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
I Need You
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the one who loves you
Little girl again you are blue
Another fellow has gone and left you
I see you've come back to me your best friend
To tell another tragic story again
And one more time you ought to realize
That I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you, love me
I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you
I must confess, you're not to be blamed
For being caught in those boys vicious games
This time I won't let you go back
Never again, my dear, in fact
I'm going to stop the blueness in you
Also confess what my heart wants me to
That I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you, love me
I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you
Just once more you look in my eyes
And one more time you ought to realize
That I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you, love me
I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you
I'm the one who loves you
...
The Impressions’ “I’m the One Who Loves You” is a classic soul ballad full of unrequited love and longing. The song is addressed to a woman who has just been left by another man, whom she confides in as her best friend. Curtis Mayfield, the lead singer of the group, sings that he has been there for her all this time and is the one who truly loves her. He acknowledges that it’s not her fault that she has been caught up in a game played by men and promises to not let her go back to that sad state again. The song is a plea from Mayfield to the woman to realize his affection for her and choose him instead of the other men in her life.
The lyrics of the song perfectly capture the pain and desperation of someone who loves someone else but cannot express their feelings. The repetition of the titular line 'I'm the one who loves you' puts a fine point on Curtis Mayfield's argument. The tempo of the song stays constant throughout, with a slow, gentle beat that underscores Mayfield's sincerity. The musicality of the song is melodious and calming, allowing the lyrics to take center stage.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the one who loves you
Reinforcement of the central message of the song, which is that the singer's love is true and unwavering.
Little girl again you are blue
The singer addresses the subject of the song as 'little girl,' implying that they have known each other for some time. They also comment on the subject's sad state of mind.
Another fellow has gone and left you
The singer empathizes with the subject and recognizes that they have been hurt and abandoned by someone else.
I see you've come back to me your best friend
The artist notes that the subject has returned to them for support, recognizing their close relationship.
To tell another tragic story again
The artist understands that the subject is about to recount another tale of woe, emphasizing their pattern of attracting heartbreak.
And once more you look in my eyes
The singer acknowledges that the subject is seeking comfort and possibly validation from them.
And one more time you ought to realize
The singer implores the subject to recognize the depth of their love and devotion.
I must confess, you're not to be blamed
The artist absolves the subject of any blame for their romantic misfortunes.
For being caught in those boys vicious games
The artist recognizes that the subject has been caught up in the games and machinations of other men.
This time I won't let you go back
The artist promises to intervene and protect the subject from further pain.
Never again, my dear, in fact
The singer emphasizes the finality of this decision and their love for the subject, using a term of endearment.
I'm going to stop the blueness in you
The artist is determined to heal the subject's sadness and restore their happiness.
Also confess what my heart wants me to
The singer reveals their own true feelings and desires.
Just once more you look in my eyes
The singer reiterates the subject's need for reassurance and connection.
And one more time you ought to realize
The singer reinforces the idea that the subject needs to acknowledge their love and accept their protection.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rogerrrubin
From nowhere through a caravan
Around the campfire light
A lovely woman in motion
With hair as dark as night
Her eyes were like that of a cat in the dark
That hypnotized me with love
She was a gypsy woman,
She was a gypsy woman
She danced around and round to a guitar melody
From the fire her face was all aglow
How she enchanted me
Oh, how I'd like to hold her near
And kiss and forever whisper in her ear
I love you, gypsy woman
I love you, gypsy woman
All through the caravan
She was dancing with all the men
Waiting for the rising sun
Everyone was having fun
I hate to see the lady go
Knowing she'll never know
That I love her, I love her
She was a gypsy woman
A gypsy woman, a gypsy woman, a gypsy woman
@smokinjz
From nowhere through the caravan
Round the campfire light
A lovely woman in motion
With hair as dark as night
Her eyes were like that of a cat in the dark
That hypnotized me with love
She was a gypsy woman
She was a gypsy woman
She danced around and round
To a guitar melody
From the fire her face was aglow
How she enchanted me
Oh how I'd like to hold her near
And kiss and forever whisper in her ear
I love you gypsy woman
I love you gypsy woman
All through the caravan
She was dancing with all the men
Waiting for the rising sun
Everyone was having fun
I hate to see the lady go
Knowing she will never know
That I love her
That I love her
Gypsy woman
She was gypsy woman
Gypsy woman
Gypsy woman
All through the caravan
She was dancing with all the men
Waiting for the rising sun
Everyone was having fun
I hate to see the lady go
Knowing she will never know
That I love her
I love her
Gypsy woman
Gypsy woman
She was gypsy woman
Gypsy woman
She was gypsy woman
She was gypsy woman
@sauquoit13456
On this day in 1961 {December 24th} "Gypsy Woman"* by the Impressions peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Please Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes...
"Gypsy Woman" peaked at #20 on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
Between 1958 and 1987 the Chicago-based soul group had forty-six records on the Billboard's R&B chart, fifteen made the Top 10 with three reaching #1, "It's All right" for two weeks in November of 1963, "Choice of Colors" for one week in August of 1969, and "Finally Got Myself Together (I'm A Changed Man)" for two weeks in June of 1974...
Curtis Mayfield, who left the group in 1970, passed away at the young age of 57 on December 26th, 1999...
May he R.I.P.
* "Gypsy Woman" was the group's only #2 record, but they had six records peak at #3...
And from the 'For What's It Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot R&B Singles Top 10 on December 24th, 1961:
At #3. "Turn On Your Love Light" by Bobby Bland
#4. "Soothe Me" by the Sims Twins
#5. "Just Got To Know" by Jimmy McCracklin
#6. "I Know" by Barbara George
#7. "Lost Someone" by James Brown and the Famous Flames
#8. "Unchain My Heart" by Ray Charles
#9. "In The Dark" by 'Little' Junior Parker
#10. "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" by the Crystals
@cedricliggins7528
Pure Genius. RIP Mr Mayfield. Your voice and messages are sorely missed.
@bellestarr4040
Take me back to better day
@johnconway9882
The "Gentle Genius" as he was known 🙂
@paulblawie2616
Curtis Mayfield's haunting tenor gives me chills to this day - truly a genius who gifted us this rare gem.
@darrenringer9811
In the words of Wayne and Garth, we're not worthy.
@dudleylowe3831
HAUNTING VOICE: ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, A TRUE WORDSMITH 👍
@mcclendonreport
So mystical and mysterious, enchanting and enthralling. I remember this as a toddler. And I kept playing the record through my teen years. The sound is so well arranged; the bass singer, the harmony and Curtis' silky voice. Black music has got to get back to this kind of rarefied air. Absolutely sublime.
@waaziz2008
when this song was released, the Gypsies of Eastern Europe tried every way possible to bring the Impressions to their part of the world to sing this tune. In 1981, Curtis Mayfield and his band, sans the Impressions, gave a series of concerts in Eastern Europe, to the delight of the local populations of that region. Whether you like this version or not, it shows the beauty and attraction that good music has everywhere!
@josephleone8054
We sang this song so many times on hot summer nights, under the street lamps of Audobon Park to street corner Acapella harmony. The word means “without music” in singer’s harmony. At times harmony, in the right notes sounded as if there was music, none was needed, at least we thought. To have the soul of these African American singers was a trend from NY to LA across the USA. The first time I heard a group I was 9 or 10, from my block, mostly Italian and African American. I was so taken i got some friends years later and sang and drank all night.
@TheGoodWitchLolipop
@@josephleone8054 I am that black cat! That gypsy woman! The Dark Crystal!That Dark Stone of Light! That Good Witch Lolipop! Be Blessed!