As a child he relocated to Chicago, attending the same school as Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler. He formed a group, the Floats, and became a featured dancer on local TV.
His 1959 Mercury release, I Got A Girl, was written and produced by Mayfield, but his career did not take off until he signed with OKeh Records in 1962. Another Curtis Mayfield song, The Monkey Time, in 1963, reached number 2 on the R & B charts and number 8 pop, and the partnership continued with further hits including Um Um Um Um Um Um.
The Mighty Majors("You Can Never Go Back") also were his back up band once.
He had less success after breaking his relationships with Mayfield and OKeh, releasing records on several labels into the early 1970s, including Osiris Records which he set up with Al Jackson. He then moved to England for two years in the 1970s, and after returning to the USA served a prison term for cocaine possession. He made few performances after a heart attack in 1987.
It Ain't No Use
Major Lance Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you found somebody else
No need of you coming back
Like I'm some package
On your shelf
Just leave me alone
Go back home to the
I want you but
What would happen
That there'll be
No happiness
And it ain't no use
So I won't make it
Hard upon myself
Cause it ain't no use
When you belong to
Somebody else, girl
It ain't no use
Ain't no use
Ain't no use
Now I feel that I know myself
Better than anyone, I suppose
Always felt that you and I saw
Eye to eye and was pretty close
Guess I was wrong because
It wasn't long before
You was in another's arms
So hurt was I, when I
Started to cry thinking
That I had lost my charms
And it ain't no use
So I won't make it
Hard upon myself
Cause it ain't no use
When you belong to
Somebody else, girl
It ain't no use
Ain't no use
Ain't no use
Ain't no use
Just leave me alone
Go back home to the
One the chose the best
I want you but
What would happen
That there'll be
No happiness
And it ain't no use
So I won't make it
Hard upon myself
Cause it ain't no use
When you belong to
Somebody else, girl
It ain't no use
Ain't no use
I said it ain't no use
Ain't no use
The lyrics to Major Lance's "It Ain't No Use" tell the story of a person who has been betrayed by their lover who has found someone else. The singer expresses their hurt and anger towards their former lover and makes it clear that there is no use in them coming back now. The singer wants the lover to leave them alone and go back to the one they chose instead. Even though the singer still wants their former lover, they acknowledge that the relationship will not bring them happiness, and therefore, it is no use in trying to revive it.
The opening lines "What good are you to me, When you found somebody else," set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer expresses their disgust towards their former lover and how they have moved on from the relationship. They refuse to make it hard upon themselves by holding onto something that is no longer there.
As the song progresses, the singer starts to reflect on their relationship with their former lover. They start to realize that they were wrong about how close they were and that it wasn't long before their lover moved on to someone else. The singer's realization that their lover has moved on causes them to become emotional and cry.
Overall, "It Ain't No Use" is a song about the pain of being betrayed by someone you once loved and having to come to terms with the end of a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
What good are you to me
Why are you here if you have found someone else?
When you found somebody else
You have already found another love interest.
No need of you coming back
You don't need to come back to me.
Like I'm some package
I am not a commodity that you can just dispose of and come back to.
On your shelf
You can't just put me to the side and come back to me later.
Just leave me alone
Go away and don't come back.
Go back home to the One the chose the best
Go back to the person you chose over me.
I want you but What would happen That there'll be No happiness
I still have feelings for you, but I know that it will not bring happiness or be worth it.
And it ain't no use So I won't make it Hard upon myself Cause it ain't no use
It's useless to be with you, and I won't torment myself trying to make it work.
When you belong to Somebody else, girl It ain't no use Ain't no use Ain't no use
You belong to someone else now, so there's no point in trying to be with you. It's pointless.
Now I feel that I know myself Better than anyone, I suppose
I have learned more about myself after this experience than I knew before.
Always felt that you and I saw Eye to eye and was pretty close
I thought we were very similar and close as two people.
Guess I was wrong because It wasn't long before You was in another's arms
I was incorrect because it didn't take you long to find someone else.
So hurt was I, when I Started to cry thinking That I had lost my charms
I was so heartbroken that I started to cry as I thought that there must be something wrong with me since you chose someone else.
I said it ain't no use Ain't no use
Once again, I reiterate that it's pointless to chase after you.
Contributed by Madelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
NANJEMOY AL-KURSI
I saw you a number of times at the Howard theater in the early 60s Major and you set the stage on fire. We miss you. May ALLAH comfort you.Dave The BASS BASS player
james smirk
Love it !!!
showmesoul
One of my favorite Major Lance sides, and it's never on any greatest hits compilation…thanks for posting!
oldiesgo
You're welcome , justice 's done .
Barry Margolis
One of his best singles; for some strange reason, the stereo mix is quite sloppy with drowned drums. I prefer this mono mix (and I'm a stereo nut!)
Rocco M
Tonight is Major Lance night !!!!
Great music.
oldiesgo
The night of the Prince Mr Lance ..
Lois Weiss
the t is missing in the title
Lois Weiss
+oldiesgo no problem
oldiesgo
+Lois Weiss Thank you Lois .