Jackie Wilson, (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 114^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher” by Jackie Wilson. 

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 114^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2023), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher”, performed by 🎙 Jackie Wilson.

“Your love, lifted me higher / Than I’ve ever, been lifted before.” Woo! Sing that, 🎙 Jackie Wilson.  The late soul musician (1934 – 1984) scored a surefire hit with the infectious 🎵 “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher”.  Wilson ultimately only lived to be 49 years old.  His career was cut short prior to that following a heart attack while performing on September 25, 1975 (he’d be in a coma the rest of his life). “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher” peaked at no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Wilson the final of  six top-10 hits.  Electrifying from the jump, this gem appears on his 1967 album, fittingly titled, 💿 Higher and Higher.

It should come as no surprise that the section of “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher” to beat is the chorus.

“Your love (your love keeps lifting me)

Keep on lifting (love keeps lifting me)

Higher (lifting me)

Higher and higher (higher)

I said your love (your love keeps lifting me)

Keep on (love keeps lifting me)

Lifting me (lifting me)

Higher and higher (higher).”

Of course, Jackie Wilson excels in the verses too, touting how this lady made him experience love once again (“And now with my loving arms around you / Honey, I can stand up / And face the world”).  This song is D-E-D-I-C-A-T-E-D to the core, focused on that perfect lady 🥰.  Beyond the theme, lyrics, and epic lead vocals by Wilson (he oozes with personality and soul), the sound of the record is epic. 🎵 “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher” is idiomatic of 60s soul – the groove cooks (both drums and percussion + standard rhythm section instruments), horns, strings, and fabulous backing vocals (🎙 The Andantes). As should always be the case, rather than write anymore about this joint, let the music speak for itself!

🎙 Jackie Wilson • 💿 Higher and Higher • 🏷 Brunswick Record Corp. • 🗓 1967

Jackie Wilson, (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 114 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Brunswick Record Corp.; John Alan Sperry, PIRO via  Pixabay]