Releasing her first single in 1959, she struggled to launch her career from segregated New Orleans as a teenage waitress with 4 children in the early 60's. Now, finally undergoing a late career renaissance on the Rounder label, much of her most enduring work was produced in the early 1960's by Allen Toussaint for Minit Records, and she also recorded for other labels including Imperial, Chess, and Atlantic, eventually retiring for a period before reviving her career in earnest in the late 1980's.
Thomas is perhaps best known outside of New Orleans for her recording of "Time Is On My Side," which predated the hit version by the Rolling Stones. Otis Redding's hit "Pain In My Heart" was built on an earlier song, "Ruler of My Heart," recorded by Thomas.
Thomas is still active as a performer, appearing annually at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and various tour dates in the US and Europe. She has reigned as Queen of the Krewe du Vieux for the 1998 New Orleans Mardi Gras season and often headlined at her own club, the Lion's Den, which is now out of business due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Irma Thomas has participated in numerous post-Katrina charity projects including The New Orleans Social Club, and won numerous awards including the Offbeat Magazine Award, Mojo Magazine's Legends award, Big Easy Award, a Family Services Award and many more. In 2009, Scott Billington compiled a Rounder records retrospective "Irma Thomas: A 50th Anniversary Celebration of The Soul Queen of New Orleans: " .
Sit Down And Cry
Irma Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could have told me
How could they have told me
What they didn't know
And I sit down and cry
I sit down and cry
I sit down and cry my heart out over you
Could have warned me
That you would hurt me so bad
And I sit down and cry
I sit down and cry
I sit down and cry my heart out
Never believe
That lips as sweet as yours
Sweeter than honey from a bee
Who would ever believe
Those same sweet lips lie just like you lie to me
Baby no one could have told me
That you would have sold me down the river so fast
And I sit down and cry
I sit down and cry
I sit down and cry my heart out
In the song "Sit Down And Cry" by Irma Thomas, the singer expresses her intense feelings of heartbreak and betrayal. She sings about how nobody could have warned or told her about the pain that she would feel from her lover's lies and deceit. The lyrics are a poignant example of how love can be both sweet and bitter at the same time, and how those moments of intense emotion can seem overwhelming.
The first verse shows the singer acknowledging that nobody could have warned her about the heartbreak that she was going to face. She feels lost and confused, unable to understand the situation she is in. The second verse reveals the depth of her heartbreak and how she never believed that her lover's sweet words could turn out to be lies. In the final verse, she expresses her anger and disappointment towards her lover who has betrayed her trust.
The song reflects the emotional turmoil that people often face when they are in love with someone who is not truthful or reliable. It also shows how the hurt caused by someone you love can be so deep and overwhelming that you have no choice but to sit down and cry.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby no one
No one, not even the closest people to me, could have warned or told me about what was to come.
Could have told me
It was impossible for anyone to predict or inform me about the pain and heartbreak that was to come.
How could they have told me
It was not possible for anyone to have talked to me about an experience they did not go through or have knowledge of.
What they didn't know
The people around me had no idea of what was to happen nor did they have any foresight on how things would turn out.
And I sit down and cry
As a result of the pain, I had to sit and confront my emotions, feeling the weight of my sadness and helplessness.
I sit down and cry
I have to keep processing my emotions and the hurt that came from the heartbreak, despite how painful it is.
I sit down and cry my heart out over you
I am overwhelmed by the feelings of betrayal and hurt over the person who caused me heartbreak and pain.
Never believe
I was naïve to believe and trust someone who deceived me in the end.
That lips as sweet as yours
The person who hurt me had a charming demeanor and used their words to cover up their deceit.
Sweeter than honey from a bee
They were exceptionally good at manipulating me and making me believe their lies.
Who would ever believe
It was challenging to trust someone who had shown me such evident falsehood.
Those same sweet lips lie just like you lie to me
The person who caused me pain used their words to hide their true intentions and deceive me into believing them.
That you would hurt me so bad
It was unfortunate that the person I trusted ended up causing me so much pain.
Could have warned me
I wish someone had given me a heads up or some indication that the person I trusted was going to hurt me.
And I sit down and cry
The hurt and the sadness had to be confronted, and that is what I was doing when I sat down and cried.
I sit down and cry
The pain did not disappear overnight and continued to make me cry and feel overwhelmed and sad.
I sit down and cry my heart out
The heartbreak I felt was heavy, and crying helped me take that weight off by confronting and talking to my emotions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Clyde Lovern Otis, Lou Stallman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jesse Mueller
on These Honey Dos
Irma Thomas - These Honey Dos lyrics
V1/
Honey, do you see
While you're sittin' there
Two good legs, two good arms
Your butt stuck in that chair
It's get me this, reach me that
Fry the bacon, feed the cat
You're still in that chair, that's where yer at
C1/
I tried to satisfy
All your wishes and your wants
Soon these Honey Dos
Gonna turn into Don'ts
So honey you'd better choose
Do you want me, or these Honey Dos?
V2/
Honey, when I'm away
You always got to know
Who I see, what I do
And everywhere I go
And it's, while yer out, here's the list
Drop off that, pick up this
Yer still in that chair, that's where you is
C2/
Please don't make me try
To get away from you
I'm right here for ya, baby
But ya gotta give me somethin' too
Honey you'd better choose
Do you want me, or these Honey Dos?
B/
I'd do most everything
That I ever could do
All the love I got
I only give ta you
Honey, if you knew
A lover from a crutch
You'd know that everything yer doin'
Don't amount ta much
V1/
Honey, do you see
While you're sitting there
With two good legs, and two good arms
And your butt still stuck in that chair
It's get me this, reach me that
Fry the bacon, feed the cat
You're still in that chair, just gettin' fat
C1/
Tried to satisfy
All your wishes and your wants
Soon these Honey Dos
Are gonna turn into Don'ts
So honey you'd better choose
Do you want me, or these Honey Dos?
{Honey you'd better choose
Do you want me, or these Honey Dos?} ( 2x )
Spoken:
Honey do this, honey do that
Reach for this, reach for that
Now where is please?
Where is thank you?
Yer making a very large assumption
And you know what they say about the word assumption
Now you know you king of this castle
(As long as I'm in it)
But you gotta put a little please in there sometimes
And every now 'n' then think of some Honey Don'ts to say
Y'know? You got me
I wouldn't stay here, if I didn't love ya
But every now and then, put in some please and thank yous
Do ya Honey Do?
Turn 'em into Honey Don'ts
Moses Davis
on Hurt's All Gone
my goodness ump I cant get enough