Before joining Earth, Wind & Fire in 1971, Bailey sang with different ensembles in the Denver and Chicago area.
Bailey found fame by sharing the lead vocals on EWF songs with EWF-founder Maurice White. Their harmonic voices are legendary. Bailey is most famous for his falsetto and sung lead on such songs as "Devotion", "Head to the Sky", "Reasons", "Fantasy" and "I've Had Enough". Some of Bailey’s earliest heroes included jazz giants like Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Max Roach. But he also developed a taste for the Motown sound, especially the music of Stevie Wonder, who was just beginning to make his mark in the early 1960s. He was also greatly influenced by female singers like Dionne Warwick.
Bailey is currently the on-stage leader of Earth, Wind & Fire, along with bassist Verdine White, vocalist/percussionist Ralph Johnson and vocalist/percussionist B. David Whitworth.
Bailey has also recorded as a solo artist, as well as duets with Little Richard, Phil Collins and Eric Benet. His most notable song was a duet with Phil Collins, "Easy Lover" from his solo album Chinese Wall. Phil Collins, during a radio interview, was asked how "he discovered" Philip Bailey. Annoyed at the lack of knowledge of the interviewer he made up a story about how he had been filling his car with gas/petrol when he heard the attendant singing...and that turned out to be Philip Bailey. The interviewer believed the whole story, which was also picked up by other media outlets.
Bailey also records gospel albums and did a jazz-styled album entitled Soul on Jazz.
Woman
Philip Bailey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're the lightning up above
I call your name out
Woman, you want love
And when I touch you
I see heaven in your eyes
And when I kiss you
Woman, stay, show me the way
Into your heart, light up the dark
I've always dreamed
Of the love that you bring
Oh woman, stay, don't turn me away
You're the angel of light
Who leaves in the night, but I need you
Can't you see, I love you woman?
You are the fire
You are the wind that turns my heart
You are the sunlight
Shining beauty in the dark
And when I saw you
I felt your power in my soul
And when you touched me
I knew I had lost control
Woman, stay, show me the way
Into your heart, light up the dark
I've always dreamed
Of the love that you bring
Oh woman, stay, don't turn me away
You're the angel of light
Who leaves in the night, but I need you
Can't you see, I love you woman?
But you are the fire
You are the wind
You are the sunlight
I need you ?
Now I know
Heaven sent you from above
You are woman
You were sent for me to love
Woman, stay but you'll go away
Now my eyes can see
All the love that I need
For the first time I can believe in woman
I can believe in woman
I need you by my side
You are the flower, you are the rain
You bring me sunlight
You bring me pain, woman
The lyrics of Philip Bailey's song "Woman" express a deep appreciation and admiration for a particular woman who seems to embody all of the qualities that the singer desires. In the opening lines, he portrays the woman as a powerful force of nature, both lightning and thunder, with a commanding presence that cannot be ignored. He calls her name out, indicating a sense of urgency and longing, and declares that she wants love. This desire is echoed later in the song when he implores her to stay and show him the way into her heart, so that he can experience the love that she brings.
Throughout the song, the singer describes the woman in glowing terms, attributing to her the qualities of fire, wind, and sunlight. He sees her as a source of energy and light in his life, bringing him beauty and power that he cannot resist. When he touches her or kisses her, he feels a storm rising within him, suggesting that their connection is both intense and passionate.
Ultimately, the singer realizes that this woman is sent to him from heaven, and he needs her by his side. He declares that he can finally believe in woman, that she is the one who brings him everything he needs, from the rain to the sunlight. The lyrics of "Woman" speak to the universal human desire for love and connection, and the sense that when we find the right person, they can bring out the best in us and help us see the world in a new light.
Line by Line Meaning
You are the thunder
You are powerful and electrifying, much like a thunderstorm
You're the lightning up above
Your bright and striking presence is like a bolt of lightning in the sky
I call your name out
I am drawn to you and seek out your attention
Woman, you want love
You desire love and affection, just as I do
And when I touch you
Your touch is so powerful and moving
I see heaven in your eyes
I feel intense emotions of joy and happiness when I look into your eyes
And when I kiss you
Kissing you is like stirring up deep passion and emotion within me
There's a storm rising within me
I am overwhelmed with intense feelings of love and desire for you
Woman, stay, show me the way
I want you to stay with me and help me understand how to truly love
Into your heart, light up the dark
Let me into your heart and be my light through any darkness
I've always dreamed
I've always wished and hoped for a love like yours
Of the love that you bring
I am deeply moved and touched by the love and affection you bring me
Oh woman, stay, don't turn me away
Please don't push me away or reject my love
You're the angel of light
You are like an angel to me, bringing light and hope into my life
Who leaves in the night, but I need you
Even though you might leave at times, I still need you in my life
Can't you see, I love you woman?
My love for you is strong and true, can't you see it?
You are the fire
You light a fire in me, filling me with passion and energy
You are the wind that turns my heart
You move me with your presence, stirring up my heart and emotions
You are the sunlight
You bring light and warmth into my life, just like the sun
Shining beauty in the dark
Your beauty shines even in the darkest of times
And when I saw you
From the moment I saw you
I felt your power in my soul
I could feel your strength and energy deep within me
And when you touched me
Your touch was electrifying and exhilarating
I knew I had lost control
My emotions and desires for you had completely taken over me
But you are the fire
You are the force that ignites and fuels my passion and desire
I need you
I am dependent on you and cannot live without you
Now I know
I finally realize and understand
Heaven sent you from above
You were sent to me from a higher power
You are woman
You are strong, beautiful, and powerful, embodying the essence of womanhood
You were sent for me to love
I have been given the honor and privilege of loving you
Woman, stay but you'll go away
I want you to stay, but I know you may need to leave
Now my eyes can see
I can finally see and understand
All the love that I need
You are the source of all the love and affection I crave
For the first time I can believe in woman
Through my love for you, I now truly believe in the strength and power of womanhood
I can believe in woman
My love for you has opened my eyes to the beauty and strength of womanhood
I need you by my side
I cannot face life without you, I need you close to me
You are the flower, you are the rain
You bring beauty and life to my world, like a flower and rain
You bring me sunlight
Your love brings light and hope into my life
You bring me pain, woman
Even though your love may bring pain, I am willing to endure it because of how much I love you
Lyrics © ANIDRAKS MUSIC, INC., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY PAUL SKARDINA, MARTI SHARRON, STEPHEN C MITCHELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leec6707
The vocals and the strings are sublime.
@Verdeangelo13
Από τα πιο ωραία τραγούδια εκείνης της εποχής .... από ένα ΥΠΕΡΟΧΟ δίδυμο !!!
@reginaldstyles3129
GREAT SONG PHILIP BAILEY SINGING IN HIS NATURAL VOICE,LEGENDARY ARTIST💙😇
@user-hw6wi4os6q
Είμαι τυχερός που έζησα τη δεκαετία του '80, φανατικός με τη μουσική από μικρός, 8χρονων αγόρασα το πρώτο μου ράδιο κασετόφωνο (5000δρχ), οποίο τραγούδι μου άρεσε από το ράδιο το ηχογραφούσα. Αξέχαστες εποχές αλησμονητες!!!!
@theokikilas2856
Κώστα καλησπέρα ! Όντως πολυ τυχερες οι γεννιες που εζησαν αυτη την περίοδο. Οντως γεννημένος το 89 δεν τα προλαβα αυτά αλλά τα λησμονω με έναν περιεργο τροπο λες και τα εχω ζήσει!
@geodimo
Όσοι ζήσαμε χαρήκαμε μουσική εκείνη την εποχή , όχι σήμερα που όλα είναι ραπ και autotune
@jimkoz5728
Αχ και να γυρνουσαμε το χρονο πισω φιλε μου
@nikossolomos7635
Σε νιώθω φίλε!!
@MeniosVamvakas
ειμαστε απο τους τυχερους
@AngelOrtiz-hs7hh
One of my Favorite B side of all
Time , What a great song!! Love it!!