The Shirelles were an influential American girl group in the early 1960s, a… Read Full Bio ↴The Shirelles were an influential American girl group in the early 1960s, and they were the very first girl group to have a number one single on the Billboard Hot 100. The members of the quartet were Shirley Owens (who was the lead singer for the most part), Doris Coley, Beverly Lee, and Addie "Micki" Harris. The quartet formed in New Jersey in 1958, and went on to release a string of hits including "Baby It's You", "Mama Said", and the #1 Pop hits "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Soldier Boy". Their "Sha La La" became an international hit when covered by the British group Manfred Mann, and "Boys" was covered by [artsit]the Beatles (Ringo Starr singing lead).The Beatles also covered "Baby It's You" on their "Please Please Me" album. Although they had no more charting hits after 1967, the Shirelles continued recording for a small but devoted audience well into the 1970s and continued to tour and perform into the early 1980s. In 1968, Coley left the group to remarry and raise her family, and the group continued as a trio. In 1975, she returned only to replace Owens who departed to begin a solo career. On June 10, 1982, after a live concert in Atlanta, Harris succumbed to a heart attack (age 42); she was replaced by Louie Bethune. Shortly, the group went into semi-retirement, though they did accept an invitation to record backup vocals for Dionne Warwick in the late 1980s. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. On February 4, 2000, Coley lost a battle with breast cancer (age 58). The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.

Thank You Baby
The Shirelles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Thank you baby, thank you baby)
Thank you baby (thank you baby) after all the years I've been true
Waiting, crying, and standin' by you
Suddenly found myself in the cold
I feel a young heart growin' old

(Thank you baby, thank you baby)
This my thanks (thank you baby) for my love, for my time and devotion

Not a praise, not a hope for promotion
This is my thanks for years of devotion
And now I'm left with no emotion

(Thank you baby, thank you baby)
Thank you baby, if you had seen the rain in my heart
We might have had a much better start
But you were blind, had other things on your mind
No more tears, drownin' in tears

(Thank you baby, thank you baby)
Thank you baby (thank you baby) I must go on out, start anew
The next time, baby, it could happen to you
Lost love is like fallen dew
Gone and forgotten, all thanks to you

(Thank you baby, thank you baby)
Oh thank you baby (thank you baby)

Thank you baby, but everything's gonna be all right
(Thank you baby)

Overall Meaning

The Shirelles's song Thank You Baby is a poignant and heart-wrenching song that speaks of the pain of lost love and the gratitude for the years of devotion that one has given to a significant other. The song starts with the lines "Thank you baby, after all the years I've been true, waiting, crying, and standin' by you, suddenly found myself in the cold, I feel a young heart growin' old," which clearly show the singer's gratitude for the time and love they have given to their partner but also their feelings of abandonment and despair.

The second verse of the song highlights the thankfulness of the singer for the years of devotion they have given to their partner but also the lack of emotion they are left with after being left behind. The lines "This my thanks for my love, for my time and devotion, not a praise, not a hope for promotion, this is my thanks for years of devotion, and now I'm left with no emotion" show the dichotomy of being thankful for the past but also feeling empty in the present, which is a feeling many can relate to after a breakup.

The third verse speaks of regret, with the singer acknowledging that if their partner had seen the pain in their heart (represented by the rain), they might have had a better chance at making things work. However, the partner's blindness to their pain and focus on other things led to the dissolution of their relationship. The song ends with the singer thanking their partner but also moving on, showing that lost love can hurt but also lead to new beginnings.

Line by Line Meaning

Thank you baby, thank you baby
Expressing gratitude to the person addressed

Thank you baby (thank you baby) after all the years I've been true
Grateful for being faithful all these years

Waiting, crying, and standin' by you Suddenly found myself in the cold I feel a young heart growin' old
Being there for you in tough times, But now feels neglected and unloved

This my thanks (thank you baby) for my love, for my time and devotion Not a praise, not a hope for promotion This is my thanks for years of devotion And now I'm left with no emotion
Thanking for the love, time and devotion given without expecting any rewards, But now the gratitude has turned into emptiness

Thank you baby, if you had seen the rain in my heart We might have had a much better start But you were blind, had other things on your mind No more tears, drownin' in tears
If only you had known the sufferings in my heart, The relationship might have begun differently, But you were blinded by your own priorities, Now left with no more tears to cry

Thank you baby (thank you baby) I must go on out, start anew The next time, baby, it could happen to you Lost love is like fallen dew Gone and forgotten, all thanks to you
Moving on to a fresh start, Hope you realize the importance of love in your life, Love is fragile and can disappear like dew, And you are responsible for this lost love

Oh thank you baby (thank you baby) Thank you baby, but everything's gonna be all right (Thank you baby)
Repeating the gratitude, But reassuring that everything will eventually be okay

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LUTHER DIXON, BEVERLY LEE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@Finsandchrome100

12y↑1

One of my favourite tracks by the finest girl group ever. Why wasn't it a big hit? Moody lead from Shirley, and the usual unmistakeably backing from the girls. Sublime.

@timothythorne9464

I agree this is one of the Shirelles best songs. Unfortunately timing is everything, and this came out in 1964 when the British Invasion was in full swing. As a result it topped out at #62 on the charts.