The Impressions were an American music group from Chicago, Illinois, active from 1958 until 1983, whose repertoire included doo-wop, gospel, soul, and R&B.
The group was founded as The Roosters by Chattanooga, Tennessee natives Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks, and Arthur Brooks, who moved to Chicago, Illinois and added Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield to their lineup to become Jerry Butler & the Impressions. By 1962, Butler and the Brookses had departed Read Full BioThe Impressions were an American music group from Chicago, Illinois, active from 1958 until 1983, whose repertoire included doo-wop, gospel, soul, and R&B.
The group was founded as The Roosters by Chattanooga, Tennessee natives Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks, and Arthur Brooks, who moved to Chicago, Illinois and added Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield to their lineup to become Jerry Butler & the Impressions. By 1962, Butler and the Brookses had departed, and after switching to ABC-Paramount Records, Mayfield, Gooden, and new Impression Fred Cash collectively became a top-selling soul act. Mayfield left the group for a solo career in 1970; Leroy Hutson, Ralph Johnson, Reggie Torian, and Nate Evans were among the replacements who joined Gooden and Cash before the group's demise in 1983.
Inductees into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, The Impressions are best known for their 1960s string of hits, many of which were heavily influenced by gospel music and served as inspirational anthems for the Civil Rights Movement.
Personnel:
Jerry Butler (1958 - 1960)
Curtis Mayfield (1958 - 1970)
Sam Gooden (1958 - 1983)
Arthur Brooks (1958 - 1962)
Richard Brooks (1958 - 1962)
Fred Cash (1960 - 1983)
Leroy Hutson (1970 - 1973)
Ralph Johnson (1973 - 1976)
Nate Evans (1976 - 1979)
Reggie Torian (1973 - 1983)
Discography
Albums
1963: The Impressions
1964: Keep on Pushing
1964: The Never Ending Impressions
1965: One by One
1965: People Get Ready
1966: Ridin' High
1967: The Fabulous Impressions
1968: We're a Winner
1968: This Is My Country
1969: The Young Mods' Forgotten Story
1969: The Versatile Impressions
1969: Amen
1970: Check out Your Mind!
1972: Times Have Changed
1973: Preacher Man
1974: Finally Got Myself Together
1974: Three the Hard Way
1975: First Impressions
1975: Sooner or Later
1976: It's About Time
1976: Originals
1976: Loving Power
1979: Come to My Party
1981: Fan the Fire
The group was founded as The Roosters by Chattanooga, Tennessee natives Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks, and Arthur Brooks, who moved to Chicago, Illinois and added Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield to their lineup to become Jerry Butler & the Impressions. By 1962, Butler and the Brookses had departed Read Full BioThe Impressions were an American music group from Chicago, Illinois, active from 1958 until 1983, whose repertoire included doo-wop, gospel, soul, and R&B.
The group was founded as The Roosters by Chattanooga, Tennessee natives Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks, and Arthur Brooks, who moved to Chicago, Illinois and added Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield to their lineup to become Jerry Butler & the Impressions. By 1962, Butler and the Brookses had departed, and after switching to ABC-Paramount Records, Mayfield, Gooden, and new Impression Fred Cash collectively became a top-selling soul act. Mayfield left the group for a solo career in 1970; Leroy Hutson, Ralph Johnson, Reggie Torian, and Nate Evans were among the replacements who joined Gooden and Cash before the group's demise in 1983.
Inductees into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, The Impressions are best known for their 1960s string of hits, many of which were heavily influenced by gospel music and served as inspirational anthems for the Civil Rights Movement.
Personnel:
Jerry Butler (1958 - 1960)
Curtis Mayfield (1958 - 1970)
Sam Gooden (1958 - 1983)
Arthur Brooks (1958 - 1962)
Richard Brooks (1958 - 1962)
Fred Cash (1960 - 1983)
Leroy Hutson (1970 - 1973)
Ralph Johnson (1973 - 1976)
Nate Evans (1976 - 1979)
Reggie Torian (1973 - 1983)
Discography
Albums
1963: The Impressions
1964: Keep on Pushing
1964: The Never Ending Impressions
1965: One by One
1965: People Get Ready
1966: Ridin' High
1967: The Fabulous Impressions
1968: We're a Winner
1968: This Is My Country
1969: The Young Mods' Forgotten Story
1969: The Versatile Impressions
1969: Amen
1970: Check out Your Mind!
1972: Times Have Changed
1973: Preacher Man
1974: Finally Got Myself Together
1974: Three the Hard Way
1975: First Impressions
1975: Sooner or Later
1976: It's About Time
1976: Originals
1976: Loving Power
1979: Come to My Party
1981: Fan the Fire
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They Don't Know
The Impressions Lyrics
Another friend has gone
And I feel so insecure
Brother if you feel this way
You're not by yourself
We have lost another leader
Lord how much must we endure
If you feel this way
You're not by yourself
Funny they think
We have no-one to lead us
That then we've lost the fight
And in the night no-one can breed us
But they don't know
Every brother is leader
And they don't know every sister is a breeder
And our love you see
Is gonna help the world be free
We're gonna move at a steady pace
Keep every brother on the case
They don't know
To have buses to help themselves
We cannot let our people be
Until we're all out of poverty
And never think, we have no-one to lead us
Don't think we've lost the fight
And in the night no-one can breed us
For they don't know
Every brother is leader,
And they don't know every sister is a breeder
They don't know, they don't know
They don't know, they don't know
They don't know, they don't know
They don't know, they don't know
We've got love you see
And make note of the information
Don't matter about the operation
We shall control the situation
They don't know
To have buses to help themselves
We cannot let our people be
Until we're all out of poverty
And never think, we have no-one to lead us
Don't think we've lost the fight
And in the night no-one can breed us
But they don't know
Every brother is leader,
And they don't know every sister is a breeder
And our love you see
Is gonna help the world be free
We're gonna move at a steady pace
Keep every brother on the case
They don't know
They don't know
They don't know
They don't know, oh child
They don't know
They don't know, have mercy now
They don't know, they don't know
Contributed by Muhammad L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
johnny zell
Another friend has gone
And I feel so insecure
Brother if you feel this way
You're not by yourself
We have lost another leader
Lord how much must we endure
If you feel this way
You're not by yourself
Funny they think
We have no-one to lead us
That then we've lost the fight
And in the night no-one can breed us
But they don't know
Every brother is leader
And they don't know every sister is a breeder
And our love you see
Is gonna help the world be free
We're gonna move at a steady pace
Keep every brother on the case
They don't know
To help us is to help themselves
We cannot let our people be
Until we're all out of poverty
And never think, we have no-one to lead us
Don't think we've lost the fight
And in the night no-one can breed us
For they don't know
Every brother is leader,
And they don't know every sister is a breeder
They don't know, they don't know
They don't know, they don't know
They don't know, they don't know
They don't know, they don't know
We've got love you see
And make note of the information
Don't matter about the operation
We shall control the situation
They don't know
To help us is to help themselves
We cannot let our people be
Until we're all out of poverty
And never think, we have no-one to lead us
Don't think we've lost the fight
And in the night no-one can breed us
But they don't know
Every brother is leader,
And they don't know every sister is a breeder
And our love you see
Is gonna help the world be free
We're gonna move at a steady pace
Keep every brother on the case
They don't know
They don't know
They don't know
They don't know, oh child
They don't know
They don't know, have mercy now
They don't know, they don't know
Andy Hinton
One of the finest and most important soul albums ever (along with Young Mods Forgotten Story). The genius of Curtis was getting his political message across without obvious anger but just telling people how it was it a beautiful and subtle way. There are only two political tracks in this, the first and the last track, between them.... perfect soul music but you know from those book-ending songs, the cover and album title what this is about. Every track is fantastic but two stand out as they imho are among the best soul tracks put to wax, Stay Close To Me and the wonderful (I have my LP on now next to me and it;s playing and it is why I love soul music)......So Unusual. Oh man My Woman's Love has just come on.....haha forgotten just how great this LP is. Thanks for posting it
Ben Kleschinsky
I'm sorry I love Temptations, but Curtis Mayfield was an absolute genius.
james smirk
Love it, the whole album is brill !!!
Jahn Xavier Bonfiglio
Thank you for posting this wonderful record. More should hear it. Blessings to you and yours.
John Cantatore
Killer opening for a great album
johnny zell
Another friend has gone
And I feel so insecure
Brother if you feel this way
You're not by yourself
We have lost another leader
Lord how much must we endure
If you feel this way
You're not by yourself
Funny they think
We have no-one to lead us
That then we've lost the fight
And in the night no-one can breed us
But they don't know
Every brother is leader
And they don't know every sister is a breeder
And our love you see
Is gonna help the world be free
We're gonna move at a steady pace
Keep every brother on the case
They don't know
To help us is to help themselves
We cannot let our people be
Until we're all out of poverty
And never think, we have no-one to lead us
Don't think we've lost the fight
And in the night no-one can breed us
For they don't know
Every brother is leader,
And they don't know every sister is a breeder
They don't know, they don't know
They don't know, they don't know
They don't know, they don't know
They don't know, they don't know
We've got love you see
And make note of the information
Don't matter about the operation
We shall control the situation
They don't know
To help us is to help themselves
We cannot let our people be
Until we're all out of poverty
And never think, we have no-one to lead us
Don't think we've lost the fight
And in the night no-one can breed us
But they don't know
Every brother is leader,
And they don't know every sister is a breeder
And our love you see
Is gonna help the world be free
We're gonna move at a steady pace
Keep every brother on the case
They don't know
They don't know
They don't know
They don't know, oh child
They don't know
They don't know, have mercy now
They don't know, they don't know
Bodhidharma said
Excellent , thank you profusely
wylynn craig
For Great Leaders their work will be Manifested in his Good works, LOVING and doing the Good for Mankind, because all things work together for good, for those who love the LORD and are called according to HIS purpose.
Brian Smith
getting high on pine street dreaming of the life I have at this very moment...
Thomas Allen
Brian Smith. Was that in Detroit around 1968 i was there.