Music Friday: Anita Baker's Darlin' Is 'Like a Precious Jewel' in 1988's 'Priceless' January 18, 2019

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, seven-time Grammy winner Anita Baker compares her darlin' to a precious jewel in the dreamy 1988 ballad, "Priceless."



Released as the first track from her blockbuster album, Giving You the Best That I Got, "Priceless" is Baker's tribute to a lover who not only lights up her life, but inspires her to soar to incredible heights.

She sings, "You are to me like a precious jewel, so valuable baby / Think it shines so bright lighting up my life, with pure delight / You are so priceless to me and loving you has made me see / With your love I can do most anything."

Later in the song, she compares their love to a diamond ring and all the gold in the world.

Giving You the Best That I Got was Baker's most successful album as it reached #1 on both the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and U.S. Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. The album netted more than five million sales worldwide and earned Baker three Grammy Awards and three Soul Train Music Awards.

Born Anita Denise Baker in Toledo, Ohio, the singer-songwriter was abandoned by her mother when she was two years old and raised by a foster family in Detroit, Mich. Her foster parents passed away when she was 12 at which time the responsibility for her care transferred to her foster sister.

By the age of 16, Baker was singing R&B at Detroit nightclubs, where bandleader David Washington recognized her talent. He encouraged her to audition for the band, Chapter 8, and she soon landed a job as the group's lead singer.

When Chapter 8 was dropped by Arista in 1979, Baker headed back to Detroit, where she worked as a receptionist and a waitress. Three years later, based on the encouragement of record executive Otis Smith, Baker embarked on a solo career. The rest is history.

In June 2018, Baker accepted BET's coveted Lifetime Achievement Award.

Baker, who turns 61 on January 26, continues to tour. She will be performing at New York City's Radio City Music Hall in mid-February.

Please check out the audio track of Baker singing "Priceless." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Priceless"
Written by Garry Glenn. Performed by Anita Baker.

When you ask me how I feel about you
I try to find the words that best describe you
You are to me like a precious jewel, so valuable baby
Think it shines so bright lighting up my life, with pure delight

You are so priceless to me and loving you has made me see
With your love I can do most anything
You are so priceless to me, you're like the first rainbow in spring
Your love comforts my heart with joy you bring

I envision you and me in love together
Getting closer, as we share each day together
Gimme all the gold in the world, it will not replace this love baby, yeah
Take a diamond ring, a worth a lot what we got cannot be bought or sold

You are so priceless to me and loving you has made me see
With your love I can do most anything
You are so priceless to me, you're like the first rainbow in spring
Your love comforts my heart with joy you bring

Never had a lover, babe
My baby, my baby, my darlin'

You are so priceless to me and loving you has made me see
With your love I can do most anything
You are so priceless to me, you're like the first rainbow in spring
Your love comforts my heart with joy you bring

You are so priceless to me and loving you has made me see
With your love I can do most anything
You are so priceless to me, you're like the first rainbow in spring
Your love comforts my heart with joy you bring

You are so priceless to me and loving you has made me see
With your love I can do most anything


Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

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