Jones recorded several albums in a soul-jazz vein for Prestige in the period from 1966 to 1978). In addition to leading his own group for recording purposes, Ivan Jones recorded with Groove Holmes, Houston Person, Rusty Bryant, Harold Mabern, Wild Bill Davis and, most notably, Willis Jackson. Rusty Bryant, Charles Earland, and Bernard Purdie are among the sidemen also featured on Boogaloo's albums.
His sound and style clearly derived from the blues. But it was a solid understanding of rock that Jones brought to his style of jazz. He was influenced most by Tal Farlow and Billy Butler, but gravitated toward the rhythm and blues jazz Butler was popularizing with organist Bill Doggett's popular group.
Let Them Talk
Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones Lyrics
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Turned your smiles into frowns
Left you dying on the ground
Never even turned around
Leave them... Just leave them
If they broke your heart and broke you down
Hated when you're not around
Gave you air then made you drown
Leave them... Just leave them
(Cause I'm better off alone anyway)
I feel better off alone at home, I don't even need a phone
Been stabbed in the back so many times, I don't think I have a backbone
Been co-dependent my whole life now I only wanna be alone
What the hell is a friend if they only want you to always be under their throne
Man I thought we were a team, but honesty is what we lacked
Love ain't a charity, I expect the same thing back
So I'm packing my bags and I'm ready to go
I don't know what I want but it's out on the road
And I'm taking these pieces that all of you broke
And the day that I make it I'm leaving you broke
Cuz I'm tired of proving myself, and I'm tired of looking for help
Hard to trust anybody else when they pack you on top of their shelf
I'm not what you want me to be, but everything I want you to see
I'm setting all of it free, I've pack up my bags and I'm ready to leave
If they dragged along and brought you down
Turned your smiles into frowns
Left you dying on the ground
Never even turned around
Leave them... Just leave them
If they broke your heart and broke you down
Hated when you're not around
Picked you up then brought you down
Gave you air then made you drown
Leave them... Just leave them
(Cause I'm better off alone anyway)
Hard to find happiness when the happy things hurt you most
I'm trapped inside my mind and at times I don't know where to go
I'm still trying to find my way, every second of the day
And it hurts to hear me say that I could never let you stay
So I'm turning my back cuz enough with you all
Count on me last and you left me to fall
Stuck out my hand you're the one that I called
Now to me you mean nothing at all
So pack up your share, take all of your things
Your presence, your clothes, and all of your rings
Leave me alone and forget everything
It really means, nothing to me
Putting it all in the past and it sucks we could never make it last, you said
You'd piece my heart back together yet I, found it in the trash
But I guess it was never really You and I, all your eyes are, full of lies
I'm not surprised you hooked up with a guy the same night that we said goodbye
Better off alone at home, don't you ever call my phone
Nothing left inside of me, there's someone that I won't condone
I'm not what you want me to be, but everything I want you to see
I'm setting all of it free, I've pack up my bags and I'm ready to leave
If they dragged along and brought you down
Turned your smiles into frowns
Left you dying on the ground
Never even turned around
Leave them... Just leave them
If they broke your heart and broke you down
Hated when you're not around
Picked you up then brought you down
Gave you air then made you drown
Leave them... Just leave them
(Cause I'm better off alone anyway)x4
Hard to find happiness when the happy things hurt you most
Keep your head up smile, you have a long road
I'm not saying toss the luggage or keep them real close
But to get where you wanna go, you gotta let them go
The lyrics to Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones's song Let Them Talk offer a powerful message about letting go of those who bring us down or hurt us. The song encourages us to leave behind those who have dragged us down, broken our hearts, or made us feel unimportant, as they are not worth our time and energy. The lyrics suggest that it is better to be alone than to be with people who do not value us, and that it is essential to prioritize our own needs and happiness without depending on others.
The recurring refrain of "leave them... just leave them" drives home the message of the song, giving listeners a sense of empowerment in choosing to move on from people who don't make us feel good. The final verse offers a note of positivity and encouragement, reminding us to keep our heads up and smile even when the road ahead is long.
Overall, Let Them Talk is a song about the importance of self-care, self-love, and boundary setting. It offers a powerful reminder that we are in control of our own lives and happiness, and that it is okay to let go of people who do not serve our growth and well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
If they dragged along and brought you down
If they held you back and caused you pain
Turned your smiles into frowns
Made you unhappy
Left you dying on the ground
Abandoned you when you needed them most
Never even turned around
Didn't care about your wellbeing
Leave them... Just leave them
Cut them out of your life
If they broke your heart and broke you down
If they hurt you emotionally and physically
Hated when you're not around
Felt animosity towards you when you weren't present
Picked you up then brought you down
Lifted you up only to let you fall
Gave you air then made you drown
Gave you hope then crushed it
Cause I'm better off alone anyway
I'm happier on my own
I feel better off alone at home, I don't even need a phone
I don't need anyone else in my life right now
Been stabbed in the back so many times, I don't think I have a backbone
Been betrayed so much that I can't trust anyone anymore
Been co-dependent my whole life now I only wanna be alone
I used to rely on others too much, now I want to be self-sufficient
What the hell is a friend if they only want you to always be under their throne
Is a friend really a friend if they always want to control you?
Man I thought we were a team, but honesty is what we lacked
I thought we had a strong relationship, but really we lacked honesty
Love ain't a charity, I expect the same thing back
Love shouldn't only be one-sided, I expect love in return
So I'm packing my bags and I'm ready to go
I'm leaving this situation behind
I don't know what I want but it's out on the road
I don't know what my future holds, but I'm willing to explore and find out
And I'm taking these pieces that all of you broke
I'm taking the lessons and experiences that came from my broken relationships
And the day that I make it I'm leaving you broke
I'll be successful without you and you'll be left with nothing
Hard to trust anybody else when they pack you on top of their shelf
I find it difficult to trust people who only want to use me for their own benefit
Putting it all in the past and it sucks we could never make it last, you said
I'm trying to move on from the past, but it's disappointing we couldn't make our relationship last
You'd piece my heart back together yet I, found it in the trash
You promised to mend my heart, but you ended up throwing it away
But I guess it was never really You and I, all your eyes are, full of lies
I realize now that our relationship was never genuine, your eyes always showed deceit
I'm not surprised you hooked up with a guy the same night that we said goodbye
I'm not shocked that you moved on so quickly after our breakup
Keep your head up smile, you have a long road
Stay positive even though the journey ahead may be difficult
I'm not saying toss the luggage or keep them real close
I'm not suggesting to completely get rid of people, but to keep them at a safe distance
But to get where you wanna go, you gotta let them go
To achieve your goals, sometimes you have to let go of people who hold you back
Writer(s): Sonny Thompson
Contributed by Zoe Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.