1) Jerry Butler, Jr… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists called Jerry Butler:
1) Jerry Butler, Jr. (born December 8, 1939 in Sunflower, Mississippi) is an American soul singer also known as "The Ice Man" because of his cool demeanour while singing often intensely emotional lyrics.
Butler was dubbed the "Iceman" by a Philadelphia disc jockey while performing in a Philadelphia theater. However, Butler achieved what eluded many earlier Doo Wop groups during the 1950s and 1960s — longevity. Butler’s solo career had a string of hits, including "He Will Break Your Heart," "Moon River," "Make It Easy On Yourself," "Let It Be Me" (the Everly Brothers classic re-done as a duet with Betty Everett), "Brand New Me," "Ain’t Understanding Mellow," (duet with Brenda Lee Eager), and "Never Gonna Give You Up," followed by two hugely successful albums The Iceman Cometh in 1968 and Ice On Ice in 1970. The Iceman Cometh garnered Butler three Grammy nominations. Jerry Butler further made recordings for Philadelphia International Records in the 80's. His most noted song for the label was "Cooling Out"
Can't Understand It
Jerry Butler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you get all the love
I can't stand the pain of life
I can't even stand the shock.
But when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand itI can't stand it
When you stand close to me
You makes me kind of weak
And when you hold me tight
My poor heart skips a beat
And when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand it
When you're standin' close to me
You make me kinda weak
And when you hold me tight
My poor heart skips a beat
And when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand it
The lyrics to "Can't Understand It" by Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee Eager are about the pain and fear that comes with love. The singer speaks of being unable to tolerate the emotional turmoil that love often brings. They mention feeling weak and their heart skipping a beat when their love interest is near, but also feeling shock and pain when they think of the possibility of that person leaving them.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I can't stand it" four times, emphasizing the intensity of the singer's emotions. The repetition also highlights the fact that no matter how much the singer may want to protect themselves from the pain of love, they cannot resist it.
The song captures the fear and vulnerability that often comes with opening oneself up to someone else. The singer is scared of being hurt, scared of being alone, and scared of losing the person they love. The lyrics suggest a desperation to hold onto the love that they have, no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't stand the pain of love
Love has caused me so much pain that I cannot tolerate it anymore.
When you get all the love
I feel jealous because you receive all the affection and attention.
I can't stand the pain of life
Life is too difficult for me to endure because it hurts me deeply.
I can't even stand the shock.
The shock of losing you would be too much for me to bear.
But when I hear you say that you will go away
Whenever you mention leaving me, my heart becomes restless and anxious.
And leave me someday
I am afraid that you will abandon me eventually.
I can't stand it
The thought of losing you is intolerable.
When you stand close to me
Your proximity makes me feel vulnerable and exposed.
You makes me kind of weak
You have a strong emotional influence on me that leaves me feeling helpless.
And when you hold me tight
Your embrace makes me feel loved and secure, but also fearful of losing you.
My poor heart skips a beat
My heart races with excitement and anticipation when I am with you, but also with anxiety and dread of losing you.
When you're standin' close to me
Your presence affects me deeply, even when you are standing next to me.
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: LOU REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dwayne & Teen
on Ain't Understanding Mellow
This song is so meaningful and the Lyrics are always on point.!