In 1950, McPhatter joined Billy Ward & the Dominoes, and was present for the recording of "Sixty Minute Man", which was a huge hit in 1951, and was one of the earliest rock and roll records. After several more hits, McPhatter quit the group in 1953 because he made little money and gained virtually no fame, in spite of his voice being the lead on most of the group's songs. McPhatter then signed to Atlantic Records after forming a group, The Drifters. "Money Honey", "Such a Night", "Honey Love", "White Christmas" and "Whatcha Gonna Do" became huge hits.
In 1954, McPhatter was drafted but was assigned in the U.S., allowing him to continue recording. He soon left The Drifters and launched a solo career. His first solo hit occurred just after being discharged - "Love Has Joined Us Together" (with Ruth Brown). He released several R&B hits in the next few years, but only made one serious dent in the pop charts with the Brook Benton penned song "A Lovers Question", which made it to #6 in 1958. White groups usually covered his best compositions and achieved more widespread mainstream success. In spite of this, McPhatter became one of the most popular black musicians among white listeners. His 1956 recording of "Treasure of Love" saw him enjoy just one week in the UK singles chart. The lack of any subsequent entry gave him the unenviable tag there of being a one hit wonder
McPhatter soon signed to MGM Records, and released several more hits. "I Told Myself a Lie" and "Think Me a Kiss" (1960) became minor pop hits, as was "Ta Ta", his first single for Mercury Records. "I Never Knew" and "Lover Please" (1962) became even bigger pop hits, but his career started suffering due to his alcoholism. Other black artists were following McPhatter's blueprint into pop audiences, including Rudy Lewis, Johnny Moore, Sam Cooke and an all new line-up of The Drifters. McPhatter's unreliability kept him from maintaining his career in the face of this competition. As the 1960s wore on, McPhatter's career kept falling in spite of a few minor hits.
In the early 1970s, McPhatter spent some time living in England, where he still had a significant audience, but this was short-lived. Back again in America, Clyde McPhatter died of a heart attack in 1972, at the age of 39.
In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
I Never Knew
Clyde McPhatter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love could be so cold
I never knew
How true love could grow old
Till I found out your love
I could not hold
When you said goodbye
When you said goodbye
You made me cry
You really broke my heart
Tore my world apart
I wonder why
Because your love is all I need
Your kiss satisfies my need
And I wonder now
Why did you break our vows
My daddy said
A man should never cry
My daddy said
A man should never cry
But when you walked away from me
I thought I'd die
Because your love is all I need
Your kiss satisfies my need
And I wonder now
Why did you break our vows
My daddy said
A man should never cry
My daddy said
A man should never cry
But when you walked away from me
I thought I'd die
I thought I'd die
I thought I'd die
In the song "I Never Knew" by Clyde McPhatter, he expresses his shock and pain at realizing that love can be so cold and true love can grow old. He tells the story of how he never thought he would lose the love of his life until she left and shattered his heart. The chorus of the song repeats the sentiment that he wonders why she broke their vows, and he cannot understand how someone he needs so much could hurt him so deeply. There is also a strong sense of gender norms in the song, as he references his father's advice that a man should never cry, but he still feels devastated and helpless after the loss of his love.
The lyrics of this song are incredibly poignant, and they effectively capture the pain and confusion that can come with a breakup. The repetition of certain phrases, like "I never knew" and "I thought I'd die," enhance the emotional impact of the song. The use of gender stereotypes also adds a layer of complexity to the emotional journey of the singer, highlighting the societal expectations that might make it harder for him to express his feelings. Overall, "I Never Knew" is a powerful love song that speaks to the universal experiences of heartbreak and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
I never knew
I was unaware
Love could be so cold
that love could be so rough
I never knew
I was unaware
How true love could grow old
how easily love can fade away
Till I found out your love
Up until I experienced your love
I could not hold
I was unable to keep it together
When you said goodbye
When you left me
You made me cry
You made me weep
You really broke my heart
You truly damaged my feelings and emotions
Tore my world apart
Destroyed my world, my life, my state of being
I wonder why
I am now curious as to why
Because your love is all I need
Your love is the only thing I desire
Your kiss satisfies my need
Your kiss is all I crave
And I wonder now
I am curious now
Why did you break our vows
Why did you break our promises?
My daddy said
My father once told me
A man should never cry
A man should never show his emotions
But when you walked away from me
But when you left me
I thought I'd die
I thought I couldn't go on living
I thought I'd die
I thought I would not survive on this earth anymore
Contributed by William S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
scottsoul64
Superb!