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."
So Easy Going So Hard Coming Back
Millie Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I mean after ten years
You're gonna put the man on me
And make me take care of you and some other dude
Well I guess I really didn't mean all of it
Its just that I let my pride run away with me for a few minutes
I'm sorry
But you see
I know you now realize that it was a mistake
But you took my heart
At least let me keep some pride for myself
Cause even now I would consider taking you back
But darling its the way you left
You just walked away
Without a word to say
It was easy
You just packed your clothes
Didn't let me know
That you were leaving
Oh you got your hat
Coat thrown across your back
And just walked right on out the door
Oh but now you began to realize
That I'm not yours anymore
Now you find yourself trying to trace your track
Hey, hey, hey baby
Ooh lord
It was easy leaving me baby
So hard coming back
You played around
With all the girls in town like
It was nothing to it
All the time
I played dumb and blind
Oh darling you can bet I knew it
Yes I did
You broke my heart
Tore it all apart
And just laughed and went on your way
Oh but little did you realize
You'd want me back someday
Now you find yourself
Trying to trace your track
Yeah, yeah, yeah baby
It was easy leaving me baby
So hard coming back
Yeah, yeah, yeah lord
It was so easy leaving me baby
I can't let you come back now
No, no, no, no baby
I'm sorry
I just can't do it to myself
The song "So Easy Going So Hard Coming Back" by Millie Jackson tells the story of a woman who let her pride get in the way of expressing her true feelings. The first verse is about the woman's mother pressuring her to settle down and get married to a man, which she agrees to but later regrets. She apologizes for letting her pride influence her decision but still wants to keep her dignity intact. The chorus describes the pain of being left without a word and the difficulty of coming back after all that's happened.
The second verse talks about the man's infidelity and how the woman knew about it but chose to ignore it. She loved the man despite his flaws, but he left her in the end. Now, he wants to come back to her, but she knows that she can't let him back into her life because he hurt her too much. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the struggle of forgiving and taking back someone who has caused so much pain.
The song conveys the message that relationships are complicated and require openness and communication. It's not easy to forgive someone who has hurt us deeply, even if we still love them. The lyrics also show the importance of self-respect and not compromising it for someone else's happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Mom, did you really mean all that
Questioning the sincerity of what was said
I mean after ten years
Reflecting on the length of the relationship
You're gonna put the man on me
Accusing the mother of setting her up for failure
And make me take care of you and some other dude
Expressing resentment towards having to take care of both the mother and another man
Well, I guess I really didn't mean all of it
Admitting to exaggerating earlier statements
Its just that I let my pride run away with me for a few minutes
Acknowledging the role of pride in the previous outburst
I'm sorry
Offering an apology
But you see
Clarifying the context of the apology
It was so easy for you to say goodbye
Highlighting the ease of the mother's departure
I know you now realize that it was a mistake
Asserting that the mother has come to regret her decision
But you took my heart
Stating the emotional impact of the break up
At least let me keep some pride for myself
Requesting to retain some dignity in the aftermath
Cause even now I would consider taking you back
Expressing willingness to reconcile
But darling it's the way you left
Highlighting the issue with the mother's departure
You just walked away
Describing the mother's behavior during the break up
Without a word to say
Emphasizing the lack of communication during the break up
It was easy
Reiterating the ease with which the mother left
You just packed your clothes
Detailing the mother's actions
Didn't let me know
Recounting a specific action by the mother
That you were leaving
Stating the mother's intention
Oh you got your hat
Describing an item grabbed by the mother
Coat thrown across your back
Describing the mother's actions during departure
And just walked right on out the door
Clarifying the mother's abrupt behavior
Oh but now you began to realize
Pointing out a shift in the mother's perspective
That I'm not yours anymore
Asserting that the singer has moved on
Now you find yourself trying to trace your track
Describing the mother's current situation
Hey, hey, hey baby
Addressing the mother
Ooh lord
Expressing exasperation
You played around
Accusing the mother of infidelity
With all the girls in town like it was nothing to it
Highlighting the mother's casual attitude towards cheating
All the time I played dumb and blind
Admitting to being aware of the mother's cheating
Oh darling you can bet I knew it
Further acknowledging awareness of the mother's actions
You broke my heart
Stating the emotional impact of the mother's infidelity
Tore it all apart
Describing the severity of the emotional damage
And just laughed and went on your way
Highlighting the mother's lack of concern for the singer's feelings
Oh but little did you realize
Asserting that the mother could not have anticipated the consequences of her actions
You'd want me back someday
Pointing out the irony of the mother's desire to reconcile
I can't let you come back now
Rejecting the mother's attempt at reconciliation
No, no, no, no baby
Asserting the decision to not reconcile
I'm sorry
Offering an apology for the disappointment caused by the decision
I just can't do it to myself
Explaining the basis for the decision
Writer(s): PHILLIP LEROY MITCHELL
Contributed by Kylie V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Naomi Gonzales
My dad played this when I was a little girl. Never really understood it until I grew up. Some heartfelt stuff. Love Millie 💘
Carol Neuman
This Woman always sang from her heart. I remember All her tunes! Sang it Millie! Miss you❤
Nina Ross
If miss Millie don't keep it real Damn!!!
Korre Glover
the greatest finale
Rizqa
Love millie
Norma Johnson
Love ❤️ this ❤️ 😍 💖 💕
It's All About Love With Robby!
Mama Millie is the business!!!!!
John Evans
E A S Y like you singing that tune so easy I understand ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Millie ⭐ Jackson ⭐
Anthony Choyce
The Gospel truth
D Coop
I would play her music on the weekends while entertaining friends to laugh...LOL