He grew up in the Ensley area of Birmingham, Alabama, before moving to Detroit, Michigan, where he was established as a club singer by the late 1950s.[1] He was named "Singin' Sammy Ward" by Berry Gordy's wife Raynoma, "Miss Ray", and first recorded for Motown in 1960, on a duet with Sherri Taylor, "Lover" / "That's Why I Love You So Much". He then moved to the Tamla label as a solo singer, and recorded "That Child Is Really Wild", co-written by Gordy and Robinson. The original B-side, "What Makes You Love Him", was changed to another song, Robinson's "Who's The Fool", which became Ward's only chart success, reaching no. 23 on the Billboard R&B chart in August 1961.[1][2] The record was only the fourth successful chart hit for Motown.[3] According to record producer Ian Levine, Robinson also wrote "You Really Got a Hold on Me" for Ward, but Gordy insisted that Robinson record it himself, with The Miracles.[4] A bluesy singer who drew comparisons with Bobby Bland, Ward released several more singles on Tamla, including "Big Joe Moe" written by William "Mickey" Stevenson and Brian Holland, and "Someday Pretty Baby" featuring Stevie Wonder on harmonica, both in 1962, and then one on the subsidiary Soul label. However, the records were commercial failures, and Ward left Motown, disillusioned by his lack of success compared with others on the label, by the mid-1960s.[1][4]
Credited as Sam Ward, he recorded Richard "Popcorn" Wylie's "Stone Broke" and "Sister Lee" for the Groove City label in 1968.[5] He then gave up the music business until rediscovered by British Northern soul fans, and by record producer Ian Levine, who recorded several sessions with him, starting in 1989, for his Motorcity label. Ward re-recorded many of his 1960s recordings at that time. Levine stated of Ward that: "He was almost impossible to record, as he couldn't stick to any melody at all, and merely improvised in a bluesy voice..." However, Levine released several dance singles by Ward in the early 1990s.[6] Ward also appeared at weekend soul festivals in Britain at the same time.[1]
He later died, reportedly in the mid-1990s, but no further details are known.
I See You
Singin' Sammy Ward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way you make me right when I am wrong
The way you sacrifice just for me
Just how lucky can a poor man be?
That is why (that's why I love you so)
That is why (that's why I love you so)
Don't you know, baby? (That's why I love you so)
The way you rub my back when I'm in pain
The way you soothe me so I won't complain
And then you kiss me with your ruby red lips
It thrills me so, I turn a back-over flip
That is why (that's why I love you so)
Don't you know, baby? (That's why I love you so)
That is why (that's why I love you so)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I want the world to know
If Shakespeare thought that Juliet
Really loved Romeo from the time they met
Uh he would blow his top if he could see
Just how you've been loving me
The way you rub my back when I'm in pain
The way you soothe me so I won't complain
And when you kiss me with your ruby red lips
It thrills me so, I turn a back-over flip
That is why (that's why I love you so)
That is why (that's why I love you so)
Come on now baby (that's why I love you so)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I want take it easy baby (that's why I love you so)
Take it easy honey (that's why I love you so)
Don't you know, now (that's why I love you so)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I want one more time now
(That's why I love you so) come on, come on baby, hmm honey
In this song, Singin' Sammy Ward expresses his love and appreciation for his partner by enumerating the ways she brings him comfort and happiness. He admires how she makes him feel like he belongs, how she stands by him when he's wrong, and how she sacrifices for him. He also appreciates the way she takes care of him when he's in pain, and how her kisses thrill him. Through these affirmations, Ward affirms his enduring love for his partner, the kind that Shakespeare could not even imagine.
The lyrics are simple and straightforward, but they capture the essence of a lasting and loving relationship. Ward's profession of love is not based on grand gestures or flashy gifts, but on the small acts of kindness and concern that are often overlooked in relationships. By highlighting these moments, Ward is acknowledging that it's the little things that count and make his love for his partner stronger.
Overall, the song "I See You" is a sweet and charming tune that celebrates the beauty of a healthy and loving relationship. It reminds us that love is not just about the grand gestures, but about the daily acts of kindness and care that we show to our partners.
Line by Line Meaning
The way you make me feel like I belong
You make me feel like I fit in and belong in this world
The way you make me right when I am wrong
You help me see where I went wrong and guide me to make it right
The way you sacrifice just for me
You put your needs aside to help me and make me happy
Just how lucky can a poor man be?
I can't believe how fortunate I am to have you in my life, even though I am not wealthy
That is why (that's why I love you so)
All that you do for me is why I love you so
Don't you know, baby? (That's why I love you so)
I hope you realize that all that you do for me is why I love you so
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I want the world to know
I want everyone to know how amazing you are and how much I love you
The way you rub my back when I'm in pain
You ease my physical discomfort by massaging my back when it hurts
The way you soothe me so I won't complain
You calm me down and make me feel better so that I don't have to complain
And then you kiss me with your ruby red lips
You show me love and affection by kissing me with your beautiful red lips
It thrills me so, I turn a back-over flip
Your kiss is so exciting and exhilarating that I feel like doing backflips to express my joy
If Shakespeare thought that Juliet
Even the great Shakespeare would be impressed and amazed if he saw
Really loved Romeo from the time they met
How much you love me, right from the moment we first met
Uh he would blow his top if he could see
He would be blown away and astounded to see how much you love me
Just how you've been loving me
The extent and depth of your love for me
Come on now baby (that's why I love you so)
I want you to realize that all that you do for me is why I love you so
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I want take it easy baby (that's why I love you so)
I want us to relax and enjoy each other's company because our love is the reason why we are happy
Take it easy honey (that's why I love you so)
Let's not worry anymore because our love is what really matters and makes everything worthwhile
Don't you know, now (that's why I love you so)
I hope you know that all that you do for me is why I love you so
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I want one more time now (That's why I love you so)
I need to say it one more time because I want you to know that all of this is why I love you so
Come on, come on baby, hmm honey
Let's move on now and enjoy each other's company because our love is all that really matters
Lyrics © REGENT MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: BERRY JR GORDY, GWENDOLYN GORDY FUQUA, TYRAN CARLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind