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.
Reflections
Diana Ross and the Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time after time
I see reflections of you and me
Reflections of
The way life used to be
Reflections of
The love you took from me
Oh, I'm all alone now
No love to shield me
Trapped in a world
That's a distorted reality
Happiness you took from me
And left me alone
With only memories
Through the mirror of my mind
Through these tears that I'm crying
Reflects a hurt I can't control
'Cause although you're gone
I keep holding on
To the happy times
Oh, when you were mine
As I peer through the window
Of lost time
Looking over my yesterdays
And all the love I gave all in vain
(All the love) All the love
That I've wasted
(All the tears) All the tears
That I've tasted
All in vain
Through the hollow of my tears
I see a dream that's lost
From the hurt
That you have caused
Everywhere I turn
Seems like everything I see
Reflects the love that used to be
In you I put
All my faith and trust
Right before my eyes
My world has turned to dust
After all the nights
I sat alone and wept
Just a handful of promises
Are all that's left of loving you
Reflections of
The way life used to be
Reflections of
The love you took from me
In you I put
All my faith and trust
Right before my eyes
My world has turned to dust
The song "Reflections" by Diana Ross and the Supremes is a poignant reflection on lost love and memories of the past. Through the metaphor of a mirror, the singer sees reflections of herself and her former partner, as well as reflections of the way life used to be. The lyrics describe the pain of being alone and the feeling of being trapped in a distorted reality. The song captures the sense of loss and heartbreak that can linger long after a relationship has ended.
Throughout the song, the singer struggles with the memories of the past and the longing for happier times. The line "Happiness you took from me and left me alone with only memories" captures the sense of loss and emptiness that can come with the end of a relationship. Yet, despite the pain, the singer continues to hold on to the happy times when they were together.
The final verse of the song is particularly poignant, as the singer reflects on the promises that were made but not kept. "Just a handful of promises are all that's left of loving you," she sings. The lyrics suggest that it is the broken promises and shattered dreams that are the hardest to let go of.
Overall, "Reflections" is a powerful song that deals with themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. It is a reminder that even when a relationship ends, the memories and emotions can linger on.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the mirror of my mind
Revisiting past memories in my imagination
Time after time
Repeatedly
I see reflections of you and me
I see images of our past relationship
Reflections of
Memories of
The way life used to be
The way things were before
Reflections of
Memories of
The love you took from me
The love you took away from me
Oh, I'm all alone now
I am currently by myself
No love to shield me
No love to protect me
Trapped in a world
Stuck in a place
That's a distorted reality
That is not based on truth
Happiness you took from me
The happiness you took away from me
And left me alone
And left me by myself
With only memories
With only thoughts of the past
Through the mirror of my mind
In my thoughts and imagination
Through these tears that I'm crying
While crying tears
Reflects a hurt I can't control
Shows the pain I cannot manage
'Cause although you're gone
Because you're no longer here
I keep holding on
I keep trying to keep going
To the happy times
To the moments when we were happy
Oh, when you were mine
Oh, when you were my partner
As I peer through the window
As I look through the windowpane
Of lost time
Of time that has passed
Looking over my yesterdays
Recalling my past experiences
And all the love I gave all in vain
All the love I gave that was wasted
(All the love) All the love
All of the love
(All the tears) All the tears
All of the tears
That I've wasted
That were of no use
Through the hollow of my tears
Amidst my emotional pain
I see a dream that's lost
I see a lost hope
From the hurt
Due to the pain
That you have caused
That you inflicted upon me
Everywhere I turn
Whichever direction I face
Seems like everything I see
Appears like everything I look at
Reflects the love that used to be
Reminds me of our past love
In you I put
I trusted you with
All my faith and trust
All my belief and reliance
Right before my eyes
In front of me
My world has turned to dust
My life has become miserable
After all the nights
After going through many nights
I sat alone and wept
I stayed by myself and cried
Just a handful of promises
Only a few commitments
Are all that's left of loving you
Are the only things left from our love
Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lauralink8703
Love 💘
@angelafisher299
Does anyone remember the television show "China Beach "This was the theme song and I would watch the show just to hear this song. Supremes will always be my favorite girl group of all time.
@michaelbrinks8089
LOL I just came from a China Beach intro video....I totally forgot about that show then randomly started thinking about it a couple days ago.
@Ray-ti3pb
Young Dana Delaney and Marg Helgenberg.
@bobbierobinson6269
I never watched a show, just the intro to hear them.
@ccret7
Good show
@smokefree08
My bro and I loved that show. Ricki Lake is the only cast member that I remember.
@irisadams7639
My Dad is a Vietnam Vet and this song was in heavy rotation throughout the war. It will always remind me of my Dad and the sacrifice he and so many gave.
@barrymorgan5206
Thank you for sharing that with all of us 🎶❤️🙏🏽
@bernard48
God bless him, and so many others