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Use Your Head
Mary Wells Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh oh boy, oh oh boy
Don't let him sway you away from me
Don't let him say bad things about me
Don't let him tell you that I'm no good for you, oh no boy
He's only tryin' to break us up, tryin' to make you mad
He's about to make you lose the best love you've ever had
Oh oh boy, use your head, oh oh boy

Listen to your heart & not his words
I knew from the start that he was against us
Please don't think that I've been untrue to you, oh no boy
Although he treats you nice & claims to be your friend
He's always askin' me if he can call me now & then
Oh oh boy, use your head, oh oh boy

(instrumental)

I tell that you must have faith in me
Give me your trust & I'll never betray you
But don't let him say I'm not the girl for you, oh no boy
He's only jealous, can't you read between the lines?
Every time you turn your back he's tryin' to break your time
Oh oh boy, use your head, oh oh boy, use your head
Don't let him say bad things about me
Tell him you're no good without me
Come on, use your head

Overall Meaning

In Mary Wells's song "Use Your Head," the lyrics convey a cautionary tale regarding the potential influence of significant others on a romantic relationship. The singer pleads with her partner not to let the "he" mentioned in the song come between them or undermine her. The singer implores her partner to listen to her heart and not to let the words of others interfere with their relationship. She promises that she will not betray the trust her partner has placed in her and urges her partner to trust her.


The message of the song is one of conviction, as the singer sings with intensity, expressing her desire to maintain a healthy relationship with her partner. The lyrics reveal an understanding that relationships often require perseverance and trust to sustain them. The advice to "use your head" indicates that the singer is concerned for her partner, believing that he may be vulnerable or swayed by outside forces, and that he needs to make logical and informed decisions about the relationship.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh oh boy, oh oh boy
Mary is trying to get the attention of her love interest by uttering his name in quick succession


Don't let him sway you away from me
Mary implores her lover not to forsake her because of someone else's persuasion


Don't let him say bad things about me
Mary's lover shouldn't entertain negative things said about Mary by another person


Don't let him tell you that I'm no good for you, oh no boy
Mary advises her lover to avoid taking to heart any discouraging talk from another party trying to discredit their relationship


He's only tryin' to break us up, tryin' to make you mad
Mary believes that the person badmouthing her relationship is doing so to instigate anger in her lover and end their union


He's about to make you lose the best love you've ever had
Mary warns her lover that he is on the verge of losing something precious - their adoring relationship


Oh oh boy, use your head, oh oh boy
Mary is repeating to her lover to ask him to be cautious and thoughtful in his actions


Listen to your heart & not his words
Mary is asking her lover to trust his intuition and emotions, rather than taking other people's words for it


I knew from the start that he was against us
Mary confesses that she had a premonition that the person speaking ill about them wasn't their ally from the start


Please don't think that I've been untrue to you, oh no boy
Mary begs her lover not to doubt her loyalty to him in light of other people's vague hearsays


Although he treats you nice & claims to be your friend
Mary acknowledges that the person vilifying her behind her back also maintains a cordial relationship with her boyfriend and pretends to be a true friend


He's always askin' me if he can call me now & then
Mary reveals that the person bad-mouthing her routinely contacts her under the guise of keeping in touch with subtle romantic overtures


Tell him you're no good without me
Mary implores her lover to assert his stance and establish her worth in his life instead of caving in to outside pressure


Come on, use your head
Mary's repeated assertion for her lover to make well-considered decisions without being swayed by the opinions of others




Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management
Written by: WADE HERBERT FLEMONS, BARRETT STRONG, CHARLES BARKSDALE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

boomerang905

Mary Wells. My teenage musical Idol. I loved this lady's skills. Saw her at our theater back in the day. Such a tragic end. She WAS the best.

Tony Russi

NOBODY can ever be as great as MARY WELLS!!SHE is the BEST in Rock & Soul History!

metrogoldwyn mccormick

R.I.P Mary.You've earned those wings!

tracey w

I like My Guy, but I like Use Your Head better. Both are great songs!

TooDarnSoulful

Wonderful :)

Spirit Angelfish

I really like the music she made after she left Motown, interesting ly. I had a boyfriend back in the day that I always told me that he loved Mary Wells music after she left Motown and I would say what music did she make after she left Motown? Because I never heard it now, thanks to you too we can ReDiscover these lost gems! Although I must say, that this particular song is sort of like a song trying to sound like a Motown song. But never never leave me and dear-lover are my two favorite Mary Wells songs honey!

Supa Kent

I really loved her music after Motown and have all her albums. She had a ton great songs but I guess she was just blackballed. Sad!!!

belisario guerra

Original: Mary Wells ( U.S. ) - Use your head ( 12/1964 ). Cover: Maite - Nous comme on s'aime ( 1965 ).

57dogsbody

Great voice, should have stayed at Motown. Got lured to 20th Century .......Result not much airplay, no more big hits. Shame really

tracey w

She was basically forced to leave Motown, Berry Gordy was a smart but a hard man to work for. Lots of acts started at motown but a lot left.

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