1. Vanessa L. Williams - American singer and actress.
2. Vanessa R. Williams - American gospel music singer.
1. Vanessa Lynn Williams (born 18 March 1963 - Tarrytown, New York, U.S.) is an American R&B/pop/theatrical singer and actress. In 1983, Williams made history when she became the first woman of known African descent to be crowned Miss America. Her regime as Miss America came to an early and abrupt end when she resigned her title under pressure when Penthouse published nude pictures of her that Hugh Heffner, publisher of Playboy, said he turned down because "they clearly weren't authorized" and that publication of surprise nude pictures without her consent "would be the source of considerable embarrassment to her."
However, she has since gone on to a successful entertainment career. Williams secured a record deal, and released her debut album, The Right Stuff. The first single, Dreamin', was a chart success, and the album reached gold status and earned her three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist.
In addition to "Dreamin'", her most notable chart successes have included the songs Running Back To You, Love Is, The Sweetest Days, Colors of the Wind, The Comfort Zone, Just For Tonight, and Oh How The Years Go By. Her biggest hit to date is Save the Best For Last, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks from March 21 to April 18, 1992. In total, Williams has sold six million records and received fifteen Grammy Award nominations.
In 2005, Williams released her eighth studio album, Everlasting Love, a collection of covers of her favorite 1970s songs.
Vanessa made her comeback in 2006 in the US hit series Ugly Betty in the role of Wilemina Slater. She also made a cameo appearance as a sports journalist in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, where she gave birth, the baby being delivered by Will Smith.
She's also been seen in a few episodes of Desperate Housewives Season 7; she then joined the cast and remained a series regular until the show ended in 2012.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_L._Williams
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2. Vanessa R. Williams, who records as just Vanessa Williams (born November 28, 1960 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is an American gospel music singer.
After working as a public school art teacher for many years, she signed with Light Records and Bajada Records. Her debut album Vanessa was released in 2002 and made the top ten of Billboard magazine's gospel albums chart. Her follow-up album Here I Go Again! was released in 2004.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_R._Williams
Colors Of The Wind
Vanessa Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sun-sweet berries of the earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth
The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or let the eagle tell you where he's been
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind
How high does the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
For whether we are white or copper-skinned
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain
Need to paint with all the colors of the wind
You can own the earth and still
All you'll own is earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind
The song "Colors Of The Wind" by Vanessa Williams from the Disney film "Pocahontas" expresses the beauty of nature and the interconnectedness of all things in the world. The first verse challenges the idea of personal ownership over the land, suggesting that every rock, tree, and creature has its own value, life, and identity. The second verse urges listeners to celebrate differences in people and to embrace the unknown, as there is always something new to learn about the world.
The chorus includes rhetorical questions that emphasize the importance of connection to nature and the harmony of all beings. The singer contrasts the beauty of the natural world with the materialistic expectations of society, encouraging the listener to appreciate the richness of the surrounding environment. The final verse asserts that owning the earth holds no value unless one understands how to appreciate the beauty and complexity of nature.
Overall, "Colors Of The Wind" captures the spirit of unity and respect for the environment that is central to the film "Pocahontas" and is an inspiring message for all who hear it.
Line by Line Meaning
You think you own whatever land you land on
You believe that you have complete control over the land that you set foot on.
The earth is just a dead thing you can claim
The land is merely an inanimate object that you can own.
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name
As for me, I recognize that every rock, tree, and creature has a unique identity and an individual essence.
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
You hold the belief that only individuals who share your physical appearance and way of thinking are true human beings.
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew, you never knew
However, should you walk in the shoes of a stranger, your understanding of the world and your outlook on life would broaden tremendously.
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Have you ever stopped to listen to the sounds of nature around you, like the call of a wolf or the smile of a bobcat?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you live in harmony with nature, feeling and sensing everything it has to offer?
Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sun-sweet berries of the earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth
Experience the beauty of the forest by running through its hidden paths, tasting the sweet berries that grow around you, and indulging in the riches that nature has to offer without questioning their value.
The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends
For me, the rainstorm and the river are not only natural phenomena but also family, just as the heron and the otter are not just animals, but my friends. And we are all connected to one another in a never-ending circle of life.
How high does the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know
The true height of a sycamore cannot be measured unless you allow it to grow, and once you cut it down, its full potential will remain unknown forever.
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
For whether we are white or copper-skinned
Should you continue to treat nature with cruelty and insensitivity, you will never have the privilege of hearing the raw cry of a wolf or experiencing the tranquility of a blue moon. It doesn't matter what color our skin is- we must learn to live in harmony with nature.
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain
Need to paint with all the colors of the wind
You can own the earth and still
All you'll own is earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind
We have to learn to live in unison with nature, just as everything in the world is connected. Only when we can experience all the colors of the wind and sing with every voice of the mountain will we possess anything that we truly own.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alan Menken, Stephen Laurence Schwartz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind