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
Seven Years
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You became my loving friend
Never forget that wonderful day
Twas early spring the first of May
Everybody was so alarmed
Though I never meant you no harm
I was just so in love with you
And I thought you loved me too
Seven years now I find
It was just a waste of time
Oh it's been so long
And I'm yet to take you home
You stand there, undecided
While your friends keep us divided
You're like a lost long freight
And no longer shall I wait
I find it isn't fair
When there's only one who'll care
Should have been gone away so long
But I'm still here hangin' on
Seven years here an advice
And there's nothing yet precise
I got the girl I waited for
She's just a wife and nothing more
I hate the sound call of my name
What a shame who can I blame
I was just so in love with you
And I thought you loved me too
Seven years now I find
It was just a waste of time
Woo ooh ooh ooh ooh
Seven years, seven years
I cried a lotta tears
Having hard time, hard time
The Impressions’ song “Seven Years” tells a story of a love that only lasted for seven years. The singer recounts how their relationship started out strong, and though they were warned to be careful, they were in love and didn’t want to listen. They believed that they had found their forever person, but as time wore on, it became clear that there were obstacles standing in the way of their happily ever after. Friends and family seemed to have their reservations, and the singer was left waiting and hoping that things would get better. But in the end, they realize that it was all a waste of time – their love just wasn’t meant to be.
The lyrics in this song are infused with a sense of regret and longing. The singer seems to be looking back on their relationship with a bittersweet mix of nostalgia and sadness. They remember the early days when they thought they had found the one, and they can’t help but wonder what might have been if things had turned out differently. But ultimately, they recognize that it’s time to let go and move on.
One interesting aspect of “Seven Years” is the use of the number seven as a motif throughout the song. It appears in the title, of course, but also in the reference to “seven years” in the lyrics themselves. This repetition creates a sense of structure and symmetry that mirrors the cyclical nature of relationships – the highs and lows, the beginnings and endings. Additionally, the song’s chorus features a catchy vocal riff that’s repeated several times, adding to the song’s overall sense of nostalgia.
Line by Line Meaning
Seven years remember when
Reflecting back on seven years ago when we first met
You became my loving friend
You became someone I deeply cared for and wanted to spend time with
Never forget that wonderful day
The day we met was truly special and will always be remembered
Twas early spring the first of May
It was a beautiful spring day when we first met
Everybody was so alarmed
People were concerned about our relationship
Though I never meant you no harm
Despite others' concerns, I had no intention of hurting you
I was just so in love with you
I had genuine feelings of love for you
And I thought you loved me too
I believed you felt the same way about me
Seven years now I find
After spending so much time together, I've come to realize
It was just a waste of time
Our relationship didn't amount to anything and was ultimately a waste of time
And I'm yet to take you home
I still haven't been able to fully commit and take you home to meet my family
You stand there, undecided
You're hesitant and unsure about our relationship
While your friends keep us divided
Your friends are influencing your decisions and driving us apart
You're like a lost long freight
You're lost and unsure of where you're headed
And no longer shall I wait
I've waited long enough, and I'm not willing to wait any longer
I find it isn't fair
It's unfair for me to be the only one putting in effort towards our relationship
When there's only one who'll care
Despite my feelings, I'm the only one who seems to care about making things work
Should have been gone away so long
I should have moved on from this relationship a long time ago
But I'm still here hangin' on
Despite everything, I'm still holding on to the hope that things might work out
Seven years here an advice
After seven years, here's some advice
And there's nothing yet precise
There's still no clear direction for our relationship
I got the girl I waited for
I finally got the girl I had been waiting for
She's just a wife and nothing more
However, now that we're married, our relationship is lacking the depth and connection I had hoped for
I hate the sound call of my name
The sound of my name reminds me of my failures and regret in this relationship
What a shame who can I blame
It's a shame that things turned out the way they did, and there's no one to blame but myself
I was just so in love with you
Once again, expressing how deeply I felt for you
And I thought you loved me too
Yet again, expressing my belief that you felt the same way about me
Seven years now I find
After all this time, I've come to realize
It was just a waste of time
That our relationship ultimately amounted to nothing and was indeed a waste of time
Seven years, seven years
Repeating how much time we've spent together
I cried a lotta tears
Throughout our relationship, there were many tears shed and emotional moments
Having hard time, hard time
Our relationship was full of struggles and difficulties
Contributed by Parker Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keith Fuqua
on People Get Ready
Amen brothers. Get ready people