Chuck Jackson (born Charles Jackson in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on 22… Read Full Bio ↴Chuck Jackson (born Charles Jackson in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on 22 July 1937; died 16 February 2023) was an American soul and r 'n' b singer who was one of the first artists to have success with material by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and whose hits included "I Don't Want to Cry", "Any Day Now", "I Keep Forgettin'", and "All Over the World". On 4 October 2015, Chuck Jackson was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Jackson startd out as a gospel singer in The Raspberry Singers. He was in the Dell-Vikings from 1957 to 1959.

After recording as Charles Jackson for the Clock label in 1959 he signed with Wand Records in 1961. He was immediately successful with his first single I Don't Want To Cry which reached No. 5 R&B, No. 36 Pop in the USA. He was with Wand through most of the sixties, scoring several R&B and Pop hits. In 1969 he moved to Motown but didn't do so well there. He continued to record throughout the seventies for labels like ABC, All Platinum and EMI America, scoring his last R&B hit in 1980.

Although never hugely successful his soulful voice resulted in 23 R&B top 100 singles in the USA and the same number of US Pop 100 hits over the course of 20 years.

Several of Jackson's songs later became hits for other artists including Ronnie Milsap, whose 1982 cover version of "Any Day Now" reached No. 1 on the Country and Adult Contemporary charts. Michael McDonald covered "I Keep Forgettin'" with much success. "I Keep Forgettin'" was also covered by David Bowie on his album "Tonight".

On 4 October 2015, Chuck Jackson was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Helpless
Chuck Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Every day I walk some lonely street
Searchin' 'til you come back to me
People around just stop and stare
As if they know the hurt I bear
And suddenly I realize
I'm cryin' cryin' cryin' cryin'

'Cause I'm in a helpless situation

And I need some consolation
'Cause my mind is in a confusion
And my heart feels much confusion
Since you've been gone it keeps me cryin' cryin' cryin' cryin'

In the shelter of your love my strength I found
But now I'm useless, since you're not around
I'm helpless

Oh I'm helpless
Since I lost your love
Helpless
'Cause now I need your love
I never needed no one before
But now I need you more and more
Ever since you've been gone it keeps me cryin' cryin' cryin' cryin'

I'm helpless 'til you come back to me
Helpless in this world of grieve
I need your words of confidence
I need those happy times we spent
I'm in a hopeless feel confusion
And your love is your solution

It's my fault
And I won't search for you no longer

As I go home alone
Needing you to stop

I'm in a helpless situation
And I need some consolation
And my mind is in a confusion
And I'm having these strange illusions
Loneliness deep inside keeps me cryin' cryin' cryin' cryin'

In a helpless situation
And I need your consolation
And I'm having these strange illusions

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Chuck Jackson's song "Helpless" explore the emotions of a man who is deeply heartbroken and lost without the love of his significant other. The song begins with the singer walking alone down a street, desperate to find a way to bring his lost love back to his life. He feels an overwhelming sense of sadness and despair as people around him stop and stare, as if they can feel his pain too. He becomes overcome with emotion as he realizes he is crying.

The singer is in a "helpless situation" and needs "consolation" to help him cope with his overwhelming feelings of confusion and heartbreak. He feels that his strength has only come through his love with his partner, and without them, he is "useless." He never thought he would need anyone before but now needs her "more and more" every day. Throughout the song, he acknowledges that he is "crying" repeatedly, adding another layer to the depth of his sadness and desperation.

In the end, he realizes that he is not strong enough to search for his love anymore, and instead, he longs for them to come back to him. He is entirely "helpless" without them, and their return would be the only solution to his feelings of despair and confusion.

Overall, the lyrics of "Helpless" effectively explore the experience of heartbreak and leave the listener sympathizing with the singer's feelings of helplessness and longing for their lost love.

Line by Line Meaning

Every day I walk some lonely street
I am constantly searching for you, even if it means walking on lonely streets.

Searchin' 'til you come back to me
I won't stop searching until you come back to me.

People around just stop and stare
People are aware of my sadness and they observe me in pity.

As if they know the hurt I bear
They assume they know the depth of the emotional pain and sorrow I am experiencing.

And suddenly I realize
I suddenly come to the realization that

I'm cryin' cryin' cryin' cryin'
I'm crying uncontrollably.

'Cause I'm in a helpless situation
I feel powerless because of the situation I am in.

And I need some consolation
I need comfort and solace.

'Cause my mind is in a confusion
I am struggling to make sense of my thoughts and feelings.

And my heart feels much confusion
I am struggling to make sense of my emotions as well.

Since you've been gone it keeps me cryin' cryin' cryin' cryin'
Since you have been gone, I have been crying uncontrollably.

In the shelter of your love my strength I found
Being loved by you gave me the strength to overcome life's challenges.

But now I'm useless, since you're not around
Without you, I feel powerless and hopeless.

Oh I'm helpless
I am completely powerless.

Since I lost your love
I have been feeling desperate and lonely since you left.

'Cause now I need your love
I have come to realize that I desperately need your love.

I never needed no one before
I thought I was self-sufficient and independent before.

But now I need you more and more
But now I have realized that I need you more and more.

Helpless
I am powerless and hopeless without you.

I'm helpless 'til you come back to me
I am completely powerless until you come back to me.

Helpless in this world of grieve
The world feels dark and gloomy without your love.

I need your words of confidence
I need you to comfort me with your words of encouragement.

I need those happy times we spent
I miss those happy times we spent together.

I'm in a hopeless feel confusion
I am in a helpless and confusing emotional state.

And your love is your solution
I believe your love is the only solution to my sadness.

It's my fault
I am responsible for the situation we are in.

And I won't search for you no longer
I am giving up hope of finding you.

As I go home alone
I leave feeling lonely and defeated.

Needing you to stop
I need you to come back and help me stop feeling hopeless and sad.

And I'm having these strange illusions
I am having strange thoughts and feelings that I can't explain.

Loneliness deep inside keeps me cryin' cryin' cryin' cryin'
The deep loneliness inside me keeps me crying uncontrollably.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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