1) The Crows were an American rhythm & blues, doo-wop group who achieved commercial success in the 1950s. The group's first single and only major hit, "Gee", released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first rock n’ roll hit by a rock and roll group. It peaked at position #14 and #2, respectively, on the Billboard magazine pop and rhythm-and-blues charts in 1954.
When The Crows started out in 1951, practicing sidewalk harmonies, the original members were Daniel "Sonny" Norton (lead), William "Bill" Davis (baritone), Harold Major (tenor), Jerry Wittick (tenor), and Gerald Hamilton (bass). In 1952, Wittick left the group and was replaced by Mark Jackson (tenor and guitarist).
They were discovered at Apollo Theater's Wednesday night talent show by talent agent Cliff Martinez and brought to independent producer George Goldner who had just set up the tiny new Rama Records label. The Crows were the first group signed and the first to record. The first songs they recorded were as backup to singer Viola Watkins. The song "Gee" was the third song recorded during their first recording session, on February 10, 1953. It was put together in a few minutes by group member William Davis, with Watkins also being credited as cowriter.
The song was first released as the B-side of a ballad, "I Love You So". However, radio stations began turning it over and playing "Gee," first in Philadelphia and later in New York and Los Angeles. By January 1954 it had sold 100,000 copies, and by April it entered the national R&B and pop charts, rising to #2 R&B and #14 pop. The song was a huge hit a year after it was recorded.
The Crows were a one-hit wonder. While "Gee" was on the charts, the record company released a number of other singles by the group, including "Heartbreaker," "Baby," and "Miss You," but none were successful. Their failures and the inability to perform regularly to support their recordings led to the breakup of the group a few months after "Gee" dropped off the Hit Parade. They maintained the original line up for the entire career of the group, with no hope for a reunion following the deaths of Gerald Hamilton in the 1960s and Daniel Norton in 1972.
2) The Crows were a short lived band that released one LP (The Crows) on the highly influential (in noise rock circles) Amphetamine Reptile Records label in 1994. In keeping with that label's other products, the Crows can be loosely classified as a noise rock band. Their own particular sound, however, tended not be an unorganized mass of noise, but was instead more succinct and twangy in a way that calls to mind a rockabilly band testing the boundaries of their genre. They liked to create space in their songs, and were rarely in a hurry. Their singer had a tendency to growl his lyrics, but not in the manner of singers of hardcore bands. These growls were more akin to the guttural noises one would expect from a 300 lbs., bearded lumberjack sitting down for a steak dinner with a red and white checkered napkin tucked into his collar. "mmmmmMMMMMM!" Tom Waits comes to mind in particular.
3) The Crows was an obscure power pop band from Belgium lead by frontman 'Zip Wookee'. The four-piece band produced their long single, "Don't Play Around" (b-side: "Irina"), in 1980.
Heartbreaker
The Crows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where its at
I know karmas comin' to pay me back
I'm with the sweetest thang that's on the map
I broke her heart in thirty seconds flat
In thirty seconds flat
Just how did I become that kind of guy
To look at girl and lie right in the eye
My momma told me willy that ain't right
Boy now that ain't right
I'm s s s sorry
I'm s s s sorry
I didn't mean to break your heart [Repeat x2]
I'm s s s sorry
I'm s s s sorry
I didn't mean to break ya
B b b b break it baby
Look baby
I'm a heartbreaker [Repeat x6]
I'm a heart
A h h h h I'm a heart
A h h h I'm a
Where she go
I got some things I gotta let her know
To fix the love now its impossible
But baby baby if we take it slow
If we take it slow
We can make it work
We just cant throw the love down in the dirt
You probably think that I'm a fuckin' jerk
Cuz the way I let you down it made you hurt
I didn't mean to make you hurt
I'm s s s sorry
I'm s s s sorry
I didn't mean to break your heart [Repeat x2]
I'm s s s sorry
I'm s s s sorry
I didn't mean to break ya
B b b b break it baby
Look baby
I'm a heartbreaker [Repeat x6]
I'm a heart
A h h h h I'm a heart
A h h h Ima
Break it down
Lets break it down [Repeat x15]
So so so sorry
So so so sorry
A la la la
La la la la
La la la la
I'm s s s sorry
I'm s s s sorry
I didn't mean to break your heart [Repeat x2]
I'm s s s sorry
I'm s s s sorry
I didn't mean to break ya
B b b b break it baby
Look baby
I'm a heartbreaker [Repeat x6]
I'm a heart
A h h h h I'm a heart
A h h h ima
The Crow's song "Heartbreaker" is an anthem of regret sung by a man who has broken a girl's heart in thirty seconds flat. He opens the song with the lines "Look out, where it's at, I know karma's comin' to pay me back," indicating that he is aware of his wrongdoings and the consequences of his actions. He admits to being a heartbreaker, someone who has caused pain to those who loved him, and questions how he became this kind of guy. The girl he hurt was the sweetest thing on the map, and she is the one he now wants to fix things with. He apologizes constantly throughout the song, saying he didn't mean to break her heart and begs her to take it slow with him because there's still a chance to make it work.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm a heartbreaker," highlighting the guilt and remorse the singer feels. He recognizes that his carelessness caused pain to the girl, and he is genuinely sorry for it. The message of the song is that while we may hurt people unintentionally, it's never too late to take responsibility and try to make things right.
Line by Line Meaning
Look out [Repeat x3]
The singer is warning others to pay attention to their actions.
Where its at
The singer knows that karma will come back to him.
I know karmas comin' to pay me back
The singer knows that he will eventually face the consequences of his actions.
I'm with the sweetest thang that's on the map
The singer is with a woman who he considers to be the best in the area.
I broke her heart in thirty seconds flat
The singer broke the woman's heart very quickly.
In thirty seconds flat
The singer broke the woman's heart very quickly.
Now how did I
The singer is questioning how he became the kind of person who would hurt someone else.
Just how did I become that kind of guy
The singer is questioning how he became the kind of person who would hurt someone else.
To look at girl and lie right in the eye
The singer is admitting to lying to a woman and looking her straight in the eye while doing so.
My momma told me willy that ain't right
The singer's mother told him that lying and hurting others is not acceptable.
Boy now that ain't right
The singer acknowledges that his actions were wrong.
I'm s s s sorry
The singer is apologizing for his actions and the hurt he caused.
I didn't mean to break your heart [Repeat x2]
The singer did not intend to break the woman's heart.
B b b b break it baby
The singer is admitting to being a heartbreaker and hurting others.
Look baby
The singer is talking directly to the woman he hurt.
I'm a heartbreaker [Repeat x6]
The singer has a history of breaking hearts.
Where she go
The singer is wondering where the woman he hurt has gone.
I got some things I gotta let her know
The singer has to talk to the woman he hurt and explain himself.
To fix the love now its impossible
The singer knows that it may be impossible to fix the relationship he damaged.
But baby baby if we take it slow
The singer is suggesting that they can try to work things out if they take their time and go slowly.
If we take it slow
The singer is suggesting that they can try to work things out if they take their time and go slowly.
We can make it work
The singer believes that they can fix the relationship if they work at it.
We just cant throw the love down in the dirt
The singer is acknowledging that he made a mistake and hurt the woman he loves.
You probably think that I'm a fuckin' jerk
The singer believes that the woman he hurt probably thinks he is a terrible person.
Cuz the way I let you down it made you hurt
The singer acknowledges that his actions caused the woman to be hurt.
So so so sorry
The singer is apologizing once again.
A la la la
The singer is expressing his regret through sounds instead of words.
La la la la
The singer is expressing his regret through sounds instead of words.
La la la la
The singer is expressing his regret through sounds instead of words.
Lets break it down [Repeat x15]
The singer is slowing the song down to emphasize his apology.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDY ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bill Scherff
Heartbreaker is one of my all time favorites. I love all the Crows records Nice post. Mr DooWop
Greg Coates
Beautiful.
jerseyrandy
One dislike??
Sisyphus's apprentice
Seems there is an element on youtube that just have nothing better to do than give thumbs down without even bothering to listen to the track. I do not know why it is even an option as it serves no purpose because if I do not like a particular record I just go on to the next. Considering the effort that contributors like Mr Doo Wop go to in order to bring these great tunes back to life it is pretty disgusting.