Freddie Roach was born in the Bronx borough of New York City on May 11, 1931. His mother was a church organist, and many of his relatives on his maternal side were also musical. Roach grew up in several cities as a child, living with a variety of relatives. At the age of eight, he was living with his aunt in White Plains, New York when he began playing the pipe organ. Over the next few years, he taught himself how to play the organ and piano, eventually studying at the Newark Conservatory for one term. In his late teens, he began playing professionally, joining Grachan Moncur's group the Strollers. At the age of 20, he joined the Marine Corps and stayed for two years, playing in the band. Following his discharge in 1953, Roach returned to jazz, settling in Canada for a short while before returning to the New York area. He soon hit the road, playing piano and organ with Chris Columbus, Cootie Williams and Lou Donaldson.
By the end of the decade, he had decided to concentrate on organ. He settled in Newark, New Jersey, where he regularly played with his own band and as a solo act. He often jammed at the Club 83 with musicians like Kenny Dorham, Cannonball Adderley and Jackie McLean. But the key musical association for Roach was tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec, who asked the organist to join his band. Roach played on the sessions that became Quebec's Blue Note albums Heavy Soul and It Might as Well Be Spring. His playing on the two records impressed Blue Note president Alfred Lion, who offered Roach his own contract in 1962. That year, Roach recorded his debut set Down to Earth, supported by guitarist Kenny Burrell, tenor saxophonist Percy France and drummer Clarence Johnston.
Over the next two years, Roach recorded four more albums for Blue Note. In 1963, he made Mo' Greens Please, which also featured Burrell and Johnston, and Good Move, where he was supported by tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, trumpeter Blue Mitchell and guitarist Eddie Wright. The following year, he cut Brown Sugar with tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, Wright and Johnston. In October 1964, he recorded his final Blue Note album, All That's Good, a bizarre variation on his signature soul-jazz that boasted a vocal choir. He left the label the following year, reappearing in 1966 on Prestige. His first album for his new label was The Soul Book, a funkier effort than any of his Blue Note recordings. Two albums, Mocha Motion and My People (Soul People), followed in 1967. None of his Prestige records were particularly successful, and he never recorded again. Over the next three decades, Roach emerged as a cult figure of sorts, appealing to soul-jazz fans who became introduced to the genre through acid jazz. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
You've Got Your Troubles
Freddie Roach Lyrics
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You've got your troubles, I've got mine
She's found somebody else to take your place
You've got your troubles, I've got mine
I too have lost my love today
All of my dreams have flown away
You've got your troubles, I've got mine
You need some sympathy, well so do I
You've got your troubles, I've got mine
She used to love me, that I know
And it don't seem so long ago
That we were walking
And we were talking
The way that lovers do
I too have lost my love today
All of my dreams have flown away
And so forgive me if I seem unkind (I ain't got no pity for you)
You've got your troubles, I've got mine (I lost, I lost, I lost my little girl
Too)
I'd help another place, another time
You've got your troubles, I've got mine
You've got your troubles, I've got mine
You've got your troubles, I've got mine.
The overall theme of Freddie Roach's song "You've Got Your Troubles" is the universal human struggle of love lost and coping with heartbreak. The first lines set the scene with the singer observing the distressed look on another person's face, acknowledging that both parties have their own set of problems. The subsequent lines reveal that the person being addressed has lost their love to someone else while the singer has also recently experienced a similar loss.
The lyrics shift between the perspectives of the two individuals, with the singer sympathizing with the other while also acknowledging their own pain. The reference to a shared experience of "walking and talking" with someone they loved adds to the emotional resonance of the song, emphasizing the commonality of human connection and heartbreak.
The song's concluding lines suggest a sense of distance between the two individuals, with the singer acknowledging that they cannot offer help at this moment but still emphasizing the shared nature of their struggles. The repeated refrain of "You've got your troubles, I've got mine" reinforces the idea that everyone experiences their own hardships, but we can still find connection through these shared experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I see that worried look upon your face
I can see that you're troubled and distressed
You've got your troubles, I've got mine
Everyone has their own problems to deal with
She's found somebody else to take your place
The person you loved has found someone new
I too have lost my love today
I am also experiencing heartbreak and loss
All of my dreams have flown away
All the hopes and aspirations I had with my partner are gone
Now just like you, I sit and wonder why
I'm questioning why things turned out the way they did, just like you are
You need some sympathy, well so do I
I understand that you want empathy, but I also need someone to understand and support me
She used to love me, that I know
I'm certain that my ex-partner had feelings for me once
And it don't seem so long ago
It feels like it wasn't that long ago that we were together
That we were walking
We used to spend time together, taking walks and enjoying each other's company
And we were talking
We used to have conversations like all couples do
The way that lovers do
We had a deep emotional connection and shared a special bond
And so forgive me if I seem unkind (I ain't got no pity for you)
Although I sympathize with you, I can't seem to show it right now as I'm also struggling with my own sadness
I'd help another place, another time
If the timing and circumstances were different, I would offer you my support
You've got your troubles, I've got mine
We both have our own issues to deal with, and it's not easy for either of us
You've got your troubles, I've got mine
No matter what happens, we each have to face our individual problems
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ROGER COOK, ROGER GREENAWAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind