Barbara Lewis (born 9 February 1943 in Salem, Michigan) is a American singe… Read Full Bio ↴Barbara Lewis (born 9 February 1943 in Salem, Michigan) is a American singer and songwriter whose smooth style influenced rhythm and blues.

Born in Salem (near Ann Arbor), Michigan, Lewis was writing and recording by her teens with producer Ollie McLaughlin. (McLaughlin was a black DJ at Ann Arbor radio station WHRV, now WAAM, who is also credited with discovering Del Shannon.) Her first single release in 1962, the uptempo "My Heart Went Do Dat Da," did not chart nationally but was a local hit in the Detroit area. She wrote all of the songs on her debut LP (including the hit "Hello Stranger"). Though her follow-ups did not have the same success, her song "Someday We're Gonna Love Again" was covered by The Searchers for a British Invasion hit.

In the 1960s, Lewis recorded in New York City, with producers Bert Berns and Jerry Wexler, leading to commercially-successful hits like "Baby I'm Yours" which is written by Van McCoy ('The Hustle'1975) and "Make Me Your Baby." At the end of the decade she released a grittier-sounding album on Stax Records, and after its lack of commercial success, she began to withdraw from music.

However, over the next decade, a number of other artists had success with Lewis' songs, most notably Yvonne Elliman, who made the U.S. Top 20 (and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart) and the UK Top 30 with her version of "Hello Stranger" in 1977. "Baby I'm Yours" also charted in versions by Jody Miller and Debby Boone (the B-side of her single "God Knows"). In Canada, Suzanne Stevens had a hit in 1975 with a disco version of "Make Me Your Baby". Cover versions of Barbara Lewis' tracks continue into the new millennium with the Arctic Monkeys including a version of "Baby I'm Yours" as a B-side to their 2006 single, "Leave Before The Lights Come On".

In 1995, Lewis' "Baby I'm Yours” was featured on the Bridges of Madison County soundtrack. She was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999.

The backup group on many songs from the album "Hello Stranger" are The Dells who enjoyed some hits of their own.

My Heart Went Do Dat Da
Barbara Lewis Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here you'll come my darling
Down upon your knees
You're begging forgiveness
But you won't get it for me.

I'm returning the favor
That you gave me a long ago
And darling touches me

Darling getting open and go.

I know that you're hurting
And I'm sad but still I'm glad
That you are feeling
That feeling I once had.

So, so long farewell
You'll get used to go pain

And when it so long
And you'll trying once again.

Overall Meaning

In Barbara Lewis's song My Heart Went Do Dat Da, the lyrics paint a picture of a relationship that has gone sour. The opening lines reveal the male lover coming back to his woman on his knees, begging for forgiveness. However, the woman's heart has gone cold, and she won't forgive him for the pain he has caused her. In fact, she returns the favor by inflicting the same pain on him.

While she acknowledges that he is hurting, she is coldly satisfied that he is finally feeling the same pain that she once experienced. The song ends with the woman bidding her former love farewell, stating that he will get used to the pain and eventually try again.

The lyrics of My Heart Went Do Dat Da are a poignant reminder of the power dynamics in relationships and how hurt can be cyclical. The song reflects the struggles and disappointments that many people deal with in their romantic relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Here you'll come my darling
I am expecting your arrival, my beloved one.

Down upon your knees
You are kneeling down, symbolizing regret for your past actions.

You're begging forgiveness
You are pleading for my forgiveness.

But you won't get it for me.
Unfortunately, I will not grant you forgiveness.

I'm returning the favor
I am reciprocating the actions you once did to me.

That you gave me a long ago
The actions you did to me happened a while back.

And darling touches me
Your touch invokes feelings from the past.

Darling getting open and go.
These feelings are becoming more intense and uncontrollable.

I know that you're hurting
I understand that you are experiencing pain.

And I'm sad but still I'm glad
Although I am sad, I still feel happy that you are experiencing the same emotions I once did.

That you are feeling
I am happy that you are experiencing the same kind of pain I once experienced.