Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me
Robert Palmer Lyrics


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Someone told someone and someone told me
But they wouldn't hurt you, not much
Since everyone spreads the story
With his own little personal touch

Do nothin' till you hear from me
Pay no attention to what's said
Why people tear the thread of anyone's dream
Is over my head

Do nothin' till you hear from me
At least consider our romance
If you should take the word of others you've heard
I haven't a chance

True, I've been seen with someone new
But does that mean that I'm untrue?

When we're apart the words in my heart
Reveal how I feel about you
Some kiss may cloud my memory
And other arms may hold a thrill
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
And you never will

True, I've been seen with someone new
But does that mean that I'm untrue?

When we're apart the words in my heart
Reveal how I feel about you
Some kiss may cloud my memory
And other arms may hold a thrill
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
And you never will

But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
And you never will
Oh, please do nothin' till you hear it from me




And you never will
Don't do nothin' you hear

Overall Meaning

Robert Palmer's Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me is a song about rumors and gossip. The song is telling its listener to ignore what others are saying about someone they care for until they hear from that person directly. The song acknowledges that everyone adds their own personal touch to the story, which can cause the spread of misinformation. The chorus repeatedly urges the listener to hold off on acting or believing in what they hear until they hear directly from the one the rumors are about.


The verses explain the singer's perspective as they have been seen with someone new, causing rumors to spread that they are being unfaithful despite the fact that the singer still has feelings for the listener. The lyrics suggest that actions like a kiss or being seen with someone new do not necessarily mean that one's feelings for someone else are no longer present. The singer expresses the hope that the listener will wait to hear the truth directly from them before making any decisions.


Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me reached #4 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and was part of Palmer's album Don't Explain, which was heavily influenced by jazz and blues music. The song was originally written by Duke Ellington in 1940 and has been covered by numerous artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Diana Krall.


Line by Line Meaning

Someone told someone and someone told me
Information about me has been spreading through word of mouth


But they wouldn't hurt you, not much
The sources of the information may have their biases, but they don't mean harm to you


Since everyone spreads the story
People have been sharing the story about me because of their own selfish motivations


With his own little personal touch
Each person adds their own embellishments and interpretations to the story


Do nothin' till you hear from me
Don't take any action until you get the truth straight from the source


Pay no attention to what's said
Don't believe everything you hear about me without verification


Why people tear the thread of anyone's dream
I don't understand why people try to ruin other people's aspirations and goals


Is over my head
I don't know the reason behind the rumors about me, and it's beyond my control


At least consider our romance
Think about the love we share before making any decisions based on the rumors


If you should take the word of others you've heard
If you believe the rumors instead of me, our relationship doesn't stand a chance


I haven't a chance
The rumors could damage our relationship irreparably


True, I've been seen with someone new
It's true that I've been seen with someone else


But does that mean that I'm untrue?
However, does that automatically mean that I'm unfaithful and betraying you?


When we're apart the words in my heart
When we're not together, my feelings for you are clear in my words


Reveal how I feel about you
They prove that I still love and think of you


Some kiss may cloud my memory
Perhaps a kiss with someone else could make me forget you for a moment


And other arms may hold a thrill
The embrace of another person could give me pleasure


But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
But don't jump to conclusions before hearing the truth from me


And you never will
And you will never hear anything from me that is untrue or deceptive


Don't do nothin' you hear
Don't believe everything you hear without verifying the facts first




Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, BOB RUSSELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

M. M.

Great track... perfect rendition!

Twosie76

Great images that show the enormous range of this talented man.

Poopaloo55

Oh yumm! Thanks for this....into my faves it goes...multi thumbs-up to you, Sir!!!!

dixie17084

Too sad we lost Robert Palmer so soon, he could sing anything, true elegance!!!

gilbanks

So much for him needing the girl band behind him. What a rendition! As good a performance as I have ever heard and some greats have given it their best.

Mim Lo

Some songs are so good they hold up forever. R. Palmer does justice to Ellington and Ella. Just hope he's up there singing & swinging w/them both, Billie, Judy, and Amy W....🎼🎢

Susan eshraghi

could sing anything ,any time ,any where , what a man xx

David Speed

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