An all female American soul quartet, these ladies were some of the most pro… Read Full Bio ↴An all female American soul quartet, these ladies were some of the most prolific backing vocalists in 60's R&B, literally singing on dozens of hit records for other artists. Originally formed with Philly vocalists Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee Warwick and Doris Troy and Emily "Cissy" Houston.

With burgeoning solo careers Dionne and Doris soon left, but Cissy found the group new voices including Sylvia Shemwell , Myrna Smith and Estelle Brown and they ended up on records by Wilson Pickett, Garnet Mimms, Aretha Franklin and others.

According to the liner notes of their self titled debut album their name originated when Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler turned to Cissy Houston ( mother of Whitney Houston) and told her he had an inspiration, to which she promptly replyed, "oh, sweet!"

In 1968, the group did studio work for Jimi Hendrix during sessions for his Electric Ladyland album, performing backing vocals for the track "Burning of the Midnight Lamp". They also backed Dusty Springfield on her album Dusty in Memphis.

Eventually even Cissy Houston left the group and in 1969 Ann Williams was brought in to replace her and the group toured with Elvis Presley, warming up audiences, and appearing during his show as backing vocalists.

The group had some chart success covering hits by other acts on Atlantic throughout the late 60's, and into the 1970's disco era they recorded for Stax and Robert Stigwood's RSO label.

To Love Somebody
The Sweet Inspirations Lyrics

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There's a light
A certain kind of light
That never shone on me
I want my life to be lived with you
Lived with you
There's a way everybody say
To do each and every little thing
But what does it bring

If I ain't got you, ain't got?

You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like

To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you

In my brain
I see your face again
I know my frame of mind
You ain't got to be so blind
And I'm blind, so, so, so blind
I'm a man
Can't you see what I am?
I live and I breathe for you
But what good does it do
If I ain't got you, ain't got?

You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like

To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you

You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like

To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you

You don't know what it's like, baby

You don't know what it's like
To love somebody

Overall Meaning

The song "To Love Somebody" by The Sweet Inspirations is a love song that expresses the deep longing and desire of the singer to be with their lover. The opening lines, "There's a light, a certain kind of light, that never shone on me," suggests an inner emptiness that can only be filled by the presence of the one they love. They want their life to be lived with their lover, with the words "lived with you" repeated for emphasis.

The next stanza explores the futility of following conventional wisdom, as the singer wonders what it brings if they don't have their love. The repetitive use of the phrase "ain't got you" reinforces the idea that without their lover, everything else is meaningless. The chorus, "You don't know what it's like, baby, to love somebody, to love somebody the way I love you," echoes the sentiment expressed throughout the song.

The final verse is a plea to be seen for who they are, and not judged by their appearance or gender. The singer asserts that they live and breathe for their lover, but questions the value if they don't have them. The repetition of "You don't know what it's like, baby, to love somebody" drives home the point that the depth and intensity of their love is unmatched.

Overall, "To Love Somebody" is a powerful love ballad that captures the essence of yearning and devotion. The lyrics communicate a deep emotional connection that transcends everything else, and the repetition of certain lines reinforces the intensity of the singer's feelings.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a light
There is a unique kind of radiance

A certain kind of light
A distinguished luminescence

That never shone on me
That I've never experienced

I want my life to be lived with you
I desire to share my existence with you

Lived with you
Joined by your side

There's a way everybody say
There's a method that everyone suggests

To do each and every little thing
To deal with every single detail

But what does it bring
However, what does it bring about?

If I ain't got you, ain't got?
If I don't have you, what does it mean?

You don't know what it's like, baby
You are not familiar with the feeling, my dear

To love somebody
To have deep affection towards someone