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
Man Oh Man
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Send a telegram, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram to my baby
This is what I want you to say
I want you to tell her that I'm all alone
I tried to call her on the phone
Tell her I'm in misery and think she's avoiding me
Send a box of candy too and maybe some flowers
Tell her that I miss her for hours and hours
Send a telegram, send a telegram
Hurry up, send a telegram, man, to my baby
Do you hear what I say
Oh, western union man, send a telegram
Oh, send a telegram to my baby
Western union man, hey, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram, man, to my baby
This is what I want you to do
Listen, tell me, have you got a boy you can send
This is what I want him to do
Put him on his bike right away
See if he can get my message through
Maybe tomorrow but mail it right away
I want the girl to know that I missed her
Something like yesterday
Send a telegram, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram, man, to my baby
Do you hear what I say
Oh western union man why don't you send a telegram
Well send a telegram to my baby
Western union man, send a telegram
Oh send a, send a telegram, send it
Send it, send it, send it, right on to my baby
Do you hear what I say
Hey western union man, send a telegram, oh
Send a telegram to my baby, hey
The Impressionsâ âMan Oh Manâ is a plea for help to the Western Union man to send a telegram to the singerâs love interest. He wants the Western Union man to tell his lover that heâs feeling lonely and miserable, and if the telegram doesnât work, he wants the man to send her some candy and flowers. He asks the Western Union man if he can send a boy to hand-deliver the message as well. The singer is desperate to reach his lover and wants to make sure she knows how much he misses her.
The songâs lyrics are a reflection of the era from which it originatedâwhen couples lived far apart and long-distance communication was much less convenient than it is today. The Western Union man was a real-life messenger service that delivered telegrams on behalf of people. The song reflects the societal norms of the time when men were expected to bear the responsibility of communication in relationships.
The lyrics are poignant and evoke empathy for the singer who is doing all he can to reach out to his love interest. The repetition of the phrase âsend a telegramâ emphasizes his sense of urgency and desperation.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, western union man send a telegram to my baby
Asking the Western Union representative to send a message to his lover
Send a telegram, send a telegram, oh
Repeating the request for emphasis
This is what I want you to say
Instructing the messenger on what to communicate
I want you to tell her that I'm all alone
Requesting the messenger to inform his lover of his loneliness
I tried to call her on the phone
Explaining the attempt made to contact his lover through telephone
Tell her I'm in misery and think she's avoiding me
Asking the messenger to communicate his emotional state and doubts regarding his lover's attitude towards him
And if the telegram don't do
Expressing his desperation and hopelessness if the message is not delivered successfully
Send a box of candy too and maybe some flowers
Instructing the messenger to send some sweet treats and romantic gifts along with the message to please his lover
Tell her that I miss her for hours and hours
Requesting the messenger to convey the depth of his longing for his lover
Hurry up, send a telegram, man, to my baby
Urging the messenger to expedite the process
Listen, tell me, have you got a boy you can send
Inquiring if the messenger has any male employees who can carry out the task
This is what I want him to do
Explaining the instructions he wants to convey to the potential male messenger
Put him on his bike right away
Urging the messenger to utilize a fast mode of transportation for speedy delivery
See if he can get my message through
Requesting the male messenger to try his best to deliver the message
Maybe tomorrow but mail it right away
Accepting the possibility of a delayed delivery but still urging the messenger to send the message without delay
I want the girl to know that I missed her
Reiterating his strong desire for his lover to be aware of his feelings
Something like yesterday
Asking the messenger to convey the sense of longing as if he has been missing her since the previous day
Oh western union man why don't you send a telegram
Repeating the request for effect and to encourage the messenger to act faster
Send a telegram to my baby
Stating the core request again
Send it, send it, send it, right on to my baby
Emphasizing the need for immediate action and direct delivery
Hey western union man, send a telegram, oh
Repeating the request to ensure it has been heard and acted upon
Lyrics Š BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Curtis Ousley, Luther Dixon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Keith Fuqua
on People Get Ready
Amen brothers. Get ready people