After Be-Bop-A-Lula had become a huge hit in 1956 (peaking at #7 and spending 20 weeks in the Billboard Pop Chart), Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps (often mis-named as 'the' Blue Caps) were unable to follow it up with the same level of commercial success, but released critically acclaimed songs like Race With The Devil (#96 in Billboard) and Bluejean Bop (#49).
Following a visit to Europe in 1959, Vincent managed to attract a new huge and discerning audience there, especially in England and France. By that time his career had mostly ended in the US. In 1960, while on tour in Britain, Vincent and songwriter Sharon Sheeley were seriously injured in a high-speed traffic accident. Vincent broke his ribs, collarbone, and added further damage to his already weak leg which he had injured in a motorcycle accident in 1955 and refused to have amputated, and Sheeley suffered a broken pelvis. Both Vincent and Sheeley survived, but the accident killed Vincent's tourmate and Sheeley's fiancé, Eddie Cochran.
Vincent subsequently moved to England in 1963. His stage shows became "must see" events and his bands through those years were to spawn some of the most respected players in the world today. It was during his early tours of Britain that he adopted the trademark leather outfit, at the suggestion of British Rock 'n' Roll impressario, Jack Good.
I Can't Help It
Gene Vincent Lyrics
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Today I passed you on the street
And my heart fell at your feet
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
Somebody else stood by your side
And he looked so satisfied
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
(Still in love with you)
A picture from the past came slowly stealing
(Slowly stealing)
As I brushed your arm and walked so close to you
(So close to you)
When suddenly I got that old time feeling
(Old time feeling)
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
It's hard to know when others' lips will kiss you
And hold you just the way I used to do
Oh, heaven only knows how much I miss you
(Knows I miss you)
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
(Love with you)
The lyrics to Gene Vincent's song "I Can't Help It" express the struggle of still being in love with someone even though they are with someone else. The song begins with the singer passing their former lover on the street, and feeling their heart fall at their feet. The singer recognizes that they are still in love with their ex-lover, but someone else is now standing by their side and appears to be satisfied. The chorus repeats the sentiment that the singer cannot help being in love with the person despite the circumstances of their separation.
As the song continues, the lyrics describe a memory that slowly starts to reemerge, as the singer brushes past their ex-lover and starts to feel the same old feeling they used to have in the past. The song acknowledges the difficulty of watching someone else kiss and hold the person you once loved, and how much they miss that person. However, the singer confesses that they cannot help but still be in love with their ex-lover, even though it may be painful.
The song is a classic ballad that is both relatable and heart-wrenching. It conveys a sense of longing for something that has already passed, but also the frustration of being unable to control one's feelings. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, and are accompanied by a gentle melody that emphasizes the emotions being conveyed.
Line by Line Meaning
Today I passed you on the street
I saw you while walking on the street today
And my heart fell at your feet
Seeing you made me feel emotionally overwhelmed
Somebody else stood by your side
You were accompanied by someone else
And he looked so satisfied
The person with you looked content and happy
A picture from the past came slowly stealing
Memories of our past came to my mind slowly
As I brushed your arm and walked so close to you
The physical contact and proximity to you triggered those memories
When suddenly I got that old time feeling
I suddenly felt the same emotions as I used to in the past
It's hard to know when others' lips will kiss you
It's painful to think about someone else being intimate with you
And hold you just the way I used to do
I miss holding and being close to you
Oh, heaven only knows how much I miss you
I miss you so much
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
I have no control over my feelings for you
I can't help it if I'm still in love with you
I can't stop being in love with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hank Williams, Sr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind