Holliday landed her first big role on Broadway in 1980, when she landed her first notable role in the Broadway production of Your Arms Too Short To Box With God. Her performance in that musical earned her a 1981 Drama Desk nomination. Her next role was the role for which she is best known: the role of Effie Melody White in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Holliday joined the show in December 1981 and remained with the show for nearly four years. Her performance in the role was widely acclaimed, particularly in her iconic performance of the musical number that ends Act I, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going".
Among the acclaim was Holliday's sweep of awards in 1982, including the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, a Grammy award for her recorded version of the song, and Drama Desk and Theater World awards for the performance. Holliday also performed in the touring company of "Sing, Mahalia, Sing" in 1986.
Givin' Up
Jennifer Holliday Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Givin' up is so hard to do when you still depend upon…
His word and his tender touch.
His kiss and his caress.
Oh, oh it used to mean so much…
And bring your happiness.
I've tried, but it just ain't no use.
Givin' up is so very, so very hard to do.
I said, I've tried, but it just ain't no use.
But my light, but my light, my light of hope is burning (yes it is).
Burn! Burning in my heart. I pray…
That my love and faith in a man will bring him, will bring him back some day.
Hey, hey, hey… yeah!
Oh… Whether, whether, whether, whether whether, whether he knows or not
He … he …. he … he really needs me too, yes he does!
You know the man is all I've got, yes he is.
And givin' up, givin' up, givin' up is so hard to do. Hey hey Yeah.
Givin' up… is so hard, so hard for me to do. Hey hey!
Givin' up… is so very hard for me to do, oh!
I … I, I don't wanna lose your love. Because it means, it means so very much
to me, oh!
See, sometimes, sometimes, sometimes late in the evening, when I'm all alone.
I turn out all the lights, and I hold my pillow tight (yes I do).
I just say Oh! Oh! Ooooooh! Givin' up! Don't make me do it baby.
Don't make me do it, don't make me, don't make me.
Hey hey… yeah! Baby Baby….
The song "Givin' Up" by Jennifer Holliday is about the difficulty of letting go of love and moving on from a relationship. The lyrics express the pain and struggle that comes with trying to let go of someone you love and the hope that things will change and they will come back to you. The opening lines of the song capture the essence of the struggle, as it states, "Givin' up is hard to do when you really love someone. Givin' up is so hard to do when you still depend upon…" This is followed by a list of things that the singer still depends upon, such as the person's word, tender touch, kiss, and caress. All of these things used to bring happiness, but now they are just a reminder of what once was.
The song goes on to express the difficulty of giving up on a relationship and the struggle to move on. However, despite this struggle, there is still hope that the love and faith in the person will bring them back someday. The lyrics express a sense of longing and desperation to keep the relationship alive, as the singer says, "You know the man is all I've got." The song ends with a plea to not let go of the love and a hope that they will reunite someday.
Overall, "Givin' Up" is a powerful song that captures the complexities of love and heartbreak. It expresses the struggle of trying to move on and the hope that love will eventually prevail.
Line by Line Meaning
Givin' up is hard to do when you really love someone.
When you have genuine love for someone, it's very difficult to let go.
Givin' up is so hard to do when you still depend upon…
It's extremely tough to give up when you rely on things such as his word, touch, and affection as they hold great value to you.
His word and his tender touch.
The words he says and the way he touches you signifies his love for you.
His kiss and his caress.
The gentle touch of his kiss and his caresses depict the deep feelings that he has for you.
Oh, oh it used to mean so much…
These actions and gestures used to hold a great deal of significance and bring you immense happiness.
And bring your happiness.
Those actions and gestures bring joy and happiness into your life.
Givin' up is so hard to do.
It's extremely difficult to give up and move on from something that holds a lot of value in your life.
I've tried, but it just ain't no use.
The struggle is real as you have attempted to let go of something that meant so much to you, but it didn't work out as you had hoped.
But my light, but my light, my light of hope is burning (yes it is).
Despite the hurdles and difficulties, there's still a glimmer of hope that, somehow, things will get better.
Burn! Burning in my heart. I pray…
This hope is fervently etched into my heart and I'm praying that things will eventually work out in my favor.
That my love and faith in a man will bring him, will bring him back some day.
I have faith that my love for this man will work its magic and bring him back into my life someday.
Oh… Whether, whether, whether, whether whether, whether he knows or not
It doesn't matter whether or not he knows how much he's missed or how much I love him. This hope burns within me regardless.
He … he …. he … he really needs me too, yes he does!
I know that he needs me just as much as I need him, and I'm willing to wait until the time is right for us to be together again.
You know the man is all I've got, yes he is.
This man is everything to me, and I cannot bear the thought of losing him.
And givin' up, givin' up, givin' up is so hard to do. Hey hey Yeah.
Letting go is something that I find it hard to do as it's an emotional journey that takes much courage.
I … I, I don't wanna lose your love. Because it means, it means so very much to me, oh!
I don't want to lose his love as it holds a significant amount of meaning in my life.
See, sometimes, sometimes, sometimes late in the evening, when I'm all alone.
During certain moments of solitude, especially late in the evening, my thoughts tend to drift towards him.
I turn out all the lights, and I hold my pillow tight (yes I do).
I hold onto things that remind me of him, such as a pillow, to comfort and soothe my feelings.
I just say Oh! Oh! Ooooooh! Givin' up! Don't make me do it baby.
There are times when I'm on the brink of giving up, but I try to hold on as much as I can and not let go easily.
Don't make me do it, don't make me, don't make me.
I beg not to be pushed to give up as it would mean letting go of something that's dear to me.
Hey hey… yeah! Baby Baby….
As much as I'm making attempts to hold on, it's hard work and can be emotionally draining.
Contributed by Violet V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.