The group was founded as The Roosters by Chattanooga, Tennessee natives Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks, and Arthur Brooks, who moved to Chicago, Illinois and added Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield to their lineup to become Jerry Butler & the Impressions. By 1962, Butler and the Brookses had departed, and after switching to ABC-Paramount Records, Mayfield, Gooden, and new Impression Fred Cash collectively became a top-selling soul act. Mayfield left the group for a solo career in 1970; Leroy Hutson, Ralph Johnson, Reggie Torian, and Nate Evans were among the replacements who joined Gooden and Cash before the group's demise in 1983.
Inductees into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, The Impressions are best known for their 1960s string of hits, many of which were heavily influenced by gospel music and served as inspirational anthems for the Civil Rights Movement.
Personnel:
Jerry Butler (1958 - 1960)
Curtis Mayfield (1958 - 1970)
Sam Gooden (1958 - 1983)
Arthur Brooks (1958 - 1962)
Richard Brooks (1958 - 1962)
Fred Cash (1960 - 1983)
Leroy Hutson (1970 - 1973)
Ralph Johnson (1973 - 1976)
Nate Evans (1976 - 1979)
Reggie Torian (1973 - 1983)
Discography
Albums
1963: The Impressions
1964: Keep on Pushing
1964: The Never Ending Impressions
1965: One by One
1965: People Get Ready
1966: Ridin' High
1967: The Fabulous Impressions
1968: We're a Winner
1968: This Is My Country
1969: The Young Mods' Forgotten Story
1969: The Versatile Impressions
1969: Amen
1970: Check out Your Mind!
1972: Times Have Changed
1973: Preacher Man
1974: Finally Got Myself Together
1974: Three the Hard Way
1975: First Impressions
1975: Sooner or Later
1976: It's About Time
1976: Originals
1976: Loving Power
1979: Come to My Party
1981: Fan the Fire
Gone Away
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you are gone and I know, I know, I know you're gone
You were mine for only a minute
And if I hurt you I didn't intend it
You are gone away, I keep tellin' my mind
You're not gonna stay
But I believe sometimes that I lost you, baby
Forgive and forget it that's not what I'll ask you to do
'Cause I want you back, yeah
You know, you know I want you back
And in concluding my mental discussion
I found I lost my prized possession
You are gone away, I keep tellin' my mind
You're not gonna stay
And I believe sometimes that I lost you, baby
I lost you, baby, you were gone
You were mine for only a minute
And if I hurt you I didn't intend it
You are gone away, I keep tellin' my mind
You're not gonna stay
And I believe sometimes that I lost you, baby
I lost you, baby and you were gone
Lie, lies I told you baby
I never meant to say
But a desperate mind
Does a desperate thing baby
I can't loose you
I do whatever I got to do
I never loved like this before
I don't mean to be so silly
Such a little girl sometimes
I really want to be your woman
I just...
It gets so heavy baby...
It gets so heavy
And I just want you...
I just want you to think about
Don't let me go
The Impressions' song "Gone Away" is a heart-wrenching ballad about lost love, regret, and desperation. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and hopelessness as the singer tries to come to terms with the fact that their lover has left them. The use of repetition in the chorus, where the singer keeps telling themselves that their lover is gone, reinforces the feelings of loss and disbelief.
The first verse sees the singer trying to convince themselves that their lover will return, but deep down they know that they are gone for good. The second verse shows the singer regretting any hurt they may have caused their partner in the past and wanting them back. The final verse sees the singer acknowledging that they have lost their "prized possession" and that their desperation has led them to lie to their partner in the hope of getting them back.
Overall, the lyrics are simple but effective, conveying a range of emotions that many can relate to in the aftermath of a breakup. The use of repetition and imagery, such as the metaphor of the lost possession, add depth to the song and make it a powerful piece of soul music.
Line by Line Meaning
I try to reason and tell myself you'll return
I am trying to convince myself that you will come back.
But you are gone and I know, I know, I know you're gone
But the reality is that you are gone and I know this deep down.
You were mine for only a minute
Our time together was brief.
And if I hurt you I didn't intend it
I didn't mean to cause you pain.
You are gone away, I keep tellin' my mind
You are no longer here, and I have to remind myself of this constantly.
You're not gonna stay
I know that you aren't coming back.
I believe sometimes that I lost you, baby
I can't help but think that I lost you forever.
Forgive and forget it that's not what I'll ask you to do
I don't expect you to forgive and forget what I've done.
'Cause I want you back, yeah
All I want is for you to come back to me.
And in concluding my mental discussion
After thinking it over, I've reached a conclusion.
I found I lost my prized possession
I've realized that I've lost something that was very important to me.
Lie, lies I told you baby
I'm ashamed of the lies I've told you.
I never meant to say
I regret what I've said.
But a desperate mind
When someone is desperate, they may do things they regret.
Does a desperate thing baby
And I know that I've done some desperate things.
I can't loose you
I can't bear the thought of losing you.
I do whatever I got to do
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep you.
I never loved like this before
I've never felt this kind of love before.
I don't mean to be so silly
I'm sorry if I'm being foolish.
Such a little girl sometimes
At times, I feel vulnerable and insecure.
I really want to be your woman
I want to be the one for you.
It gets so heavy baby...
The weight of my emotions can be overwhelming at times.
And I just want you...
All I want is for you to understand.
I just want you to think about
I just want you to consider how much you mean to me.
Don't let me go
Please don't leave me.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD, DONNY HATHAWAY, LEROY HUTSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pier Paolo Gammieri
Simply Beautiful!
Love Peace
Mr. Mayfield, thank you.