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
Never Let Me Go
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Which one would you choose, my brothers?
If there was no day or night
Which would you prefer to be right?
How long have you hated your white teacher?
Who told you, you love your black preacher?
Do you respect your brother's woman friend
People must prove to the people
A better day is coming for you and for me
With just a little bit more education
And love for our nation would make a better society
Now some of us would rather cuss and make a fuss
Than to bring about a little trust
But we shall overcome our beliefs someday
If you'll only listen to what I have to say
And how long have you hated your white teacher?
Who told you, you love your black preacher?
Can you respect your brother's woman friend
And share with black folks not of kin?
I said, "Now people must prove to the people
A better day is coming for you and for me
With just a little bit more education
And love for our nation would make a better society"
And if you had a choice of colors
Which one would you choose, my brothers?
If there was no day or night
Which would you prefer to be right?
And if you had a choice of colors
Which one would you choose, my brothers?
If there was no day or night
Which would you prefer to be right?
The Impressions’ song Never Let Me Go is a powerful and thought-provoking ballad with lyrics that address issues of racism, prejudice, and social inequality. The song begins with a series of rhetorical questions that challenge the listener to consider their own biases and prejudices. The question “If you had a choice of color / Which one would you choose, my brothers?” highlights the absurdity of racism by forcing the listener to confront the idea that skin color should have any impact on our views of others. Similarly, the question “How long have you hated your white teacher?” implies that the listener’s prejudice is learned rather than innate.
The song goes on to suggest that education and love are the keys to overcoming prejudice and building a better society. The line “People must prove to the people / A better day is coming for you and for me” suggests that progress must come from the ground up, with ordinary people working together to build a better future for all. The final line of the song, which repeats the earlier questions about color and day and night, reinforces the idea that our differences are ultimately insignificant when compared to the things that unite us.
Line by Line Meaning
If you had a choice of color
If you had to choose one color over another
Which one would you choose, my brothers?
Which color would you choose, fellow people?
If there was no day or night
If we lived in a world without the concept of day and night
Which would you prefer to be right?
Which side (day or night) would you choose to be on?
How long have you hated your white teacher?
For how long have you had negative feelings towards your white teacher?
Who told you, you love your black preacher?
Who gave you the message that you should love your black preacher?
Do you respect your brother's woman friend
Do you show respect towards your brother's female friend?
And share with black folks not of kin?
Do you share with Black people who are not your family?
People must prove to the people
It is up to us as people to prove to each other
A better day is coming for you and for me
A better future awaits us all
With just a little bit more education
By gaining a little more understanding
And love for our nation would make a better society
And by loving our country, we can make it a better place for everyone
Now some of us would rather cuss and make a fuss
Some people would rather argue and fight
Than to bring about a little trust
Than to work towards building trust
But we shall overcome our beliefs someday
However, we will eventually overcome our differences
If you'll only listen to what I have to say
But we need to listen to each other
And how long have you hated your white teacher?
For how long have you held resentment towards your white teacher?
Who told you, you love your black preacher?
Who spread the message that you should love your black preacher?
Can you respect your brother's woman friend
Are you willing to show respect to your brother's female friend?
And share with black folks not of kin?
And share with Black people who are not your family?
I said, "Now people must prove to the people
I reiterate that we as people need to prove to each other
A better day is coming for you and for me
A brighter future is in store for us all
With just a little bit more education
By just gaining a little bit more knowledge
And love for our nation would make a better society"
And loving our nation would contribute to a society that is better for everyone
And if you had a choice of colors
And if you had to pick one color over another
Which one would you choose, my brothers?
Which color would you choose, fellow people?
If there was no day or night
If we lived in a world without the concept of day and night
Which would you prefer to be right?
Which side (day or night) would you choose to be on?
And if you had a choice of colors
And if you had to pick one color over another
Which one would you choose, my brothers?
Which color would you choose, fellow people?
If there was no day or night
If we lived in a world without the concept of day and night
Which would you prefer to be right?
Which side (day or night) would you choose to be on?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Joseph W. Scott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Keith Fuqua
on People Get Ready
Amen brothers. Get ready people