Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love (Like That)". Beginning in late 1986 with the release of their single Sometimes, Erasure established themselves on the British charts; albums such as The Circus, Wild!, Chorus, I Say I Say I Say, Loveboat and Nightbird demonstrated a further diversity of sound.
The album that boosted their career tremendously was The Innocents, which was released in 1988. A Little Respect and Chains of Love both hit the Billboard Top 100. Most people will probably remember Erasure for A Little Respect, which became one of their signature songs.
Clarke formerly was a member of Depeche Mode and later had a successful career with the duo Yazoo (known as Yaz in the US). Later he split with Yazoo partner Alison Moyet and briefly formed The Assembly with producer Eric Radcliffe. After a successful Assembly single ("Never Never"), Clarke released an unsuccessful one-off single with vocalist Paul Quinn ("One Day"). He then placed a blind advertisement in Melody Maker looking for a vocalist for a new musical project. He selected Andy Bell, who was the forty-first to audition (and whose voice would often be compared to Moyet's). From the start, their success was founded upon their songwriting skills. Clarke's talent for writing melodic, catchy pop songs was evident from his years with Depeche Mode and Yazoo. Bell's gifts as a lyricist and melodist added depth and character to Clarke's style (additionally, Bell was openly gay from the beginning, and he reflected this in his lyrics at a time when society as a whole was more ignorant around queer issues than it is today - making Erasure's success all the more phenomenal). As pop craftsmen, the pair's work bears comparison with that of Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Eurythmics, OMD, Alphaville, a-ha, Roxette and other pop songwriters.
Though their productivity and record sales declined beginning in the second half of the 1990s, Erasure scored at least one Top 30 hit with the release of every new album. Few electronic bands have demonstrated the durability of Erasure.
In 2005 Erasure made a comeback with their number one position on the US Dance Chart, eighteen years after their first chart-topper. This success was mirrored in the UK with the debut single from Nightbird ("Breathe") reaching number four in the charts. Erasure also enabled fans to configure and buy their own remixes of the single 'Don't Say You Love Me' through the band website. Each variant of the song was limited to a single download.
2006 saw the release of the album Union Street, which features a collection of previously released Erasure songs that the band have reinterpreted with an acoustic / country & western style. The album is named after the recording studio in Brooklyn where it was recorded.
A new album, Light at the End of the World, was released in 2007.
A Little Respect
Erasure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little something to make me sweeter
Oh baby refrain from breaking my heart
I'm so in love with you
I'll be forever blue
That you gimme no reason
Why you make-a-me work so hard
That you gimme no
That you gimme no
That you gimme no
Soul, I hear you calling
Oh baby, please, give a little respect to me
And if I should falter
Would you open you arms out to me?
We can make love not war
And live at peace with our hearts
I'm so in love with you
I'll be forever blue
What religion or reason
Could drive a man to forsake his lover?
Don't you tell me no
Don't you tell me no
Don't you tell me no
Don't you tell me no
Soul, I hear you calling
Oh baby, please, give a little respect to me
I'm so in love with you
I'll be forever blue
That you gimme no reason
You know you make-a-me work so hard
That you gimme no
That you gimme no
That you gimme no
That you gimme no
Soul, I hear you calling
Oh baby, please, give a little respect to me
Soul, I hear you calling
Oh baby, please, give a little respect to me
The lyrics to Erasure's "A Little Respect" express a desire for love and respect from a significant other. The singer pleads for their partner to treat them better and not break their heart. Despite being deeply in love, the singer feels like they are working hard without any reason and their partner is not giving them the respect they deserve. The lyrics throughout the song convey a sense of longing and desperation for their partner's love and respect.
In the second verse, the singer questions the reasoning behind someone forsaking their lover. The lyrics suggest that love and peace prevail over war and conflict, and that the singer is willing to make peace and love their priority. The repetition of the lines "Don't you tell me no" and "That you gimme no" further emphasizes the singer's plea for respect and love.
Overall, the song speaks to a universal desire to love and be loved in return, and to be treated with respect in a relationship. The repetition of "Soul, I hear you calling" suggests that this desire is not only for physical love, but for a connection on a deeper, soulful level.
Line by Line Meaning
I try to discover
I'm searching for something, anything that could make me feel better.
A little something to make me sweeter
I want to find a way to make myself a better person who is more likable.
Oh baby refrain from breaking my heart
Please don't hurt me emotionally or cause me heartache.
I'm so in love with you
I have deep feelings of affection towards you.
I'll be forever blue
My sadness or depression will last forever.
That you gimme no reason
You haven't given me any explanation for your actions.
Why you make-a-me work so hard
I feel like I'm putting in a lot of effort for our relationship, but you're not reciprocating.
Soul, I hear you calling
My inner voice is telling me something important.
Oh baby, please, give a little respect to me
I'm asking for your kindness, understanding, and consideration.
And if I should falter
If I should make a mistake, fail, or stumble.
Would you open you arms out to me?
Will you be there to support and comfort me?
We can make love not war
We can choose to build a peaceful, loving relationship instead of fighting or arguing.
And live at peace with our hearts
We can find happiness within ourselves and with each other.
What religion or reason
What kind of belief system or justification.
Could drive a man to forsake his lover?
Why would someone abandon or reject the person they claim to love?
Don't you tell me no
Don't refuse my request or deny my feelings.
Soul, I hear you calling
My intuition or conscience is urging me to communicate with you.
Oh baby, please, give a little respect to me
I'm asking you to treat me with kindness, honesty, and dignity.
That you gimme no reason
You haven't given me any justification or explanation.
You know you make-a-me work so hard
You're making me put in a lot of effort or struggle to maintain our relationship.
Soul, I hear you calling
My inner voice is still trying to guide me towards the right path.
Oh baby, please, give a little respect to me
I'm still pleading for your kindness and empathy towards me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Integrity Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andrew Bell, Andy Bell, Vince Clarke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind