Born in the small town of Thompson, Georgia, Jackson was the daughter of a sharecropper. Jackson's mother died while she was still a child, and subsequently, she and her father moved to Newark, New Jersey. By the time she was in her mid-teens, she moved to Brooklyn, New York, and lived with an aunt. Jackson occasionally worked as a model for magazines like Jive and Sepia.
Her career is said to have begun on a dare to enter a 1964 Harlem nightclub talent contest, which she soundly won.
Though Jackson first recorded for MGM records, she soon left and began her long association with Spring records. Among her early hits was Hurts So Good which was featured in the blaxploitation film Cleopatra Jones. During the 1970s, she travelled the Southern club circuit along with other bands like The Mighty Majors. Jackson is a former Grammy Award nominee for If Loving You is Wrong (I Don't Want to Be Right) from the album Caught Up. On that album, the follow-up Still Caught Up, and others, she was backed by the renowned Muscle Shoals rhythm section. Her voice is frequently compared to Gladys Knight's.
Jackson's chart success continued into the 1980s. Two of her largest hits during this period include "Hot! Wild! Unrestricted Crazy Love" and "Love Is A Dangerous Game". Both songs reached the Top 10 of R&B chart.
Jackson wrote and starred in the touring play "Young Man, Older Woman," based on her album of the same title. Two more albums followed, 1994's Rock N' Soul and 1995's It's Over.
Jackson now runs her own record label, Weird Wreckuds. For the past several years Jackson has had her own radio show in Dallas, Texas. Broadcasting via remote from her home in Atlanta, Jackson can be found working during the afternoon drive time from 3-6 p.m. on KKDA 730 AM.
In 2000, Jackson's voice was featured in "Am I Wrong" by Etienne de Crecy, sampled from her performance in "If Loving You is Wrong". In 2001, Jackson issued her album, Not For Church Folk! on her own label, Weird Wreckuds. It includes the single, "Butt--A-Cize."
I'm Tired Of Hiding
Millie Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me what to do
Tell me I don't care about you
You drive me up the wall
Out the window
Down the street
To another block
To another house
You're drivin' me away
Whadya talkin' about?
Whadya thinkin' about?
Whadya thinkin' about?
Nothin'
Nothin'
Nothin'
Why can't you love
Me like I want you to?
And leave me when I die
Why can't you hold
Me in your arms tonight?
And sing me a lullaby
Bye, bye
Why can't you promise me a tomorrow?
And never say good-bye
Why can't you look me in the eye?
Why can't you?
Why can't you?
Why can't you?
Why can't you try?
Tired of you always put me down
Push me around
Tell me what to do
Tell me I don't care about you
Whadya talkin' about?
Whadya thinkin' about?
Whadya thinkin' about?
Nothin'
Nothin'
Push me around
Tell me what to do
In Millie Jackson's song "I'm Tired Of Hiding," the lyrics reflect a relationship where the singer feels disrespected and unloved. The first few lines describe the feeling of being controlled and constantly criticized by a partner who doesn't seem to care about their well-being. The repetition of "drivin' me away" emphasizes the idea that the singer feels suffocated in this relationship and wants to be free.
The second verse shifts from anger to a more vulnerable plea for love and affection. The singer wants to be held and comforted, but also wants a commitment that extends beyond just the present moment. The repetition of "why can't you" reinforces the singer's frustration with their partner's inability (or unwillingness) to meet their needs.
The chorus repeats the first verse, highlighting the ongoing cycle of being pushed around and controlled. The final line, "tell me what to do," could be interpreted as a sarcastic remark, suggesting that the singer is tired of being told how to live their life.
Overall, "I'm Tired Of Hiding" showcases Millie Jackson's powerful vocals and her ability to convey raw emotion in her lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Push me around
I feel like you're constantly controlling me, trying to push me in the direction you want me to go.
Tell me what to do
You never let me make decisions for myself, you always dictate what I should be doing.
Tell me I don't care about you
You're accusing me of not caring about you, as if my lack of compliance is due to a lack of affection.
You drive me up the wall
Your behavior is making me completely insane, I can't take it anymore.
Out the window
I just want to escape, to get out of this situation and away from you.
Down the street
I just need to put distance between us, to get as far away from you as possible.
To another block
I need to completely remove myself from this area, this town, this life we've built.
To another house
Maybe if I move far enough away, away from this house and everything it represents, I can start fresh and escape your grasp.
You're drivin' me away
Your behavior is causing me to distance myself from you, to move further and further in the other direction.
Whadya talkin' about?
What are you even saying? Your words aren't making any sense to me anymore.
Whadya thinkin' about?
What's going on in your head? I can't seem to predict or understand your motives anymore.
Nothin'
You're not thinking about anything of consequence, at least not that you're willing to share with me.
Why can't you love
I feel like I'm not receiving the level of affection and attention from you that I need and deserve.
Me like I want you to?
I've been very clear about what I need from you, but you still refuse to give it to me.
And leave me when I die
All I really want is for you to stick around and be there for me, to support me to the end, but I don't know if you will.
Why can't you hold
I crave your physical touch, your embrace, but you never seem to want to give that to me.
Me in your arms tonight?
I just need to feel safe and secure in your embrace, even if it's just for one night.
And sing me a lullaby
Sometimes I just want to be comforted, cared for, like a child in need of a lullaby to ease my fears.
Bye, bye
I'm almost ready to say goodbye, to leave this all behind and start anew without you.
Why can't you promise me a tomorrow?
I need to know that there will be a future for us, that you're invested enough to commit to us lasting into the future.
And never say good-bye
I need you to be there for me, always, to never abandon me or let me go.
Why can't you look me in the eye?
I need you to be honest with me, to look me in the eye and tell me how you really feel.
Why can't you?
What's stopping you from giving me what I need? Why can't you just be there for me?
Why can't you try?
I know there's still hope for us if you'll just try, if you'll just make an effort.
Tired of you always put me down
I'm exhausted from constantly being criticized, belittled, and made to feel inferior by you.
Writer(s): Billy Clements, Phillip Leroy Mitchell
Contributed by Christopher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
bunclip
I haven't seen the correct lyrics to this magnificent song anywhere, so here goes:
(Spoken)
Darling, I met your wife today, and I said a whole lot of terrible things that I should be sorry for, but I'm not. I'm ashamed but I'm not sorry, simply because...
I'm tired of having to sneak around, everywhere we go
I wanna feel free to be with you, I don't care who knows
How long do you think that I can live this way
Meeting you only at night time, and longing for you every day?
There's gotta be some changes made
Right now in your life
You gotta make up your mind
It's either me or your wife, because...
I'm tired of hiding
Tired of those second-class places
Tired of hiding from old familiar faces
I got to know right now
if it's ever gonna end
Or have all of my worries just began
I'm tired of having to be the one to understand
But she's got the papers on you
You're not even my man
I'm tired of having to spend all my holidays alone
Whenever I want you here with me
She wants you at home
There's gotta be some changes made
Right now in your life
You gotta make up your mind
It's either me or your wife, because...
I'm tired of hiding
Tired of those second-class places
Tired of hiding from old familiar faces
I got to know right now
if it's ever gonna end
Or have all of my worries just began
I'm tired of hiding, tired, so tired...
There's gotta be some changes made
Right now in your life
You gotta make up your mind
It's either me or your wife, because...
I'm tired of hiding
Tired of those second-class places
Tired of hiding from old familiar faces
I got to know right now
if it's ever gonna end
Or have all of my worries just began
Dennis Pinnock
What can I say... The rhythm section, the horns, the strings, Millie... No one can put an album together like her.
Her phrasing is faultless and so emotive.
Listening to the whole album at least once a day
This song is dynamite.
username6101947
I had this album and I played it all the time. I like the way it tells a story with each song being part of the story.
linnielashes21
omg i listened to this as a child, it took me years to find it. i love it x
Roberto Gonzalez sudupe
Maravilloso album. La version femenina del Whats going on de Marvin Gaye
Carolyn Sirrico
Millie tells it like it is.........Hell girl sing it out
bunclip
I haven't seen the correct lyrics to this magnificent song anywhere, so here goes:
(Spoken)
Darling, I met your wife today, and I said a whole lot of terrible things that I should be sorry for, but I'm not. I'm ashamed but I'm not sorry, simply because...
I'm tired of having to sneak around, everywhere we go
I wanna feel free to be with you, I don't care who knows
How long do you think that I can live this way
Meeting you only at night time, and longing for you every day?
There's gotta be some changes made
Right now in your life
You gotta make up your mind
It's either me or your wife, because...
I'm tired of hiding
Tired of those second-class places
Tired of hiding from old familiar faces
I got to know right now
if it's ever gonna end
Or have all of my worries just began
I'm tired of having to be the one to understand
But she's got the papers on you
You're not even my man
I'm tired of having to spend all my holidays alone
Whenever I want you here with me
She wants you at home
There's gotta be some changes made
Right now in your life
You gotta make up your mind
It's either me or your wife, because...
I'm tired of hiding
Tired of those second-class places
Tired of hiding from old familiar faces
I got to know right now
if it's ever gonna end
Or have all of my worries just began
I'm tired of hiding, tired, so tired...
There's gotta be some changes made
Right now in your life
You gotta make up your mind
It's either me or your wife, because...
I'm tired of hiding
Tired of those second-class places
Tired of hiding from old familiar faces
I got to know right now
if it's ever gonna end
Or have all of my worries just began
John Evans
nothing but love for Millie
gelsol
I love the PoV from the mistress. The entire album is great.
TerraRyzinglives
Caught Up is a classic
Lee Andrew Page III
At 1:00 the arrangement kills me. The horns and piano tell the story. My mom had this album when I was a kid. Great song and Arrangement. Millie Jackson has a great voice.