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"
Make It Easy on Yourself
Jerry Butler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Very hard to do
If you really love her
And there's nothing I can do
Don't try to spare my feelings
Just tell me that we're through
Make it easy on yourself
'Cause breaking up is so very hard to do
And if the way I hold you
Can't compare to her caress
No words of consolation
Will make me miss you less
And my darling, if this is goodbye
I just know I'm gonna cry
So run to her
Before you start crying too
And make it easy on yourself
Make it easy on yourself
'Cause breaking up is so very hard to do
And make it easy on yourself
Make it easy on yourself
'Cause breaking up is so very hard to do
And make it easy on yourself
"Make It Easy on Yourself" is a heart-wrenching ballad about a man who loves a woman who no longer reciprocates his feelings. The lyrics suggest that the woman has found someone else, and although the man is devastated, he knows that it's better to face the truth head-on instead of trying to cling to a doomed relationship. The chorus urges the woman to end things quickly and directly, without trying to spare the man's feelings. The singer acknowledges that he will cry when she leaves, but he would rather go through the pain of the breakup than drag out an unhappy situation.
The song conveys a complex mix of emotions, including sadness, regret, resignation, and vulnerability. The use of "my darling" adds a touching note of tenderness to the song, as the singer pleads with his lover to let him go. The metaphor of holding onto a sinking ship adds a poignant touch to the lyrics, suggesting that the relationship is beyond repair.
Line by Line Meaning
'Cause breaking up is so
Very hard to do
Breaking up with someone you truly love is an extremely difficult thing to go through.
If you really love her
And there's nothing I can do
If you still love her and have made up your mind about ending things, I cannot change your decision.
Don't try to spare my feelings
Just tell me that we're through
Please do not try to protect my feelings by sugarcoating the situation; just be honest with me and let me know that it is over between us.
And if the way I hold you
Can't compare to her caress
No words of consolation
Will make me miss you less
If I am unable to provide the same level of intimacy and comfort that she does, then no amount of comforting words can make me miss you any less.
And my darling, if this is goodbye
I just know I'm gonna cry
So run to her
Before you start crying too
If this is the end of our relationship, I know I will cry, so I am asking you to leave before I start crying as well. Please go to her before it becomes too emotional for both of us.
And make it easy on yourself
Make it easy on yourself
'Cause breaking up is so very hard to do
Please make things easier for yourself by ending our relationship quickly, before it becomes unbearable to continue. Breaking up is one of the most difficult things to do in life, so please do not prolong the pain.
And make it easy on yourself
Make it easy on yourself
'Cause breaking up is so very hard to do
Once again, please make things easier for yourself by ending our relationship quickly.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Hal David, Burt F. Bacharach, BURT F BACHARACH, CHANELLE CALICA, PJ STENNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nancy Wood
This was me and my husbands favorite song when we married in 1962. I shut my eyes and see us dancing around the ballroom to it. We were excellent dancers. We danced to it at our 40 th anniversary party. Now we are 78 and 81..disabled...and reliving our youth each time we hear it some 59 years later.Thank you for posting. Sentimental me! 🎶❣🎶💞
Edit: we now are 79 and 82 and married 60 years.
J9 Keystone
Precious story and congratulations on your marriage. Wishing you two the best!
Nancy Wood
@J9 Keystone thank you so much. We are 79 and 82 and will be married 60 years in February. Shut ins because of covid and illness for 3 years now. I love my you tube old school music to relive memories. God Bless you for tbe comment. ⚘💞⚘
Terrence Lewandowski
Congratulations on your love story
Nancy Wood
@J9 Keystone thank you so very much. Blessings on you
🙏🕊
Nancy Wood
@Terrence Lewandowski thank you Terrance. God bless you and your family for a long life together.
🙏🕊
Candace Crocker
I love both versions the difference being the Walker Brothers powerful background orchestrations. But the song itself gives me goose bumps! Thank you Burt Bacharach & Hal David!
Don Hancock
I'm here because of those lads. Got alot of soul!
JEWELYN SANDERS
This song makes me cry ,not because of a relationship gone-bad- but because of Jerry Butler , oh that voice, that voice!!! 💕💕💕
Mickey Edwards
There is a thing, for me, at least, of something so beautiful that my natural response is tears. Music... at least, some music, hits me that way. This is one of my all time favorites.