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.
Back In My Arms Again
The Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All day long, I hear my telephone ring
Friends calling giving their advice
From the boy I love, I should break away
'Cause heartaches, he'll bring one day
I lost him once through friends' advice
'Cause all advice ever gotten me
Was really long and sleepless nights
(Oooooh!)
But now, he's back in my arms again
Right by my side
I got him back in my arms again
So satisfied
(Oooooh!)
It's easy for friends to say let him go
But I'm the one who needs him so
It's his love that makes me strong
Without him, I can't go on
This time, I'll live my life at ease
Being happy loving whom I please
And each time we make romance,
I'll be thankful for a second chance
(Oooooh!)
'Cause he's back in my arms again
Right by my side
I got him back in my arms again
So satisfied
(Oooooh!)
How can Mary tell me what to do
When she lost her love so true?
And Flo, she don't know
'Cause the boy she loves is a Romeo
I listened once to my friends' advice
But it's not gonna happen twice
'Cause all advice ever gotten me
Was really long and sleepless nights
(Oooooh!)
I got him back in my arms again
Right by my side
I got him back in my arms again
So satisfied
(Oooooh!)
I'm satisfied
So satisfied, I'm satisfied
I'm satisfied, so satisfied
The Supremes' song "Back in My Arms Again" narrates the story of a woman who has returned to her lover's arms after listening to the unsolicited advice of her friends. The song starts with the singer receiving calls from her friends, who are giving her advice to break away from the boy she loves because she will eventually get hurt. The singer explains that she had lost the boy before by following her friends' advice, and she wouldn't make the same mistake again. She narrates how their advice had only caused her sleepless nights.
The singer expresses that she needs her lover and his love makes her strong. She decides to live her life as she pleases and be thankful for the second chance. She is happy and satisfied to have her lover back in her arms. The singer then questions her friends and argues that they can't tell her what to do when they couldn't hold onto their own relationships.
The song's lyrics portray a common theme in love relationships, where friends and outside parties offer unsolicited advice that often leads to relationship problems. Besides, the song's upbeat and catchy melody stands out and is widely celebrated among Motown fans, and it cemented The Supremes as a top Motown act.
Line by Line Meaning
All day long, I hear my telephone ring
All day long, my telephone won't stop ringing as my friends call me to give me their advice.
Friends calling giving their advice
My friends are calling me to give me their advice.
From the boy I love, I should break away
My friends tell me that I should break away from the boy I love.
'Cause heartaches, he'll bring one day
They caution me because they believe that someday he will only cause me heartache.
I lost him once through friends' advice
I already lost him once when I heeded my friends' advice.
But it's not gonna happen twice
I am resolved that it won't happen again.
'Cause all advice ever gotten me
All the advice I've ever gotten from my friends
Was really long and sleepless nights
Only resulted in long and sleepless nights.
But now, he's back in my arms again
Now, he's back in my arms again.
Right by my side
He's with me now.
I got him back in my arms again
I once again have him in my arms.
So satisfied
I am content.
It's easy for friends to say let him go
It's easy for my friends to tell me to let him go.
But I'm the one who needs him so
But I'm the one who needs him the most.
It's his love that makes me strong
It's his love that gives me strength.
Without him, I can't go on
Without him, I can't continue.
This time, I'll live my life at ease
This time, I'll live my life with ease.
Being happy loving whom I please
I'll be happy to love whoever I choose.
And each time we make romance,
And each time we make love,
I'll be thankful for a second chance
I'll always be grateful for the second chance.
How can Mary tell me what to do
How can Mary tell me what to do?
When she lost her love so true?
Especially since she lost her own true love?
And Flo, she don't know
Flo doesn't have a clue.
'Cause the boy she loves is a Romeo
Because the boy she loves is a romantic slayer.
I listened once to my friends' advice
I once listened to my friends' advice.
But it's not gonna happen twice
But I am certain that it won't happen again.
I got him back in my arms again
Now, I have him back with me once again.
I'm satisfied
I am more than content.
So satisfied, I'm satisfied
I am so content, I am contented twice.
I'm satisfied, so satisfied
I am content and nothing else.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Herbert Dozier, Brian Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Domonique Ayers
THE SUPREMES AT THE TOP
WITH A NUMBER OF GREAT HITS
MOSTLY WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY HOLLAND DOZIER HOLLAND,
ASHFORD AND SIMPSON AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN ALSO SMOKEY ROBINSON AS WELL.
THIS GENUINE CLASSIC ALSO
REMINDS ME MR. J.
fluxman41
Motown was such a great gift to the country. Priceless cultural genius.
Linda Easley
Barry Gordy and Motown ,by design brought black artists front and center to white America music listening.
The Supremes to this day are still considered the most successful American group . They had a string of 5 consecutive #1 hits on US pop chart alone from 1964-1965 and 12 total from '64 to '69
The Supremes were soulful pop and all their songs were very danceable to
Edgar Bazán
To the country? To the world!! ❤
Greetings from Perú!!
joseph costello
No it was is and always be a gift to the world.
Vincent Robinson
O YEAH
David Anderson
I'm still listing in 2022 from the 60s and still can't stop dancing
steve stroh
Always been one of my favorite songs of theirs, I didn’t even realize until now that Flo and Mary were in the song and in the Supremes. Never put two and two together. If this song doesn’t make you move, you might be dead.
tricky59
Playing this as loud as possible and it's 1965 again, I can remember playing this over and over again when I first bought it. What a great record. Jamerson's driving bass is fantastic. Timeless classic.
Robert Johnson
I bought that 45 when it first came out. Played it thousands of times...still sounds great. Motown 45;s are indestructible.
Richard Lloyd
@Robert Johnson I hope you didn't sell your soul to the devil to buy it.