With one of her first singles turning into a national hit, 1962's "Let Me Down Easy", Detroit-raised LaVette would seem a natural soul star, but she was never able to cut an album deal. In 1972 her album A Child of the Seventies was shelved by Atlantic Records, then thought lost forever in a fire. She eked out a living on the European festival circuit, occasionally surfacing such as with the disco single "Doin' the Best that I Can", but remained obscure until French soul collector Gilles Petard tracked down the lost masters and persuaded Atlantic to let him release them on his vanity label as Souvenirs. A live album and 2005's cover album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise followed.
With the release of The Scene of the Crime, Bettye Lavette inches closer to the mainstream, or at least a much bigger cult following. Backed by The Drive-by Truckers and released on -Anti, The Scene of the Crime is recorded at the legendary FAME studios in Muscles Shoals, Alabama. The same place as her lost album. The connection doesn't end there - Patterson Hood of the Drive-by Truckers is the son of David Hood, who played on the 1972 album.
In 2009, she appeared at President Barack Obama's Inaugural Celebration, singing "A Change Is Gonna Come" with Jon Bon Jovi. It was televised globally.
Your Turn To Cry
Bettye LaVette Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you treated me like a fool
I even gave up right for wrong
Trying, trying to get along with you
When I wanted to hold you close
You were always too tired or you had some place to go
Listen daddy
Walking out that door, telling you goodbye
I can't take it no more
It's your time to cry
Oh, it's your time to cry
Oh, I tried staying with you because of our kids
But you still wouldn't do right
You leave, oh, early in the morning
I wouldn't see you no more till late, late, late at night
Although I still love you I'm afraid this is the end
And I just can't afford to make that same mistake again
Listen daddy
Walking out that door, telling you goodbye
I can't take it no more, I can't take it no more
It's your time to cry
Oh, it's your time to cry
It's over, it's over, it's over
"Your Turn To Cry" by Bettye Lavette is a powerful song about a woman who has had enough of her partner's mistreatment and neglect. The song opens with the singer expressing how she gave her all to her partner, but in return, she was treated poorly. She even gave up "right for wrong" in an attempt to make the relationship work. She wanted to hold him close, but he was always too preoccupied to reciprocate her affections. Despite her efforts to make things work, she has decided to leave because she can't take it anymore. She tells him that it's his turn to cry and that it's over.
It's an emotional song about a woman's empowerment and having the strength to leave a toxic relationship. The lyrics showcase the singer's vulnerability, her pain, and her decision to take control of her life. Lavette's delivery of the lyrics is intense and emotional, accompanied by a soulful instrumental that elevates the impact of the lyrics.
Overall, "Your Turn To Cry" is a powerful anthem for anyone who has been in a toxic relationship and has found the strength to leave. It's an important reminder that everyone deserves to be treated with love and respect.
Line by Line Meaning
I gave you all of my love
I loved you with all my heart.
But you treated me like a fool
You didn't take me seriously, and you hurt me.
I even gave up right for wrong
I compromised and went against what I believed in for you.
Trying, trying to get along with you
I gave it my all, but we still couldn't work things out.
When I wanted to hold you close
Whenever I wanted to be intimate and close to you,
You were always too tired or you had some place to go
you either were too tired or had other priorities.
Walking out that door, telling you goodbye
I'm leaving and saying goodbye to you.
I can't take it no more
I can't handle the pain and hurt anymore.
It's your time to cry
It's time for you to feel the same pain and hurt that I've been feeling.
Oh, I tried staying with you because of our kids
I wanted to stay with you because of our children.
But you still wouldn't do right
But you still didn't treat me well or do the right thing.
You leave, oh, early in the morning
You would leave early in the day.
I wouldn't see you no more till late, late, late at night
I wouldn't see you until the late hours of the night.
Although I still love you I'm afraid this is the end
Despite my love for you, I'm afraid this is the end of our relationship.
And I just can't afford to make that same mistake again
I can't risk making the same mistake of staying with you and getting hurt again.
It's over, it's over, it's over
Our relationship is finished and done.
Lyrics © NEXT DECADE ENTERTAINMENT,INC.
Written by: DOCK PRICE, JOE SIMON, RAEFORD GERALD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bradly2007
Bettye LaVette masterpiece of a performance should have been a blockbuster yet radio programmers starting late 60's on stopped programming great singers seeming to lose touch of what was great so many classics went unnoticed having zero exposure, one of the all greatest has a timeless quality to it
T OHara
hard to deny 1973 was one of the greatest years in the history of R&B, the fact that this absolute gem isn't more treasured is proof of that
kidn
That vocal is ridiculously good
C T
One of the top ten soul performances of all time, surely.
Pat Power
Pure and timeless classic
plebian
That piano intro is just an anthem.
Soulie Lass
first time ive listened to this and its giving me goose bumps
Rarepearl
IF YOU ONLY KNEW HOW MUCH I HAVE AND STILL CRY
Doug Smith
I'm thinkin that when this came out in 1973...that even the Mighty Al Green got some deep, deep, DEEP shivers
Nufăr Alb
Super beautiful !!!