The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active … Read Full Bio ↴The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia, and disco. One of Motown's signature acts, The Supremes were the most successful African-American musical act of the 1960s, recording twelve #1 hits between 1964 and 1969, many of them written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland. The crossover success of the Supremes during the mid-1960s paved the way for future black soul and R&B acts to gain mainstream audiences both in the United States and overseas.

Founded in Detroit, Michigan, United States in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes. Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in the mid-1960s with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1967, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Ross left the group for a solo career in 1970, and was replaced by Jean Terrell. After 1972, the lineup of the Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977.

What Now My Love
The Supremes Lyrics

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What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some but for everyone

Lord we don't need another mountain
There are mountains and hillsides
Enough to climb

There are oceans and rivers
Enough to cross. enough to last
'Till the end of time

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some but for everyone

Lord we don't need another meadow
There are corn fields and wheat fields
Enough to grow
There are sun beams and moon beams
Enough to shine
Oh listen Lord if you want to know

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some but for everyone

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
What the world needs now is love, sweet love

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
What the world needs now

Overall Meaning

The Supremes’s “What The World Needs Now Is Love” is a plea for universal love, a call for people to come together in solidarity and compassion. The lyrics point out that we have enough material things in the world, but what we truly lack is love. Love is the only thing that can bring us true happiness and peace, and there is just not enough of it in the world. The song calls for all people to open their hearts and show love not just to some, but to everyone.

The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The repetition of the phrase “What the world needs now is love, sweet love” emphasizes the urgent need for love. The next line, “It's the only thing that there's just too little of”, highlights the scarcity of love in the world. The second verse of the song points out that we already have enough mountains, oceans, and rivers, and we don’t need another meadow. These natural wonders, although beautiful, are not what the world really needs. What we need is love.

The final chorus of the song repeats the message of the first two, emphasizing the urgent need for love in the world. The Supremes make a powerful statement through the message of the song, that love should be at the core of all decisions made by individuals, communities and on a global level. The message is that we should always strive to bring love and compassion into our lives and the world.

Line by Line Meaning

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
Love is the most important thing missing in the world

It's the only thing that there's just too little of
There's a significant lack of love in the world

No not just for some but for everyone
Love is needed by everyone in the world, not just a select few

Lord we don't need another mountain
We don't need any more difficult challenges or obstacles to overcome

There are mountains and hillsides
There are already plenty of difficult challenges and obstacles in the world

Enough to climb
There are already enough difficult things to accomplish

There are oceans and rivers
There are plenty of natural wonders in the world

Enough to cross. enough to last
There are enough natural wonders in the world to last a lifetime

'Till the end of time
There will always be enough natural wonders in the world for generations to come

Lord we don't need another meadow
We don't need any more peaceful or idyllic places in the world

There are corn fields and wheat fields
There are already plenty of agricultural resources in the world

Enough to grow
There are already enough agricultural resources to sustain life

There are sun beams and moon beams
There are already enough natural sources of light in the world

Enough to shine
There are already enough sources of light to illuminate the world

Oh listen Lord if you want to know
Listen to this message if you want to understand what the world truly needs

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
Love is the most important thing that the world needs

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Burt F. Bacharach, Hal David, Burt Bacharach

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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