrace me

Whenever you kiss me
Each time our lips touch

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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