My Pretending Days Are Over
The Dells Lyrics
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Gonna leave the acting
To the stars in Hollywood
My pretending days are over
Gonna leave acting
To the stars in Hollywood
Oh, yeah, yeah
I should receive the Academy Award
For every girl I fooled
In this old town
I played my tricks on them
Told them they looked so sweet
When I knew all the time
Not a one did I want to keep
My pretending days are over
I'm gonna leave the acting
To the stars in Hollywood
My pretending days are over
I'm gonna leave the acting
To the stars in Hollywood
I used to masquerade
From one girl to another
But since I met you
I can't go any further
(Just one kiss) just one kiss
(From your sweet lips)
From your sweet lips
Brought me down, down
Down from my knees
My pretending days are over
And I'm glad I found
A girl just like you
My pretending days are over
And make mention
Else somebody see the truth
You made me find myself
I don't pretend no more
I stopped acting like someone
On a late, late TV show
(You, you, you, you)
You, you helped me find myself
(Girl, you helped me)
(Yes, you helped me to find myself)
And just because of you
(You, you, you, you)
I don't have to act like someone else
(I don't have to act like somebody else)
My pretending days are over
I'm gonna leave the acting
To the stars in Hollywood
My, my pretending days are over
I'm gonna leave the acting
To the stars in Hollywood
My pretending days are over
I'm gonna leave the acting
To the stars in Hollywood...
The song "My Pretending Days Are Over" by The Dells is about a man who has grown tired of pretending to be someone he's not in order to impress women. He acknowledges that he has deceived many women in the past by telling them things they want to hear in order to maintain relationships he didn't truly want. He is now willing to leave acting and pretending to the stars in Hollywood, realizing that he no longer needs to pretend to be someone else because he has found a girl whom he truly cherishes. It is said that he no longer has to wear a mask and pretend to be someone he is not because his lovely partner accepts him for who he is. He is grateful that he has stopped pretending and has found himself.
The lyrics of the song appear to be about dawning maturity but with a hint of sarcasm as well. The song's lyrics imply that society is constantly attempting to appear and behave in a certain way in order to gain approval, particularly from women. The narrator recognizes this, and as a result, has resolved to be more honest and upfront with the women in his life. It appears that this may be because of the girl he has met, who has shown him that it is possible to be true to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
My pretending days are over
The time has come for me to stop pretending to be someone I'm not.
Gonna leave the acting
I'm going to stop playing games and putting on an act for people.
To the stars in Hollywood
I'll leave acting to those who are meant for it and can handle it, like the stars in Hollywood.
I should receive the Academy Award
I've fooled so many girls in this town that I should receive the top prize for acting.
For every girl I fooled
I've deceived and played games with multiple girls in the past.
In this old town
This specific town where we live and interact with each other.
I played my tricks on them
I've manipulated and lied to them for my own personal gain.
Told them they looked so sweet
I would tell them sweet lies and compliment them to get what I wanted.
When I knew all the time
Even though I knew deep down I didn't really want them.
Not a one did I want to keep
I wasn't interested in any of these girls for a real relationship.
Oh, yeah, yeah
An expression of agreement or confirmation.
I used to masquerade
I would pretend to be someone else and put on different masks depending on who I was with.
From one girl to another
I would go from one girl to the next without any real commitment or connection.
But since I met you
Everything changed since I met this one special person.
I can't go any further
I can't continue to play games and pretend because of my feelings for this person.
(Just one kiss) just one kiss
A single kiss from the person I'm with had a profound effect on me.
(From your sweet lips)
The kiss was sweet and came from the person I'm with.
Brought me down, down
The kiss made me feel different and lowered my defenses.
Down from my knees
An expression of being emotionally touched and impacted.
And I'm glad I found
I'm happy and grateful to have found the person I'm with now.
A girl just like you
A person who is kind, genuine, and caring like you.
And make mention
Let me bring up and acknowledge something important.
Else somebody see the truth
So no one else will find out that I've been pretending and fooling people all along.
You made me find myself
Being with the person I'm with helped me discover who I really am.
I don't pretend no more
I no longer put on a false persona or act differently than who I really am.
I stopped acting like someone
I quit pretending to be someone I wasn't and acting like someone else for the sake of attention.
On a late, late TV show
Similar to a TV drama or show where characters may put on performances or act in certain ways for the camera.
(You, you, you, you)
Referring to the person I'm with and how they have affected me.
Girl, you helped me
The person I'm with has had a significant impact on my life and helped me find myself.
(Yes, you helped me to find myself)
Expressing gratitude to the person I'm with for helping me become a better person.
And just because of you
My transformation, growth, and change are because of my relationship with this person.
I don't have to act like someone else
I don't feel the need to pretend or be someone else because of the love and acceptance I receive from this person.
(I don't have to act like somebody else)
Reiterating that I'm not going to be fake and act differently from who I really am anymore.
My, my pretending days are over
I'm done with pretending and being someone I'm not in all aspects of my life.
And make mention
Emphasizing and acknowledging this point again.
Else somebody see the truth
I don't want my true self to be discovered or exposed.
I'm gonna leave the acting
I'm done pretending and acting for anyone's sake.
To the stars in Hollywood...
Leaving acting and performing to the professionals and famous people in Hollywood.
Contributed by Riley E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
The Dells grew up in Harvey, Illinois and began singing together while attending Thornton Township High School. Forming in 1952 under the name the El-Rays, the group initially consisted of Marvin Junior, Mickey McGill, Lucius McGill, Verne Allison, Chuck Barksdale, and Johnny Funches. Lucius soon left the group and the remaining quintet signed with Checker Records, releasing their first single, "Darling I Know," which flopped.
In 1955, the group renamed themselves the Dells and signed with Vee-Jay Records. In 1956, they recorded their first hit, "Oh, What a Nite" (a song co-written by Johnny Funches, who also sang lead on the recording alongside Marvin Junior), which hit the Top 5 of the R&B singles chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The song is ranked #260 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In November 1958, the Dells suffered a car accident that left McGill in a hospital in Ohio for six months. The group temporarily disbanded and Barksdale sang as a member of Harvey Fuqua's spinoff Moonglows act, Harvey and the Moonglows, which included a young Marvin Gaye. In 1961, the Dells reunited and auditioned for Dinah Washington. After Washington agreed to hire them, Johnny Funches left the group to take care of his family. Funches was replaced by Flamingos founding member Johnny Carter and sang background for Washington for two years. In 1966, they were hired to open for Ray Charles, only to be fired after a performance resulted in several standing ovations. The group would also sing background for Barbara Lewis, mainly on Lewis' 1963 hit, "Hello Stranger", while also working with Quincy Jones, who helped to fine-tune their vocals for standards and jazz material.
In 1966, the Dells returned to Chess under the label's Cadet subsidiary working with Bobby Miller and future Earth, Wind & Fire arranger Charles Stepney. In 1967, the Dells issued the album There Is which included their first R&B chart-topper in years with the title track, which showcased the sharp baritone of Marvin Junior and the harmonies with the four other Dells. The song was also their first top 20 pop hit.
Subsequent R&B hits included "Wear It on Our Face," "Always Together" (Top 20 Pop, "I Can Sing a Rainbow - Love is Blue (medley)" (UK #15), and their first #1 R&B hit and first Top Ten pop hit, 1968's "Stay in My Corner," which reached #10 on the pop chart and showcased both Carter and Marvin in lead vocals. In the following year, 1969, The Dells' soulful remake of their debut hit, "Oh What a Night" gave the group their second chart-topping R&B single and also reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. For a second time, the song sold over a million copies. Subsequent hits included "Open Up My Heart," "Oh What A Day," and "On the Dock of the Bay." In 1971, the Dells' "The Love We Had Stays on My Mind" became another Top Ten hit on the R&B charts, also reaching the pop Top 30. By this time Charles Stepney had taken over production duties from Bobby Miller. 1973's "Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation" was their third certified gold record. The song was written by L.V. Johnson and produced by Don Davis.
Leaving Cadet around the end of 1974 with the parent company in financial difficulties, the group would continue recording in order under the Mercury, ABC, and Virgin labels finding some hits, including 1980's "I Touched a Dream", which returned the group to the top 40 on the R&B charts. The Dells were confined mostly to the oldies market afterwards until they were asked to be creative consultants to Robert Townsend's acclaimed 1991 film, The Five Heartbeats, which was loosely based on the lives of The Dells and other groups of its era. The group recorded a composition titled "A Heart Is a House for Love". The song reached number 13 on the Billboard R&B chart, making them only one of two groups to have hit singles in five decades. The following year, signing with PIR, they released the album, I Salute You. The Dells continued performing and recording sporadically in the early years of the new millennium. In 2004, the group were inducted to both the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The group continued performing until 2012.
Original Dells vocalist Johnny Funches died of pneumonia on January 23, 1998, at the age of 62.
Johnny Carter died of cancer on August 21, 2009, at the age of 75. Carter is one of the few artists to be a double Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, having been inducted with The Flamingos in 2001, and the Dells in 2004.
On May 29, 2013, founding member Marvin Junior died in his sleep at his home in Harvey, Illinois, succumbing to complications of kidney failure and a weak heart at the age of 77.
Chuck Barksdale died on 15 May 2019, at the age of 83.
Members
Marvin Junior (born Marvin Curtis Junior, January 31, 1936, Harrell, Arkansas – May 29, 2013) - lead baritone, lead vocals (1952-1958, 1960–2012)
Verne Allison (b. June 22, 1936, Chicago) - second tenor, background vocals (1952-1958, 1960-2012)
Mickey McGill (b. February 17, 1937, Chicago) - baritone, background vocals (1952–1958, 1960-2012)
Chuck Barksdale (January 11, 1935 - May 15, 2019) - bass, background vocals (1952–1958, 1960-2012)
Johnny Funches (July 18, 1935, Chicago – January 23, 1998) - first tenor, lead vocals (1952–58, 1960-1961)
Lucius McGill (b. 1935, Chicago) - second tenor, background vocals (1952–54)
Johnny Carter (June 2, 1934, Chicago – August 21, 2009) - first tenor/falsetto, lead vocals (1961–2009)