The O'Jays originally consisting of Walter Williams (b. August 25, 1942), Bill Isles (January 4, 1941 – March 2019), Bobby Massey, William Powell (January 20, 1942–May 26, 1977) and Eddie Levert (b. June 16, 1942). The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. The O'Jays (now a trio after the departure of Isles and Massey) had their first hit with "Lonely Drifter", in 1963. In spite of the record's success, the group was considering quitting the music business until Gamble & Huff, a legendary team of producers and songwriters, took an interest in the group. With Gamble & Huff, the O'Jays emerged at the forefront of Philadelphia soul with Back Stabbers (1972), a huge pop hit, and topped the U.S. singles charts the following year with their anthemic "Love Train".
They formed the group in Canton, Ohio in 1958 while attending Canton McKinley High School. Originally known as The Triumphs, and then The Mascots, the friends began recording with "Miracles" in 1961, which was a moderate hit in the Cleveland area. In 1963 they took the name "The O'Jays", in tribute to radio disc jockey Eddie O'Jay (Toop, 1991), and released "Lonely Drifter", which charted nationally. Their debut LP was Comin' Through. Throughout the 1960s, they continued to chart with songs such as "Lipstick Traces" (which they performed nationally on the ABC Television program, Shivaree), "Stand In For Love", "Let It All Out", "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow", "Deeper In Love With You" and "One Night Affair", along with several other regional and national Pop and R&B hits. In 1972, they finally scored with their first million-seller, "Back Stabbers", from the gold album of the same name. By this time, original member Bobby Massey had also departed, leaving the group a trio. This album produced several more hit singles, including "992 Arguments", "Sunshine", "Time To Get Down" and the #1 Pop smash, "Love Train". They became known as "The Mighty O'Jays" due to their exciting, emotion-packed stage performances, led by the dynamic Levert, and the cool, multi-range vocals of Walter Williams, coupled with the matinee idol looks and smooth first tenor voice of William Powell.
During the remainder of the 1970s the O'Jays continued releasing chart-topping singles, including "Put Your Hands Together" (Pop #10), "For the Love of Money" (Pop #9), "Give the People What They Want", "Let Me Make Love To You", "I Love Music" (Pop #5), "Livin' for the Weekend", "Message in Our Music" and "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love)". Original member William Powell died of cancer in 1977 at the age of just 35.
After adding Sammy Strain (born December 9, 1941) (of Little Anthony & the Imperials), the O'Jays continued recording, though with limited success. 1978's "Use ta Be My Girl" was their final Top Five hit, though they continued placing songs on the R&B charts throughout the 1980s. Their 1987 album, Let Me Touch You, was a breakthrough of sorts, and included the #1 R&B hit "Lovin' You". Eddie Levert also got a copy of Kevan Tynes' "Loving You" prior to recording their version .Though they continued charting on the R&B charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the O'Jays never again achieved pop success. In 1992, Sammy Strain left the group, and returned to the Imperials, to be replaced by Nathaniel Best, and later, by Eric Grant. Later in the 1990s, the group did little recording, though they remained a popular live draw. Their latest album was Imagination in 2004.
In 2003, they co-starred in the movie The Fighting Temptations, which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce Knowles. In the film, they played three barbers who joined the local church choir to help out the film's protagonist Darrin (Gooding) who was the choir director.
In 2005 the O'Jays were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Original members Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, Bobby Massey and, posthumously, William Powell, were inducted. In a note of controversy, 70's O'Jays member Sammy Strain was also inducted with the group, while original member Bill Isles was not. (Strain is one of the few artists in popular music history who is a double RRHOF inductee: with The O'Jays in 2005, and The Imperials in 2009). In 2006, the O'Jays performed at the ESPY awards, hosted by Lance Armstrong. "For the Love of Money" is the theme song to the hit reality TV show The Apprentice, starring Donald Trump, which is ironic considering that the lyrics warn of the evil people will do for the love of money.
On February 23, 2007, Radio-Canada's website reported that Canadian Industry Minister Jim Prentice had used the song "For The Love of Money" without the group's permission during a political event, a faux pas since Prentice is responsible for the application of the Copyright Act in Canada. Radio-Canada also reports that Prentice has since been contacted by the attorneys for both the O'Jays and Warner/Chappell Music.
On June 28, 2009, at the 2009 BET Award Show in the Shrine Auditorium the O'Jays were honored with BET's 2009 Life Time Achievement Award. Tevin Campbell, Trey Songz, Tyrese Gibson, and Johnny Gill performed a medley of the groups songs followed by the presentation of the award by Don Cornelius. The group reminisced, joked with the audience and accepted their award before performing a rendition of their hit songs.
Emotionally Yours
The O'Jays Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come baby, show me, show me you know me, tell me you're the one
I could be learning, you could be yearning to see behind the closed door
But I will always be emotionally yours.
Come baby, rock me, come baby, locl me into the shadows of your heart
Come baby, teach me, come baby, reach me, let the music start
I could be dreaming but I keep believing you're the one I'm living for
It's like my whole life never happened
When I see you, it's if I never had a thought
I know this dream, it might be crazy
But it's the only one I got. Okay.
Come baby, shake me, come baby, take me, I would be satisfied
Come baby, hold me, come baby, help me, my arms are open wide
I could be unraveling wherever I'm traveling, even to foreign shores
But I will always be emotionally yours.
The O'Jays's song "Emotionally Yours" is a romantic ballad that captures the feelings of someone who has fallen deeply in love with their partner. The lyrics express a deep desire for their partner to find them, remind them of where they once began, show that they know them, and be the one they are yearning for. The song conveys the sense of being lost without the person they love and the need for their guidance and love to help them navigate life. The idea of being emotionally yours indicates that no matter what happens, the person singing the song will always remain emotionally connected and devoted to their partner.
The lyrics contain references to shadows, closed doors, dreams, and traveling, which can convey a sense of uncertainty and doubt about the future. However, the repetition of the phrase "I will always be emotionally yours" reflects a strong commitment to the relationship and the desire to remain connected even in challenging times. The song's melody and smooth vocals add to the romantic atmosphere and express the depth of the singer's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Come baby, find me, come baby, remind me of where I once begun
I want you to come find me and remind me of who I was before, and where I started from in life
Come baby, show me, show me you know me, tell me you're the one
Prove to me that you really know who I am and that you're the one I can truly trust and love
I could be learning, you could be yearning to see behind the closed door
I'm still figuring things out, and you might be curious to know more about me
But I will always be emotionally yours.
No matter what happens, I'll always be emotionally committed to you
Come baby, rock me, come baby, locl me into the shadows of your heart
Hold me tight and let me be a part of the deepest and most intimate parts of your heart
Come baby, teach me, come baby, reach me, let the music start
Show me things I never knew before, and reach me with your love and your music
I could be dreaming but I keep believing you're the one I'm living for
Sometimes I feel like I might be dreaming, but I believe that you're the one I want to spend my life with
And I will always be emotionally yours.
No matter what happens, I'll always be emotionally committed to you
It's like my whole life never happened
When I'm with you, it feels like my whole life before didn't even matter
When I see you, it's if I never had a thought
You have such an impact on me that it's as if nothing else is on my mind
I know this dream, it might be crazy
I realize that this dream might seem unrealistic or far-fetched
But it's the only one I got. Okay.
But it's the only thing that drives me forward, so I'll keep going with it
Come baby, shake me, come baby, take me, I would be satisfied
Shake up my world and take me on an adventure, and I'll be completely satisfied
Come baby, hold me, come baby, help me, my arms are open wide
Hold me close and help me through anything, my heart is open to you
I could be unraveling wherever I'm traveling, even to foreign shores
Even when I'm distant or traveling far away, I might feel like I'm falling apart
But I will always be emotionally yours.
No matter what happens, I'll always be emotionally committed to you
Lyrics © BOB DYLAN MUSIC CO
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
nubian queen
on A Prayer
Heavenly father
Creater of all things
I humble myself
As i bow to your throne
I pray for love.joy.peace and happiness
To be present in my home
Well i do...
And that your holy spirit
Build in my heart and in my mind
Please give me strenght cause i get a little weak sometimes
I need help from you just to see me through
Well...
Heavenly father
There is no one to you I give the glory
And on my knees i fall
I ask for wisdom and understanding
To you my prayers i bring
To you my soul i send
Nthabzadamastawamatootouzend
on Fading
This song brings back so much and it makes me mesmerize every moment slowly fading out and I try everytime to stop them but it only heals wiylth time. This a fantastic song. Thank you!