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
She Don't Love Me
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She don't love me
I work hard on the line
And bring my pay to my darling wife
Everybody but me they all know
She been goin' with a cat named Joe
She don't love me
His buddy hit me with the sound, (woah ho)
Of how it all been goin' down
Say water burnin' and it pours from my eyes
But nothin' like the pain when I realise
She don't love me
She don't love me
Hey! hey! I begin to shout
I said woman you got ta get out
I was so mad when she got on the bus
Back in my mind I began to cuss
Woah, you don't love
She don't love me
Somethin' wrong here
Wow! Somethin' be wrong here
How did I know
She don't love me.....
The Impressions' song "She Don't Love Me" is a heartbreaking tune about a man who discovers that his wife is cheating on him. He works hard for his money and gives it to his wife, but little does he know that she has been involved with a man named Joe. The man finds out about the infidelity from his friend, and the news is so shocking that he can't help but cry. He is devastated by the realization that his wife doesn't love him.
The song is a classic example of the soulful, slow-burning ballads of the 60s. The lyrics are simple but effective, and the melody is hauntingly beautiful. The lead vocals of Curtis Mayfield are filled with emotion, and the harmonies of the backing singers add to the poignancy of the song. The refrain "She don't love me" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the heartache and pain that the man is experiencing.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written and produced by Curtis Mayfield, who was the lead singer of The Impressions. Mayfield was a prolific songwriter and producer in the 60s and 70s and was known for his socially conscious lyrics and soulful melodies. Another interesting fact is that the song was released in 1961, which was a time when soul music was just beginning to emerge as a popular genre. The Impressions were one of the pioneering groups in soul music, and their music had a major influence on the development of the genre.
Another interesting fact about the song is that it was covered by The Beatles during their early years. The Beatles were heavily influenced by American soul music and often covered songs by artists like The Impressions, as well as other soul greats like James Brown and Ray Charles. The Beatles' version of "She Don't Love Me" was never released officially, but bootleg recordings of the song exist.
Chords:
The chords for "She Don't Love Me" are C, Dm, F, and G. The song has a slow 4/4 time signature and a simple chord progression that repeats throughout the song. The key of the song is C minor.
Line by Line Meaning
She don't love me
The singer realizes that his wife doesn't love him anymore.
She don't love me
The singer repeats that his wife doesn't love him anymore.
I work hard on the line
The singer works hard at his job in order to provide for his wife and himself.
And bring my pay to my darling wife
The singer brings his hard-earned pay home to his wife, whom he loves deeply.
Everybody but me they all know
Everyone except for the singer himself knows that his wife has been seeing another man.
She been goin' with a cat named Joe
The singer's wife has been having an affair with a man named Joe.
His buddy hit me with the sound, (woah ho)
The singer's friend tells him the truth about his wife's infidelity.
Of how it all been goin' down
The friend tells the singer about the details of his wife's affair with Joe.
Say water burnin' and it pours from my eyes
The singer cries tears of pain and sadness when he hears about his wife's betrayal.
But nothin' like the pain when I realise
The pain of realizing that his wife doesn't love him anymore is worse than the pain of hearing about her affair.
Hey! hey! I begin to shout
The singer starts to shout at his wife, expressing his anger and frustration.
I said woman you got ta get out
The singer tells his wife to leave him and their home.
I was so mad when she got on the bus
The singer is angry when his wife leaves on a bus, feeling betrayed and hurt.
Back in my mind I began to cuss
The singer is angry and frustrated, and starts to curse in his mind.
Woah, you don't love
The singer repeats that his wife doesn't love him anymore, emphasizing his pain and sadness.
She don't love me
The singer repeats that his wife doesn't love him anymore, continuing to express his heartache.
Somethin' wrong here
The singer realizes that something is not right in his marriage.
Wow! Somethin' be wrong here
The singer emphasizes that something is definitely wrong in his relationship.
How did I know
The singer wonders how he didn't see the signs that his wife was unhappy and cheating.
She don't love me.....
The singer repeats once more that his wife doesn't love him anymore, expressing his heartbreak and loss.
Contributed by Abigail Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keith Fuqua
on People Get Ready
Amen brothers. Get ready people