At the age of 17, she recorded a duet with her father Rufus Thomas, "Because I Love You", which became a Southern hit and gave the Satellite label (later Stax Records) its first real success.
In 1961 she rose to national prominence with "Gee Whiz (Look in His Eyes)", which reached the Top Ten in both the R&B and Pop categories, becoming the first Memphis soul record to have an impact nationwide and ensuring the success of the Stax Records label.
In the next ten years, she had 22 singles on the national charts, including "I'll Bring It on Home to You" (an answer to Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me"), "Let Me Be Good to You", and Isaac Hayes' "B-A-B-Y".
She is well-known for her duets with Otis Redding, from the album King & Queen, including the recordings of the Lowell Fulson composition "Tramp" and the Steve Cropper/Eddie Floyd song "Knock on Wood".
In 1993 Carla Thomas received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.
No Time To Lose
Carla Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No time to lose
Lord, ain't got no time to lose
I've got to find my man
Make him understand
I've got to try and see
If he'll come back to me
I've got no time
Whoa, no time
No time to lose
(No time to lose)
(I was a fool)
I was a fool
Lord, I was such a poor fool
For believing him
Grieving him
I've got to find that guy
And apologize
I've got no time
Whoa, no time
No time to lose
(No time to lose)
No time to lose
(No time to lose)
Oh, he was right
When he told me
He said, woman
You're gonna miss me
When I'm gone
Tell him I'm sorry
Tell him I'm sorry
Tell him I'm sorry
Won't somebody please
Tell him I'm sorry
And if you see my man
Tell him I'm sorry
And if he needs me
Tell him to send for me
I've got no time
Whoa, no time
No time to lose
(No time to lose)
I got no time to lose
(No time to lose)
Whoa, no time
(No time to lose)
I got no time to lose
(No time to lose)
Whoa, no time
(No time to lose)
I got no time to lose
(No time to lose)
Whoa, no, no
In "I've Got No Time To Lose" by Carla Thomas, the singer expresses a sense of urgency and regret as she attempts to win back her man. She acknowledges her past mistakes and the foolishness of her actions, but now she is determined to make things right. The repeating phrase "no time to lose" emphasizes the imperative nature of her mission, as she feels the clock ticking and knows that she must act quickly before it's too late.
The lyrics suggest that the singer's relationship has fallen apart due to her own missteps, but she remains hopeful that she can repair the damage. She recognizes the importance of communication and wants to reach out to her ex-boyfriend to express her regret and desire to reconcile. The message in the final verse implies that she is willing to do whatever it takes to make amends, even if that means swallowing her pride and apologizing profusely.
Line by Line Meaning
No time to lose
There is no time to waste
No time to lose
There is no time to waste
Lord, ain't got no time to lose
There is a sense of urgency and the singer doesn't have any spare time
I've got to find my man
The artist is on a mission to locate her significant other
Make him understand
The artist desires to communicate something important to her man
I've got to try and see
The singer is willing to make an effort to reconnect with her partner
If he'll come back to me
The singer hopes that her significant other will reunite with her
I've got no time
Urgency is the order of the day
Whoa, no time
The artist emphasizes the lack of time available
No time to lose
There is no time for delays or hesitation
I was a fool
The singer admits to making a mistake
Lord, I was such a poor fool
The mistake was a significant one
For believing him
The singer believed something they shouldn't have
Grieving him
The singer caused distress to their partner as a result of their mistake
I've got to find that guy
The singer is determined to make amends with their significant other
And apologize
The aim of the artist is to say sorry
Oh, he was right
The artist realizes their partner had been correct about something
When he told me
The partner had already warned the singer
He said, woman
Gender-specific language used to address the singer
You're gonna miss me
The artist's significant other will not be around forever
When I'm gone
Reinforcement of the idea of losing someone if they don't act quickly enough
Tell him I'm sorry
The artist wants to relay an apology message to their partner
Won't somebody please
Asking for assistance from anyone who is willing to help
And if you see my man
Instructing others to contact her if they encounter her significant other
Tell him I'm sorry
Repeat of the desire to apologize
And if he needs me
The singer wants to know if their partner is still interested in their presence
Tell him to send for me
The singer is open to reconciliation and is willing to be with their partner again
I got no time to lose
The artist's sense of urgency persists
Whoa, no time
The need to prioritize this matter is paramount
No time to lose
The idea of a ticking clock is reiterated
I got no time to lose
Urgency is a key theme of the song
Whoa, no time
The artist puts pressure on themselves to act fast
I got no time to lose
The artist's situation requires immediate attention
Whoa, no, no
An exclamation to finish the song, reinforcing their sense of urgency
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Parker, Steve Cropper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Norma J.
OMG!! This is 2018 (I'm 67) and still getting goose bumps from this song, loved it as a teenager, still loving it today!! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
John Fulton
Doesn't she sing the shit out of that song?
Murdina Wright
A clear fresh voice that I missed in the 60s , but am catching up ....awesome
1Surinamer
The voice of Carla Thomas is just great in every way, and besides that i think that only a real lover will understand these songs from STAX records.
Gail Ford
I LOVE THIS SONG NO TIME TO LOSE WHAT AN TRUE STATEMENT MAN I WISH I COULD BRING THE GOOD OLD DAYS BACK JUST ONE MORE TIME.
GL AnnapolisTeam
Great soul singer. Very underrated.
sarah delerin
@P Barnes Aretha Franklin !
P Barnes
Very Good point GL::: What female song soul music before Carla Thomas ????
Donald Suckie
A masterpiece!!!!
Donna Nurse
Saturday mornings cleaning the house while my mum is out to the market, singing at the top of my voice...very good memories 🇬🇾💋🇬🇾