Mayfield is probably best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions and for the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Superfly.
Perhaps because he didn't cross over to the pop audience as heavily as Motown's stars, it may be that the scope of Curtis Mayfield's talents and contributions have yet to be fully recognized. Judged merely by his records alone, the man's legacy is enormous. As the leader of the Impressions, he recorded some of the finest soul vocal group music of the 1960s. As a solo artist in the 1970s, he helped pioneer funk and helped introduce hard-hitting urban commentary into soul music. "Gypsy Woman," "It's All Right," "People Get Ready," "Freddie's Dead," and "Superfly" are merely the most famous of his many hit records.
But Curtis Mayfield wasn't just a singer. Born in in Chicago, IL, he wrote most of his material at a time when that was not the norm for soul performers. He was among the first -- if not the very first -- to speak openly about African-American pride and community struggle in his compositions. As a songwriter and a producer, he was a key architect of Chicago Soul, penning material and working on sessions by notable Windy City soulsters like Gene Chandler, Jerry Butler, Major Lance, and Billy Butler. In this sense, he can be compared to Smokey Robinson, who also managed to find time to write and produce many classics for other soul stars. Mayfield was also an excellent guitarist, and his rolling, Latin-influenced lines were highlights of the Impressions' recordings in the '60s. During the next decade, he would toughen up his guitar work and production, incorporating some of the best features of psychedelic rock and funk.
Mayfield began his career as an associate of Jerry Butler, with whom he formed the Impressions in the late '50s. After the Impressions had a big hit in 1958 with "For Your Precious Love," Butler, who had sung lead on the record, split to start a solo career. Mayfield, while keeping the Impressions together, continued to write for and tour with Butler before the Impressions got their first Top 20 hit in 1961, "Gypsy Woman."
Mayfield was heavily steeped in gospel music before he entered the pop arena, and gospel, as well as doo wop, influences would figure prominently in most of his '60s work. Mayfield wasn't a staunch traditionalist, however. He and the Impressions may have often worked the call-and-response gospel style, but his songs (romantic and otherwise) were often veiled or unveiled messages of black pride, reflecting the increased confidence and self-determination of the African-American community. Musically he was an innovator as well, using arrangements that employed the punchy, blaring horns and Latin-influenced rhythms that came to be trademark flourishes of Chicago soul. As the staff producer for the OKeh label, Mayfield was also instrumental in lending his talents to the work of other Chi-town soul singers who went on to national success. With Mayfield singing lead and playing guitar, the Impressions had 14 Top 40 hits in the 1960s (five made the Top 20 in 1964 alone), and released some above-average albums during that period as well.
Given Mayfield's prodigious talents, it was perhaps inevitable that he would eventually leave the Impressions to begin a solo career, as he did in 1970. His first few singles boasted a harder, more funk-driven sound; singles like "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Gonna Go" found him confronting ghetto life with a realism that had rarely been heard on record. He really didn't hit his artistic or commercial stride as a solo artist, though, until Superfly, his soundtrack to a 1972 blaxploitation film. Drug deals, ghetto shootings, the death of young black men before their time: all were described in penetrating detail. Yet Mayfield's irrepressible falsetto vocals, uplifting melodies, and fabulous funk pop arrangements gave the oft-moralizing material a graceful strength that few others could have achieved. For all the glory of his past work, Superfly stands as his crowning achievement, not to mention a much-needed counterpoint to the sensationalistic portrayals of the film itself.
At this point Mayfield, along with Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, was the foremost exponent of a new level of compelling auteurism in soul. His failure to maintain the standards of Superfly qualifies as one of the great disappointments in the history of black popular music. Perhaps he'd simply reached his peak after a long climb, but the rest of his '70s work didn't match the musical brilliance and lyrical subtleties of Superfly, although he had a few large R&B hits in a much more conventional vein, such as "Kung Fu," "So in Love," and "Only You Babe."
Mayfield had a couple of hits in the early '80s, but the decade generally found his commercial fortunes in a steady downward spiral, despite some intermittent albums.
On August 14, 1990, he became paralyzed from the neck down when a lighting rig fell on top of him at a concert in Brooklyn, NY. In 1993, three years after the accident which caused Mayfield's paralysis, Shanachie records released the album People Get Ready: A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield featuring a.o. Jerry Butler, Don Covay and Steve Cropper.
Mayfield received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.
Curtis Mayfield died December 26, 1999 at the North Fulton Regional Hospital in Roswell, Georgia.
People Never Give Up
Curtis Mayfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No matter how you treat me
Never gonna give you up
So don't you think of leavin'
Girl, you treat me bad and I know why
Yeah, I've seen you runnin' around with another guy
And you think if you hurt me that I'll go away
Made it up in my mind that I'm here to stay
Never gonna give you up
Whisper in his ear
No matter how you treat me
Never gonna give you up
You tell him that Jerry said he'll never let you go
So don't you think of leavin'
Hey, don't you understand
What you're doing to the man
Do you see these tears here inn my eyes
Ain't no use in my lyin'
Cause I really cried
You think you're gonna take me
And put me on the shelf
Girl, I'd rather die
Than see you with somebody else
So throw it out of your mind
I'll never leave you
Though you grieve me and deceive me, yeah
Hey, don't you understand
What you're doing to the man
My friends all say that I'm your fool
And you're using me like a carpenter uses a tool
And I know their intentions have all been good
Some of them would help me if they could
But I'll never give you up
Never, never, never, never let you go
No matter what you say
Don't you understand
That you're killing this man
Never gonna give you up
Never gonna give you up
No matter what you do to me, baby
The song "People Never Give Up" by Curtis Mayfield is a powerful ballad about the determination and loyalty of love. The singer sings about how his partner has treated him poorly and has been unfaithful, but he still refuses to leave their relationship. He explains that he has made up his mind that he will not give up on their love, no matter how badly he is treated. He even implores his partner to tell her other lover that he will "never let [her] go." He acknowledges that his decision may make him appear foolish to others but asserts that he is committed to this relationship and will not be swayed.
The song conveys a sense of heartbreak and despair, with the singer acknowledging the pain and tears that he has experienced. Despite this, he remains steadfast in his love, refusing to abandon his relationship. Through his poignant lyrics, Mayfield explores the complicated nature of love and the resilience of the human spirit.
Overall, Mayfield's "People Never Give Up" is a powerful ode to unyielding love that speaks to the complexities of relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Never gonna give you up
I am committed to staying with you.
No matter how you treat me
Even if you don't treat me well or hurt me, I won't leave you.
So don't you think of leavin'
Don't even consider leaving me for someone else.
Girl, you treat me bad and I know why
I am aware that you are behaving badly towards me.
Yeah, I've seen you runnin' around with another guy
I have witnessed you being unfaithful to me.
And you think if you hurt me that I'll go away
You believe that hurting me will make me leave you.
Made it up in my mind that I'm here to stay
I have decided that I am committed to staying with you.
Whisper in his ear
Tell the other guy that I will never let you go.
You tell him that Jerry said he'll never let you go
Inform the other guy that I am committed to keeping you in my life.
Hey, don't you understand
Do you not comprehend the impact of your actions on me?
What you're doing to the man
Your behavior is causing emotional pain to me.
Do you see these tears here in my eyes
I am expressing my sadness through my tears.
Ain't no use in my lyin'
It is pointless for me to hide the truth.
Cause I really cried
My tears are genuine.
You think you're gonna take me
You believe you can control me.
And put me on the shelf
You want to put me aside and ignore me.
Girl, I'd rather die
I would rather die than see you with someone else.
So throw it out of your mind
Forget about the idea of leaving me.
Though you grieve me and deceive me, yeah
Even if you hurt me emotionally and deceive me, my commitment to you remains the same.
My friends all say that I'm your fool
My friends believe that I am foolish to stay with you.
And you're using me like a carpenter uses a tool
You are taking advantage of me and using me for your own purposes.
And I know their intentions have all been good
I am aware that my friends are trying to help me.
Some of them would help me if they could
Some of my friends would assist me if they could.
Never, never, never, never let you go
I will never let you go no matter what.
No matter what you say
Your words do not change my commitment to you.
That you're killing this man
Your actions and behavior are emotionally harming me.
Never gonna give you up
My commitment to staying with you remains steadfast.
Never gonna give you up
I will never leave you.
No matter what you do to me, baby
Regardless of how you treat me, I will remain committed to you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DARRYL RAYMOND PAYNE, ERIC MATTHEW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maxwell Johnson
"People Never Give Up"
My father
Our father
I pray a little letter to you
Tried to send you a Christmas
The postman couldn't get it through
You're up somewhere in the air
Wherever your nights are, you may sleep
But I know you live in my heart
Where it's warm and your spirit keeps
I'm just a man
Plain simple folk
Of instinct good and bad
(I'm so bad)
Hate to think you created me
And I always make you sad
Are you up to healing for feeling
Believe me, there's no place to go
(Oh no)
If you're willing, my lord, pick me up and let me know
Keep me in my solitude
Help me deal with loneliness
If ever I become depressed
Touch me and I'll do the rest
Pull me from my wicked sin
Show me where I start again
My needs are beyond the words I say
My God will not betray
People never give up
You just never give up
People never give up
You just never give up
dj
My father,
our father
I pray a little letter to you,
Tried to send you at Christmas
but the postman couldn't get it through
You're up somewhere, in the air
Wherever your nights are, you may sleep
But I know you live in my heart
Where it's warm and your spirit keep
I'm just a man playing simple folk(?)
of instant good and bad, I'm so bad
Hate to think you created me
and I always make you sad
Are you up to healing the feeling?
Believe me there's no place to go, oh no
If you're ready, my lord, I'm willing
Pick me up and let me know
Keep me in my solitude
Help me deal with loneliness
If ever I become depressed,
Touch me and I'll do the rest
Pull me from my wicked sin
Show me where I start again
My needs are beyond the words I say
My god will not betray!
People never give up
You just never give up
People never give up
You just never give up
some of the lyrics are repeated when he goes back to the verse (the refrain at the end is "my god will not betray!"). hope this helps, god bless!
Maxwell Johnson
"People Never Give Up"
My father
Our father
I pray a little letter to you
Tried to send you a Christmas
The postman couldn't get it through
You're up somewhere in the air
Wherever your nights are, you may sleep
But I know you live in my heart
Where it's warm and your spirit keeps
I'm just a man
Plain simple folk
Of instinct good and bad
(I'm so bad)
Hate to think you created me
And I always make you sad
Are you up to healing for feeling
Believe me, there's no place to go
(Oh no)
If you're willing, my lord, pick me up and let me know
Keep me in my solitude
Help me deal with loneliness
If ever I become depressed
Touch me and I'll do the rest
Pull me from my wicked sin
Show me where I start again
My needs are beyond the words I say
My God will not betray
People never give up
You just never give up
People never give up
You just never give up
Barry Green
I love this song love all of Curtis Mayfield music
Michelle OConnor
Cant get enough of this song since my father introduced it in my childhood. So inspiring and beautifully sung.
barry green
I love this song 😊
Jamario Cardoza
WOW!!!!! I am breathless and i am only 15 years old!!!! This is awesome music!!!!!
Otis wiggan
All Time Favorite Curtis Mayfield!!! Too Many Hits!! Musical Genius & Legend!!!..
Chrys Rogers
Love this! Never give up. God will see you through.
Barry Green
I love this song 👏🏿
Paulette White
This song right here gave me strength to never give up
trademark1874
I'm so happy to hear Paulette, me myself know how powerful music can be. This is MY song, that started me to get out of stess and daily life worries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwksHC98Cqc Peace and Love :)