Flack was the first solo artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year on two consecutive years: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" won at the 1973 Grammys as did "Killing Me Softly with His Song" at the 1974 Grammys.
Flack performs in the areas of jazz, soul, and folk, and is best known for singles such as "Killing Me Softly with His Song", which won the 1974 Grammy for Record of the Year, and "Where Is the Love", which was one of her many duets with Donny Hathaway.
Flack began her professional career recording for Atlantic Records without much success, until one of her earliest recordings, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (1969), was included on the soundtrack to Clint Eastwood's directorial debut Play Misty for Me; it became a number-one hit in 1972.
To Love Somebody
Roberta Flack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A certain kind of light,
That never shone on me.
I want my life to be lived with you,
Lived with you.
There's a way, everybody say,
To do each and every little thing.
If I ain't got you, ain't got?
Baby, you don't know what it's like,
Baby, you don't know what it's like
To love somebody,
To love somebody,
The way I love you.
In my brain
I see your face again.
I know my frame of mind.
But you ain't got to be so blind.
And I'm blind, so su very blind.
Cause I'm a man,
Can't you see what I am?
I live and I breathe for you.
But what good does it do
If I ain't got you, ain't got?
Baby, you don't know what it's like,
Baby, you don't know what it's like
To love somebody,
To love somebody,
The way I love you.
Oh, you don't know what it's like,
Baby, you don't know what it's like
To love somebody,
To love somebody,
The way I love you.
The song "To Love Somebody" by Roberta Flack is a passionate expression of love and longing, with a touch of desperation. The lyrics describe a deep connection with someone that is not reciprocated, and the frustration and heartbreak that come with this unrequited love. The opening lines set the tone for the entire song: "There's a light, a certain kind of light, that never shone on me. I want my life to be lived with you, lived with you." The singer is expressing a desire for a kind of love that she has never experienced before, a love that can fill her life completely.
The chorus of the song repeats the words "Baby, you don't know what it's like, to love somebody, the way I love you." This refrain is a poignant reminder of how much the singer's love is unrequited, and how much pain it is causing her. She goes on to say "In my brain I see your face again, I know my frame of mind. But you ain't got to be so blind, and I'm blind, so very blind". These lyrics demonstrate how she can't help but think about the person she loves, but also recognizes that they are blind to the depth of her feelings.
The final verse reveals the singer's frustration with the situation: "Cause I'm a man, can't you see what I am? I live and I breathe for you. But what good does it do if I ain't got you, ain't got?" This particular verse has been interpreted in different ways by different people. Some say that the singer is taking on a male persona and describing a woman's unrequited love for a man. Others suggest that the lyrics speak more to the singer's desire for equality, and that she feels limited in expressing the full depth of her love because of societal norms and constraints.
Overall, "To Love Somebody" is a poignant and emotional song that captures the feeling of unrequited love in a powerful and relatable way.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a light,
A light that denotes something special
A certain kind of light,
A specific type of light that’s rare
That never shone on me.
Something that the singer has not experienced before
I want my life to be lived with you,
The singer wants to live their life with the person they love
Lived with you.
Emphasis on living life together
There's a way, everybody say,
Everyone seems to have a solution
To do each and every little thing.
A way to do everything
But what does it bring
But what is the use of doing things
If I ain't got you, ain't got?
If the singer doesn't have the person they love
Baby, you don't know what it's like,
The singer trying to explain the feeling to their lover
To love somebody,
The feeling of loving someone deeply
The way I love you.
Emphasis on the intensity of the singer's love
In my brain
The singer visualizes something in their head
I see your face again.
The singer sees the face of the person they love
I know my frame of mind.
The singer is aware of their mindset
But you ain't got to be so blind.
The singer is addressing their lover for being oblivious
And I'm blind, so su very blind.
Despite the singer knowing their mindset, they are still blinded by love
Cause I'm a man,
The singer is referencing to their gender
Can't you see what I am?
The singer is asking their lover to see them for who they are
I live and I breathe for you.
The singer has strong feelings for their lover
But what good does it do
But what is the use of loving someone so deeply
If I ain't got you, ain't got?
If the singer doesn't have the person they love
Oh, you don't know what it's like,
Reiterating that their lover can't comprehend the depth of their love
Baby, you don't know what it's like
The singer wants their lover to understand the intensity of their emotions
To love somebody,
The feeling of loving someone deeply
To love somebody,
Reiteration
The way I love you.
Emphasis on the intensity of the singer's love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARRY GIBB, ROBIN HUGH GIBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jesse Coggins
on I Can See Clearly Now
NOW AND THEN.
Barbara Petula Cottoy Williams
on Don't Make Me Wait to Long
My child hood real music. DISCO!!!!!