After the success of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted", the intended follow-up, "East Side West Side", was released only in Australia due to an argument with Motown head Berry Gordy. The song was written by Ron Welser and Flamingos' member Terry Johnson.
With his brother David Ruffin, Jimmy Ruffin released a popular cover version of "Stand By Me" (by Ben E. King), taken from The Ruffin Brothers' album, I Am My Brother's Keeper.
Jimmy Ruffin's other hits include "I've Passed This Way Before", "Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got", "Don't You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby", "I'll Say Forever My Love", "It's Wonderful To Be Loved By You" and "Tell Me What You Want".
In 1980 he collaborated with the Bee Gees' musician Robin Gibb, who produced his album Sunrise. From it came the single which would be his last Top 10 UK and U.S. hit: "Hold On To My Love". In 1986 Jimmy Ruffin collaborated with the British pop group Heaven 17, singing "A Foolish Thing To Do" and "My Sensitivity" on a 12" EP record.
In the 1980s, Ruffin moved to live in Britain, where he continued to perform successfully. In December 1984 he collaborated with Paul Weller of The Style Council for his benefit single "Soul Deep." This went under the name of The Council Collective.
Following the 2010 release of his album I Am My Brother's Keeper, Ruffin began writing and recording songs for a new album that was never issued.
In 2012, a compilation album entitled, "There Will Never Be Another You", including his hit songs "What Becomes of The Broken Hearted", and "Hold On To My Love" had been released.
In addition to his brother David Ruffin (deceased), Jimmy Ruffin had three other siblings: Quincy, Rita Mae (deceased) and Rosa (deceased).
Don’t You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby
Jimmy Ruffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you're glad I′m gone
Do you tell them how you cried
Whenever you were all alone?
We both know for us
There'll never, never be another
So forget about your foolish pride
Listen
Who cares who was right or wrong? (Right or wrong)
I just know I need you
And by your side is where I belong
Don′t you miss me a little bit, baby?
′Cause I'm missing you
Say you miss me a little bit, baby
You think if you take me back
People will call you a fool
Deep down inside you know you need me
As much as I need you
Because of your pride
You′re letting two hearts suffer
Baby, can't you see
You′re only making things tougher?
Who cares who was right or wrong? (Right or wrong)
Please take me back, baby
'Cause by your side is where I belong
Don′t you miss me a little bit, baby?
Please tell me that you do
Say you miss me a little bit, baby
Girl, I walk these streets day and night
Alone and downhearted
Every doggone day, baby
Since we've been parted
Aimlessly with no sense of direction
Baby I'm trying to tell you
I need your sweet love and affection
Yes, I do (Yes, I do)
Can′t make it without you (I need you)
Oh, yeah (Yes, I do)
Uh, this loneliness and separation
Makes too high a price to pay
When two people love each other the way we do
Should nothing stand in their way
You′re making a mountain out of a molehill
Because of your pride
You're letting a little misunderstanding
Push true love aside
Who cares who was right or wrong? (Right or wrong)
Just say you want me back, baby
And I′ll come running, running back home
Don't you miss me a little bit, baby?
Please tell me that you do
Life ain′t worth living without you, baby
Girl, just take me back, forget your pride
I need you, baby, by my side
Can't stand this being away from you
Can′t you see what I'm going through?
Please say you miss me, baby
Say you miss me, baby
The lyrics of Jimmy Ruffin's song "Don’t You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby" depict a plea to a former partner to return to the relationship. The singer hears that their former partner is glad that they are gone and wonders if they tell people how much they cried when they were alone. However, the singer reminds their partner that no one else can take their place, and they should let go of their pride and reunite. The singer expresses how much they need their partner and that they are willing to put their differences aside to be reunited. They sing that pride is getting in the way of true love and that they should let go of their ego to be together again.
Through the lyrics, Ruffin is telling his partner that despite what others think, they are meant to be together, as they are the only ones who truly understand and care for each other. He pleads with his partner not to ignore their love and to remember the happy moments that they shared together. Overall, the song conveys a powerful message about the importance of forgiveness and compromise in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear you're telling everybody that you're glad I'm gone
I know you're telling people that you're happy we're apart
Do you tell them how you cried whenever you were all alone?
Do you share that you cried when you were by yourself?
We both know for us there'll never, never be another
We know that there is no one else for us
So forget about your foolish pride and let's get back together
So let's put our pride aside and reunite
Who cares who was right or wrong? (Right or wrong)
It doesn't matter who was right or wrong
I just know I need you and by your side is where I belong
I only know that I need you and being with you is where I belong
Don't you miss me a little bit, baby? 'Cause I'm missing you
Do you miss me even just a little since I miss you a lot
Say you miss me a little bit, baby
Admit that you miss me even just a bit, baby
You think if you take me back people will call you a fool
You're afraid that people will think you're foolish for taking me back
Deep down inside you know you need me as much as I need you
In your heart, you know you need me just as much as I need you
Because of your pride you're letting two hearts suffer
Your pride is causing two hearts to go through hardships
Baby, can't you see you're only making things tougher?
Don't you see that you're making things more difficult?
Girl, I walk these streets day and night, alone and downhearted
I wander these streets all day and night feeling sad and alone
Every doggone day, baby, since we've been parted
Every single day since we've been apart, baby
Aimlessly with no sense of direction
I wander aimlessly with no purpose or direction
Baby I'm trying to tell you I need your sweet love and affection
I want you to know that I need your love and affection
Yes, I do (Yes, I do) Can't make it without you (I need you) Oh, yeah (Yes, I do)
Yes, I need you to survive; I can't live without you
Uh, this loneliness and separation makes too high a price to pay
Being alone and apart is too costly for us
When two people love each other the way we do, should nothing stand in their way
Nothing should come between two people who love each other like we do
You're making a mountain out of a molehill because of your pride
You're making a small problem into a big deal because of pride
You're letting a little misunderstanding push true love aside
You're letting a minor misunderstanding ruin our true love
Just say you want me back, baby and I'll come running, running back home
If you say you want me back, I'll come back home to you
Don't you miss me a little bit, baby? Please tell me that you do
Do you miss me even a little bit, baby? Please say that you do
Life ain't worth living without you, baby
Life has no meaning without you, baby
Girl, just take me back forget your pride
Please take me back and forget about your pride, girl
I need you, baby by my side. Can't stand this being away from you
I need you with me, baby. I can't bear being apart from you
Can't you see what I'm going through? Please say you miss me, baby
Can't you see how hard this is for me? Please say you miss me, baby
Say you miss me, baby
Say that you miss me, baby
Writer(s): Barrett Strong, Norman J. Whitfield, Rodger Sr. Penzabene
Contributed by Hudson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ivyc3500
David & Jimmy Ruffin are two of the Greatest soul singers ever. Voices of Angels .
@jonathanclary3992
RIP Jimmy Ruffin (1936-2014)❤🎵
The UK'S Greatest Singer of all time
@larosabradley2745
Love ❤️ this song ❤️❤️
@sweetlatina53
The three brothers had singing talents they sang to us the greatest music ever made,now there bodies are gone but they there trades in the music world there legacies and name forever in our mines and hearts may the souls rips💐🎤❤️🥀
@kingward8426
Very underrated tune by an under-appreciated artist.
@corrynthiaiam9205
Yes It is...Just like "Dont look back by The Temptations".
@jonathanclary3992
@Corrynthia I AM Mmm No Not Really Jimmy Ruffin Sung This Song Around (1967) Paul Williams Sung Don't Look Back Around (1965) Same Year David Ruffin Sung My Girl. Their's A Different Change In The Music Year By Year From The 60's To The 80's Especially In All Of David's Songs Released And Unreleased It's Too Bad Paul Died So Early Especially From his Drinking Habit Cause He'd Make A Great Solo Artist Next To David and Eddie.
@danielburns987
this song went to #27 on the R&B charts in 1967!!!
@corrynthiaiam9205
And the B-Side was I Want Her Love..😅
@jonathanclary3992
Jimmy Ruffin sang a Duet with Singer Maxine Nightingale in (1982) the is called Turn to Me 🎼🎶🎵 the Song became a Phenomenal Hit the song reached number 17# in R&B Charts in (1983) Plus Jimmy had Other Hits Like Hold on to my love, There will never be another you, It's a Foolish thing to do, Tell me what you want, Farewell is a lonely sound, It's Wonderful to be loved by you, I'll say forever my love, I'm Gonna love you Forever, Don't you miss me a little bit baby, Gonna give you all the Love I got, I've passed this way before, and His First Hit What Becomes of the the Brokenhearted, Ruffin's Daughter Philicia said that her Father was a rare type of man who lefted his mark on the Music industry she also said that her family in it's entirely is extremely upset over his death he will be missed his family also said that we will treasure the many fond and wonderful memories we all have with him. And as for Berry Gordy he said that Jimmy Ruffin's first for Motown What Becomes of the Brokenhearted is one of his Personal favorite songs Plus he also Said that Ruffin was A Phenomenal Singer. To be honest I Berry liked Jimmy better than David.