Known in Northern soul circles as "The Human Percolator," blue-eyed soul sh… Read Full Bio ↴Known in Northern soul circles as "The Human Percolator," blue-eyed soul shouter Billy Harner was born and raised in Philadelphia, first emerging in 1964 with backing band the Expressions on the Lawn release "Anymore." His supporting unit proved short-lived, as the label of his follow-up, "Coney Island Wild Child," credited Harner alone, and in 1965 he signed to Cameo/Parkway to release "All Through the Night." After the release of 1966's "Let's Get in Line," Harner moved to the Kama Sutra imprint, where he recorded a series of cult-classic singles including "Homicide Dresser," "What About the Music," and the Northern soul favorite "Sally's Sayin' Somethin'," a minor hit that charted in Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles in the summer of 1967 but failed to gain national momentum. In late 1968, Harner signed to the local independent label Open/OR, where his debut release, the luminous ballad "A Message to My Baby," was licensed for wider distribution on Atlantic. Another Northern classic, the scorching Gamble-Huff track "I Struck It Rich" preceded the 1969 release of Harner's sole LP, She's Almost You. The album met the same discouraging fate as his previous releases, and after one final effort for the obscure 66 + 6 label, the Chris Kenner cover "Something You Got," the singer quit his music career to open his own barbershop in Camden, NJ. In the 1990s, Harner resurfaced on the East Coast oldies circuit. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Don't Want My Lovin'
Billy Harner Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't want my loving
Don't want my hugging
Baby Baby you drive me crazy
I love you baby can't you see
That you're the only girl
The only girl for me
Honest my darling
Hear my plea

You're the only one for me
Pretty please

Darling listen to what I say
I need you baby
Why must you have way
I love you
You're made for me
You were sent for my dreams to come true
I'll be????
What I can do
??? myself for love
Pretty please

I can't deny it hurts inside
I look at you
You just won't comply
I think of you night and day
Bound to my heart
My love for you is there
I hear your name
My hearts aflame

I'm going insane with love
Say it again

Overall Meaning

In Billy Harner's song "Don't Want My Lovin'," the singer is pleading with someone they love to reciprocate their feelings. The person they're singing to is driving them crazy with their lack of interest, but the singer cannot help how they feel. Throughout the lyrics, the singer is begging this person to understand that they are the only one for them and that they need them to be happy.

The lyrics are full of desperation and longing, and the repetition of certain phrases emphasizes the singer's feelings of distress. For example, when the singer sings "You're the only girl for me" twice in a row, it shows how strongly they feel about this person. The use of the phrase "pretty please" throughout the song further emphasizes the singer's desperation to be with this person.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't want my loving
I don't want to be in love with you anymore

Don't want my hugging
I don't want to be physically close to you anymore

Baby Baby you drive me crazy
Your behavior is causing me to lose my sanity

I love you baby can't you see
I am still in love with you

That you're the only girl
I believe you are the only person for me

The only girl for me
I don't desire anyone else but you

Honest my darling
I am speaking truthfully to you

Hear my plea
Please listen to my request

You're the only one for me
I truly believe you are meant for me

Pretty please
I am asking kindly

Darling listen to what I say
My love, please focus on my words