Born Esther Mae Jones in Galveston, Texas, when she was an adolescent, her parents divorced, and she was forced to divide her time between her father in Houston and her mother in the Watts area of Los Angeles. Because she was brought up singing in church, she was hesitant to enter a talent contest at a local blues club, but her sister insisted and she complied. A mature singer at age fourteen, she won the amateur talent contest in 1949 at the Barrelhouse Club owned by Johnny Otis. Otis was so impressed that he recorded her for Modern Records and added her to his traveling revue, the California Rhythm and Blues Caravan, billed as 'Little Esther Phillips' (she reportedly took the surname from a gas station sign).
Her first hit record was Double Crossing Blues, recorded in 1950 for Savoy Records. After several hit records with Savoy, including her duet with Mel Walker on Mistrusting Blues, which went to number one that year, as did "Cupid Boogie". Other Phillips records that made it onto the U.S. Billboard R&B chart in 1950 include "Misery" (number 9), "Deceivin' Blues" (number 4), "Wedding Boogie" (number 6), and "Faraway Blues" (number 6). Few female artists, R&B or otherwise, had ever enjoyed such success in their debut year. Phillips left Otis and the Savoy label at the end of 1950 and signed with Federal Records.
But just as quickly as the hits had started, they stopped. Although she recorded more than thirty sides for Federal, only one, Ring-a-Ding-Doo, charted; the song made it to number 8 in 1952. Not working with Otis was part of her problem; the other part was her drug usage. By the middle of the decade Phillips was chronically addicted to drugs.
In 1954, she returned to Houston to live with her father to recuperate. Short on money, she worked in small nightclubs around the South, punctuated by periodic hospital stays in Lexington, Kentucky, stemming from her addiction. In 1962, Kenny Rogers re-discovered her while singing at a Houston club and got her signed to his brother Lelan’s Lenox label.
Phillips ultimately got well enough to launch a comeback in 1962. Now billed as Esther Phillips instead of Little Esther, she recorded a country tune, Release Me, with producer Bob Gans. This went to number 1 R&B and number 8 on the pop listings. After several other minor R&B hits on Lenox, she was signed by Atlantic Records. Her cover of The Beatles' song And I Love Him nearly made the R&B Top Ten in 1965 and the Beatles flew her to the UK for her first overseas performances.
She had other hits in the 1960s on the label, but no more chart toppers, and she waged a battle with heroin dependency. With her addiction worsening, Phillips checked into a rehab facility. While undergoing treatment, she cut some sides for Roulette in 1969, mostly produced by Lelan Rogers. On her release, she moved back to Los Angeles and re-signed with the Atlantic label. A late 1969 gig at Freddie Jett's Pied Piper club produced the album Burnin'. She performed with the Johnny Otis Show at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1970.
One of her biggest post-1950s triumphs was in 1972 with her first album for Kudu Records. The song penned by Gil Scott-Heron, Home Is Where the Hatred Is, - an account of drug use — was lead track on From a Whisper to a Scream which went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award. When Phillips lost to Aretha Franklin, the latter presented the trophy to Phillips, saying she should have won it instead.
Taylor continued to cut albums with her until in 1975, she scored her biggest hit single since "Release Me" with a disco-style update of Dinah Washington's What a Diff'rence a Day Makes. It reached a high of a Top 20 chart appearance in the U.S., and Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. On November 8, 1975 she performed the song on an episode of NBC's Saturday Night hosted by Candice Bergen. The accompanying album of the same name became her biggest seller yet, with arranger Joe Beck on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor sax, David Sanborn on alto sax, and Randy Brecker on trumpet to Steve Khan on guitar and Don Grolnick on keyboards.
She continued to record and perform throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, completing a total of seven albums on Kudu and four with Mercury Records, for whom she signed in 1977. In 1983, she charted for the final time on a tiny independent label, Winning with Turn Me Out, which reached #85 R&B. She completed recording her final album a few months before her death, but it was not until 1986 that the label (Muse) released the record.
Phillips died at UCLA Medical Center in Carson, California in 1984, at the age of 48 from liver and kidney failure due to drug use. Her funeral services were conducted by Johnny Otis, and she was buried in the Morning Light section, at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles. The bronze marker recognizes her career achievements, as well as quoting a Bible passage, "In My Father's House Are Many Mansions" - St. John 14:2
Just Say Goodbye
Esther Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The stars were shining so bright
How could I constantly resist you when you're lips were sweet
And your arms held me tight
You said you'd give me your heart
But you just lied to me from the start
Won't you please, please stop pretending
No, I won't sigh and I won't cry
You're not my guy, just say goodbye
I can't forget how soft you're voice was when you told me
You needed my sweet caress
And when you begged me for my love I though at last I found
My whole life's happiness
You said you'd give me your heart
But you just lied to me from the start
Won't you please, please stop pretending
And just say goodbye
No, I won't sigh and I won't cry
You're not my guy, just say goodbye, just say goodbye
You're not my guy, so just say goodbye
The lyrics of Esther Phillips’ song “Just Say Goodbye” speak of a love that was eventually revealed to be one-sided. The song opens with the memory of a night when the singer (presumably Phillips’ character) was told that she was loved. The stars were shining brightly and the atmosphere was perfect for the occasion. However, the singer seems resigned to the fact that the person who professed their love lied from the start. She pleads for him to stop pretending and to just say goodbye. She continues to assert that she will not sigh or cry over the ending of the relationship, saying that he is not her guy.
The second stanza of the song continues to portray the relationship that was based on the deception of one partner. The man’s soft voice and need for her caress, and his begging for love, led the singer to think she had found her “whole life’s happiness.” Yet, it became clear that he had lied from the start. The singer pleads for him to stop pretending and to just say goodbye.
The song is one of heartbreak, but it also reflects the strength gained from moving on from a situation in which one was lied to. Phillips’ character had the confidence to assert that the man was not her guy and that she would not cry or sigh, an expression of a sense of self-worth.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't forget the night you told me that you loved me
I vividly remember the night you professed your love to me
The stars were shining so bright
The night sky was clear and beautiful
How could I constantly resist you when you're lips were sweet
I struggled to deny your advances when you were so charming
And your arms held me tight
Your embrace was comforting and intimate
You said you'd give me your heart
You promised to entrust me with your love and devotion
But you just lied to me from the start
You were dishonest with me since the beginning of our relationship
Won't you please, please stop pretending
I request that you discontinue your insincere behavior
And just say goodbye
Please end things between us
No, I won't sigh and I won't cry
I have no intention of mourning our breakup
You're not my guy, just say goodbye
You are not the one for me, so please accept our separation
I can't forget how soft you're voice was when you told me
I also remember the soothing tone of your voice when you spoke to me
You needed my sweet caress
You desired my emotional support and affection
And when you begged me for my love I though at last I found
I believed I had finally discovered true love when you pleaded for my affection
My whole life's happiness
I thought you would bring me lifelong joy and fulfillment
You're not my guy, so just say goodbye
I must reiterate that we are not meant to be, please end our relationship
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: RODGERS LEE GRANT, RUTH GRANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cityzen2717
I can't forget the night you told me that you loved me
The stars were shining so bright
How could I constantly resist you when you're lips were sweet
And your arms held me tight
You said you'd give me your heart
But you just lied to me from the start
Won't you please, please stop pretending
And just say goodbye
No, I won't sigh and I won't cry
You're not my guy, just say goodbye
I can't forget how soft you're voice was when you told me
You needed my sweet caress
And when you begged me for my love I though at last I found
My whole life's happiness
You said you'd give me your heart
But you just lied to me from the start
Won't you please, please stop pretending
And just say goodbye
No, I won't sigh and I won't cry
You're not my guy, just say goodbye, just say goodbye
You're not my guy, so just say goodbye
Songwriters: Rodgers Lee Grant / Ruth Grant
@Finkanslig
Just say it proves what a great Jazz singer Esther was! MAR 1966 45 rpm-version from Atlantic Records-UK (Decca Records). From a 22 DEC ’65 session, New York - w/ Oliver Nelson, conductor/arranger. This (tho the LP version) and other great Ms Phillips cuts are on Esther Phillips Sings (Atlantic/Rhino). Nelson was arr/cond for the 24 JAN ’66 Esther Phillips session, too. Jimmy Wisner & Ray Ellis handled the duties for 2 others. All had large all-star Jazz orchestras. :I: Finkänslig 23MAY`12
@rocknobby
Esther is one of the greatest singers, I just love this song.
@mjc5509
Yes I agree sadly ATLANTIC didn't really knows what to do will her....many of Aretha's ATLANTIC recordings are more suited fo ESTHER 'S style.. (in my opinion)
@drwhatson
Tremendous record and achingly Soulful. The backing is superb too, particularly the piano. Lovely looking UK demo too.
@austinshowers4146
just perfect, first heard it Bradford northern soul all nighter 86 about 5.30am
@jasonpfinch
Not a better song in existence.
@tobeme1737
So true on so many levels. You can hear the pain in her voice
@stevenstewardson4829
I Remember this stunner of soul record Very harmonious 🎶🎶🎶❤❤❤❤❤❤
@spainpete7483
Steven Stewardson l'm stunned as well you know ?🎶🎶
@spainpete7483
Glad you never said goodbye stevo soul rules FOR ME AND YOU🎶🎶🎶🎶✌