A
rhythm and blues ballad from late
1954, written by Duke Records supremo Don Robey (maybe) and Ferdinand Washington; the first, and definitive, recording was by
Johnny Ace, on Duke, a top
R&B indie out of
Houston. There was quickly a competing version, by
white bread songstress Teresa "Music! Music! Music!" Brewer (on mainstream Coral Records), done in an attempt to sabotage the
pop success of Ace's version (see:
Pat Boone and
Pat Boone sings Tutti Frutti). Ace quite possibly could have gone to #1 in the US charts, but the song only ended up at #17, as did Brewer's.
There were other versions in later years, with no political intent, merely a case of a singer wanting to sing a modern classic of woo. Roy "Ebb Tide" Hamilton and Johnny Tillotson did versions, but they weren't Top 40 hits.
Aretha Franklin recorded it as a 1969 B-side, part of the flipside to a cover of Bobby Bland's "Share Your Love with Me", which itself was co-"written" by Robey, in his "Deadric Malone" guise.
Forever my darling our love will be true
Always and forever I'll love only you
just promise me darling your love in return
May this fire in my soul dear forever burn
My heart's at your command dear
To keep, love, and to hold
Making you happy is my desire dear
Keeping you is my goal
I'll forever love you
For the rest of my days
I'll never part from you
Or your loving ways
Just promise me darling your love in return
May this fire in my soul dear forever burn
My heart's at your command dear
To keep love and to hold
Making you happy is my desire dear
loving you is my goal
I'll forever love you
For the rest of my days
I'll never part from you
Or your loving ways
Just promise me darling your love in return
May this fire in my soul dear forever burn