Gary Farr formed The T-Bones in Worthing, Sussex, in 1963. He was the son o… Read Full Bio ↴Gary Farr formed The T-Bones in Worthing, Sussex, in 1963. He was the son of boxer Tommy Farr and his brother Ricky went on to promote the Isle Of Wight festivals in the late sixties. The band were a raw R&B outfit who were very popular in the clubs and made an appearance on 'Ready Steady Go'.
After disbanding The T-Bones in 1967 Gary recorded a couple of discs for the Marmalade label (the first with Kevin Westlake) and then headed for the States, where he recorded the Strange Fruit album, which is quite rare. Richard Thompson played lead guitar on this one and again Mighty Baby provided the backing. It was also produced by Fritz Fryer - fomer member of The Four Pennies. John Reed tells me that Gary Farr's 1973 US-only album for Atco is surprisingly good, if typical of the US singer/songwriter period.

You Don't Love Me
Gary Farr and The T-Bones Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Baby don't you say you want me
Baby don't you say you need me
Baby don't you say you love me for a day
And then you leave me
Baby don't you say you want me
Baby don't you say you need me
Baby don't you say you love me for always
And then deceive me

Every day you haunt me
First you hex me then you taunt me
Then you leave me in this twisted misery
I mean nothing to you but for now I'm seeing through you
Someone else will save you but it isn't me

Baby don't you say you want me
Baby don't you say you need me
Baby don't you say you love me for a day
And then you leave me

Baby don't you say you want me
Baby don't you say you need me
Baby don't you say you love me for always
And then deceive me

Every night you hurt me
First you vex me then subvert me
Then you leave me in this twisted misery
I no longer fear you I can barely even hear you
Someone else will save you but it isn't me

Baby don't you say you love me

Overall Meaning

The song "You Don't Love Me" by Gary Farr and The T-Bones explores the pain and frustration of an unrequited love. The singer is pleading with their lover not to make empty promises of love and commitment, only to leave them in twisted misery. The lyrics express a deep sense of betrayal and disillusionment, as the singer realizes that their lover never truly cared for them.

Throughout the song, the singer describes how their lover haunts and hurts them on a daily basis. They are hexed and taunted, vexed and subverted, left in a state of twisted misery. Despite this mistreatment, the singer cannot help but still love their partner. However, they have finally reached a breaking point and can no longer tolerate the constant cycle of deception and pain.

The song is a powerful expression of the agony of unrequited love and the emotional scars it can leave behind. It is a reminder that love can be a double-edged sword, capable of causing both joy and pain. The lyrics showcase the raw vulnerability of the singer, laying bare the emotional toll of their situation.

Line by Line Meaning

Baby don't you say you want me
Please don't pretend to desire me

Baby don't you say you need me
Please don't pretend to require my presence

Baby don't you say you love me for a day
Please don't proclaim your love merely for a short time

And then you leave me
Only to abandon me soon after

Every day you haunt me
Your constant presence is overwhelming

First you hex me then you taunt me
You curse me and then mock me

Then you leave me in this twisted misery
Then you depart and leave me in agony

I mean nothing to you but for now I'm seeing through you
I am aware that I hold no significance to you

Someone else will save you but it isn't me
Another person will rescue you as I am not the one

Every night you hurt me
You inflict pain upon me every evening

First you vex me then subvert me
You agitate me before betraying me