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.
Send Me No Flowers
Diana Ross and the Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Send me no flowers
Just want your arms around me
Your ever lovin' arms around me
You sent me flowers and a 'Get well' card
After you had broken my heart
Violets that were blue
So send me no flowers
Don't need any flowers
Because your kissin', baby
Is what I'm missin', baby
When I'm at home, all alone
You don't even bother, bother to phone
A little affection sometimes
Will sooth this heart of mine
But you send me flowers
To ease my lonely hours
Send me no flowers
Don't need any flowers
Just need your kissin', baby
And I don't mean maybe, baby
Send me no flowers, baby
Don't need any flowers, baby
I need affection sometimes
To sooth this heart of mine
Send me no flowers, baby
Don't need any flowers, baby
I need affection sometimes
To sooth this heart of mine
Send me no flowers, baby
Don't need any flowers, baby
I need affection sometimes
To sooth this heart of mine
The song "Send Me No Flowers" by Diana Ross and the Supremes is a plea to a lover to stop sending flowers and pay attention to the emotional needs of the singer. In the opening lines, the singer declares that they don't want any more flowers, but rather they want the embrace of their lover's arms around them. The flowers that were previously sent by the lover were intended to make amends for a past transgression, but the singer is past the point of being able to forgive through material offerings.
The chorus of the song repeats the refrain that the singer is not interested in flowers, but rather in the physical affection of their lover. The second verse describes how the singer is left alone at home with no communication from their lover, making them feel neglected and unimportant. The flowers that were sent only served as temporary relief, and the singer needs lasting affection to soothe their aching heart.
Overall, the song is a powerful communication of human emotion, showing that material possessions cannot replace human touch and affection.
Line by Line Meaning
Send me no flowers
I don't want any flowers from you
Send me no flowers
I don't want any flowers from you
Just want your arms around me
I want you to hold me tightly
Your ever lovin' arms around me
Your arms that always love me are what I want around me
You sent me flowers and a 'Get well' card
You sent me flowers and a get well card to apologize after breaking my heart
Violets that were blue
The blue violets you gave me were a reminder that you would never be true
Reminded me you'd never be true
The violets you gave me made me realize that you will never be faithful
So send me no flowers
I don't want any flowers from you
Don't need any flowers
I have no use for flowers from you
Because your kissin', baby
I want your kisses, baby
Is what I'm missin', baby
That's what I'm lacking and craving, baby
When I'm at home, all alone
When I'm by myself at home
You don't even bother, bother to phone
You don't even bother to call me
A little affection sometimes
All I need is some affection occasionally
Will soothe this heart of mine
It will calm my heart and make me feel better
But you send me flowers
But you send me flowers instead
To ease my lonely hours
To try to make me less lonely
Just need your kissin', baby
All I want is your kisses, baby
And I don't mean maybe, baby
And I'm not joking, baby
Don't need any flowers, baby
I don't want any flowers from you, baby
I need affection sometimes
What I need from you is affection occasionally
To soothe this heart of mine
This will make me feel better
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER, BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, EDWARD, JR. HOLLAND, JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@flosfan2011
Doris Day's version with the same title was written by BURT BACHARACH & HAL DAVID====This Motown song was written by HOLLAND, DOZIER, HOLLAND - Motown writers. Thanks
@robertmofford
Not their best, but a nice catchy song anyway