Pagan was a gifted vocalist. His light, floating tenor was as serenading as Smokey Robinson's, but more ardent when he came down from the clouds. His melodious crooning got some chart action on a remake of Bread's "Make It With You" (1971) for Wand Records (Fania contracted with Wand during this period). Two years later, he scored a minor charter with "Soul Je T'aime" with Sylvia Robinson (now there's a duet made in heaven) on Robinson's Vibration label; but its success was modest at number 39 R&B and 99 pop on Billboard. Other singles include "Didn't Want to Have to Do It," "Just for a Little While," and "Come Back Baby."
In addition to the four Fania albums, he had an obvious hand in Ralfi Pagan Presents Johnny Nelson, which is quite an item among collectors; Low Profile Records also reissued his second Fania album, Ralfi Pagan With Love. Examples of Pagan's haunting vocals can be found on ITP Records' East Side Classics series.
Baby I'm A Want You
Ralfi Pagan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, I'm-a need you
You the only one I care enough to hurt about
Maybe I′m-a crazy
But I just can't live without
Your lovin' and affection
Givin′ me direction
Lately I′m a-prayin'
That you′ll always be a-stayin' beside me
Used to be my life was just emotions passing by
Feeling all the while and never really knowing why
Lately I′m a-prayin'
That you′ll always be a-stayin' beside me
Used to be my life was just emotions passing by
Then you came along and made me laugh
And made me cry
You taught me why
Baby, I'm-a want you
Baby, I′m-a need you
Oh, it took so long to find you, baby
Baby, I′m-a want you
Baby, I'm-a need you
In this beautiful love song by Ralfi Pagan, the singer expresses his deep love for someone, admitting his need and dependence on their affection. He sings, "Baby, I'm-a want you, Baby, I'm-a need you, you the only one I care enough to hurt about, maybe I'm-a crazy, but I just can't live without..." The lines reveal that the singer is willing to go through anything, even pain, just to be with his lover. He describes the significance of his lover's presence in his life using a metaphor of a guiding light that helps him through the darkest hour. The singer implies that his lover's love and affection give him direction in life and make him feel complete.
As the song progresses, the singer reveals that before his lover came into his life, he was just a vessel of emotions without an understanding of why he feels the way he does. However, after finding his love, he laughed, he cried, and most importantly, he was taught why. The singer asks his love to always stay beside him since he can't live without them.
Overall, "Baby I'm A Want You" is a declaration of love and dependence. The song's main theme is the intense love the singer feels for his lover and the impact that person has had on his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, I′m-a want you
I have an overwhelming desire for you, my love.
Baby, I'm-a need you
I depend on you and cannot imagine my life without you.
You the only one I care enough to hurt about
The depth of my care for you is such that you have the power to hurt me like no one else.
Maybe I′m-a crazy
It's possible that my intense love for you is making me seem insane to others.
But I just can't live without
You are such an integral part of my life that I simply cannot imagine living without you.
Your lovin' and affection
Your love and care for me are what keep me going, what motivates and uplifts me.
Givin′ me direction
Your guidance and support help me find my way in life, especially during the darkest moments.
Like a guiding light to help me through a darkest hour
You are like a beacon of hope and inspiration that guides me out of the darkest times.
Lately I′m a-prayin'
In recent times, I've been praying for all the happiness and joy in the world to bless us and our relationship.
That you′ll always be a-stayin' beside me
I pray that you'll never leave me and that we'll always have each other's back.
Used to be my life was just emotions passing by
I used to go through life without direction, guided only by my emotions and whims.
Feeling all the while and never really knowing why
I would feel things deeply but never quite understand why I felt that way.
Then you came along and made me laugh
You brought laughter and happiness into my life and filled it with joy and light.
And made me cry
You made me realize the depth of my emotions and showed me just how much I care for you.
You taught me why
You taught me the reason why I feel so much and why you are the only one for me.
Oh, it took so long to find you, baby
My search for someone like you was a long and difficult journey, but now that I have you, I will cherish you forever.
Writer(s): Gates David Ashworth
Contributed by Peyton A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.