Born in Leno, Tennessee, Wright, as a youngster, began singing in the church. In 1956, while still in high school, he joined The Sunset Travelers as one of the lead singers for the gospel group. He later fronted a gospel music group, the Harmony Echoes. It was during this time that he was discovered (along with James Carr) by Roosevelt Jamison a songwriter and manager. Their first pop recording in 1964 was "That's How Strong My Love Is," a ballad later covered by Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. It was issued on Goldwax, the label Wright signed to after leaving his gospel career. It was later determined that Don Robey still had him under a recording contract, due to his gospel group having recorded for Peacock. After his contract was shifted to Don Robey’s Back Beat label, further R&B hits followed. Working with record producer Willie Mitchell, success continued on songs including "Ace of Spades" and "A Nickel and a Nail".
Wright's hits were much more popular in the deep South. His biggest hits were "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (R&B #6, 1965), "Eight Men, Four Women" (R&B #4, 1967) "Ace of Spades" (R&B #11, 1970), "A Nickel and a Nail" (R&B #19, 1971). The remainder of his 17 hits charted higher than #20 on the R&B charts.
However, Wright was imprisoned for narcotics offenses during the mid-1970s, and, despite signing for Hi Records and releasing a series of recordings, his commercial success failed to recover after his release. A continuing drug problem weakened his health and he died from a heart attack, in Mobile, Alabama at age 41.
Wright is among the most remembered voices of soul music, perhaps mostly for being sampled frequently in hip hop music. In 1996, his song, "Motherless Child" was sampled on the Ghostface Killah album Ironman on a song also called "Motherless Child." It and another Wright recording, "Let's Straighten It Out" have been published on Shaolin Soul, a compilation of tracks that have been sampled by the Wu Tang Clan and its members. "Let's Straighten It Out" was sampled in a Wu-Tang Clan song called "America" from the charity compilation album America Is Dying Slowly. "Ace of Spades" was sampled by Slim Thug and the Boss Hogg Outlawz on a song named "Recognize A Playa".
Johnny Rawls joined Wright's backing band in the mid-1970s, and played together with Wright until the latter's death in 1980. The band then continued billed as the O.V. Wright Band for another 13 years, and toured and performed with other musicians over this time span. These included B.B. King, Little Milton, Bobby Bland, Little Johnny Taylor, and Blues Boy Willie.
You're Gonna Make Me Cry
O.V. Wright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I d reamed that love was a crime
I was alone, so lonely and blue
You know why? Because eight men and f our women, Lord
They found me guilty of loving you (loving you)
You were taking, I saw you when you were taking the witness stand
You know what? I heard the lawyer when he asked you, my love
Do you really love that man?"
It was eight men and four women (guilty)
How could they be so blind (guilty)
How could they? I knew t hey sat there
And called true love a crime (this is what killed me)
But a tear rolled down my cheek
I felt so sorry for you
You know why? Because in my heart I knew, oh yes, baby I knew
That they would find you guilty too
Judge, your honor and to the jury
I intend to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are innocent
And true love is not a crime
(Lord, that's the jury of love)
A mean judge and a mean jury, oh, that's the jury of love
(Lord, that's the jury of love)
(Lord, that's the jury of love)
The lyrics of O.V. Wright's song "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" describe the singer's experience being accused and judged for loving someone. The song uses a courtroom metaphor to convey the heartbreak and unjustness of love being labeled as a crime. The opening line, "Lord, that's the jury of love" sets the tone for the rest of the song by likening love to a judicial process. The singer then conveys how he had a dream, presumably a nightmare, that love was deemed a crime. This sets the stage for the rest of the song as the singer expresses how he feels about his love being judged.
The chorus, "eight men and four women, Lord / They found me guilty of loving you," repeats frequently to emphasize how the singer feels like love has been criminalized. The singer then witnesses his love taking the witness stand and the lawyer asking if she really loves him. This is possibly the point where the singer feels the most vulnerable and exposed, as he watch his love being questioned in front of a courtroom. He then express how he feels like the jury was blind in calling true love a crime and describes how a tear rolls down his cheek.
The bridge of the song includes the lines "Judge, your honor and to the jury / I intend to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are innocent / And true love is not a crime." This is the singer's way of pleading his case and providing hope that love can be vindicated. The song ends with the repeated line "Lord, that's the jury of love" to drive home the comparison between love and the legal system.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord, that's the jury of love)
Love is often treated like a criminal offense and judged unfairly.
I dreamed that love was a crime
Love is often treated like it's wrong and frowned upon by society.
I was alone, so lonely and blue
You know why? Because eight men and four women, Lord
They found me guilty of loving you (loving you)
The singer was sad and lonely because the group of people who judged them, found them guilty of loving their partner.
As they were taking me away
You were taking, I saw you when you were taking the witness stand
You know what? I heard the lawyer when he asked you, my love
Do you really love that man?"
As the artist was being taken away, they saw their partner take the witness stand and heard the lawyer question their partner's love for them.
It was eight men and four women (guilty)
How could they be so blind (guilty)
How could they? I knew they sat there
And called true love a crime (this is what killed me)
The artist was hurt and upset that the group of people judging them couldn't see that their love was true and instead labeled it as a crime.
But a tear rolled down my cheek
I felt so sorry for you
You know why? Because in my heart I knew, oh yes, baby I knew
That they would find you guilty too
The singer was crying and felt sorry for their partner because they knew that the group of people would also find them guilty of loving the singer.
Judge, your honor and to the jury
I intend to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are innocent
And true love is not a crime
The singer wants to prove to the judge and jury that their love is innocent and not a crime, and they intend to do so with great confidence.
(Lord, that's the jury of love)
Love is often judged unfairly, and this is how it always is.
A mean judge and a mean jury, oh, that's the jury of love
The jury of love is often mean and unfair, and this is how it always is.
(Lord, that's the jury of love)
Love is often judged unfairly, and this is how it always is.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON ROBEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thelmnop
one of the top 5 soul singers of all time, hands down...
mrstanbmw
facts, James Carr his homeboy is on that list
Carolyn Harris6440
Gut wrenching for a man to express his feelings. It's in his voice!
Alane314
They played this on a radio station here in KC the other day. Never heard of it before. Instant favorite.
jay1beaux
Great tune from an underrated singer
&LoveForAll
my very favouritest singer of all times ! ! Went to Memphis not so ong ago and OV Wright and James Carr are criminally neglegted in that fine city , sort it someone , you had the 2 greatest soul singers ever in your city.
Betty Rivers
You not going to make me cry
mrstanbmw
you are so right brotha. O V and James are Giants.
Essie Bryant
Now this is kind of song that really touches the heart, takes you back, when a man did'nt mind telling you how he felt about ya. and it made you feel special, we need more of these kind of lover song. I REALLY LIKE THIS SONG!! reminds me of my younger days. GREAT LOVE SONG.
Lawana Tabron
1968 wow!!!! Makes me think of my dad back in Dark Corners Arkansas. No other memories like them. 😔❤💋🙏🏾👍🏽