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
Minstrel And Queen
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Great expression of happiness
Boy, you could not miss with a dozen roses
Such would astound you
The joy of children laughing around you
These are the makings of you
It is true, the makings of you, oh
Please stay right by my side
Two can be one for the righteous way to go
Anyone would know
I believe I thought I told you so
You're second to none
Love of all mankind should reflect some sign
Of the words I'm trying to recite
They're close, but not quite
Almost impossible to do
Describing the makings of you
The Impressions's song Minstrel And Queen is a soulful ode to the beauty inherent in the world around us. The opening lines of the song, "A little sugar, honeysuckle lamb / Great expression of happiness," evoke the simple pleasures of life and how they can bring us joy. The song then goes on to describe the power of love and how it can transform us, with the lines, "Two can be one for the righteous way to go / Anyone would know / I believe I thought I told you so / You're second to none." The song celebrates the idea that love can bring people together, and that together we can achieve great things.
The chorus of the song, "These are the makings of you / It is true, the makings of you, oh," reflects on the idea that we are all made up of the experiences and people around us. The song reminds us to appreciate the good things in life, like the sound of children laughing or the beauty of a dozen roses, as they all contribute to who we are. The final lines of the song, "Describing the makings of you," capture the idea that words can never fully capture the complexity of human experience, but that through music and art we can come close.
Overall, The Impressions's song Minstrel And Queen is a beautiful celebration of life and love. The song encourages us to appreciate the simple things, to love one another, and to recognize that we are all connected.
Line by Line Meaning
A little sugar, honeysuckle lamb
This line expresses a great amount of happiness.
Boy, you could not miss with a dozen roses
Getting a dozen roses is an amazing experience that cannot be overlooked.
Such would astound you
The feeling that getting a dozen roses brings is simply out of this world and would leave you amazed.
The joy of children laughing around you
The happiness that comes from the sound of children's laughter is priceless.
These are the makings of you
All these experiences add up to create who you are as a person.
It is true, the makings of you, oh
Indeed, all these positive experiences are what make you the unique person that you are.
It's been a miracle for what you've done
What you've accomplished in life is nothing sort of a miracle.
Please stay right by my side
I need you close to me always.
Two can be one for the righteous way to go
When two people become a team, there is a righteous way to live life that they can embark together.
Anyone would know
This is a universally accepted fact.
I believe I thought I told you so
I think I may have mentioned this to you before.
You're second to none
You are the best of the best and nobody can top you.
Love of all mankind should reflect some sign
If you truly love everyone around you, it should reflect in your actions and demeanor.
Of the words I'm trying to recite
I'm trying to adequately express these feelings through my words.
They're close, but not quite
I'm getting close to conveying the right message, but not quite there yet.
Almost impossible to do
It's very difficult to truly express the exact nature of these experiences with words.
Describing the makings of you
Trying to describe what you're made of, or the experiences that have shaped you into the person you are, is virtually impossible.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mariogardiner6747
This is one of the best writer in black SOULS.
RIP CURTIS MAYFIELD.
@levanmoore9588
Curtis Mayfield I feel is so underrated a master story teller
@deacontheseer4804
Curtis is the GOAT!
@doopdapps1088
"DITTO" ❤
@faustinataylor5087
Big up on All OUR brothers and sisters who provided US WITH OUR OWN PERSONAL SOUNDTRACKS OF LIFE.
@linniewilson9754
CURTIS U MADE ME FEEL AS IF U WERE SINGING THIS SONG TO ME, THANKS! STILL DIGGING IT AT AGE 73!👩😥
@shen6088
Haven't heard this song in years until watching the Breeze Vintage country show. Great Song.
@lendrury2771
I always loved the haunting quality of the impressions music very unusual melodies and curtis's soaring vocals
@jamesbirkin1365
Big up Curtis Mayfield, the template for so many great Jamaican reggae singers, especially with this song, covered by the Techniques for Duke Reid. Slim Smith, Cornell Campbell and more modeled their falsetto vocals on that style.
@michaelcalderon2240
Dennis brown lead me here lol. Also check out the version by Heavy D it's really good!
Peace bro ✌🏽