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.
Just Hold My Hand
Clyde McPhatter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me do you care?
Will you let me hold you baby?
Take you anywhere?
Tell me, will you let me be, let me be your friend?
Will you let me hold you?
Until then, yeah, don't you know baby
That the truth is the lie?
Cause I want to love you
Oh but not just to let you sit, sit and hold my hand
Baby, just hold my hand
Now I want to love you, oh but not just to let you sit
Sit and hold my hand, baby just hold my hand
When I first met you, we took a long long walk
While we were walkin baby, we had a long long talk
I told you how I wanted you, and all the things I'd do
If you'd only prove that you loved me too
Yeah, I want to tell you how it thrills, a how it thrills me
To call your name
If we don't make it, you've got yourself to blame
Cause I'm gonna love you, oh but not just to let you sit
Sit and hold my hand
Sit and hold my hand
Sit and hold my hand....
In Clyde McPhatter's song "Just Hold My Hand," the singer expresses his desire for his lover's affection and questions whether she truly loves him. He wants to know if she cares for him, and if she will allow him to hold her and take her anywhere. He asks if she will be his friend and let him love her without just settling for holding hands. He questions the sincerity of their relationship and whether she is treating him right. He tells her that he wants to love her and be with her, but only if she truly loves him back and is willing to reciprocate his affection.
The lyrics also describe a past conversation between the two lovers during a walk where McPhatter expressed his love for her and the things he wanted to do for her if she loved him back. He emphasizes that calling her name and being with her thrills him, and if their relationship doesn't work out, it would be her fault. The song's lyrics convey the theme of wanting a genuine and reciprocated love and affection instead of just settling for physical intimacy.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to know do you love me?
I'm curious to know if you love me or not, and I'm seeking an answer
Tell me do you care?
Can you confirm if you care about me or not?
Will you let me hold you baby?
Can I hold you, my love?
Take you anywhere?
Are you willing to go anywhere with me as long as we're together?
Tell me, will you let me be, let me be your friend?
Can I be your friend? Can we share a special bond together?
Will you let me hold you?
Can I hold you one more time, my beloved?
Until then, yeah, don't you know baby that the truth is the lie?
Until then, don't you know that the truth is a lie when you don't tell me what's in your heart?
Ask yourself, dear, if you're doing me right
Dear, ask yourself if you're treating me right because I deserve to be treated with love and care
Cause I want to love you
I'm in love with you, and I want a chance to express that love
Oh but not just to let you sit, sit and hold my hand
I don't want to love you just for the sake of it or for being in a relationship with you, but for the depth of our love
Baby, just hold my hand
My love, can you just hold my hand for a moment and feel our connection?
When I first met you, we took a long long walk
When we first met, we went on a walk that never seemed to end
While we were walkin baby, we had a long long talk
During our walk, we had one of the most extended talks two people can have
I told you how I wanted you, and all the things I'd do
During that conversation, I poured out my heart and let you know how much I wanted you and what I would do for our love
If you'd only prove that you loved me too
If only you could show me that you feel the same for me
Yeah, I want to tell you how it thrills, a how it thrills me to call your name
It's exciting for me just to say your name, and it gives me joy in any situation
If we don't make it, you've got yourself to blame
If our love doesn't work out, you'll have no one but yourself to blame since I've shown you how much I care about you
Cause I'm gonna love you, oh but not just to let you sit, sit and hold my hand
I'm going to love you to the fullest just not to have you sit and be with me physically, but to create something deeper between us
Sit and hold my hand
The physical act of sitting and holding hands is not sufficient to reflect the depth of our love
Sit and hold my hand
Even though I enjoy holding our hands, I desire much more than that
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DON D. ROBEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind