Frances married Johnny Nero, who was a native of Detroit. She had aspired to go to Detroit after dancing to the sounds of Marv Johnson, who later became a close friend of Frances.She was homesick and went back to Asheville, NC. After a few months she returned to Detroit and settled into married life. After giving birth to her second child, January 21, 1965 she decided it was time to make the world sit up and take notice of her.
After the release from Motown and Frances taking control over her career, her mother was stricken with diabetes and her legs had to be amputated. Without hesitation Frances put her career on hold. She cared for her mother until she died in 1978. Frances went to Cosmetology school and began teaching the Beauty trade.
In 1989, she was contacted by British Producer, Ian Levine. Levine produced over 100 former MOTOWN artists but Frances Nero gave him his biggest hit of his career. "Footsteps Following Me" charted at #3 in the UK Official Charts and was affectionately dubbed "the anthem of the nineties" on the label of the record.
Frances Nero has appeared on England's top radio and television shows such as Top Of The Pops, The Terry Wogan Show and The Hitman and Her. Her biggest fan base is located in the UK. Her vocals are being distributed around the world constantly by Ian Levine, but she has yet to receive royalties from his company, MotorCity Records.
In 1996,Frances formed her own record label. She wrote,performed and produced LOVE RIDE and IT AIN'T THE SAME WITHOUT YOU. She has gone on to producing a movie,"Reject Island". Her autobiography which she produced in 2006 is reviewed by her fans as awesome, candid and colorful. Her new album, FRANCES NERO,RAW SOUL!
Footsteps
Frances Nero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why did ya say goodbye to me
And now I'm lonely as could be?
And as I feel a teardrop fall,
I hear your footsteps down the hall
Walkin' away from me.
Why did ya say goodbye?
Now ev'ry day I wonder
Why, why, a-why, why, why, why?
You're such a haunting memory,
I pray that you'll come back to me?
But as I say my evening pray'rs,
I hear your footsteps on the stairs,
Walkin' away from me.
Why did ya say goodbye?
Why did ya make me cry?
Now ev'ry day I wonder
Why, why, a-why, why, why, why?
Footsteps, Footsteps, Footsteps, Footsteps, Footsteps.
Frances Nero’s song Footsteps is a soulful ballad about heartbreak and longing. The song opens with the repetition of the word “Footsteps” indicating the presence of a person who has left the singer lonely and in tears. The rhetorical question, “Why did ya say goodbye to me?” adds to the melancholic mood of the song. The singer is unable to comprehend their lover’s decision to leave them and is left alone to deal with the pain of their absence. The allusion to the sound of footsteps in the hall, further emphasizes the emptiness that the singer feels after the other person’s departure. The somber tone of the song is heightened by the repetition of the line “Walkin’ away from me” which underscores the idea of loss.
The singer’s anguish is further emphasized by the repetition of the lines “Why did ya make me cry?” and “Now ev’ry day I wonder Why, why, a-why, why, why, why?” The use of repetition in these lines captures the singer’s obsessive ruminations about their breakup. The chorus is a reflection of the singer’s feelings of loss and a longing for their past lover. The lines “You’re such a haunting memory, I pray that you'll come back to me,” further underline the depth of the singer’s emotional pain. The song concludes with the repetition of “Footsteps” indicating the singer’s continuing obsession with their lost love.
Overall, Footsteps is a poignant song about heartbreak, loss, and the emotional toll that follows romantic rejection. The lyrics capture the mood of a person who has been left with the burden of dealing with the aftermath of a breakup. The song emphasizes the idea that the memory of a lost love can haunt a person long after they have gone.
Line by Line Meaning
Footsteps, Footsteps, Footsteps, Footsteps,
The constant sound of footsteps symbolizes the pain caused by the person leaving.
Why did ya say goodbye to me
The singer is asking for an explanation as to why the person left them.
And now I'm lonely as could be?
The singer expresses how lonely they feel without the person they love.
And as I feel a teardrop fall,
The artist is crying, which shows the depth of their sorrow.
I hear your footsteps down the hall
The constant sound of footsteps continues to remind the artist of their sadness.
Walkin' away from me.
The person left, causing the singer to be heartbroken.
Why did ya make me cry?
The singer is questioning why the person they love caused them so much pain.
Now ev'ry day I wonder
The artist thinks about the person who left them every day.
You're such a haunting memory,
The thought of the person leaving is a constant, painful memory for the artist.
I pray that you'll come back to me?
The artist wishes that the person they love would return to them.
But as I say my evening pray'rs,
Even when the singer prays, the memory of the person still haunts them.
I hear your footsteps on the stairs,
The sound of footsteps continues to be a constant reminder of the pain they feel.
Why, why, a-why, why, why, why?
The repetition of the word 'why' expresses the singer's confusion and desperation for answers.
Footsteps, Footsteps, Footsteps, Footsteps, Footsteps.
The constant sound of footsteps is a metaphor for the pain and heartbreak caused by the person leaving.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hank Hunter, Barry Mann
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@simonprice7441
Ian lavine you sir are a gem... thank you so much for ALL the music you've ever brought us... when your time comes you will leave an amazing legacy. Thank you sir..
@jenks008
Thank God for music like this, it gets me so high, I have never ever needed anything else to fly, Motor City, you will always have a place in my heart!!!! Got me thro wars these songs, wow
@blondericky
Congrats to Ian Levine for putting this up and allowing regular fans of this fantastic music and hopefully new recruits to it the opportunity of experiencing how good this music is. Always a favourite of mine from the Motor city label.
@nighttoremember1981
RIP FRANCES,,,,,,IAN YOU WROTE A CLASSIC HERE
@rictic114
Never bought this until now great little tune god bless you Francis rip
@jonescathy051
HOW BRILL IS THIS OMG MY CLUBBING DAYS WAS COMPLETE WITH THIS SONG ONE OF MY FAVOURITES XXXXXX
@jacquelineduke5342
I've loved this song for years. Always makes me happy.
@IanLevine
Many soul videos put on YouTube disappeared because they were put on illegally in breach of copyright. All the videos I have posted are of my own productions and my own recordings that I own. I haven't even posted anything I produced for major labels, just copyrights that I or my companies own lock stock and barrell. Consequebtly, no-one has any right to remove them but me, as I own them outright.
@MechelenManiac
Ian, I had forgotten just what a wonderful song this is, it makes me want to grab the nearest person to me and give them a big, big hug. The people in the office were knocked out by it, well done pal. Chris Lalor
@tashaf.6109
R.I.P. Frances Nero...Beautiful voice!!