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
Gotta Get Away
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got to get away, from you right now
I've got to get away, from you baby
In every way my heart says stay
But I've got to get away, yeah yeah
A long long time now we've been good friends
But now little girl, friendships gotta end
Your thoughts are never no
And it's been much too long
I've got to get away, yeah yeah
And every night
I can't sleep for thinking of you
Even still sometimes
I wanna, come running to you
But you never say, what I wanna hear
Even when we play you never call me dear
Got to get away, yeah yeah
Get away, from you baby
I've got to get away, from you right now
I've got to get away, from you baby
In every way my heart says stay
But I've got to get away, (yeah) get away
Yeah yeah
I can't sleep for thinking of you,
Oh even sometimes I wanna, come running to you
But you never say, what I wanna hear
Even when we play you never call me dear
Got to get away, (yeah) get away
Get away, from you baby
I've got to get away, from you right now
I've got to get away, from you baby
I've got to get away, from you right now
I've got to get away, from you baby
Got to get away
The Impressions's song Gotta Get Away is about a person who feels the need to distance himself from a romantic relationship that has lasted for a long period of time. The lyrics suggest that the couple has been friends for a considerable length of time, but it has come to a point where the friendship no longer is sufficient. The singer is conflicted as his heart is telling him to stay, but his mind is urging him to get away. The song's lyrics depict the confusion brought about by long-lasting relationships that have lost their spark.
The song's lyrics also suggest that the singer has invested much time and emotions into the relationship. Therefore, the decision to end the relationship is no easy feat. The line, "Your thoughts are never no/And it's been much too long," implies that the singer has been in a one-sided relationship. There is a lack of reciprocity, and the singer has reached his breaking point. Despite the conflict, the singer remains hopeful of finding a fulfilling relationship, as he repeats, "I've got to get away, yeah yeah."
One cannot help but admire the soulful and straightforward nature of the lyrics. The writer, Curtis Mayfield, does an incredible job of capturing the emotions that accompany the uncertainty of long-lasting relationships. The Impressions captures the essence of Mayfield's lyrics, delivering soulful harmonies backed by bluesy guitars and punchy drums that are perfectly suited for a song of this nature.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got to get away, from you baby
I need to distance myself from you, my romantic partner
I've got to get away, from you right now
I need to distance myself from you immediately
In every way my heart says stay
Despite my instincts to leave, my heart wants to stay with you
But I've got to get away, yeah yeah
Regardless, I need to leave this relationship
A long long time now we've been good friends
Our friendship has lasted for a considerable amount of time
But now little girl, friendships gotta end
However, our friendship needs to come to an end due to our romantic involvement
I love you, you know it too
I have strong feelings for you and you are aware of it
Your thoughts are never no
You rarely say no to me
And it's been much too long
This situation has continued for too long
And every night
Every night without exception
Even still sometimes
Occasionally, I still feel
I wanna, come running to you
The impulse to return to you is strong
But you never say, what I wanna hear
Unfortunately, you never say what I need to hear from you
Even when we play you never call me dear
You never refer to me with affection, even during moments of intimacy
Get away, from you baby
Once again, I need to distance myself from you
But I've got to get away, (yeah) get away
Just like before, I need to end this relationship
Contributed by Parker B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keith Fuqua
on People Get Ready
Amen brothers. Get ready people