She had sung professionally since the age of 22, and recorded for small labels in St Louis and Nashville. Her manager, bluesman Albert King negotiated a recording deal with Stax records in Memphis, and, resulted in national attention with the 1974 hit 'Woman to Woman' taken from the 1974 album of the same name. Soul critic Ron Wynn went on to call 'Woman to Woman' a 'seminal confessional and confrontational soul masterpiece,' and it was actually the last hit for the Stax label and its success actually delayed its collapse into bankruptcy for several months.
Left musically orphaned by the collapse of Stax in 1975, Shirley Brown looked around for another label, and was one of the first signings to Clive Davis' Arista where she cut the undervalued 'Shirley Brown' album in 1976. She then recorded for several other labels, including 20th Century, the revamped and relaunched Stax, and Malaco. Surprisingly, none of her other recordings have enjoyed anything like the commercial success of 'Woman to Woman.'
I Can't Give You Up
Shirley Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse.
My luck is changing, it's gotten from
simply rotten to something worse
Who knows, some day I will win too.
I'll begin to reach my prime.
Now though I see what our end is,
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
I can't give you anything but love.
Rome wasn't built in a day, kid.
You have to pay, kid, for what you get.
But I am willing to wait, dear,
Your little mate, dear, will not forget.
You have a lifetime before you.
I'll adore you, come what may.
Please don't be blue for the present,
When it's so pleasant to hear you say
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for.
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
I can't give you anything but love.
The lyrics of Shirley Brown's song "I Can't Give You Up" express the difficulty of being broke and unable to fulfill one's partner's materialistic desires. The opening lines "Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse" illustrate the financial struggle and the feeling of hopelessness that can come with it. However, the second verse shows a glimmer of optimism, with the hope that someday luck will change, and success will be within reach. The chorus emphasizes that despite the lack of material possessions to offer, love is abundant and should be cherished instead.
The lyrics of the song convey the message that love is more valuable than material possessions. It recognizes the struggles of life's current state, but also emphasizes that there is hope for a brighter future. The song speaks to the idea that patience and perseverance will eventually lead to success and that one should focus more on emotional connections than material possessions. It has a romantic and encouraging tone overall, promoting the idea that love can conquer all, even financial struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid.
Being broke is a difficult situation
It's not a joke, kid, it's a curse.
Being broke is not a joking matter and is a misfortune
My luck is changing, it's gotten from
simply rotten to something worse
I am experiencing misfortune and it is getting worse
Who knows, some day I will win too.
I'll begin to reach my prime.
I may eventually become successful and reach the peak of my life
Now though I see what our end is,
All I can spend is just my time.
I understand that we may not have a future together and all I can give you is my time
I can't give you anything but love, baby.
That's the only thing I've plenty of,baby.
I may not be able to give you any material possessions, but I have plenty of love to give
Dream awhile, scheme awhile
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for.
Let's dream and plan together, and we will eventually find happiness and everything you have ever wanted
Gee I'd like to see you looking swell, baby.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell, baby.
I want to see you looking good and wearing expensive jewelry
Till that lucky day you know darned well, baby.
I can't give you anything but love.
Until I am lucky enough to afford those things, all I have to give you is my love
Rome wasn't built in a day, kid.
You have to pay, kid, for what you get.
Success takes time and effort, and things of value must be earned
But I am willing to wait, dear,
Your little mate, dear, will not forget.
I am patient and committed, and will never forget about you
You have a lifetime before you.
I'll adore you, come what may.
You have your whole life ahead of you, and I will always love you no matter what happens
Please don't be blue for the present,
When it's so pleasant to hear you say
Don't be sad in the present moment when it makes me happy to hear you speak
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind