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.
Love Child
Diana Ross and the Supremes Lyrics
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Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ah
You think that I don't feel love
But what I feel for you is real love
In other's eyes I see reflected, I hurt, scorned, rejected
Love child, never meant to be
Love child, never meant to be
Love child, take a look at me
Started my life in an old, cold, rundown tenement slum (tenement slum)
My father left, he never even married mom
I shared the guilt my mama knew
So afraid that others knew I had no name, ah
This love we're contemplating, is worth the pain of waiting
We'll only end up hating the child we may be creating
Love child, never meant to be (wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
Love child, (scorn by) society
Love child, always second best
Love child, (different from) different from the rest
Hold on, hold on, just a little bit longer
Mm, baby
Hold on, hold on, just a little bit longer
Mm, baby
I started school in a worn, torn, dress that somebody threw out (somebody threw out)
I knew the way it felt to always live in doubt
To be without the simple things
So afraid my friends would see the guilt in me, ah
Don't think that I don't need you
Don't think I don't want to please you
But no child of mine will be bearing the name of shame I've been wearin'
Love child, love child, never quite as good (wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
Afraid, ashamed, misunderstood (just a little bit longer)
But I'll always love you (love child, wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
I'll always love you (just a little bit longer, love child)
I'll always love you (wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
I'll always love you (just a little bit longer, love child)
I'll always love you (wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
Always love you (just a little bit longer, love child)
You, you (wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
I'll always love you (just a little bit longer, love child)
(Wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
The song "Love Child" by Diana Ross and the Supremes tells the story of a child born out of wedlock and raised in poverty. The song speaks to the shame and societal judgment placed on those born in such circumstances. The lyrics address the struggles of growing up in a tenement slum, feeling the weight of not having a father, and the emotional pain of being a "love child." The singer takes pride in themselves despite being looked down upon by society and vows that their own child will not have to bear the weight of shame they have had to endure.
The lyrics of "Love Child" are powerful and insightful. They speak to the challenges faced by those born out of wedlock or in poverty and the societal judgment placed on them. Despite this, the lyrics also hold hope and resilience, as the singer vows to break the cycle of shame and provide a better life for their own child.
Line by Line Meaning
Tenement slum
I started my life in a rundown and cold tenement slum
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
N/A
Ah
N/A
You think that I don't feel love
You assume that I don't know what love feels like
But what I feel for you is real love
However, I feel true love towards you
In other's eyes I see reflected, I hurt, scorned, rejected
I can feel the judgment and criticism from others
Love child, never meant to be
I was never intended to be born out of love
Love child, born in poverty
I was born and raised in poverty
Love child, take a look at me
Look at me, I am a product of an out-of-wedlock affair
Started my life in an old, cold, rundown tenement slum (tenement slum)
I was born in a destitute area
My father left, he never even married mom
My father and mother were never married, and he left before I was born
I shared the guilt my mama knew
I experienced the same shame and guilt my mother felt
So afraid that others knew I had no name, ah
I was afraid that people would know I don't have a legal surname
This love we're contemplating, is worth the pain of waiting
This love is worth the wait and hardship
We'll only end up hating the child we may be creating
We may end up despising the child we create
Love child, never meant to be (wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
I was an illegitimate child born out of wedlock
Love child, (scorn by) society
The society passed its scorn upon us as we are from a socially unacceptable origin
Love child, always second best
I will always be a social outcast, never treated like the rest
Love child, (different from) different from the rest
I am always singled out as different and set apart from others
Hold on, hold on, just a little bit longer
Life is tough but hang in there, just a bit more
Mm, baby
N/A
I started school in a worn, torn, dress that somebody threw out (somebody threw out)
I began my education wearing an old and shabby dress that someone had discarded
I knew the way it felt to always live in doubt
I understand what it's like to live in perpetual uncertainty
To be without the simple things
I didn't have basic needs met
So afraid my friends would see the guilt in me, ah
I was fearful that my friends would see my shame and guilt
Don't think that I don't need you
Please don't think that I don’t appreciate you
Don't think I don't want to please you
I want nothing more than to make you happy
But no child of mine will be bearing the name of shame I've been wearin'
However, I don't want any child of mine to feel the same stigma that clings to me
Love child, love child, never quite as good (wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
I will always be regarded as below average because of my identity
Afraid, ashamed, misunderstood (just a little bit longer)
I always feel fearful, embarrassed, and misinterpreted
But I'll always love you (love child, wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
I'll still love you, no matter what they call me
I'll always love you (just a little bit longer, love child)
I will always, always love you
You, you (wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on)
You, my love, please be patient with me
I'll always love you (just a little bit longer, love child)
No matter how hard it gets or how much I am despised, I will always love you
Wait, wait, won't you wait now, hold on
Please, darling, wait for me, we will get through this together
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, ACUM Ltd.
Written by: Deke Richards, Dennis Lussier, Frank Edward Wilson, Pamela Joan Sawyer, R. Dean Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
You think that I don't feel love
But what I feel for you is real love
In other's eyes I see reflected
A hurt, scorned, rejected
Love child, never meant to be
Love child, born in poverty
Love child, never meant to be
Love child, take a look at me
I started my life in an old, cold run down tenement slum
My father left, he never even married mom
I shared the guilt my mama knew
So afraid that others knew I had no name
This love we're contemplating
Is worth the pain of waiting
We'll only end up hating
The child we maybe creating
Love child, never meant to be
Love child, (scorned by) society
Love child, always second best
Love child, different from the rest
Mm, baby (hold on, hold on, just a little bit)
Mm, baby (hold on, hold on, just a little bit)
I started school, in a worn, torn dress that somebody threw out
I knew the way it felt, to always live in doubt
To be without the simple things
Sop afraid my friends would see the guilt in me
Don't think that I don't need you
Don't think I don't wanna please you
No child of mine 'll be bearing
The name of shame I've been wearing
Love child, love child, never quite as good
Afraid, ashamed, misunderstood
But I'll always love you
I'll always love you
I'll always love you
I'll always love you
I'll always love you
I'll always love you
Richard Morrow
I was 15 when this song was released. Songs like this have strong messages and staying power. That's one of the reasons songs like this don't have an expiration date.
Matt C
@Christianne Oriente sounds like a great memory! This music definitely speaks to the soul 👏🏼
Christianne Oriente
@Matt C I was walking home from school with a little transistor radio to my ear listening to WVON. That's when I felt that music in my soul and still do ...
Richard Morrow
@Christianne Oriente You are so right. Classic music in those days.
Christianne Oriente
I was 11 in 68 and the Supremes never get old..
Michael Rauch
Indeed. I was born almost 12 years AFTER the release but this song has massive energy until today. Just awesome!
Johnny Wilson
Pure genius. Everything about this song, from it's conception to its execution, from profound melody to even more profound lyric, and the incredible production value, is almost totally absent from contemporary music.
russell king
@youcanttunafish you got it!
youcanttunafish
And no autotune, no pitch correction. These women could actually SING--a foreign concept to today's "artists."
Jeffrey Martin
From someone who likes to take these things apart, All I can say is: My God, Wow!