The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves and 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 Kelly replacing Annette Beard (now Beard-Sterling). In 1967, Kelly was fired and was replaced by Martha's younger sister, Sandra "Lois" Reeves. In 1969, Ashford was also fired and replaced by Sandra Tilley. It was right about this time that the group's name was officially changed to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, to conform with the company's recent changes of The Supremes' and The Miracles' names to reflect their featured lead singers. 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.
The story of the group did not end completely with their split-up in 1972, however. While Tilley and Williams (both now deceased) eventually retired, the others continued with their individual career pursuits: Lois sang with the group Quiet Elegance and also sang background for Al Green; Reeves reunited with original Vandellas Ashford and Beard-Sterling for a 1978 benefit concert in Los Angeles; and in 1983, Reeves performed solo at Motown 25, which partly helped her and the Vandellas gain a new audience. In particular, Reeves herself is still known to sing with her sisters Lois and Delphine, often performing as a solo artist under the bill, "Martha Reeves of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas", and still performs all over the world.
Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone
Martha and The Vandellas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Martha and The Vandellas
Oh yeah (get out of here,
Love bug leave my heart alone)
Leave my heart alone (get out of here,
Love bug leave my heart alone)
Spring is here and like a wayward breeze
He's like the ever changin' sun
That warms my heart and leaves
The love but tries to bite again
Ooh I'm falling, the same old heartaches calling
Oh yeah (get out of here,
Love bug leave my heart alone)
I don't want to love him
Get out of here love bug leave my heart alone
Behind each gentle word he speaks
Love bug there you hide
To stir my tender feelings through his words of honey
But if you wait to sleep in love
I bear it deep inside
Love bug you love and leave me
Sobbing and sighing
Again he'll leave me cryin'
Oh yeah (get out of here,
Love bug leave my heart alone)
Get out of here love bug leave my heart alone
I'm telling you love bug, love bug
Hope you fly away
Spread your little wings, leave my heart and fly away
Cause I don't want to love a guy
Who truly don't love me
I don't want the heartaches that I had before
He wants me for the moment and another girl he'll see
And through long and sleepless nights
When I'm tossin' and turnin'
My heart will be burning
Oh yeah (get out of here,
Love bug leave my heart alone)
I don't want to love him
Get out of here love bug leave my heart alone
You know, you know, he don't love me
"Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" by Martha and The Vandellas is a song about a woman who has been hurt by love before and is wary of falling in love again. She describes her suitor as an ever-changing and fickle love bug that continually tries to bite her heart. Despite his sweet words, she doesn't want to fall in love with him because he doesn't truly love her. He is only interested in her for the moment, and she knows that he will leave her crying again. The woman doesn't want to experience the heartaches of her past and wants to keep her heart safe from the love bug. She hopes that he will fly away and leave her alone.
The lyrics of "Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" are a cautionary tale about the perils of falling for someone who doesn't love you in return. The love bug in the song represents the unpredictable nature of love and how it can leave you hurt and vulnerable. By asking him to leave her heart alone, Martha is trying to protect herself from the pain of another broken heart. She knows that the love bug will try to charm her with his words and promises, but she won't let him get close enough to hurt her.
Overall, "Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" is a soulful and powerful song that speaks to the experience of many people who have been hurt by love. It's a reminder that sometimes it's better to be alone than to risk your heart on someone who isn't worthy of your love.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah (get out of here, Love bug leave my heart alone)
Expressing her desire for the love bug to leave her alone
Leave my heart alone (get out of here, Love bug leave my heart alone)
Reiterating her pleading for the love bug to go away
Spring is here and like a wayward breeze, The love that left me came back haunting me
Love bug came back into her life unexpectedly like a breeze during springtime.
He's like the ever changin' sun, That warms my heart and leaves, The love but tries to bite again, Ooh I'm falling, the same old heartaches calling
Comparing love bug to a sun that can be warming, but also hurtful. Despite her reservations, she finds herself falling for him again.
Behind each gentle word he speaks, Love bug there you hide, To stir my tender feelings through his words of honey
The love bug uses his gentle words to manipulate her feelings and makes her feel loved.
But if you wait to sleep in love, I bear it deep inside, Love bug you love and leave me, Sobbing and sighing
If she waits for love bug to fall asleep, she'll be left alone again, lonely and sad.
I'm telling you love bug, love bug, Hope you fly away, Spread your little wings, leave my heart and fly away
She's telling love bug to leave and never come back.
Cause I don't want to love a guy, Who truly don't love me, I don't want the heartaches that I had before
She doesn't want to love someone who doesn't love her in return and doesn't want to go through the heartaches again.
He wants me for the moment and another girl he'll see, And through long and sleepless nights, When I'm tossin' and turnin', My heart will be burning
Love bug only wants her for now, but will move onto another girl soon. She'll be left with heartache, unable to sleep at night.
Oh yeah (get out of here, Love bug leave my heart alone), I don't want to love him, Get out of here love bug leave my heart alone, You know, you know, he don't love me
Reiterating her plea for love bug to leave and acknowledging that he doesn't really love her.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICHARD MORRIS, SYLVIA MOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Texaslawhorn
This classic peaked at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in late September/early October 1967. This was at the same time the Supremes were in the Top 5 with the great "Reflections." "Love Bug" also deserved to make it to Top 10!
Richard Harries
I bought this then and loved it and played it to death. love it still.
VANDELLAS4U
this is why i love music so much! it has the power to trigger so many memories...
Isolda
I still have this 45 from elementary school days. Minor keys & a key change: masterful! Thanks for uploading!
Gregory Francis
Just like this song & countless other Motown classics being backed up by the mighty Funk Brothers was pure magic!!
Len Scaparro
I remember playing this 45 many times. It's still a great record!
Richard Harries
Adore this . Bought it the week it came out and fully expected it to be a UK No 1. Sadly did not even chart could not believe it . Wonderful Martha at her best!
bradly2007
As a teen had same experience but in US it did chart, like you state should have been #1...
MrZzzrider
Martha & the Vandellas are my favorite Motown group. I rushed out and bought the single of Love Bug right after hearing it on the radio. James Jamerson's bass line is just incredible.
Anthony Cruz
I remember this song from the summer of 1967. Awsome year 18 years old and getting ready to go to Vietnam, I survived the Vietnam war thanks the lord and I did it for our greatest country USA