Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
Ain't That Lovin' You
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Know I love ya babe?
Know I love ya babe?
But you don't even know my name
Let me tell ya baby
I'll tell ya what I would do
I would rob, steal, kill somebody
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby?
Ain't that lovin' ya, babe?
Ain't that lovin' ya, babe?
But you don't even know my name
Let me tell ya baby
Don't sound like it's true
They could drop me in the ocean
I'd swim to the bank
An' crawl home ta you
Ain't that lovin' ya baby?
Ain't that lovin' ya babe?
Ain't that lovin' ya baby?
But you don't even know my name
They may kill me baby, bury me like they do
My body might lie but my spirit gonna rise
And come home to you
Ain't that lovin' ya baby?
Ain't that lovin' ya babe?
Ain't that lovin' ya baby?
But you don't even know my name
The lyrics of Rod Stewart's song Ain't That Lovin' You portrays the extreme, passionate and determined love of an individual who is unconditionally in love with someone who does not even know their name. The repeated question, "Know I love ya, babe?" emphasizes the intensity of the singer's love. He goes on to state that he would do anything to be with the person he loves; even rob, steal or kill. He then asks, "Ain't that lovin' ya, baby?" It is clear that he believes that his love is the most genuine and profound.
In the second verse, the singer continues to express his love, challenging his loved one who seems to doubt his sincerity by stating that he would find his way back home to them no matter what. He adds that his devotion to them is stronger than anything, even his ability to swim to safety if he were tossed into the ocean. Again, he repeats the refrain, "Ain't that lovin' ya, baby?" The final verse is somewhat fatalistic in tone, describing how the singer would die for his love and his spirit would rise to come and find them. The song represents a devotion that may not be entirely healthy, but it is raw and heartfelt.
Line by Line Meaning
Know I love ya babe?
Do you realize how much I love you?
Know I love ya babe?
I want to make sure you understand how much I love you.
Know I love ya babe?
I feel like I need to constantly remind you of my love for you.
But you don't even know my name
Despite my love for you, you don't know me very well.
I'll tell ya what I would do
I want to share my feelings with you.
I would rob, steal, kill somebody
I would do anything to be with you.
Just ta get back home ta you
Being with you is the most important thing to me.
Ain't that lovin' ya, baby?
Isn't that a sign of true love?
Ain't that lovin' ya, babe?
Isn't my devotion proof of my love?
Ain't that lovin' ya, babe?
Isn't my willingness to do anything for you a demonstration of my love?
Don't sound like it's true
You seem skeptical of my love for you.
They could drop me in the ocean
I am willing to face any hardship or obstacle to be with you.
I'd swim to the bank
I would go to great lengths to come back to you.
An' crawl home ta you
I would do anything to be with you again.
They may kill me baby, bury me like they do
Even in death, I will love you and find a way to come back to you.
My body might lie but my spirit gonna rise
My love for you will survive beyond my physical body.
And come home to you
I will always find a way back to you.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JIMMY REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind