1. The Buckinghams is an American sunshine-pop band from Chicago formed in 1966. They went on to become one of the top-selling acts of 1967, charting their only five Top 40 hits in the U.S. that year. The band dissolved in 1970, but re-formed in 1980 and as of 2019 they continue to tour throughout the United States.
If everyone on the northwest side of Chicago who claims to have hung out with the Buckinghams during their heyday had faithfully bought all their releases, the rock group might have sold more records than the Beatles. Popular attractions while still in high school, the quintet changed its name from the Pulsations to the Buckinghams to reflect the British Invasion craze and signed with Chicago's USA Records in 1966. Backing Dennis Tufano's buoyant lead vocals with prominent harmonies and punchy soul-styled brass, the group came across the wistful "Kind of a Drag," and in short order, The Buckinghams had a million-selling pop chart-topper on their hands. They quickly graduated to recording for Columbia. As long as songwriter Jim Holvay supplied more material of the same high quality as "Kind of a Drag," the Buckinghams were sitting pretty. Holvay co-wrote "Don't You Care," "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)," and the pseudo-psychedelic "Susan," and they all proved to be major hits for the band. The group's R&B roots surfaced on a vocal adaptation of Cannonball Adderley's jazz standard "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," their second-biggest hit.
But the Buckinghams' fortunes soon changed drastically -- one of the top-selling rock groups of 1967, they managed only one hit after early 1968. Two original members, guitarist Carl Giammarese and bassist Nick Fortuna, have since revived the Buckinghams and began touring full-time again in 1982.
2. Not to be confused with the more famous Chicago hit-makers, The Buckinghams were a 1960s pop/beat band from Islington, North London, United Kingdom. They released two 45s on Pye Records: 'I'll Never Hurt You No More' b/w 'She Lied' (may 1965), quickly followed by 'To Be or Not To Be' b/w 'I Was Your First Guy'.
Can I Get a Witness
The Buckinghams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it right to be left alone when the one you love is never home
I love too hard my friends sometimes say
But I believe I believe that a woman should be loved that way
But it hurts me so inside to see you treat me so unkind
Somebody somewhere tell her it ain't fair
Can I get a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
Somebody (Can I get a witness)
Is it right to be treated so bad when you give her everything you had
Keep on talking in my sleep 'cause I haven't seen my baby all week
Now you kids you all agree is that the way it's supposed to be
Let me hear you, let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah
Up early in the morning with her on my mind
Took to find it out all night I been cryin'
But I believe a woman's a man's best friend
I'm gonna stick by hr till the very end
Well she causes so much misery how's a gal supposed to be
Somebody somewhere tell her it ain't right
Can I get a witness, can I get a witness
(Can I get a witness), I want a witness
(Can I get a witness), witness, witness
(Can I get a witness), witness, witness
(Can I get a witness)
Everybody knows especially you girls
That a love can be sad but my beloved's twice as bad
Now you kids do all agree that ain't the way it's supposed to be
Let me hear you, let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
Yeah, I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
Somebody (Can I get a witness)
Is it right to be treated so bad when you give her everything you had
Keep on talking in my sleep 'cause I haven't seen my baby all week
Now you kids you all agree is that the way it's supposed to be
Let me hear you, let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
Witness, witness, yeah, I want a witness
The Buckinghams's song "Can I Get a Witness" is a plea for sympathy from the lead singer. The song begins with the lead singer asking everyone to listen, especially women, as he questions whether it's right to be left alone when the one you love is never home. He confesses that his friends sometimes think he loves too hard, but he believes a woman should be loved that way. However, the woman he loves treats him unkindly, and he begs somebody somewhere to tell her it isn't fair. He then asks for a witness to his pain and hurt, demonstrating how much he wants someone to see and understand what he is going through.
Throughout the rest of the song, the lead singer continues to sing about his misery and his longing for a witness to his suffering. He describes how he thinks about this woman all the time, but she causes him so much misery, and he wonders how a girl is supposed to be. He concludes the song by reaffirming his request for a witness, asking if it's right to be treated so badly.
The song speaks to the experience of unrequited love and the longing for someone to see and understand one's pain. It is a classic soul song that speaks to the universal human experience of heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah ah listen everybody (body), specially you girls (girls)
Attention everyone, particularly women
Is it right to be left alone when the one you love is never home
Is it fair to be abandoned by your loved one?
I love too hard my friends sometimes say
My friends tell me I'm too passionate in love
But I believe I believe that a woman should be loved that way
I strongly believe that women should be loved passionately
But it hurts me so inside to see you treat me so unkind
It pains me deeply to see you treat me unfairly
Somebody somewhere tell her it ain't fair
Someone needs to let her know that her actions are unjust
Can I get a witness (Can I get a witness)
Can someone testify to my struggles?
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I need someone to confirm my pain
Somebody (Can I get a witness)
Anyone, please testify to my situation
Is it right to be treated so bad when you give her everything you had
Is it just to receive mistreatment when you have given everything in the relationship?
Keep on talking in my sleep 'cause I haven't seen my baby all week
I keep talking about my loved one in my sleep because I haven't seen her in a week
Now you kids you all agree is that the way it's supposed to be
Do you think this is how love is supposed to be, young ones?
Let me hear you, let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah
Express agreement with me, say 'Yeah, yeah, yeah'
Up early in the morning with her on my mind
I wake up early thinking about my loved one
Took to find it out all night I been cryin'
I spent all night crying, trying to figure out my situation
But I believe a woman's a man's best friend
I truly believe women make the best friends for men
I'm gonna stick by hr till the very end
I'm going to stay by her side no matter what
Well she causes so much misery how's a gal supposed to be
She brings so much pain, how is a woman supposed to act?
Can I get a witness, can I get a witness
Can someone testify to my struggles?
(Can I get a witness), I want a witness
I need someone to confirm my pain
Witness, witness
Testify to what you have witnessed
Everybody knows especially you girls
Everyone knows, especially women
That a love can be sad but my beloved's twice as bad
Love can be distressing, but my situation is twice as awful
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I need someone to confirm my pain
Witness, witness, yeah, I want a witness
Testify to what you have witnessed
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind