Starting his entertainment career as a tap dancer, Jones joined a doo-wop group named The Berliners in 1954. They later changed their name to Sparks Of Rhythm.[1] In 1955 Jones co-wrote "Handy Man", which was recorded by the Sparks Of Rhythm in 1956 (after Jones left the group).
After recording with other groups, Jones went solo and, in 1959, teamed up with Otis Blackwell who reworked "Handy Man" which Jones recorded on the subsidiary MGM record label, Cub. When the flute player did not show up for the session, Blackwell famously whistled on the recording. "Handy Man," released in 1959, gave Jones his first U.S. and UK hit single. "Handy Man" went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. Later in that same year, Jones' recording of "Good Timin'" shot to #1 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 in the U.S. Both "Handy Man" and "Good Timin'" were million sellers, earning Jones two gold discs.
Jones' subsequent career was low key although it included three more UK chart entries in the following twelve months. "Handy Man", which introduced a rock falsetto singing style to the British audience, later scored hits for Del Shannon and James Taylor who both covered it.
Although Jones had but two Top 40 hits, both million sellers, he nevertheless kept active in the music industry as both a songwriter and recording artist and made personal appearances as he saw fit. He kept recording through most of the 1960s and remained with Cub until 1962, scraping the lower reaches of the charts with "That's When I Cried" and "I Told You So." He recorded for Ro-Jac and Vee-Jay over the next two years, and his work gradually took on a New York style uptown soul flavor.[1] From 1965-1967, he recorded for Roulette, Parkway, and Bell, none of which restored his commercial standing.
His considerable influence using falsetto extended to Del Shannon, who paid homage to Jones and also The Ink Spots for Shannon's falsetto style. Later singers who used falsetto included Lou Christie and Barry Gibb. Gibbs cited Shannon, in turn, as an influence for his disco vocalizations with the Bee Gees.
Jones released Grandma's Rock & Roll Party in the 1990s on CD, perhaps, in part due to his popularity in the UK Northern soul circles. It included new versions of "Handy Man" and "Good Timin'". In 2002, Castle/Sanctuary issued a double album anthology titled Good Timin': The Anthology.
I Told You So
Jimmy Jones Lyrics
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My whole world is falling apart.
Here I am feeling low,
All you ever say is 'I told you so.'
You say, "I told you so,
I try to let you talk to me
'I told you so, '
Well here I am, I guess you win
"I told you so;" quit rubbin' it in.
Here I sit in misery,
You ain't got no sense of me
Here I am feeling low,
All you ever say is 'I told you so.'
You say, 'I told you so,
I try to let you talk to me
'I told you so, '
That's all you ever say to me."
Well, here I am, I guess you win
"I told you so;" quit rubbin' it in.
(Instrumental break)
You think you show some pity for my broken heart,
All you do is stand around looking smart.
You say, "I told you so,
I try to let you talk to me.
'I told you so, '
That's all you ever say to me."
Well, here I am, I guess you win.
"I told you so;" quit rubbin' it in.
The lyrics of "I Told You So" by Jimmy Jones depict a person who has a broken heart and feels miserable. The person is feeling low and alone, and their entire world seems to be falling apart. However, the melancholic atmosphere is worsened by the constant reminders of the person who may have caused such pain. Every time the singer tries to speak up or express their pain, all they hear is "I told you so." The person who once may have claimed to care about them now repeatedly rubs it in their face that they ignored their warnings, causing this pain that they are feeling. The person's sense of despair and hopelessness is reinforced by these constant jabs, leaving them feeling like they have lost the battle.
Ultimately, the lyrics of the song offer a pensive reflection on a relationship gone sour. Beyond the singer's heartbreak, there is an underlying feeling of regret and a sense of lost opportunity that is examined. The song suggests that there was a moment where things could have gone differently, but the singer ignored the signs or the advice given, leading to the pain they now experience. But despite the singer feeling broken, alone and vulnerable, the person who caused this pain continues to assert their superiority, dismiss them, and repeat over and over again: "I told you so."
Line by Line Meaning
Here I am with a broken heart,
I am heartbroken and vulnerable.
My whole world is falling apart.
The pain and sadness I am feeling is overwhelming and all-encompassing.
Here I am feeling low,
I am in a state of emotional despair.
All you ever say is 'I told you so.'
You take pleasure in reminding me that you warned me about this outcome even though it's not helpful to me in this moment.
You say, "I told you so,
You repeat your unhelpful and unsympathetic message to me.
I try to let you talk to me
I attempt to engage with you and hope for some empathy or kindness.
'I told you so, '
You continue to gloat about being correct and disregard my feelings.
That's all you ever say to me."
Your lack of compassion and understanding is only further hurting me.
Well here I am, I guess you win
I feel defeated and that you have the upper hand.
"I told you so;" quit rubbin' it in.
I want you to stop reminding me of your prediction and start showing me some support instead.
Here I sit in misery,
I am still consumed by pain and sadness.
You ain't got no sense of me
You don't seem to understand the depth of my emotions or how to help me through this.
You think you show some pity for my broken heart,
I thought you would have some compassion for me and what I am going through.
All you do is stand around looking smart.
Instead, you stay detached and offer no real support or empathy.
Well, here I am, I guess you win.
Once again, I feel defeated and like you hold all the power in this situation.
"I told you so;" quit rubbin' it in.
I urge you to stop repeating your unhelpful message and start offering me some genuine support instead.
Contributed by Addison L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.