Lewis began taking piano lessons at the age of four. As a young man, Lewis played with a number of local ensembles, such as Edward Virgil Abner's Knights of Music. Lewis would eventually join a jazz group called The Clefs.
He formed The Ramsey Lewis Trio in 1956 with Eldee Young and Isaac Holt. They started as primarily a jazz unit but after their hit, "The In Crowd", in 1965 (the single reached fifth place on the pop charts, and the album second place) the trio concentrated more and more on pop material. Young and Holt left in 1966 to form the Young-Holt Trio and were replaced by Cleveland Eaton and Maurice White. White was replaced by Maurice Jennings in 1970. In the late 1970s an additional keyboard player was frequently added to the lineup. A contemporary version of "The In Crowd" was recorded for Lewis' 2004 album, Time Flies.
His 2005 album "With One Voice" pays homage to his gospel roots with the help Smokie Norful, Darius Brooks, and Donald Lawrence and the J.W. James Memorial A.M.E. Church Combined Choir.
In addition to recording and performing, he was a radio host on Chicago's Smooth Jazz station, WNUA (95.5 FM). His syndicated show Legends of Jazz, featuring classic jazz recordings from artists such as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis), could be heard in 60 cities in the United States and other countries as well. His Legends of Jazz television series on PBS, was first aired in April 2006.
From December 2006, the Ramsey Lewis Morning Show became a part of Broadcast Architecture's Smooth Jazz Network, simulcasting on other Smooth Jazz stations across the country for the first time.
Lewis was artistic director of Jazz at Ravinia (an annual feature at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois) and helped organize Ravinia's Jazz Mentor Program.
Come Back To Me
Ramsey Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Came across the letter you wrote
Said you needed time away
That was so long ago
All my life I've waited
To see your smile again
In my mind I hated
Not able to let go
Come back to me
I'm beggin' you please
Come back to me
I want you to
Come back to me
I'm beggin' you please
Come back to me
Lord knows that I have tried
To live my life as one
Friends tell me to hold on
Tough times don't last for long
My abandoned heart
Just doesn't understand
My undying love for you
Won't let me wait
Come back to me
I'm beggin' you please
Come back to me
I want you to
Come back to me
I'm beggin' you please
Come back to me
I want you to
Come back to me (come back to me)
Come back
I want you to
Come back to me
Come back
Please come back to me
I miss you so much
Wherever you are I love you
All my life I've waited
To see your smile again
In my mind I hated
Not able to let go
Not able to let go
Hooh, huh, I won't let you go
No no no
The lyrics of Ramsey Lewis's song "Come Back To Me" tell the story of a person who has found an old letter from someone they loved and who had asked for time away. The singer of the story seems to have waited for this person for a long time, even though they have not come back. The singer's undying love makes it hard to let go, and they continue to hope that the person they love will return to them.
The song's lyrics convey a feeling of longing and sadness that is accentuated by the soulful and melancholic melody. The piano chords and the steady drumbeat give the song a touch of bluesy jazz that helps create an emotional atmosphere. The repetition of the chorus "Come back to me" works both as a plea and a demand, showing the singer's desperation to have the person they love back in their life.
The song's melody and lyrics have resonated with many listeners, and it has become a classic in the soul and jazz genres. Its emotional depth and the raw honesty of the lyrics make it a song that many people can relate to. The sense of loss and longing in the lyrics is something that many people experience at some point in their lives, and the song encapsulates those feelings perfectly.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking through my old drawer
As I was searching through my old possessions
Came across the letter you wrote
I stumbled upon the letter you wrote to me
Said you needed time away
You mentioned that you needed to take some time away
That was so long ago
But that was ages ago
All my life I've waited
I've been waiting my whole life
To see your smile again
Just to see your smile once more
In my mind I hated
In my thoughts I resented the fact that you had to go
Not able to let go
I couldn't seem to let you go
Come back to me
Please return to my arms
I'm beggin' you please
I implore you, please come back to me
Lord knows that I have tried
I have tried everything I can think of
To live my life as one
To try and live my life without you
Friends tell me to hold on
My friends encourage me to stay strong
Tough times don't last for long
They assure me that difficult times will eventually end
My abandoned heart
My broken and neglected heart
Just doesn't understand
Cannot comprehend the reason for your absence
My undying love for you
My love for you that never fades
Won't let me wait
Prevents me from patiently waiting any longer
Please come back to me
I earnestly request that you return to me
I miss you so much
I long for you dearly
Wherever you are I love you
Regardless of your whereabouts, my love for you remains strong
Not able to let go
Even though I can't seem to move on
Hooh, huh, I won't let you go
I refuse to let you go
No no no
Definitely not
Lyrics © JANET JACKSON DBA BLACK ICE, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Terry Lewis, James III Harris, Janet Jackson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind