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I'm The One Who Loves You
The Impressions Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you

Little girl again you are blue
Another fellow has gone and left you
I see you've come back to me your best friend
To tell another tragic story again

And once more you look in my eyes
And one more time you ought to realize

That I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you, love me

I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you

I must confess, you're not to be blamed
For being caught in those boys vicious games
This time I won't let you go back
Never again, my dear, in fact

I'm going to stop the blueness in you
Also confess what my heart wants me to

That I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you, love me

I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you

Just once more you look in my eyes
And one more time you ought to realize

That I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you, love me

I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you
...

Overall Meaning

The Impressions’ “I’m the One Who Loves You” is a classic soul ballad full of unrequited love and longing. The song is addressed to a woman who has just been left by another man, whom she confides in as her best friend. Curtis Mayfield, the lead singer of the group, sings that he has been there for her all this time and is the one who truly loves her. He acknowledges that it’s not her fault that she has been caught up in a game played by men and promises to not let her go back to that sad state again. The song is a plea from Mayfield to the woman to realize his affection for her and choose him instead of the other men in her life.


The lyrics of the song perfectly capture the pain and desperation of someone who loves someone else but cannot express their feelings. The repetition of the titular line 'I'm the one who loves you' puts a fine point on Curtis Mayfield's argument. The tempo of the song stays constant throughout, with a slow, gentle beat that underscores Mayfield's sincerity. The musicality of the song is melodious and calming, allowing the lyrics to take center stage.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm the one who loves you
Reinforcement of the central message of the song, which is that the singer's love is true and unwavering.


Little girl again you are blue
The singer addresses the subject of the song as 'little girl,' implying that they have known each other for some time. They also comment on the subject's sad state of mind.


Another fellow has gone and left you
The singer empathizes with the subject and recognizes that they have been hurt and abandoned by someone else.


I see you've come back to me your best friend
The artist notes that the subject has returned to them for support, recognizing their close relationship.


To tell another tragic story again
The artist understands that the subject is about to recount another tale of woe, emphasizing their pattern of attracting heartbreak.


And once more you look in my eyes
The singer acknowledges that the subject is seeking comfort and possibly validation from them.


And one more time you ought to realize
The singer implores the subject to recognize the depth of their love and devotion.


I must confess, you're not to be blamed
The artist absolves the subject of any blame for their romantic misfortunes.


For being caught in those boys vicious games
The artist recognizes that the subject has been caught up in the games and machinations of other men.


This time I won't let you go back
The artist promises to intervene and protect the subject from further pain.


Never again, my dear, in fact
The singer emphasizes the finality of this decision and their love for the subject, using a term of endearment.


I'm going to stop the blueness in you
The artist is determined to heal the subject's sadness and restore their happiness.


Also confess what my heart wants me to
The singer reveals their own true feelings and desires.


Just once more you look in my eyes
The singer reiterates the subject's need for reassurance and connection.


And one more time you ought to realize
The singer reinforces the idea that the subject needs to acknowledge their love and accept their protection.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@edie19591

Curtis Mayfield is and will always be one of the greatest talents to come out of Chicago. His contribution to the musical world cannot be downplayed or ignored. If it weren't for that Chicago housing project we wouldn't have the likes of him, Jerry Butler, Sam Cooke. . . .and on and on. RIP those talents who gave rise to a culture and genre we won't see again!

@captainkeyboard1007

Chicago music, Detroit music, Los Angeles music, I love them all. They are the best. Also, I love Atlantic music like Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, Otis Redding, Percy Sledge and Wilson Pickett. Most modern music does not speak my language.

@colindayo

He simply defined Chicago Soul.

@captainkeyboard1007

@shaneika Please translate to me.

@tramp2827

Couldn't have stated it better. Soul did indeed originated in Chicago

@MarcusOhrealyis

The sad thing today is that disgusting rap has taken over the market.

@michaelfranklin4276

My favorite Impressions song to this day. That organ/synthesizer is the most mesmerizing "dog whistle" I have ever heard. It literally breathes with the song. Northern soul at it's very best. I still can't understand why this wasn't a much bigger hit in the U.S.

@RJAllen63

One of the most underappreciated and influential groups in music history. Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler... Enough said!!

@Mrpachuko13

Not much of a jerry butler fan. However, if you say curtis Mayfield and gene chandler enough said. I'm with you. I'm with you like the great song from that fantastic group called the 5 royales!!! I'm with you all the way! In case you'd like to know...

@wymell9724

Have you forgot about the day off have you forgot about Major Lance so many more

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