Now looking back at all we’ve had/
We let so many dreams just slip through our hands

One thing that is exciting about this list is finding out how big of a fan you are of people that you didn’t know you were. It turns out I am a big Diana Ross fan. If I had to guess beforehand how many Diana Ross songs would be on my list, I might have guessed one. But between her work in The Supremes and solo work it is starting to add up. I guess I am a Diana Ross fan!

“Theme From Mahogany” by Diana Ross is produced in an interesting way. Note that almost every instrument in the orchestra plays the solo at least one time during the song. I don’t know if I have heard that before. I think I hear a xylophone, a harp, a flute, a French horn, an oboe, a violin and a piano. I am sure I missed some. The melody is so lovely. It seems like it would be a tough song to compose the lyric for, but the songwriters did a great job.

In the lyric  of “Theme from Mahogany”, it sounds like the narrator is asking an old lover about how things are now and reminiscing about the good old days. She knew that he once loved her, but her spirit was wild and free back then. Did she make the right decision, or did they let their dreams slip through their hands?

She must tell herself that the only open doors are forward, so try to look to the future not the past. It sounds like she may regret some of her decisions or at least picture what that different life would have looked like had she made different choices.

Theme From Mahogany
(Do You Know Where You’re Going To) Lyrics

Do You Know
Where you’re going to?
Do you like the things?
That life is showing you
Where are you going to?
Do you know?

Do you get?
What you’re hoping for?
When you look behind you
There’s no open doors
What are you hoping for?
Do you know?

Once we were standing still, in time
Chasing the fantasies and feeling all nice
You knew how I loved you, but my-spirit was free
Laughing at the questions
That you once asked of me

Now looking back at all we’ve had
We let so many dreams just slip through our hands
Why must we wait so long, before we see?
How sad the answers to those questions can be
Do you get?

What you’re hoping for
When you look behind you
There’s no open doors
What are you hoping for?
Do you know?
Fade Out

Songwriters: Gerry Goffin / Michael Masser