One of my all time favorite songs...I remember my brother moving away from early 80s rock...Queen, Foreigner, ELO, etc and toward Motown. It took about ten years, but his taste did a 180. He re-introduced music that I had not heard for years. There was an albulm released that was two cassettes and I think it was called, "The Best of Motown", although I am not certain. On drives between our parents homes, this is what we listened to. Although my brother and I have never been close, one thing we shared and had in common was the sound of Motown. Perhaps it was the one point of happy reference as a family--our father loves Motown, as does our mother and stepmother--no argument between anyone. We were lucky to grow-up in homes that exposed us to just about every type of music. Rock, Country, Classical, Pop--our parents did not have a particular favorite--music was fluid for them both, and if the mood changed, so did the dial. If someone produced something wonderful in a genre that they did not lean toward--it was still heard. My clearest memories relfecting each of my parents are of George Benson from my father and Shirley Bassey from mother. And both of the artists are cherished in my memories. I cannot say when I was young I understood the words or the life experiences they referred to in their music, but each has a quality about their music that impressed upon me. The Motown collection and my memory of my brother singing--the first time I have ever heard him sing (he cannot sing, but the music offered something so concrete to him--so heartfelt, that he could care less what the world thought of his singing), that first time it was Gladys Knight--and it was wonderful. And so Gladys Knight became for me a person I wanted to understand. I don't know who my brother was thinking about when he was singing, "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me", but I could see that it allowed him a freedom I had never seen in him before.
I have listened to a great many of Gladys Knight songs...and "Midnight Train to Georgia", "Neither One of Us", her rendition of "Smile" are all memorable. But I think that "Best Thing..." has to be my all time favorite and just happens to reflect my relationship with my husband Steve. He is in fact the best thing that has ever happened to me. Next month I hope to hear Gladys Knight live in Las Vegas...and during this song feel the pressure of his lips on mine.
"Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me"
I've had my share of life's ups and downs
But fate's been kind, the downs have been few
I guess you could say that I've been lucky
Well, I guess you could say that it's all because of you
If anyone should ever write my life story
For whatever reason there might be
Ooo, you'll be there between each line of pain and glory'
Cause you're the best thing that ever happened to me
Ah, you're the best thing that ever happened to me
Oh, there have been times when times were hard
But always somehow I made it, I made it through
'Cause for every moment that I've spent hurting
There was a moment that I spent, ah, just loving you
If anyone should ever write my life story
For whatever reason there might be
Oh, you'll be there between each line of pain and glory
'Cause you're the best thing that ever happened to me
Oh, you're the best thing that ever happened to me
I know, you're the best thing, oh, that ever happened to me "