Gypsy Woman
Impressions (The) Lyrics
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Around the campfire light
A lovely woman in motion
With hair as dark as night
Her eyes were like that of a cat in the dark
That hypnotized me with love
She was a gypsy woman,
She danced around and round to a guitar melody
From the fire her face was all aglow
How she enchanted me
Oh, how I'd like to hold her near
And kiss and forever whisper in her ear
I love you, gypsy woman
I love you, gypsy woman
All through the caravan
She was dancing with all the men
Waiting for the rising sun
Everyone was having fun
I hate to see the lady go
Knowing she'll never know
That I love her, I love her
She was a gypsy woman
A gypsy woman, a gypsy woman, a gypsy woman
The lyrics of Impressions' song "Gypsy Woman" describe a captivating encounter with a mysterious and enchanting woman. The singer tells the story of encountering a beautiful gypsy woman dancing around a campfire, with dark hair and hypnotizing eyes. He is entranced by her movements and desires to be close to her, whispering in her ear and expressing his love for her. The woman dances with all the men in the caravan, and the singer is saddened by the fact that she will never know his feelings for her as she leaves with the rising sun.
The song's lyrics capture a sense of longing and unrequited love, as the singer is left only with memories of the gypsy woman's beauty and enchantment. The song also has a dreamlike quality, with the imagery of dancing around the campfire and the hypnotic guitar melody evoking a romanticized gypsy lifestyle. The overall effect is one of wistfulness and longing, as the singer looks back on this moment as a magical encounter with a woman who he can never be with.
Line by Line Meaning
From nowhere through a caravan
A mysterious woman suddenly appeared among a group of travelers
Around the campfire light
She was illuminated by the flames of a fire
A lovely woman in motion
She was graceful in her movements
With hair as dark as night
Her hair was very dark, almost black
Her eyes were like that of a cat in the dark
Her eyes were piercing and alluring, like the eyes of a cat in the dark
That hypnotized me with love
Her eyes causally enchanted the person watching and made them fall in love
She was a gypsy woman,
The woman was a member of a nomadic group called gypsies
She was a gypsy woman
Repeating the line, reiterating her belonging to a specific culture
She danced around and round to a guitar melody
She swayed and twirled to the tune of a guitar's melody
From the fire her face was all aglow
The firelight made her face radiant and bright
How she enchanted me
The performer had the power to entrance and delight someone
Oh, how I'd like to hold her near
The person watching wanted to embrace her in a warm embrace
And kiss and forever whisper in her ear
The person wanted to kiss her and whisper sweet nothings into her ear
I love you, gypsy woman
The person confesses their love for the performer
I love you, gypsy woman
Repeating the line, reiterating love for the performer and her culture
All through the caravan
The performer danced with others within the group's residence
She was dancing with all the men
The performer was not just dancing with one man but many
Waiting for the rising sun
The group likely dances through the night and waits for the sunrise to sleep
Everyone was having fun
All members of the group were enjoying themselves
I hate to see the lady go
The person didn't want the performer to leave
Knowing she'll never know
The person also knows the performer will never even learn about their affection
That I love her, I love her
Repeating their love for the performer once more
She was a gypsy woman
The performer belonged to a particular cultural group
A gypsy woman, a gypsy woman, a gypsy woman
Further repeating the performer's identity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS L MAYFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rogerrrubin
From nowhere through a caravan
Around the campfire light
A lovely woman in motion
With hair as dark as night
Her eyes were like that of a cat in the dark
That hypnotized me with love
She was a gypsy woman,
She was a gypsy woman
She danced around and round to a guitar melody
From the fire her face was all aglow
How she enchanted me
Oh, how I'd like to hold her near
And kiss and forever whisper in her ear
I love you, gypsy woman
I love you, gypsy woman
All through the caravan
She was dancing with all the men
Waiting for the rising sun
Everyone was having fun
I hate to see the lady go
Knowing she'll never know
That I love her, I love her
She was a gypsy woman
A gypsy woman, a gypsy woman, a gypsy woman
@smokinjz
From nowhere through the caravan
Round the campfire light
A lovely woman in motion
With hair as dark as night
Her eyes were like that of a cat in the dark
That hypnotized me with love
She was a gypsy woman
She was a gypsy woman
She danced around and round
To a guitar melody
From the fire her face was aglow
How she enchanted me
Oh how I'd like to hold her near
And kiss and forever whisper in her ear
I love you gypsy woman
I love you gypsy woman
All through the caravan
She was dancing with all the men
Waiting for the rising sun
Everyone was having fun
I hate to see the lady go
Knowing she will never know
That I love her
That I love her
Gypsy woman
She was gypsy woman
Gypsy woman
Gypsy woman
All through the caravan
She was dancing with all the men
Waiting for the rising sun
Everyone was having fun
I hate to see the lady go
Knowing she will never know
That I love her
I love her
Gypsy woman
Gypsy woman
She was gypsy woman
Gypsy woman
She was gypsy woman
She was gypsy woman
@sauquoit13456
On this day in 1961 {December 24th} "Gypsy Woman"* by the Impressions peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Please Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes...
"Gypsy Woman" peaked at #20 on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
Between 1958 and 1987 the Chicago-based soul group had forty-six records on the Billboard's R&B chart, fifteen made the Top 10 with three reaching #1, "It's All right" for two weeks in November of 1963, "Choice of Colors" for one week in August of 1969, and "Finally Got Myself Together (I'm A Changed Man)" for two weeks in June of 1974...
Curtis Mayfield, who left the group in 1970, passed away at the young age of 57 on December 26th, 1999...
May he R.I.P.
* "Gypsy Woman" was the group's only #2 record, but they had six records peak at #3...
And from the 'For What's It Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot R&B Singles Top 10 on December 24th, 1961:
At #3. "Turn On Your Love Light" by Bobby Bland
#4. "Soothe Me" by the Sims Twins
#5. "Just Got To Know" by Jimmy McCracklin
#6. "I Know" by Barbara George
#7. "Lost Someone" by James Brown and the Famous Flames
#8. "Unchain My Heart" by Ray Charles
#9. "In The Dark" by 'Little' Junior Parker
#10. "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" by the Crystals
@cedricliggins7528
Pure Genius. RIP Mr Mayfield. Your voice and messages are sorely missed.
@bellestarr4040
Take me back to better day
@johnconway9882
The "Gentle Genius" as he was known 🙂
@paulblawie2616
Curtis Mayfield's haunting tenor gives me chills to this day - truly a genius who gifted us this rare gem.
@darrenringer9811
In the words of Wayne and Garth, we're not worthy.
@dudleylowe3831
HAUNTING VOICE: ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, A TRUE WORDSMITH 👍
@mcclendonreport
So mystical and mysterious, enchanting and enthralling. I remember this as a toddler. And I kept playing the record through my teen years. The sound is so well arranged; the bass singer, the harmony and Curtis' silky voice. Black music has got to get back to this kind of rarefied air. Absolutely sublime.
@waaziz2008
when this song was released, the Gypsies of Eastern Europe tried every way possible to bring the Impressions to their part of the world to sing this tune. In 1981, Curtis Mayfield and his band, sans the Impressions, gave a series of concerts in Eastern Europe, to the delight of the local populations of that region. Whether you like this version or not, it shows the beauty and attraction that good music has everywhere!
@josephleone8054
We sang this song so many times on hot summer nights, under the street lamps of Audobon Park to street corner Acapella harmony. The word means “without music” in singer’s harmony. At times harmony, in the right notes sounded as if there was music, none was needed, at least we thought. To have the soul of these African American singers was a trend from NY to LA across the USA. The first time I heard a group I was 9 or 10, from my block, mostly Italian and African American. I was so taken i got some friends years later and sang and drank all night.
@TheGoodWitchLolipop
@@josephleone8054 I am that black cat! That gypsy woman! The Dark Crystal!That Dark Stone of Light! That Good Witch Lolipop! Be Blessed!