Versions

It Should Have Been Me
Gladys Knight & The Pips Lyrics

I saw my love walking down the aisle
And as he passed me by
He turned and gave me a smile
Then, the preacher, then the preacher
The preacher joined their hands
And all the people, all the people began to stand
When I shouted, "you know it should have been me"
(Instead of her walking with you)

You are leaving me stranded

You know that it should have been me baby
Oh baby gettin' ready to marry you
Darlin' darlin' darlin'
You made a promise that we would never part
Then you turned around and broke my little heart
Now you're standing there saying I do
Holding hands with somebody new
You know that it should have been me
(I can't stand it)
Instead of her standing by you
You know that it should have been me
It should have been me
(Baby don't do it)
Then the preacher oh yeah the preacher asked
That there be silence please

If anybody objects to this wedding
Speak now or forever or forever hold your peace
Thin I shouted, "It should have been me"
You know that it should have been me
Don't you know that it should have been me
You know that it should have been me
I've been faithful to you baby, baby, baby
You were leaving me stranded

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NORMAN WHITFIELD, WILLIAM STEVENSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them

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Comments from YouTube:

Corey Sheppard

2y↑4

Fantastic tune. Gladys has an uncanny ability to make any song whether written for her or not, her own. And of course the Pips provide amazing background. Love the added drums that come as the record progresses.

Chris Hannon

1y↑2

Wow i heard a track featured this morning on Tony Blackburn's Sound of the Sixties show. It was Gladys Knight .just have to remind myself of how amazing these songs are

Betty Ponder

9y↑20

I never tire of listening to Gladys

Cary Revels

3y↑15

How did that powerful voice fit into that little woman amazing....

Fabiana L. Hudson

8y↑19

I love this lady, her music, her voice are God given talent. God bless her <3

Davina Stanton

3y↑16

I didn't know Gladys sang this.
Wonderful. 🕊⚘💗

Quietstorm7 Jenkns

Where you been sleeping beauty?

DAVID WOLF

3y↑16

~ 1963, here 1968, 1976! Love and honour and respect to our living icon: Gladys Knight!
Many thousands of hours of enjoyment from she & the tipsy Pips! This song was so ahead of its time in the 1960s.
R.I.P. here for the icon Norman Whitfield, and this brilliant song still fresh in 2019!! Cheers, DAVEDJ ~

K.N. Carter

23w↑1

I like this version, but LOVE the original as recorded by Yvonne Fair.

Shirley Zimmerman

1y↑2

Gladys had always been my Queen Of Soul. She reached down, pulls up the Soul, and serves it on a platter for all to enjoy.

Paul Evans

9y↑10

I bought this in the USA in the early seventies on a 12 inch version and it is still mint condition great song

Delores Spencer

26w

Wow.. Gladys Knight and the pips.. this sure brings back memories ❤

Barry Marino

2y↑2

I love Gladys Knight, but Yvonne Fair version is much better.

Kimberly Howard

5y↑7

still one of my favorite songs

Dwayne Jones

4y↑8

This song makes me cry tears looking back over my life and when I didn't take things for granted this song have a lot meaning to it Smile and sad cases

Boggy Marsh

11y↑3

I think for its time this is a brilliant vocal by Gladys Knight but 10 years on and the funkier production & harmonies gave the Yvonne Fair version a much better edge. Remember Yvonne Fair had worked with James Brown and gave the song that extra oomph !! (In my humble opinion)

Srfotog

2y↑6

This song by Gladys still gives me goose bumps.

Corey Sheppard

Same here. Stops me dead in my tracks!

Judith Williams

1y↑2

2021. Just love Gladys voice👌🏽

Leon Leiffer

2y↑2

GLADYS ON LEAD AND SHE'S ALWAYS FABULOUS BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE BRILLIANT PIPS ON HARMONIX THAT HELPS TO MAKE :
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS THE COMPLETE VOCAL GROUP THAT STANDS OUT FROM THE REST.
THE BLACKSTONES

Glenn Morris

19w↑1

The Queen of Motown.

Deborah Patterson

2y↑4

Gladys sang what you felt!

higgybaby1

11y↑13

Ok folks the Empress of Soul was only 24 or 25 when she sang this song, Oh let her sing this now, she'll kill it and still own it. If she turns it into a solo, it's all over.

cheryl cooper

4y↑1

Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin & Pattie Labelle-don't get no better than that! Gladys can sing anything, miss her, come back woman.

Tim Abbas

11y↑11

One of the most interesting parts of this is the development of the drum track increasing throughout the song...

Corey Sheppard

I agree. Caught me by surprise the first time I heard it

paul harvey

4y↑1

Tim Abbas The Yvonne Fair version uses a drum machine for the backing and the rhythm sounds so futuristic in its attempt to copy the original drum pattern, which in itself is very unusual for a motown sound dominated by the 4/4 kick and snare

Michel Gaulard

47w↑1

quelle pure merveille

Sally Maddox

13y↑2

i love this song

shmuli9

10y↑7

This version was the hit in the US and Canada. (Yvonne Fair's version did OK, but this was far bigger.)

Marc Deklu

@shmuli...no i havent but am looking now 😂. The way u tell it would be hilarious 😂..

shmuli9

2y↑1

@Marc Deklu Did you ever see that episode of "the Vicar of Dibley" in which Geraldine was sitting in the pews, watching a wedding, and in her mind, she was lip-syncing to Yvonne's version of "It Should Have Been Me"? It was so jarring, but so funny, too.

Marc Deklu

2y↑1

Yvonne's version has the ' grit' rawness i luv. Remember she used to be in James Browns band. Thats some pedigree.

Beverley Rainford

11y↑2

gladys is one of my all time favourite singers and this is a tremendous song and one of my favourites. not a patch on the yvonne fair version though which is simply divine. i love this version to be fair, but its really missing something. someone mentioned the way the drums build in this, and i agree.. love that

Cullen Swanson

4y↑1

Beverley Rainford there's nothing missing it's got Gladys

Paora Te Pue

3y↑1

Yvonne Fair awesome soul singer R.I.P.

minium mouse

The Legend 😘

TheAudivisioner

10y↑3

Motown put out recordings that had very potent "B" sides. This song had a very stirring "B" side called, "You Don't Love Me No More". That should have been released as a single.

sarah hughes

Invictus also did this.

Caesar Rucker

5y↑1

I don't know if it was Motown nor do I know if you remember back to 72/73 but The Spinners "It's a Shame" was originally the 'B' side of "How Could I let you Get Away" which was a favorite of mine because I like ballads.

Quietstorm7 Jenkns

2y↑2

Oh yeah.! The Empress of soul.

Mechelle Brown

10y

She did it as a solo ... and it is on YOUTUBE!

Dwayne Jones

This is a very hurtful song I know many people brought tears and bad memories to the eyes but life goes on and on just like a funeral

Micaï. Claude.

5y↑1

Excellent.
Motown number one in the World.

Bettye Torkpo

7y↑20

i understand the meaning of this song, i been there

Helena Rudd

3y↑4

@Davina Stanton Thank you so much for responding. I will tell you it took him 21 years to come back and apologize and to say that forever he would love me and that if he would have listen to me years ago his life wouldn't have gotten so messed up. He died a couple of years after, but at least I know he did love me after all.

Davina Stanton

3y↑3

@Helena Rudd
And mine Helena. 🕊⚘💗

Helena Rudd

4y↑5

Bettye Torkpo I definitely understand how you feel. Those words tell my story.

higgybaby1

13y↑6

Gladys says that whenever they sang this song in Detroit, that David Ruffin would come up and sang with her, turning it into a duet.

stephen dunster

5y↑1

A British show "The Vicar of Dibley" does a great parody of this song ... "Handsome Stranger" episode ... it's excellent .... Gladys is always excellent ... great song ..

TheBrummie

6y↑11

Own up, who is not dancing when they hear this?

Nadine Dunbar

11y↑1

this is my favorite song by gladys knight and the pips if I was ever on my death bed and had 1 last wish it would be to meet her in person

Ann Rawlinson

4y↑1

Amazing woman

laminage

2y↑1

My Cousin and I loved the beginning. Was this a Motown Recording. I swore I hear James Jamerson playing The Bass.

Addie Brooks

4y↑3

This record brings tears to my eyes...Robert, you married my 2nd best girlfriend from high school

lisa Alexander

12y↑1

love this song how many have said it lol

bilejones

7y↑4

Not a patch on Yvonne Fair.
Now there's a voice.

Robert Kovacs

3y↑3

@Marilyn S Gladys' version was so much better-not only her voice, but a the Motown production.

Quan

Jayne Edwards version is better than both of these

Marilyn S

3y↑2

Don't agree. It is just as good as Yvonne's (may she RIP)

Stockwell santley

8y↑5

'SomeBODy call the po-lice/That woman down there is a doggone thief'! My piano player could NOT stop laughing when we did this one for fun.

Kathy Lewis

Another singing group I saw at the Regal Theater in Chicago. I flew to Texas from Chicago on the morning Robert and Valerie got married. I could not stand to be in the
same state knowing she was marrying the love of my life. She knew I was still in love with Robert, they are divorced, now. She was a friend of mine.

Tamara Hines

That is some cold stuff for the lady that Robert married was your friend. Since Robert is divorced from this person, maybe you should see if you could get back with him.

Melody Sanger

4y↑12

REMEMBERING SONGWRITER/PRODUCER NORMAN WHITFIELD
(MAY 12, 1940 - SEPTEMBER 16, 2008) [09/16/2018]

Jean North

3y↑1

raised singiin her music and good too!!!

Jessi Stclare

47w

As long as your happy.

kathy O'Brien

Been there to,broke my heart

1957bumpy

Was he blind ? He must have been or a fool

Gloria Peebles

reminds of my daughters dad but now I thank him cause they divorced im happy married 44 years .

Halloweenville

52w

Not a patch on Yvonne Fairs version, Glady's shouts too much, but Yvonne sings more from the heart, My opinion.

CaptainHurricane

10y↑4

Gladys is a great singer, but the Yvonne Fair version of this is superior. More Oomph.

Ervin Albritton

Bite your tongue you heathen you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gladys nailed it with a sledge hammer and spike!!!!!!!!!!!! Yvonne was close but no cigar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marilyn S

Nope. Do not agree. No way.

Stockwell santley

I mean, when we did the Yvonne Fair version, of course!

Ervin Albritton

This classic shouldve been made into a video....a pure unadulterated classic....Lord it shouldve been me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Melody Sanger

5y↑9

HAPPY 73RD BIRTHDAY GLADYS MARIA KNIGHT (MAY 28, 2017)

Christian Edwards

I wonder how this song would've turned out if Norman Whitfield cut this song on the Temptations with Paul singing lead?

jeena3000

12y

i am looking for an instrmental to this version.. does anyone know where i can find it? Please

m. e. nash

29w↑1

who else came here b/c they saw miley on fallon covering this hand raised

Melody Sanger

7y↑1

HAPPY 71ST BIRTHDAY EMPRESS OF SOUL (MAY 28, 2015)

GA Englund

6y↑1

Gladys does this one - amazingly, though it was really Yvonne Fair, but sadly the sound is not that good - any how - smashing tune!!!

Cullen Swanson

A Englund I respectfully disagree. But I just love Gladys her voice is amazing.

nogamez26

6y↑1

A Englund Kim Weston 1963, Gladys Knight 1968, Yvonne Fair 1976.

ronaldt491

11y↑1

Why would you invite an old girl friend to your wedding knowing how she probably felt about you? This is just a formula for trouble!

Dwayne Jones

So true

joe jordan

10y

you want to listen to kim westons version,lot better than yvonne fair,and on par with this one,well in my opinion

Catherine Mehdaoui

11y↑1

it happened to me......

Berry Barfield

GK and the P.,I do love , ✋'s up!

Shirl E

Berry Barfield 🤚🏾

KalimbaKid

9y↑1

Right after this, listen to the Temptations,""(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's you that I Need"
Same key, same feel. I'm pretty sure both were written by Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong. All in the Motown family.

Michael Guzman

27w

Miley and Pete brought me here

Carol McVey

11y↑1

Yvonne Fair......absolutely brilliant at this song!! Gladys good shot at it.....not the same im afraid x

higgybaby1

13y

Sorry, wrong song. It was "I WISH IT WOULD RAIN"

Mutt

I know I will bet a LOT of flack for this BUT I don't Care. Yvonne Fair sung it 100 % better

Jessi Stclare

47w

HIKES .

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