Hudson rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol, placing seventh. She made her film debut as Effie White in the musical Dreamgirls (2006), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the youngest African-American to win in a competitive acting category. After signing to Arista Records, Hudson released her self-titled debut studio album in 2008, which was certified Gold in the US and the UK, and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.
Hudson's subsequent studio albums, I Remember Me (2011) and JHUD (2014), both charted within the top ten of the Billboard 200, with the former also being certified Gold in the US. Meanwhile, her other acting roles include the films Sex and the City (2008), The Secret Life of Bees (2008), Winnie Mandela (2011), Black Nativity (2013), Sing (2016), Cats (2019) and Respect (2021), the television shows Smash (2012), Empire (2015) and Confirmation (2016), and her Broadway debut with the musical The Color Purple. Hudson also contributed as a coach on the UK and the US version of The Voice from 2017 up to 2019, becoming the first female coach to win the former.
And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going
Jennifer Hudson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're the best man I'll ever know
There's no way I can ever go
No, no, there's no way
No, no, no, no way
I'm living without you
I'm not living without you
I don't want to be free
And you, and you, you're gonna love me
Oh, you're gonna love me
And I am telling you, I'm not going
Even though the rough times are showing
There's just no way, there's no way
We're part of the same place
We're part of the same time
We both share the same blood
We both have the same mind
And time and time we've had so much to share
No, no, no, no, no, no way
I'm not waking up tomorrow morning
And finding that there's nobody there
Darling, there's no way
No, no, no, no way
I'm living without you
I'm not living without you
You see, there's just
No way, there's no way
Please don't go away from me
Stay with me, stay with me
Stay, stay and hold me, ah, yeah
Stay, stay and hold me, ooh
Please stay and hold me, Mr. Man
Try it mister, try it mister
I know, I know, I know you can
Tear down the mountain
Yell, scream and shout
You can say what you want
I'm not walking out
Stop all the rivers
Push, strike, and kill
I'm not gonna leave you
There's no way I will
And I am telling you
I'm not going
You're the best man I'll ever know
There's no way I could ever, ever go
No, no, there's no way
No, no, no, no way I'm living without you
I'm not living without you
Not living without you
I don't wanna be free
I'm staying, I'm staying
And you, and you, and you
You're gonna love me, oh yeah
You're gonna love me, yes, you are
Yes, you are
Ohh, love me, love me
Love me, love
You're gonna love
Me
The song "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" by Jennifer Hudson is a powerful ballad about a woman who refuses to leave her man regardless of the challenges they face. The lyrics convey a deep sense of heartbreak mixed with a determination to stay together no matter what. The song is taken from the Broadway musical "Dreamgirls" and has since become a timeless classic.
The chorus of the song underscores the woman's resolve, no matter how insurmountable the obstacles may seem. The line "I'm not living without you, you're gonna love me" in particular, is an emotive assertion that suggests she needs to be loved back and cannot imagine her future without her lover. The line, "you're the best man I'll ever know" indicates how special she considers her man, suggesting that he is unique and irreplaceable in her life.
The bridge of the song is particularly powerful with lines such as "Tear down the mountains, yell, scream, and shout, you can say what you want, I'm not walking out", emphasizing her commitment to stay even in the most trying of times. The song is a celebrated example of overcoming hardship in a relationship, conveying the message of fighting for love even in the face of disappointment and discouragement.
Line by Line Meaning
And I am telling you I'm not going
I want to make it clear, despite any circumstances or obstacles, that I am not leaving
You're the best man I'll ever know
You are the most important person in my life and I can't imagine finding someone better
There's no way I can ever go
There is nothing that could make me leave you, no matter what happens
No, no, no, no way
Absolutely not, under no circumstances
I'm living without you
I cannot imagine living my life without you by my side
I'm not living without you
It is not an option for me to live a life without you in it
I don't want to be free
I do not want to be without you, I am not interested in being independent from you
I'm staying, I'm staying
I am committed to staying with you, I will not leave
And you, and you, you're gonna love me
I guarantee you will not regret staying with me, you will love me with everything I have to offer
Please don't go away from me
I beg you, do not leave me
Stay with me stay with me
Please continue to be present in my life
Stay, stay and hold me
I need your physical affection and comfort to stay grounded
Please stay and hold me, Mr. Man
I am specifically asking you to hold me and stay by my side, dear partner
Try it mister, try it mister
I am challenging you to put in the effort to stay with me and make this relationship work
Tear down the mountains
I am using an example to express that I am willing to do anything to keep this relationship alive
Yell, scream and shout
I am capable of withstanding any conflict or argument with you, as long as we work through it together
You can say what you want
Regardless of whatever words or criticisms come out of your mouth, they will not deter me from staying with you
I'm not walking out
Leaving this relationship is completely out of the question for me
Stop all the rivers
I am using another example to emphasize that no obstacle or barrier will cause me to leave you
Push, strike, and kill
I will take on any challenge, I will fight for this relationship and I will sacrifice for you, no matter what it takes
You're gonna love me
I am so confident in my love for you and our compatibility that you will fall in love with me as well
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Henry Krieger, Tom Eyen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@razcio
And I am telling you
I'm not going
You're the best man I'll ever know
There's no way I can ever go
No, no, there's no way
No, no, no, no way I'm living without you
I'm not living without you
I don't wanna be free
I'm staying, I'm staying
And you, and you
You're gonna love me
You're gonna love me
And I am telling you I'm not going
Even though the rough times are showing
There's just no way, there's no way
We're part of the same place
We're part of the same time
We both share the same blood
We both have the same mind
And time and time, we've had so much to see and
No, no, no, no, no, no way
I'm not waking up tomorrow morning
And finding that there's nobody there
Darling there's no way
No, no, no, no way I'm living without you
I'm not living without you
You see there's just no way, there's no way
Please don't go away from me
Stay with me, stay with me
Stay, stay and hold me
Stay, stay and hold me
Please stay and hold me, Mr. Man
Try it Mr., try it Mr.
I know, I know, I know you can
Tear down the mountains
Yell, scream and shout like you can say what you want
I'm not walking out
Stop all the rivers
Push, strike and kill
I'm not gonna leave you
There's no way I will
And I am telling you I'm not going
You're the best man I'll ever know
There's no way I could ever, ever go
No, no, no, no way
No, no, no, no way I'm living without you
I'm not living without you, not living without you
I don't wanna be free
I'm staying, I'm staying
And you, and you, and you
You're gonna love me
You're gonna love me
Yes you are, yes you are
Love me, love me
Love me, love me, love
You're gonna love me
@trgoohileshea2820
When I saw this in the theater, the entire audience stood and applauded when she finished this. I have never seen anything like it.
@_RoseDawson_
When I watched this the first time
I couldn't get over her amazing vocals
I would show this to my friends
As if JenHud was my close friend.
I mean, I was so proud of her.
Hahahahaha
@s.holmes613
Same when I went to the movies
@latoniamayweather7183
I wish I could have been live her voice is sent by God
@sandramorales8655
i did the same at home, so emotional
@nikibronson133
Same I was a child when I went to go see this movie with my mother, no more than 10 years old and even I stood up because I was just taken aback
@loveharrydaily
As far as I’m concerned, this is the best vocal performance in the history of cinema and she earned that Oscar.
@141Lav
💯💕❤️💯
@blockstrongorelse
Hell to the mother fluffing Yeah. This is the best period.
@raheemgirlfriend1473
@M Marky how dare you . that girl cannot do nothing with JHUD . her performance was good but was no where near Jennifer’s! Jealous as*!!!