The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave", "Jimmy Mack", "I'm Ready For Love", "My Baby Loves Me", "Nowhere to Run", and, their signature song, "Dancing in the Street".
The group had its origins in Detroit, Michigan in 1957, and had initially gone by the name The Del-Phis. It originally was a quartet comprising childhood friends Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford, Annette Beard, and original lead singer Gloria Williams. Williams left after a failed single on the Checkmate label, leaving the quartet as a trio. They changed their name to The Vells signing a deal with Motown's Mel-o-dy label, and singing background for established Motown performers such as Mary Wells and Marvin Gaye before signing a new deal with Motown's Gordy label on September 21, 1962, after which the group changed its name to Martha and the Vandellas.
In 1964, the Vandellas' lineup changed with Betty Kelley replacing Sterling. In 1967, Kelley was fired and was replaced by Martha's younger sister, Sandra "Lois" Reeves. In 1969, Ashford was also fired and replaced by Sandra Tilley. The lineup of the Reeves sisters and Tilley continued after Martha's return from an institution after suffering a nervous breakdown. The group disbanded following a farewell concert, held at Detroit's Cobo Hall on December 21, 1972., however, Reeves still performs with sister Lois and another Reeves sister, Delphine.
Love Guess Who
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So now you're acting like you don't know that I'm alive
Love, you better wake up, yeah, before we break up
And you lose me, little me
The one who really loves you
Susie only wants you until the day (only wants you until the day)
That she'll again have her true love who's far, far away (her true love far away)
And you lose me, little me
The one who really loves you (I really love you, yay, yay, yay)
Ginnie only wants you 'cause she thinks she has to have ev'ryone
Minnie only wants you 'cause she thinks that hurting me would be fun
Oh, oh, oh, silly Lilly, ya know she doesn't really want you with a love that's
true
In fact there's no other girl in this whole wide world who can love you like I
do
They get tired of you and they're gonna put you down (put you down, put you
down)
Then they ain't gonna want you hangin' around (hangin' around, hangin' around)
So love, you better wake up, yeah, before we break up
And you lose me, little me
The one who really loves you (I really love you, yay, yay, yay)
I-I-I-I-I-I-I do
Really, really love you (I really love you)
Uh-oh, uh-oh,uh-oh-oh-oh
Uh-oh, uh-oh,uh-oh-oh-oh
The lyrics to Martha Reeves & The Vandellas' song "Love Guess Who" convey a warning to a lover who is being deceived by other girls. The singer expresses frustration at their lover's ignorance of the fact that they are alive and deeply in love. The song emphasizes the urgency for the lover to wake up and realize the truth before it leads to a breakup and they ultimately lose the singer, who is the one truly devoted to them.
The verses highlight different girls who are vying for the lover's attention, but the singer dismisses their intentions as temporary and insincere. Susie only wants the lover until her true love, who is far away, returns. Ginnie only wants the lover because she believes she should have everyone. Minnie only wants the lover because she finds pleasure in hurting the singer. Silly Lilly is mentioned as not truly wanting the lover with a love that is genuine. The singer asserts that no other girl in the world can love the lover the way they do.
Overall, the song serves as a plea for the lover to realize the singer's love and not be swayed by the false intentions of others. It emphasizes the unique and deep connection the singer shares with the lover and warns of the consequences if they continue to be deceived.
Line by Line Meaning
Some other girls are fillin' your head with jive
There are other girls telling you false information and influencing your thoughts
So now you're acting like you don't know that I'm alive
You are behaving as if you are unaware of my existence
Love, you better wake up, yeah, before we break up
Love, you need to realize the truth and take action before our relationship ends
And you lose me, little me
And you lose me, someone who loves you deeply
The one who really loves you
The one who truly loves and cares for you
Susie only wants you until the day (only wants you until the day)
Susie's interest in you is temporary and will only last until a certain day
That she'll again have her true love who's far, far away (her true love far away)
Once her distant true love returns, Susie will no longer desire you
So love, you better wake up, yeah, before we break up
Love, you need to realize the truth and take action before our relationship ends
And you lose me, little me
And you lose me, someone who loves you deeply
The one who really loves you (I really love you, yay, yay, yay)
The one who truly loves and cares for you (I genuinely love you)
Ginnie only wants you 'cause she thinks she has to have ev'ryone
Ginnie's interest in you is driven by her desire to have everyone
Minnie only wants you 'cause she thinks that hurting me would be fun
Minnie's interest in you stems from her enjoyment of causing me pain
Oh, oh, oh, silly Lilly, ya know she doesn't really want you with a love that's true
Lilly, who acts foolishly, doesn't genuinely desire you with a love that's sincere
In fact there's no other girl in this whole wide world who can love you like I do
In fact, there is no other girl in the entire world who can love you the way I do
They get tired of you and they're gonna put you down (put you down, put you down)
They will grow weary of you and will criticize and belittle you
Then they ain't gonna want you hangin' around (hangin' around, hangin' around)
Eventually, they will no longer want you to be in their presence
So love, you better wake up, yeah, before we break up
Love, you need to realize the truth and take action before our relationship ends
And you lose me, little me
And you lose me, someone who loves you deeply
The one who really loves you (I really love you, yay, yay, yay)
The one who truly loves and cares for you (I genuinely love you)
I-I-I-I-I-I-I do
I truly do
Really, really love you (I really love you)
I love you with a strong and genuine affection
Uh-oh, uh-oh,uh-oh-oh-oh
Indicating a sense of concern or trouble
Uh-oh, uh-oh,uh-oh-oh-oh
Indicating a sense of concern or trouble
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SMOKEY ROBINSON, WILLIAM ROBINSON JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind