Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Kinney began singing in the late 1960s, and joined the vocal group, The Poppies, replacing their former singer, Patsy McClune. Kinney remained in the group with Dorothy Moore and Rosemary Taylor for about two years, and also released a solo single, "Your Love's Not Reliable", during this time, however it was not a success.
In the early 1970s she began working as a session musician and backing vocalist. Among the songs she sang on were King Floyd's "Groove Me", and her former "Poppie" bandmate Dorothy Moore's 1976 Top 10 single, "Misty Blue".
By then having settled as a housewife, Kinney in 1979 decided to attempt a comeback, and she recorded her own version of "Groove Me", but changed the rhythm on the song to turn it into a disco dance track. The song reached number 6 on the Billboard dance chart. Her next single "Together We Are Beautiful", released in 1980 was another disco song, but with a slower and more sultry beat. It had been recorded by the British vocalist, Steve Allan, eighteen months earlier. It failed to chart in the United States, but oddly reached number one in the United Kingdom.
Kinney's subsequent releases attempted to continue in the disco style, however by this time the disco fad had reached its peak and Kinney was unable to repeat her success. By 1983 she had returned to her earlier career as a backing vocalist. In 1994, Music Club released an album (MCCD 167) of Kinney's records called Chemistry The Best Of under the licence from Malaco Records, which contained 17 tracks.
Don't Make Me Wait
Fern Kinney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you live it up, you won't live it down"
So, she left Monte Rio, son
Just like a bullet leaves a gun
With charcoal eyes and Monroe hips
She went and took that California trip
Well, the moon was gold, her hair like wind
She said don't look back just come on Jim
You got to hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
You gotta hold on
Well, he gave her a dimestore watch
And a ring made from a spoon
Everyone is looking for someone to blame
When you share my bed, you share my name
Well, go ahead and call the cops
You don't meet nice girls in coffee shops
She said baby, I still love you
Sometimes there's nothin left to do
Oh but you got to hold on, hold on
Baby got to hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
You got to hold on
Well, God bless your crooked little heart
St.
Louis got the best of me
I miss your broken-china voice
How I wish you were still here with me
Oh, you build it up, you wreck it down
And you burn your mansion to the ground
Oh there's nothing left to keep you here
But when you're falling behind in this big blue world
Oh you got to hold on, hold on
Baby got to hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
You got to hold on
Down by the Riverside motel
It's 10 below and falling
By a 99 cent store
She closed her eyes and started swaying
But it's so hard to dance that way
When it's cold and there's no music
Oh your old hometown so far away
But, inside your head there's a record that's playing
A song called
Hold on, hold on, baby got to hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right there, you gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, hold on, baby gotta hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right there, you gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, hold on, baby gotta hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right there, you gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, hold on, baby gotta hold on
And take my hand, I'm standing right there, you gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on, you gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on baby, you gotta hold on
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on
The song "Don't Make Me Wait" by Fern Kinney is a beautiful ballad about love, loss, and holding on to what really matters in life. The opening lyrics speak to the pressure of living in a small town where one's actions are constantly scrutinized. The singer of the song is a woman who decides to leave her hometown behind and embark on a journey to California. The imagery in the lyrics is vivid and evocative, describing her as having "charcoal eyes and Monroe hips" and her hair like wind.
The chorus of the song is a powerful reminder of the importance of holding on in difficult times. The repetition of the phrase "you gotta hold on" reinforces the message, and the final line "and take my hand, I'm standing right there" is a plea for support and companionship. The second verse speaks to the sacrifices that are often made for love, including giving up material possessions and dealing with the judgment of others. The line "when you share my bed, you share my name" is a poignant statement about the seriousness of commitment.
The final verse of the song returns to the theme of starting anew and the challenges that come with that. The singer is now in a cold motel room with no music, but in her head, she can still hear a song called "hold on" playing. The lyrics are a bittersweet reminder of the nostalgia and longing that can come with change, but also the resilience and power of holding on.
Line by Line Meaning
They hung a sign up in our town
A statement was made in the town that implies doing something reckless will have everlasting consequences.
If you live it up, you won't live it down
If you choose to live your life recklessly, you will be forever marked by your mistakes.
So, she left Monte Rio, son
The woman in the song left the town of Monte Rio.
Just like a bullet leaves a gun
She left quickly and impulsively, like a bullet shot from a gun.
With charcoal eyes and Monroe hips
The woman had captivating, sexy features like the actress Marilyn Monroe.
She went and took that California trip
The woman traveled to California for an adventure.
Well, the moon was gold, her hair like wind
The night was beautiful, and the woman's hair was blowing in the wind.
She said don't look back just come on Jim
The woman urged the man named Jim to forget his past and join her on her adventure.
Oh you got to hold on, hold on
The singer advises to hold on to hope, even in tough times.
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
The singer offers support and encouragement to the listener.
You gotta hold on
The singer emphasizes the importance of holding on to hope and not giving up.
Well, he gave her a dimestore watch
The man gave the woman a cheap watch.
And a ring made from a spoon
The man also gave the woman a ring made from a spoon.
Everyone is looking for someone to blame
People tend to look for someone to blame when things go wrong.
When you share my bed, you share my name
When you are intimate with someone, you are linked to them.
Well, go ahead and call the cops
The woman is not afraid of any consequences of her actions.
You don't meet nice girls in coffee shops
The woman implies that she is not a nice girl, even though she is in a coffee shop.
She said baby, I still love you
The woman reassures the man that she still loves him.
Sometimes there's nothin left to do
In some situations, there is nothing left to do but move on.
Oh but you got to hold on, hold on
The singer reminds the listener to hold on to hope.
Baby got to hold on
The singer emphasizes the importance of holding on to hope.
God bless your crooked little heart
The woman is wishing the man well, despite his faults.
St. Louis got the best of me
The city of St. Louis was overwhelming for the woman.
I miss your broken-china voice
The woman misses the man's fragile, unique voice.
How I wish you were still here with me
The woman wishes the man was still by her side.
Oh, you build it up, you wreck it down
You can build something up, only to destroy it later.
And you burn your mansion to the ground
You can destroy something that you worked hard to build.
Oh there's nothing left to keep you here
When everything is gone, there is no reason to stay.
But when you're falling behind in this big blue world
In this big world, it is easy to feel like you are struggling to keep up.
Down by the Riverside motel
The woman is at a motel near the river.
It's 10 below and falling
It is very cold outside.
By a 99 cent store
The motel is next to a cheap store.
She closed her eyes and started swaying
The woman is dancing with her eyes closed.
But it's so hard to dance that way
It is difficult to dance when you are cold and there is no music.
When it's cold and there's no music
The environment is not conducive to dancing.
Oh your old hometown so far away
The woman's old hometown is very far away.
But, inside your head there's a record that's playing
Even though the woman is far from home, she has memories that she carries with her.
A song called
The record she hears is playing a song called...
Hold on, hold on, baby got to hold on
The message of the song is to hold on to hope and not give up.
Take my hand, I'm standing right there, you gotta hold on
The singer offers support and encouragement to the listener.
You gotta hold on, hold on, baby gotta hold on
The message of the song is repeated to emphasize the importance of holding on to hope.
And take my hand, I'm standing right there, you gotta hold on
The singer continues to offer support and encouragement to the listener.
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on, you gotta hold on
The singer repeats the message of hope and perseverance to the listener.
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on baby, you gotta hold on
The singer emphasizes that the listener must hold on to hope despite any obstacles.
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on
The message of the song is repeated to encourage the listener to hold on to hope.
Writer(s): Rebecca Ward
Contributed by Bella E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.