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.
I'm Giving You Your Freedom
Diana Ross and the Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Leading me on
I can see there's no need for me
So I'm gonna have to set you free
I'm giving you your freedom
To find somebody new
There's no sense in both of us
Every time I wanted you around
You were nowhere to be found
The price I pay to love you
Is too much to bear
And it's unfair when you don't really care
I'm giving you your freedom
To find somebody new
There's no sense in both of us
Making each other blue
I tried so hard to make you happy with me
But now I see our love could never be
I can't deny I'm still in love with you
But this is it, I'm callin' it quits
I'm giving you your freedom
To find somebody new
There's no sense in both of us
Making each other blue
There's no sense in the both of us
Making each other blue
There's no sense in the both of us
Making each other blue
The lyrics to Diana Ross and the Supremes's song "I'm Giving You Your Freedom" depict a woman who realizes that her relationship with her partner is one-sided and unsustainable. She has been led on and left alone numerous times, and she can no longer endure the emotional burden of loving someone who doesn't reciprocate her feelings. Therefore, she decides to set her partner free to find someone new, so they both can stop making each other unhappy. The singer acknowledges that she still loves her partner, but she concludes that their love is not enough to sustain their romantic relationship.
Overall, the song conveys a message of self-love and empowerment. The singer realizes that her happiness and well-being must come first, and she makes a difficult decision to prioritize her emotional health over her romantic relationship. This song is an anthem for anyone who has ever had to end a relationship for the sake of their own growth and self-care.
Line by Line Meaning
You're doing me wrong
You're treating me unfairly and not being honest with me.
Leading me on
You're making me believe you want to be with me when you don't.
I can see there's no need for me
I can tell that you don't really want to be with me and I'm not necessary in your life.
So I'm gonna have to set you free
I'm going to end things and let you go.
I'm giving you your freedom
I'm allowing you to pursue other relationships and live your life free of me.
To find somebody new
To seek out a new partner for yourself.
There's no sense in both of us
It doesn't make sense for both of us to be unhappy.
Making each other blue
Making each other sad and unhappy.
Every time I wanted you around
Whenever I needed or desired your company,
You were nowhere to be found
You were unavailable or chose not to be present for me.
The price I pay to love you
The cost of being in a relationship with you
Is too much to bear
Is overwhelming and unbearable for me.
And it's unfair when you don't really care
It's unjust when you don't have genuine feelings for me even though I do for you.
I tried so hard to make you happy with me
I made a great effort to please you and make you happy while we were together.
But now I see our love could never be
I acknowledge that our relationship was doomed from the start and could never truly work out in the long run.
I can't deny I'm still in love with you
I must confess that I still have feelings for you even though I know it's not healthy for me.
But this is it, I'm callin' it quits
Despite my continued love for you, I am ending our relationship.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JR., BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, EDWARD, JR. HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind