Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino (born February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Lou… Read Full Bio ↴Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino (born February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana, died October 24, 2017), was a classic R&B and rock and roll singer, songwriter and pianist. He was the best-selling African-American singer of the 1950s and early 1960s whose congenial, non threatening personality allowed him to succeed despite a period of deep-seated racial segregation. Domino is also a pianist with an individualistic bluesy style showing stride and boogie-woogie influences.

In 1986, he was among the first batch to get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. "Ain't That A Shame" and "Blueberry Hill" were named part of The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll. In 2004, "Blueberry Hill" was named #81 and "Ain't That A Shame" was named #431 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs Of All Time. In 2004, he was named #25 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time.

In the wake of Domino's rescue from his 9th ward home during 2005's Hurricane Katrina, the Tipitina's Foundation organized a tribute album to the elder artist featuring Robert Plant, Norah Jones, Paul McCartney and numerous other acts that owe a creative debt to this seminal rock n roll pianist.

I Can't Go On This Way
Fats Domino Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I Can't Go On This Way

I need your arms to hold me
To keep to have and to hold
I'm here I'm blue and I'm lonely
But I guess that's the way it goes
I can't go on this way
Because you won't let me stay

My darlin' I need you so badly
So won't you please come and go my way

I've tried so hard to please you
To make you happy too
But you went away and you left me
But I'll always be in love with you

Mmmhhh mmmhh mmmhh mmmhh
Mmmhhh mmmhh mmmhh mmmhh

Mmmhhh mmmhh mmmhh mmmhh
Mmmhhh mmmhh mmmhh mmmhh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Fats Domino's song I Can't Go on This Way are a heartbreaking plea for a lover to return. The singer is feeling lonely and blue, and is in desperate need of their love interest's affection. Despite all efforts to please them, the love interest has left, leaving the singer to feel helpless and lovesick. The line "I can't go on this way, because you won't let me stay" highlights the fact that the singer is unable to move on from the relationship without the love interest to hold them.

The use of repetition in the song's final verse with the "Mmmhhh mmmhh mmmhh mmmhh" suggests that the singer is left with only their own thoughts and the sound of their own voice. It's an indication that the singer has become lost in their own head and that the pain of separation has taken over their mind. This song captures the feelings of heartbrokenness and loneliness in a way that is relatable and raw. The song is about a relationship ending, but the message it conveys is one of resilience and the hope that things will get better.

Line by Line Meaning

I need your arms to hold me
I am longing for your touch and affection

To keep to have and to hold
I want to be yours and for you to keep me forever

I'm here I'm blue and I'm lonely
I am present but feeling sad and isolated without you

But I guess that's the way it goes
I understand that this is just how life is sometimes

I can't go on this way
I cannot continue living like this

Because you won't let me stay
You are preventing me from being with you and it hurts

My darlin' I need you so badly
My love for you is strong and I desperately require your presence

So won't you please come and go my way
Please come back to me and let's be together again

I've tried so hard to please you
I've made numerous attempts to satisfy you

To make you happy too
My mission was to bring you joy as well

But you went away and you left me
Despite my efforts, you still left and abandoned me

But I'll always be in love with you
My love for you will never diminish or fade

Mmmhhh mmmhh mmmhh mmmhh
Instrumental

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LESLIE PRIDGEN, TOM J. BROCKER, DWIGHT GRANT, CHRISTOPHER RIES, LUNIS MCLEOD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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