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
For Your Precious Love
Jerry Butler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Means more to me
Than any love could ever be
For when I wanted you
I was so lonely and so blue
For that's what love will do
And darling, I'm
(I'm so surprised)
Oh, when I first realized
(I realized)
That a-you were fooling me
And darling
(Whoa-ooh)
They say that our love won't grow
But I just wanna tell them
(Ooo-ooo-ooo)
That they don't know-oh-ho
For as long
As you're in love with me
Our love will grow wider
Deeper than any sea
And of all the things that I want
In this whole wide world
Is just for you to say
That you'll be my girl
And woo-ooo-ooo
(Wanting you)
Wanting you
(Oh-ooh, I'm lonely and blue)
I'm so-whoa, lonely
(That's what love will do)
~
In "For Your Precious Love," Jerry Butler sings about the significance of love and the impact of his beloved's affection on his life. He compares their love to any other kind, emphasizing that it is unique and invaluable to him. The first verse describes how he felt especially lonely and down when he didn't have her in his life, which was what made him realize how important her love was to him. He then goes on to acknowledge that he was initially fooled by her, but he's overjoyed at the realization that they share a powerful connection that will continue to grow and deepen for as long as they are together.
The second verse talks about how others may doubt their love and whether it will last, but they shouldn't. He believes that their bond is strong enough to withstand anything and will only continue to grow. He wants her to be his girl above anything else in the world, as their love is what brings him the most happiness. The chorus repeats the feeling of loneliness and yearning that he experienced before their relationship and how it was only fulfilled by her love.
Overall, "For Your Precious Love" is a powerful love ballad that speaks to the importance of true love in one's life. Butler communicates how much his beloved means to him, and the song's melody reinforces the message of just how valuable having someone to love can be.
Line by Line Meaning
Your precious love
The love that you have for me is extremely valuable
Means more to me
It holds a greater importance to me
Than any love could ever be
It exceeds the love that anyone could give me
For when I wanted you
When I longed for your companionship
I was so lonely and so blue
I felt extremely alone and sad without you
For that's what love will do
That's the effect love had on me
And darling, I'm
My love
(I'm so surprised)
(It was a shock to me)
Oh, when I first realized
The moment I came to know
(I realized)
(I became aware)
That a-you were fooling me
You were deceiving me
And darling
My love
(Whoa-ooh)
(Wow)
They say that our love won't grow
Others have said our love will not expand
But I just wanna tell them
I just want to inform them
(Ooo-ooo-ooo)
(Oh yeah)
That they don't know-oh-ho
They are unaware of what they say
For as long
As much time as
As you're in love with me
As long as you still love me
Our love will grow wider
Our love will expand and broaden
Deeper than any sea
It will become more profound than the ocean
And of all the things that I want
Out of everything I desire
In this whole wide world
In the entirety of the world
Is just for you to say
All I request from you is
That you'll be my girl
That you will be my partner
And woo-ooo-ooo
And I, oh
(Wanting you)
(Craving your love)
Wanting you
Yearning for you
(Oh-ooh, I'm lonely and blue)
(Oh, I feel lonely and sad)
I'm so-whoa, lonely
I am extremely alone
(That's what love will do)
(That is how love can make me feel)
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Arthur Brooks, Jerry Butler, Richard Brooks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dwayne & Teen
on Ain't Understanding Mellow
This song is so meaningful and the Lyrics are always on point.!