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
That's What Love Will Do
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hurt you so bad until you are sad and blue
Break up he or she it doesn't know the difference
That's what love, that's what love will do
That's what love will do-ooh-ooh
With your study date it makes you stay out late
Knowing darn well there's a curfew
And that's what love, that's what love will do
That's what love will do-ooh-ooh
You can count the stars every night above
There would maybe be one million or two
But it would still be less
Than [?] from love
That are playing on everyone
Including me and you
And It breaks your heart into a million pieces
Hurt you so bad until you are sad and blue
Break up he or she it doesn't know the difference
That's what love, that's what love will do
That's what love will do-ooh-ooh
Yeah baby
That's what love, that's what love will do
That's what love will do-ooh-ooh
Mmmm now
That's what love, that's what love will do
That's what love will do-ooh-ooh
Do do do do.
That's, what, love will do
That's, what, love will do
That's, what, love will do
That's
"What Love Will Do" by The Impressions is a heartbreakingly honest song about the realities of falling in love. The lyrics speak to the pain that love can bring, as it has the ability to break your heart into a million pieces and leave you feeling sad and blue. The song describes how love can make you stay out late with your study partner, going against your curfew, leading to your Ma and Pa waiting all night for you. The chorus emphasizes the hurtful nature of love, suggesting that it has no preference in who it hurts, whether you break up with him or her, that's just what love will do.
The song also points to the consuming nature of love, as it can play havoc with our emotions, leaving us vulnerable to feeling both immense joy and unbearable sadness. The lines "You can count the stars every night above, there would maybe be one million or two, but it would still be less than what you feel from love that are playing on everyone, including me and you," brilliantly capture the overwhelming feeling that love can bring, making it seem like everything else pales in comparison.
Overall, "What Love Will Do" is a moving song that speaks to the power of love, both in its ability to bring us joy and excitement, but also in its capacity to bring us pain and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
It'll break you heart into a million pieces
Love can cause such heartbreak and pain that it can shatter your heart into countless pieces
Hurt you so bad until you are sad and blue
Love can hurt you to such an extent that you feel sad and downhearted
Break up he or she it doesn't know the difference
Love can result in a break-up and it doesn't matter whether you are a 'he' or a 'she'
That's what love, that's what love will do
This is how love can affect you. It can hurt, break hearts, and result in break-ups
With your study date it makes you stay out late
Love can make you prioritize a date over other important things, like studying, and make you stay out late
Knowing darn well there's a curfew
Despite knowing that there is a curfew, love can make you want to stay out even longer
Every Ma & Pa all night they wait and wait
Parents can wait all night for their children to come home, worried about their safety and wellbeing
And that's what love, that's what love will do
This is the impact love can have on you and your family. It can cause worry and anxiety for those who care about you
You can count the stars every night above
If you were to count the stars above every night, there would be a lot, but it cannot compare to the countless ways love can impact our lives
There would maybe be one million or two
Although there are many stars in the sky, love can still impact us in millions of different ways
But it would still be less
Despite the abundance of stars, they are still not enough to match the ways that love can impact us
Than [?] from love
There are countless ways that love can impact us, even more than the stars above
That are playing on everyone
Love affects everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live. It is a universal experience
Including me and you
Even the singer is not immune to love's impact
Yeah baby
A term of endearment, expressing affection towards someone (possibly a lover or partner)
Mmmm now
An expression of enjoyment or pleasure
Do do do do.
A simple melody or tune, expressing a feeling of contentment or happiness
That's, what, love will do
This is the impact that love can have on us, and we should be aware of it
Contributed by Lauren N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keith Fuqua
on People Get Ready
Amen brothers. Get ready people