Founded in Detroit, Michigan, United States in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes. Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in the mid-1960s with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1967, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Ross left the group for a solo career in 1970, and was replaced by Jean Terrell. After 1972, the lineup of the Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977.
Ask Any Girl
The Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a feeling that's hard to hide
But you don't seem to understand why
When I'm alone, I sit and cry
Ask any girl who's often left alone all by herself
Neglectfully pushed aside, set aside like a doll on a shelf
Just ask any girl, ooh, and you'll understand why
Ask any girl who knows the fear of losing someone dear
And she'll say the same thing, it hurts you deep, makes it hard to sleep
Don't take my word, ask any girl, then you'll understand why
I sit and cry
(La la la, la la la la la la la la, la la la, la la la)
Ask any girl who receives no loving affection
And she'll feel as I feel, it's heartaches by the number
Many nights without slumber
Ask any girl, ooh, and then you'll know why
I sit and cry
I sit and cry
The Supremes's song Ask Any Girl is a poignant and emotional ballad about being hurt by someone you love and feeling misunderstood. The lyrics speak to a common human experience of feeling neglected, set aside, and unloved. The first verse opens with the lines, "Being hurt by the one you love, it's a feeling that's hard to hide, but you don't seem to understand why, when I'm alone, I sit and cry." These lines capture the emotional turmoil of feeling hurt by a loved one and not being able to express that pain or have it acknowledged.
The chorus of the song is a plea to ask any girl who has experienced similar pain and heartache, and they will understand why the singer is sitting alone and crying. The lines, "Ask any girl who's often left alone all by herself, neglectfully pushed aside, set aside like a doll on a shelf, just ask any girl, ooh, and you'll understand why I sit and cry," highlight the isolation and despair that can come from feeling unloved and neglected. The next verse continues this theme, with the lines, "Ask any girl who knows the fear of losing someone dear, and she'll say the same thing, it hurts you deep, makes it hard to sleep, don't take my word, ask any girl, then you'll understand why I sit and cry." These lines speak to the universal fear of losing someone you love and the deep pain and grief that can come with that loss.
Overall, Ask Any Girl is a powerful and emotional song that speaks to the human experience of love, loss, and heartache. The lyrics are deeply relatable and capture the feelings of isolation and despair that can come from feeling unloved and neglected.
Line by Line Meaning
Being hurt by the one you love
Experiencing emotional pain when someone you love causes it
It's a feeling that's hard to hide
The pain is difficult to conceal from others
But you don't seem to understand why
The person causing the pain may not realize the extent of it
When I'm alone, I sit and cry
The pain is so overwhelming that the person cries when alone
Ask any girl who's often left alone all by herself
Women who are frequently disregarded and isolated understand this feeling well
Neglectfully pushed aside, set aside like a doll on a shelf
Women are often treated as objects and their feelings disregarded
Just ask any girl, ooh, and you'll understand why
Talking to other women can help one understand the shared experience of being undervalued
Ask any girl who knows the fear of losing someone dear
Women who have experienced the pain of a loved one leaving can relate to this feeling
And she'll say the same thing, it hurts you deep, makes it hard to sleep
The emotional pain is profound and can impact one's mental or physical health
Don't take my word, ask any girl, then you'll understand why
Looking to others for shared experiences can help one understand the depth of the pain
(La la la, la la la la la la la la, la la la, la la la)
N/A
Ask any girl who receives no loving affection
Women who are unloved and uncared for have experienced deep pain
And she'll feel as I feel, it's heartaches by the number
The pain is frequent and overwhelming
Many nights without slumber
The pain can impact sleep and cause insomnia
Ask any girl, ooh, and then you'll know why
Other women understand this pain and can offer sympathy and support
I sit and cry
The depth of the pain is so intense that crying is the only release
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kenstubrick634
I have been a fan ever since the Supremes hit the charts in the 60's and their music continues and will always stand the test of time. Best group ever!
@lesliesmith9155
I'm a 67 year old man and I love the supremes
@geraldrembert8321
Flo was my favorite Supreme. Very attractive young lady. In all of the Supremes songs you can always hear Flo. RIP Sweetheart. You are missed. And I still got that crush. Hehehehe.
@divinewilliams3055
flo was the heart and soul of the supremes. was never the same without her
@LoveTheKay
@@divinewilliams3055 totally agree
@abbiedavis938
My mama always love the Supreme music. My mama and her friends use to go to their concerts and has gone to Ms.Diana Ross concert , a great performance she gives. All their songs are great !!! God bless.
@aintnothingliketheoldskool
One of my favorite songs of the lovely supremes and it's good to hear Mary and Florence's beautiful voices.
@Lurkalicious
I’m 36 and fell in love with The Supremes for the first in the mid 90’s from playing my dads records. It was a blue album cover with a painting of them. Diana was at the end, I immediately fell in love. She looked so different. I figured out she was the lead singer pretty quickly. I love these ladies.
@primadonna4535
I only heard this song in 2022 - pushed aside set aside like a doll
@scarsdale22
Ask anyone…. This is a Supreme song!