The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active … Read Full Bio ↴The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia, and disco. One of Motown's signature acts, The Supremes were the most successful African-American musical act of the 1960s, recording twelve #1 hits between 1964 and 1969, many of them written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland. The crossover success of the Supremes during the mid-1960s paved the way for future black soul and R&B acts to gain mainstream audiences both in the United States and overseas.

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.

Beginning Of The End
The Supremes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tender words of love
That once came easy
Now seems strained and insincere
Could this be the beginning
The beginning of the end

You don't tell me that you love me
And your kisses seem untrue

Could this be the beginning
The beginning of the end

My heart oh, my love
My everything has always
Been just for you
Now I pray every day
Each and every day
This coldness I find is only in my mind

Now you swear
You still love me
I longer feel you need me near
Could this be the beginning
I believe it's the beginning of the end

The beginning
The beginning of the end

Overall Meaning

The Supremes' "Beginning of the End" is a soulful ballad that portrays the fading of love in a once passionate relationship. The opening lines talk about how loving words that used to come easily now feel strained and insincere. This might be because the couple has drifted apart, lost the spark that brought them together, and are now going through the motions, feeling like they are at the beginning of the end of their relationship.

Later in the song, it becomes clear that the singer is feeling unloved and undesirable. The person no longer says that they love them, and their kisses seem untrue. The singer feels like their love isn't reciprocated and that they're not desired anymore. Towards the end of the song, the singer's lover says that they still love them, but the singer no longer feels the need to be close to them. The singer truly believes that it's the beginning of the end.

This song speaks to how love can change and fade in a relationship. It illustrates how small things can cause a ripple effect, leading to the end of what was once a passionate romance.

Line by Line Meaning

Tender words of love
Affectionate expressions that once flowed easily

That once came easy
That were previously effortless

Now seems strained and insincere
Now appear forced and disingenuous

Could this be the beginning
Might this be the start

The beginning of the end
Of the end of our relationship

You don't tell me that you love me
You no longer express your love for me

And your kisses seem untrue
And your physical affection feels unauthentic

My heart oh, my love
My emotions, my darling

My everything has always
All of me has forever

Been just for you
Belonged solely to you

Now I pray every day
Now I plead daily

Each and every day
Every single day

This coldness I find is only in my mind
Perhaps the distance between us is only perceived in my thoughts

Now you swear
You now insist

You still love me
That your love remains

I longer feel you need me near
I no longer sense your desire to be close to me

Could this be the beginning
Could this latest event signal the start

I believe it's the beginning of the end
I suspect that this is the start of our romantic demise

The beginning
The start of something significant

The beginning of the end
The start of the end of our relationship

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVE HIGGS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Edgar Soberón Torchia

6y↑2

I have always loved this song since it was released. Great bass line, too.

Hammy Cats69

I agree it is my favourite DRATS songs and actually has only Mary, Cindy and guest Syreeta Wright on backing no dull Andantes. 🤩🤩

Cord Ryden / Tommy Song Club

12y↑1

I was singing the chorus to this song, in my head tonight, and I just had to find it! Great job with this!! Excellent sound, and great images! The Supremes rule!! Thanks for posting! Have a great week! Peace, Cord

Gérald Montreuil

So did I. I just had to listen to it this morning. Thinking of Putin and all the mess he is creating worldwide.
Let's pray God to help solve this nightmare with Ukraine.

Syd Hawdon

This song came into my head today, had to come along and have a listen, twice. Great song ❤️

JohnnyM Fan

4y↑1

Underappreciated. One of their all time best. Thats Mary and Cindy on this too

Hammy Cats69

4y↑1

Mary, Cindy and Syreeta, just awesome. 🤩🤩

theSUPREMEscene

12y

i'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Hammy Cats69

My favourite DRATS song by far and it is just Diana, Mary, Cindy and Syreeta Wright, and no Andantes, yay! 👍
Cindy and Mary are so audible on this, so beautiful. 🥺

By way Syreeta steps in at 1.40 - 1.43

MotownMaster

12y↑2

The Supremes & Syreeta, love this song

More Time Needed

"The Beginning of the End", features Motown artist Syreeta Wright alongside Ross and Supremes members Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong. Wright was Berry Gordy's original choice to replace Ross in the Supremes because she had a range and tone similar to Ross. However, Gordy and Supremes manager Shelly Berger decided instead to replace Ross with Jean Terrell, after seeing Terrell perform with her brother Ernie as part of their band, Ernie Terrell & the Heavyweights.

Gérald Montreuil

2y↑1

Syreeta has such a lovely voice.
Specially the hit she had on the radio .

Mark Howard

10y

this song was played over n over by my gf the day b4 i was to leave for the army in 69,it was as it turned out we split up shortly after my first leave which was only about 3 mos. later i started dating another girl so i guess she was right playing this song but i still love thanks for putting it up.

marco polo

whoa, never noticed the bass before!

Corey Sheppard

6y↑1

Very Sam Cooke-ish. Nice tune

Mason Martinez

11y

Wuv it . . . just wuv it.

GL AnnapolisTeam

8y↑2

Okay, the confusion is finally cleared up. I know they did this song as a B-side & then also recorded a song call "The Beginning of the End of Love" which is totally different. Does anyone think this song sounds a little like "Bring It On Home To Me"?

Gérald Montreuil

It was the flip side of "The Composer". I have always loved this song. Both of them.

the great stars

This song has the exact same chord changes as "BRING IT ON HOME TO ME," not to mention the same tempo and overall mood, so the latter is clearly a copy of the former. Although writers cannot usually copyright chords, this song skirts infringement only by the letter of the law because the melody isn't a duplicate of the other's melody. "THE BEGINNING OF THE END" first appeared on the album, THE CREAM OF THE CROP (1969). Ironically titled, because this was among the last Ross-Wilson-Birdsong recordings made and the beginning of the end for that trio.

Rob Gallagher

A little? Right down to the Lou Rawls-inspired "yeah"s.

oceanbound222

8y↑1

Syreeta Wright sings the prominent backup at 1:40.

Hammy Cats69

And Cindy and Mary, no Andantes, so that blows the myth of Cindy doing no recordings, I could say exactly what songs Cindy was on and it is more than people think. 🤩
This one by far my favourite. 🤩🤩

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