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
Ridin' High
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I guess I'm at my peak (keep on ridin')
I guess I'm ridin' high (keep on ridin')
I can hardly see my feet
I got everything a fella would need
I guess most folks would envy the life I lead
But you ain't got love
I guess I'm ridin' high (keep on ridin')
Feel like I'm way up beyond the sky
All else is too slow
Get a hold if you wanna go
I raise my head and you can hear them shout
Such a comfort to know you're great, without a doubt
But you ain't got love
No, I ain't got love
Sing your song now,
Ain't got love
Woah ain't got love,
Ain't got love
Hey I'm ridin' high
Keep on ridin'
Feel like I'm way up beyond the sky
All else is too slow
Get a hold if you wanna go
I raise my head and you can hear them shout
Such a comfort to know you're great without a doubt
But you ain't got love
No, I aint got love,
Ain't got love,
Woah ain't got love,
Ain't got love
The Impressions' song "Ridin' High" explores the idea that material success and fame do not necessarily bring happiness without love. The repetitive lyrics "I guess I'm ridin' high" and "keep on ridin'" suggest the feeling of being on top of the world, but the next line "I can hardly see my feet" implies a disconnection from reality. The singer acknowledges the envy that others might feel towards their life but realizes that it is devoid of love, which makes everything else seem insignificant. The chorus reinforces this message: "But you ain't got love, no I ain't got love."
The second verse continues the themes of disconnection and dissatisfaction, with the singer feeling like everything else is too slow and urging others to get a hold if they want to come along. The line "Such a comfort to know you're great, without a doubt" highlights the ego boost that fame and success can bring but ultimately suggests that it is shallow without love. The repetition of "ain't got love" in the final lines reinforces the central message of the song.
Overall, "Ridin' High" is a commentary on fame, success, and the importance of love in making life feel meaningful. It suggests that external markers of achievement can feel hollow without a deeper connection to others.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess I'm ridin' high (keep on ridin')
I feel like I'm on top of the world and I want to keep going
I guess I'm at my peak (keep on ridin')
I think I've reached the highest point possible and I want to keep going
I can hardly see my feet
I'm so high up that I can't even see the ground anymore
I got everything a fella would need
By all material standards, I have everything I could want in life
I guess most folks would envy the life I lead
I think most people would be jealous of my life
But you ain't got love
Despite having all these things, I don't have love and that's a big problem
I guess I'm ridin' high (keep on ridin')
Again, I want to keep going because I feel like I'm at the top
Feel like I'm way up beyond the sky
I'm so high up that I feel like I'm in space
All else is too slow
Everything else in life seems slow and boring compared to this high I'm on
Get a hold if you wanna go
Come along for the ride if you want to experience this high too
I raise my head and you can hear them shout
I'm so proud of myself for being so high that others are praising me
Such a comfort to know you're great, without a doubt
It's comforting to know that I'm seen as great and successful by others
But you ain't got love
Again, despite all of this success, I don't have love and it's still a problem
Sing your song now,
Express yourself and be honest
Ain't got love
I really don't have love
Woah ain't got love,
I don't have it at all
Ain't got love
Once again, I really don't have love
Contributed by Michael N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keith Fuqua
on People Get Ready
Amen brothers. Get ready people