Formed in 1963 in Birmingham after the Welsh guitarist Spencer Davis encountered vocalist and organist Steve Winwood (then aged 14 and still at school), and his bass playing brother Muff Winwood performing at a pub, the Golden Eagle, as the Muff Woody Jazz Band. He recruited them and Pete York on drums to form the Rhythm and Blues Quartette, which performed regularly in the city. In 1964, they signed their first recording contract after Chris Blackwell of Island Records saw them at an appearance in a local club; Blackwell also became their producer.
The group's first professional recording was a cover version of Dimples, but they came to success at the end of 1965 with Keep on Running, the group's first number one single. In 1966 they followed this with Somebody Help Me and When I Come Home. For the German market the group released "Det war in Schöneberg, im Monat Mai" and "Mädel ruck ruck ruck an meine grüne Seite" (the first is from a 1913 Berlin operetta, the second is a Swabian traditional) as a tribute single for that audience, Spencer Davis having studied in West Berlin in the early 1960s.
By the end of 1966 and the beginning of 1967, the group released two more hits, Gimme Some Lovin' (which was re-released in a live, nine-minute version by Steve Winwood's Traffic in 1971) and I'm A Man. These tracks proved to be their two best-known successes, especially in the U.S.
In 1967, Winwood left to form Traffic; his brother Muff moved into the music industry as A&R man at Island Records. In a so-called joint venture, the soundtrack to the film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush featured both the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic.
Despite the Winwoods' departure, the Spencer Davis Group continued performing and released more singles, though not repeating earlier successes. These included Time Seller in July 1967; the b-side, Don't Want You No More, also received radio airplay.
This was followed by "Mr. Second-Class" in late 1967, which was heavily played on Radio Caroline (at that time one of the two remaining pirate radio ships off the British coast) and the group's last minor hit, "After Tea", in 1968. The latter song was released at the same time by the German band The Rattles, providing competition that led finally to a temporary stop to all activities of the band. Davis continued working, however, producing some jazz-oriented albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Although short-lived, The Spencer Davis Group - particularly its incarnation with Steve Winwood - was influential, with many of the band's songs covered by other artists over the years. Notable among these are Chicago's 1969 version of "I'm a Man," The Allman Brothers Band's 1969 take of "Don't Want You No More," Three Dog Night's 1970 recording of "Can't Get Enough of It," and The Blues Brothers' 1980 recording of "Gimme Some Lovin'."
I Can't Stand It
The Spencer Davis Group Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you get all the love
I can't stand the pain of life
I can't even stand the shock.
But when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand itI can't stand it
When you stand close to me
You makes me kind of weak
And when you hold me tight
My poor heart skips a beat
And when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand it
When you're standin' close to me
You make me kinda weak
And when you hold me tight
My poor heart skips a beat
And when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand it
The lyrics to "I Can't Stand It" by The Spencer Davis Group are an expression of the pain of love that one experiences when they are in love with someone but feel uncertain about their commitment to them. The singer sings about their inability to stand the pain of love or life, but the unbearable feeling of possible separation is what they cannot tolerate. They feel weak and vulnerable when the person they love stands close to them and their heart beats faster when they hold them tight.
However, the lyrics indicate that the thing that truly terrifies the singer is the possibility that the person they love will leave them someday. This fear causes them more pain than anything else, and they cannot stand the thought of separation. The repetition of the refrain "I can't stand it" emphasizes the singer's deep-rooted frustration and agony over their emotions.
Overall, "I Can't Stand It" explores the universal theme of love and commitment and how it can cause intense pain and fear. The lyrics express the singer's vulnerability and the powerlessness of love to control their emotions, ultimately revealing the depth of their love for the other person.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't stand the pain of love
The emotional distress caused by love is unbearable for me
When you get all the love
I can't stand it when all the love is given to someone else instead of me
I can't stand the pain of life
The hardships of life are too much for me to handle
I can't even stand the shock.
The shock of losing love or experiencing distress is too much for me to bear
But when I hear you say That you will go away And leave me someday
The thought of losing you is unbearable for me
I can't stand it
I cannot continue to bear this emotional pain
When you stand close to me You makes me kind of weak
Your close proximity has a profound effect on my emotions and makes me feel vulnerable
And when you hold me tight My poor heart skips a beat
Your embrace has a physical and emotional effect on me, leaving me breathless and filled with emotion
And when I hear you say That you will go away And leave me someday
The thought of losing you is unbearable for me
I can't stand it
I cannot continue to bear this emotional pain
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: LOU REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rickmartin5132
RIP Spencer Davis....Marquee Club fan. thanks for the music.
@keithrandall1492
The opening song of the night when I first saw them on this day in 1964, . I can still see and hear it. It was Steve's 16th birthday
@SylentEcho
First Spencer Davis goes, then Chad Stuart, then Gerry Marsden. :( All in a span of two months.
R.I.P
@polaroyds
Stevie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@monkimusic4813
soul sisters ....
@13towerofpower
I CAN´T STAND IT prvý hit skupiny SPENCER DAVIS GROUP, ktorý bol v UK rebríčku tri týždne od 5. novembra 1964 a obsadil 47.m. Bola to cover verzia piesne amerického R and B dua Soul Sisters z Harlemu, ktoré tvorili Theresia Cleveland a Ann Gissendanner a ktorá ako ich prvá pieseň skončila na jar 1964 v rebríčku Billboardu na 46.m.