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
Nothing Can Stop Me
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So bad do I feel inside
Get my hat, I'm checkin' out
'Cause it was you who really hurt my pride
So I'd expected you'd shot me down (down)
With all the fellas standin' around, yeah
Please don't go
Please don't go
But I'm not playin'
Nothin' gonna stop me (stop me)
Nothing can stop me (stop me)
Though you and I, was pretty close
I'm callin' it quits girl
Though it was you I really dug the most
You made me feel like I was two feet tall (tall)
While all the others laughed and they squalled, yeah
Please don't go
That's what you'll be staying
Please don't go
But I'm not playin'
Nothin' gonna stop me (stop me)
Don't mind me having the blues
For you've made me lose my cool
The fellas on the scene
They treat me so cold and you so mean
Nothing gonna stop me (stop me)
So bad do I feel inside
Get my hat, I'm checkin' out
'Cause it was you who really hurt my pride
So I'd expected you'd shot me down (down)
With the fellas standin' around, yeah
Please don't go
That's what you'll be saying
Please don't go
But I'm not playin'
Nothin' gonna stop me (stop me)
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
The Impressions’ song Nothing Can Stop Me is a soulful track about a man who has been hurt by someone he loves deeply, but he is determined not to let it get to him. The song opens with the lines, “Nothing can stop me (stop me)/So bad do I feel inside/Get my hat, I'm checkin' out/Cause it was you who really hurt my pride.” The lyrics suggest that the man is brokenhearted, but he refuses to let it defeat him, instead choosing to walk away from the situation. He goes on to say that he “expected [her] to shoot [him] down” with the men standing around her, implying that she has not been faithful.
As the song progresses, the man begins to talk about the end of the relationship. He says: “You made me feel like I was two feet tall (tall)/While all the others laughed and they squalled, yeah.” The woman he loves has made him feel worthless in front of his friends, and he is fed up. Despite this, he is resolute and determined to move on: “Nothing gonna stop me (stop me)/So bad do I feel inside/Get my hat, I'm checkin' out/Cause it was you who really hurt my pride.”
Overall, the lyrics of Nothing Can Stop Me paint a picture of a man who has been hurt but refuses to be defeated. While he acknowledges his pain, he is determined to move on and not let it consume him. The song is a classic example of the soulful sound that The Impressions were known for, and remains a popular track to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothing can stop me (stop me)
I'm determined to move forward and no obstacle or person can hold me back.
So bad do I feel inside
I feel terrible emotionally because of what you did.
Get my hat, I'm checkin' out
I'm leaving this situation and moving on.
'Cause it was you who really hurt my pride
You specifically made me feel embarrassed and ashamed.
So I'd expected you'd shot me down (down)
I anticipated that you would reject me or put me in a negative light.
With all the fellas standin' around, yeah
Other people witnessed your hurtful behavior.
Please don't go
That's what you'll be saying
Please don't go
But I'm not playin'
You'll express regret and beg for me to stay, but I won't change my mind.
Nothing can stop me (stop me)
Though you and I, was pretty close
Our relationship was valuable, but I'm still moving forward.
I'm callin' it quits girl
Though it was you I really dug the most
I'm ending things even though I had strong feelings for you.
You made me feel like I was two feet tall (tall)
While all the others laughed and they squalled, yeah
You made me feel small and foolish, while others mocked me and found it amusing.
Don't mind me having the blues
For you've made me lose my cool
The fellas on the scene
They treat me so cold and you so mean
I'm feeling sad because of your actions, and the others around me are treating me coldly because of what you did.
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
Repeating a catchy chorus to reiterate my determination to move forward despite obstacles and hurtful people.
Contributed by Charlotte H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keith Fuqua
on People Get Ready
Amen brothers. Get ready people