<… Read Full Bio ↴The definitive Afroamerican gospel group in the jubilee quartet style.
Founded as the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet in Norfolk, Virginia in 1934 by A. C. “Eddie” Griffin, Robert “Peg” Ford, Henry Owens, and Bill Johnson, they began as a traditional jubilee quartet, combining the clever arrangements associated with barbershop quartets with rhythms borrowed from the blues and jazz.
The makeup of the group changed over the years, as some members were drafted during the war and new members were brought in to replace those who had retired or left to join other groups. William Langford joined the group when Griffin left in 1935 and Orlandus Wilson replaced Ford the same year. Clyde Riddick replaced Langford in 1938, Johnson left in 1948 to join “The Jubalaires” and Owens left the group later to become a preacher and solo artist. Riddick remained with the group until his retirement in 1995 and Wilson until his death in 1998.
The Gates had a broad repertoire of styles—from Owens’ mournful, understated approach in songs such as Anyhow or Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name, to the group’s highly syncopated arrangements in Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo. Like The Mills Brothers of popular music, they would often include vocal special effects in their songs, imitating train sounds in songs such as Golden Gate Gospel Train. Langford often sang lead, using his ability to range from baritone to falsetto, while Johnson narrated in a hip syncopated style that became the hallmark for the group.
Only You
The Golden Gate Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only you can make the darkness bright
Only you and you alone can thrill me like you do
And fill my heart with love for only you
Only you can make this change in me
For it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand I understand the magic that you do
Only you can make this change in me
For it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand I understand the magic that you do
You're my dream come true, my one and only you
(One and only you)
The song "Only You" by The Golden Gate Quartet is a love song that expresses how the singer's significant other makes their world seem right and their darkness bright. Only that one person can thrill them and fill their heart with love. The singer believes that only their significant other can make the change in them, and they are their destiny. When they hold hands, the singer feels the magic of their love, and they feel like their dreams have come true. The song repeats the idea that the significant other is the one and only person who can bring such joy and love to their life.
The lyrics of the song exhibit a deep and profound love for one person. The singer believes that their significant other is the only one who can make them feel complete and loved. The fact that the singer repeats, "Only You" throughout the song emphasizes how crucial their significant other is to them, and it helps the listener understand how much the lover means to the singer. The song also highlights the power of love and how it can change a person's entire character.
Line by Line Meaning
Only you can make this world seem right
No one else has the power to make my world seem right, other than you.
Only you can make the darkness bright
Only you have the ability to make the darkness in my life shine brightly.
Only you and you alone can thrill me like you do
I feel excitement and pleasure only when I am with you, no one else can make me feel that way.
And fill my heart with love for only you
My heart is filled with love for you and you only, no one else can occupy that space.
Only you can make this change in me
You have the power to bring about a positive change in me, no one else can do that.
For it's true, you are my destiny
It is a fact that you are my destiny, there is no changing that.
When you hold my hand I understand the magic that you do
I realize the power and influence you have over me when you hold my hand.
You're my dream come true, my one and only you
You are the fulfillment of my dreams, the only one for me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Buck Ram, Ande Rand
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind