The Supremes were a hugely successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia and disco. Second only to The Beatles in terms of records sales and chart success, The Supremes were the most successful American musical act of the 1960s, delivering twelve #1 hits between 1964 and 1969, many of them written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes.
Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in 1964 with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross and the Supremes in 1967. Ballard left the group that same year because of personal differences and was replaced by Cindy Birdsong.
Diana Ross left the group for a history-making solo career in 1970 and was replaced by Jean Terrell. After 1972, the lineup of The Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977.
Back in My Arms Again
Diana Ross and the Supremes Lyrics
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All day long, I hear my telephone ring
Friends calling giving their advice
From the boy I love, I should break away
'Cause heartaches, he'll bring one day
I lost him once through friends' advice
'Cause all advice ever gotten me
Was really long and sleepless nights
(Oooooh!)
But now, he's back in my arms again
Right by my side
I got him back in my arms again
So satisfied
(Oooooh!)
It's easy for friends to say let him go
But I'm the one who needs him so
It's his love that makes me strong
Without him, I can't go on
This time, I'll live my life at ease
Being happy loving whom I please
And each time we make romance,
I'll be thankful for a second chance
(Oooooh!)
'Cause he's back in my arms again
Right by my side
I got him back in my arms again
So satisfied
(Oooooh!)
How can Mary tell me what to do
When she lost her love so true?
And Flo, she don't know
'Cause the boy she loves is a Romeo
I listened once to my friends' advice
But it's not gonna happen twice
'Cause all advice ever gotten me
Was really long and sleepless nights
(Oooooh!)
I got him back in my arms again
Right by my side
I got him back in my arms again
So satisfied
(Oooooh!)
I'm satisfied
So satisfied, I'm satisfied
I'm satisfied, so satisfied
The song "Back in My Arms Again" by Diana Ross and the Supremes is about a woman who is trying to get back together with her ex-boyfriend despite her friends' advice to move on. She hears her phone ringing all day with friends giving her suggestions, but she knows that it's his love that makes her feel strong and without him, she can't go on. She had lost him once before through the advice of friends, but this time, she is not going to listen to them. The song ends with her being extremely satisfied that she has him back in her arms again.
The lyrics of the song speak to the idea that sometimes you must follow your heart, even if others around you are advising against it. The singer of the song knows that getting back with her ex might not be easy, but it's what she wants, and in the end, it's the right decision. The song also celebrates the joy of reunited love and how grateful one should be to have a second chance at love.
Line by Line Meaning
(Oooooh!)
A joyful vocalization expressing the elation of the singer
All day long, I hear my telephone ring
The singer is constantly receiving calls from her friends who are giving her advice about her relationship
Friends calling giving their advice
The singer's friends are offering their input on her relationship woes
From the boy I love, I should break away
The singer's friends believe that she should leave her significant other to avoid future heartache
'Cause heartaches, he'll bring one day
The singer's friends believe that her significant other will cause her sadness and pain in the future
I lost him once through friends' advice
The singer previously took her friends' advice and lost her significant other
But it's not gonna happen twice
The singer is determined not to make the same mistake again
'Cause all advice ever gotten me
The singer has found that her friends' advice has only caused her sleepless nights and unhappiness
Was really long and sleepless nights
The singer has suffered through many nights of anguish due to her friends' advice
(Oooooh!)
A joyful vocalization expressing the elation of the singer
But now, he's back in my arms again
The singer's significant other has returned to her life
Right by my side
The singer and her significant other are together and close
I got him back in my arms again
The singer has been reunited with her significant other
So satisfied
The singer is content and happy with her relationship
(Oooooh!)
A joyful vocalization expressing the elation of the singer
It's easy for friends to say let him go
The singer's friends find it simple to recommend that she end her relationship
But I'm the one who needs him so
The singer is the one who truly desires her significant other
It's his love that makes me strong
The love of the singer's significant other gives her strength
Without him, I can't go on
The singer feels that she cannot continue without her significant other
This time, I'll live my life at ease
The singer plans to live her life with peace and comfort
Being happy loving whom I please
The singer plans to be happy with her significant other and do as she wishes
And each time we make romance,
The singer and her significant other will enjoy each other's company
I'll be thankful for a second chance
The singer is grateful for the opportunity to be with her significant other again
(Oooooh!)
A joyful vocalization expressing the elation of the singer
'Cause he's back in my arms again
The singer's significant other has returned and is once again close to her
I got him back in my arms again
The singer is overjoyed to have her significant other with her again
So satisfied
The singer is content and happy with her relationship
(Oooooh!)
A joyful vocalization expressing the elation of the singer
How can Mary tell me what to do
The singer is skeptical of her friend Mary's advice
When she lost her love so true?
The singer doubts Mary's ability to give good advice because Mary has lost her own true love
And Flo, she don't know
The singer believes that her friend Flo is ignorant about relationships
'Cause the boy she loves is a Romeo
The singer sees that Flo's own relationship is problematic
I listened once to my friends' advice
The singer has previously taken her friends' advice
But it's not gonna happen twice
The singer is determined not to make the same mistake again
'Cause all advice ever gotten me
The singer has found that her friends' advice has only caused her sleepless nights and unhappiness
Was really long and sleepless nights
The singer has suffered through many nights of anguish due to her friends' advice
(Oooooh!)
A joyful vocalization expressing the elation of the singer
I got him back in my arms again
The singer is delighted to have her significant other with her once again
Right by my side
The singer and her significant other are close and together
I got him back in my arms again
The singer is overjoyed to be with her significant other once again
So satisfied
The singer is content and happy with her relationship
(Oooooh!)
A joyful vocalization expressing the elation of the singer
I'm satisfied
The singer feels content and fulfilled
So satisfied, I'm satisfied
The singer is extremely content and happy with her current situation
I'm satisfied, so satisfied
The singer is still content and pleased with her relationship
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Herbert Dozier, Brian Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind