Jackie Wilson – (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher

There are so many versions of this song out there, and I like many of them… It’s that good a song. But, Jackie Wilson had a way of taking a song and turning it into pure energy, something bigger than rhythm and melody. When he recorded this song in 1967, he gave soul music one of its best anthems of pure joy. I can’t dislike this song. 

Jackie Wilson almost didn’t get this one. The song was originally cut by The Dells, but Brunswick producer Carl Davis didn’t think their version worked. The track sat on the shelf until Davis and arranger Sonny Sanders decided to hand it to Jackie. At the time, Wilson’s career was in a bit of a stall; this song was intended as a shot in the arm. Wilson thought it was a bit light at first, but when he started to sing it, they knew they had something great here. It was written by Raynard Miner, Gary Jackson, and Carl Smith.

Billy Davis secretly recruited members of Motown’s Funk Brothers, James Jamerson on bass, Richard “Pistol” Allen on drums, Robert White on guitar, guys who were technically under contract at Hitsville but were moonlighting for extra cash. Their tight groove gave this song that perfect sound. 

It was released as a single in August 1967, and it immediately reignited Wilson’s career. Critics hailed it as a perfect marriage of “gospel fire and pop.” And you know how some songs wear out with too many plays? This one doesn’t. Whether it’s on a movie soundtrack or my car radio, it still hits home and makes me smile.

The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard 100 in 1967.

(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher

Your love, lifting me higher
Than I’ve ever been lifted before
So keep it it up
Quench my desire
And I’ll be at your side, forever more

You know 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)
Now listen

Now once, I was down-hearted
Disappointment, was my closest friend
But then you, came and it soon departed
And you know he never
Showed his face again

That’s why 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)

I’m so glad, I’ve finally found you
Yes that one, in a million girls
And I whip, my loving arms around you
I can stand up, and face the world

Let me tell ya, 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)

Now sock it to me
Hold me, the other woman
Keep my love going
Higher and higher
I said keep on lifting
Lift me up mama
Keep on lifting me
Higher and higher

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

36 thoughts on “Jackie Wilson – (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher”

  1. I like Jackie Wilson a lot as well as this song. I didn’t know this story behind it. It really demonstrates how fickle and difficult the music business is, he had all the talent in the world and he has a slump. And then one again a few years after this song. A real shame his career ended so soon as talent like that the slumps usually don’t last forever.

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    1. Yea I agree…and not a terrible slump but a lack of a huge national hit for a few years. Oh he is one of the tragic stories in music…ended way too soon. Funny I found out about him through a Van Morrison song…”Jackie Wilson Said”

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  4. fine song. With Jamerson and the other Funk Bros. on it, no wonder it sounds so professional. I would’ve guessed it was older than that. You might find this funny – I’ve heard this song, I guess since I was a kid, in background radio and on TV but I’d never heard of Jackie Wilson until Dexy’s Midnight Runners put out the song ‘JAckie Wilson said’. And then, it took another 20 years or so to realize that was a Van Morrison cover.

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    1. Yea I heard about him from the Van Morrison original lol…and I just learned that Dexy Midnight Runners releasesd it a couple of years ago. I never heard anything from them except Come On Eileen…
      It is a wonderful song…for me it’s like “I Can See Clearly Now”….I’m always in a good mood when I hear it.

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      1. Funny you should put it with ‘I Can See Clearly Now,’ there are some songs that are classics the day they’re released. They don’t get that ‘time stamp’ that many others do. Here there’s terms like ‘sock it to me now’ but that sounds part of the whole vibe, somehow it doesn’t scream ‘this a is a late 60s song.’ It stays timeless. ‘Unchained Melody,’ ‘Only The Lonely,’ ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,’ ‘Gangnam Style.’ 😬. Yeah sorry, I pushed way too far, sorry.

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  9. Very dynamic performer. I confess I heard the Rita Coolidge version first, but I knew it was a cover. (I’m sure Casey Kasem mentioned it on AT40). Then when I started listening to a lot of oldies radio, I heard the original. You’re right about the energy. Great song.

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  13. I didn’t know the backstory. I do know this is one of the greatest records I’ve ever heard, even to this day. I like Rita Coolidge’s version, but NOTHING compares to this. And the sly reference to Reet Petite is wonderful, certainly my second favorite Jackie Wilson recording.

    Tragic story. The Mafia was involved, or am I confused? (Well, I know I’m confused, but that’s a fact of life that may or may not be related to the great Jackie Wilson.)

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    1. I like the Rita version as well…in fact I published hers first back around 6 or so years ago….but yea I agree…this is my goto version.
      I’m confused all of the time! I’ve read something about that before…but more with Sam Cooke

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  15. now this is perfect for the end of a Saturday……what a postive tune….lately I’ve been looking for different versions of when you’re smiling. but this, this is the real thing…..

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