Great Song Lyrics that Touch Your Soul

Great song lyrics and great poetry have one thing in common.  They both touch your soul.

Listening to the radio recently, I heard a couple of masterpieces, and was struck by the power of the lyrics.

Linda Creed and Michael Masser, writers of the “Greatest Love of All,” communicate a message just as relevant today as when they wrote the song.

As I heard the George Benson and Whitney Houston versions play back-to-back, I focused on the deep meaning of the words...

I believe the children are our future

Teach them well

And let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty

They possess inside

Give them a sense of pride

To make it easier

Let the children’s laughter

Remind us how we used to be

Everybody’s searching for a hero

People need someone to look up to

I never found anyone

Who fulfilled my needs

A lonely place to be

So I learned to depend on me.

I decided long ago

Never to walk in anyone’s shadow

If I fail, if I succeed

At least I lived as I believe

No matter what they take from me

They can’t take away my dignity

Because the greatest love of all

Was happening to me

I found the greatest love of all

Inside of me

The greatest love of all

Is easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself

Is the greatest love of all

I believe the children are our future

Teach them well

And let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty

They possess inside

Give them a sense of pride

To make it easier

Let the children’s laughter

Remind us how we used to be

I decided long ago

Never to walk in anyone’s shadow

If I fail, if I succeed

At least I lived as I believe.

No matter what they take from me

They can’t take away my dignity

Because the greatest love of all

Was happening to me

I found the greatest love of all

Inside of me

The greatest love of all

Is easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself

Is the greatest love of all

And If by chance that special place

That you’ve been dreaming of

Leads you to a lonely place

Find your strength in love

The “Greatest Love of All” was originally featured in the 1977 autobiographical movie about Muhammad Ali.

Now, the 2nd song...

Bob Dylan once called William “Smokey” Robinson the greatest living poet of our time.

We know why, as the images of “I’ll Try Something New,” written by Smokey, offer some creative “woman pleasing fantasies,” guys dream up that the ladies love to hear...

I’ll Try Something New

wrtten by William “Smokey” Robinson

I will build you a castle with a tower so high

It reaches the moon

I’ll gather melodies from birdies that fly

And compose you a tune

Give you lovin’ warm as Mama’s oven

And if that don’t do

Then I’ll try something new

I will take you away with me as far as I can

To Venus or Mars

There we will love with your hand in my hand

You’ll be queen of the stars

And every day we can play on the Milky Way

And if that don’t do

Then I’ll try something new

I will bring you a flower from the floor of the sea

To wear in your hair

I’ll do anything and everything to keep you happy

Girl to show you that I care

I’ll pretend I’m jealous of all the fellas

And if that don’t do

Then I’ll try something new

I’ll take the stars and count ‘em and move a mountain

And if that don’t do I’ll try something new

On the moon above it’s you that I love

If it don’t do I’m gonna try something new

Oh well, if at first I don’t succeed

try again is what I’ll do

Always trying something else

Always trying something that is new

These lyrics should inspire writers young and old, that the “quality of the craft” of song writing still matters.

1. Hello: I came across this site while reading about Ms. Linda Creed, songwriter extraordinaire, who unfortunately left us way too early.  I really like what you said about the “quality of the craft” of songwriting. This is so true.  I’m 36 years old, and I must say, I absolutely despise a lot of the music these days.  There’s no skill, no thought, no feeling...everything these days is about “bling-bling” and sex - it makes me sick. There’s no romance anymore. In any event, speaking of song lyrics, I’d like to briefly talk about one of my favorite songs of all time.  It is from 1974; Smokey Robinson’s “Quiet Storm”.  The words are so simple, yet so beautiful…

   Soft and warm
   A quiet storm
   Quiet as when flowers talk at break of dawn
   Break of dawn

   A power source
   Of tender force
   Generate and radiate and turn me on
   Turn me on

   Shower me with your sweet love
   I will bathe in every drop
   Through all the seasons
   Let it pour and never stop

   Quiet storm blowing
   Through my life
   Quiet storm blowing
   Through my life
   Blow baby

   When you sigh
   Weak am I
   A butterfly caught up in the hurricane
   Hurricane
   Lucky me, umbrella free
   Suddenly I’m caught up in your soundful rain

   Hail soft stones of love on me
   Let them play on my desire
   Kiss me softly
   Let your lightning light my fire

   Quiet storm blowing
   Through my life
   Quiet storm blowing
   Through my life
   Blow baby

   I love this song so much, and typed this from memory.  I may have a word or two out of place, but it doesn’t matter. They don’t make songs like this anymore - these days they just come right out and say “girl let me hit it” or “shake your ass”. Back then, artists like Smokey, Earth Wind & Fire and others sung about the moon, the stars, the trees, flowers… they talked about beautiful things that made you wonder about the romance that MIGHT happen… Thank you for letting me share my thoughts.

   Posted by Leslie Sampson  on  08/24  at  03:37 PM
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