As performers, their best-known song is "Solid" (1984 US and 1985 UK), although they have had many other hits, mostly on the R&B charts. Many of their songs have been recorded in hit versions by artists as diverse as Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and so many, many others.
Ashford and Simpson met at Harlem's White Rock Baptist Church in 1963. After having recorded unsuccessfully as a duo, they joined aspiring solo artist and former member of the Ikettes, Josie Jo Armstead, at the Scepter/Wand label where their compositions were recorded by Ronnie Milsap ("Never Had It So Good"), Maxine Brown ("One Step At A Time"), as well as the Shirelles and Chuck Jackson. Another of the trio's songs "Let's Go Get Stoned" gave Ray Charles a number one U.S. R&B hit in 1966. That same year Ashford & Simpson joined Motown where their best-known songs included "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "You're All I Need To Get By", "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", and "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)".
The duo was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.
It Seems To Hang On
Ashford & Simpson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never had this condition before
Everywhere I turn (it seems to hang on)
Everything I do (it seems to hang on)
Was I mistaken (it seems to hang on)
About you (it seems to hang on)
Aside from wantin' you (it seems to hang on)
Let me give you some idea (it seems to hang on)
It ain't just the tears, the fact of it is
I can't go nowhere
I can't be the same
I don't know my name
I can't understand just why
(It seems to hang on), oh, ooh, why
(It seems to hang on)
Wasn't I clever
As only I can be
But tell me what's happenin'
What's botherin' me, yeah
Aside from dreams I had
Nothin' else exists
Honey, it's you I miss
Don't leave me like this
I can't go nowhere
I can't be the same
I don't know my name
I can't understand just why
(It seems to hang on), why
(It seems to hang on)
Like a snowball rollin' down the hill (it seems to hang on)
I look behind me, it's there still (it seems to hang on)
Ooh, like a shadow it follows
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, loose me, loose me, loose me please
I can't go nowhere
I can't be the same
I don't know my name
I can't understand just why
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on), I can't shake it
(It seems to hang on), I can't shake it
(It seems to hang on)
Like a snowball rollin' down the hill (It seems to hang on)
I look behind me, it's there still (It seems to hang on)
Ooh, it follows like a shadow
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, loose me, loose me, loose me please, please, please
(Hey) Hey
I can't go nowhere
I can't be the same
I don't know my name
I can't understand just why, why
(It seems to hang on), oh, oh, why
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on), was it, was it
(It seems to hang on), was it, was it
(It seems to hang on), baby, was it love
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
(It seems to hang on)
The lyrics of Ashford & Simpson's song "It Seems to Hang On" suggest a painful experience of unrequited love. The singer seems to have fallen deeply in love with someone who does not reciprocate those feelings, causing confusion and heartache. The first stanza implies that the singer is struggling to accept reality, unable to differentiate between day and night. It seems that the love they feel for the other person is consuming and overwhelming, making it difficult to focus on anything else.
The second stanza adds to the sense of desperation, with the singer expressing that it's not just the tears they cry that are causing them pain; rather, it's the fact that they can't escape their feelings or move on. They can't go anywhere, can't be the same, and don't even know their own name anymore. The third stanza suggests that the singer is struggling to understand why they feel this way, questioning whether they were mistaken about the other person's feelings for them. The repetition of "it seems to hang on" at the end of each stanza adds to the sense of constant suffering and how the pain of rejection is inescapable.
Overall, the lyrics of "It Seems to Hang On" capture the experience of unrequited love and the difficulty of moving on in the face of rejection. Ashford & Simpson's soulful vocals and the bouncy, upbeat instrumentation provide an interesting contrast to the sadness of the lyrics, making for a compelling and emotional listening experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it daylight, I can't tell no more
I'm so lost and confused that I can't even discern if it's day or night anymore
Never had this condition before
This feeling I'm experiencing is new and unusual for me
Everywhere I turn (it seems to hang on)
No matter where I look or what I do, this feeling persists and won't let go
Everything I do (it seems to hang on)
Even my actions and efforts to move on are ineffective against this persistent feeling
Was I mistaken (it seems to hang on)
I question whether I was wrong or misread the situation because this feeling won't go away
About you (it seems to hang on)
The cause of this feeling is you, and I can't stop thinking about you
Aside from wantin' you (it seems to hang on)
Beyond my desire for you, this feeling continues to burden me
Aside from needin' you (it seems to hang on)
Even if I don't necessarily need you, this feeling still persists
Let me give you some idea (it seems to hang on)
Allow me to explain what I'm going through - this feeling won't let go
It ain't just the tears, the fact of it is
This feeling goes beyond just crying or sadness; it's a deeper and more complex emotion
I can't go nowhere
This feeling is all-consuming, preventing me from moving on or going anywhere
I can't be the same
I'm not the person I used to be, as this feeling has changed me fundamentally
I don't know my name
I don't recognize myself anymore because of this all-encompassing feeling
I can't understand just why
I can't make sense of this feeling or why it won't go away
(It seems to hang on), oh, ooh, why
This feeling keeps persisting and I can't figure out why
Wasn't I clever
I thought I had everything figured out and could handle whatever came my way
As only I can be
I pride myself on being smart and capable
But tell me what's happenin'
Despite my cleverness, I still can't explain this feeling that won't go away
What's botherin' me, yeah
This persistent feeling is causing me great distress and worry
Aside from dreams I had
This feeling is more than just unfulfilled hopes or wishes
Nothin' else exists
This feeling is so all-consuming that nothing else seems to matter or exist
Honey, it's you I miss
The root cause of this feeling is missing you, even if I don't fully understand why
Don't leave me like this
I can't handle this feeling on my own and I need you to help me through it
Like a snowball rollin' down the hill (it seems to hang on)
This feeling is gaining momentum and intensifying, like a snowball picking up speed as it rolls down a hill
I look behind me, it's there still (it seems to hang on)
This feeling keeps following me and won't give me any peace or relief
Ooh, like a shadow it follows
This feeling is like a shadow that I can't escape or shake off
Oh, loose me, loose me, loose me please
I desperately want to be free from this feeling and need help to escape it
(Hey) Hey
An exclamation of frustration and desperation, imploring for help and relief
(It seems to hang on), I can't shake it
This feeling won't go away no matter what I do or try
(It seems to hang on), baby, was it love
I wonder if this feeling was true love all along and that's why it won't go away
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@victormalloynesmithnesmith6250
This is one of the Greatest songs of all times and it never gets old
@pattifanalwayz7388
Did you skate ?
@leroygrayjr.2957
Yes !
@chrisbanks3981
There will Never be another Husband and Wife Duo like this
@LenaWilliams-ps1mi
I Concur!!!! It Never Will♥️
@greatscott1175
2023. True music lover here. Just wondering how we went from incredible songs like this, about love and compassion- to songs about guns, murder and how much product is being sold on the block.
@mick8185
Sometimes you hear songs that make you wish time could stand still.
@soap1919jt
So very true!
@nebdirty
yessir!!!
@marvinberry9874
Yes. This sounds as good now as the day they recorded it. Yep I still remember, just didn't know how special those time were.