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.
Mother Dear
The Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mother dear the boy keeps me crying
Don't know which way to turn
Keeps me so confused
Keeps me so confused
Mother dear
'Cause for him I yearn
Keeps your daughter sad
I wish I didn't love him so
'Cause now I can't let him go
His kiss gets a little sweeter
Ooh, my heart gets a little weaker
I'm falling deeper
Deeper in love each day
I know he's no good for me
But I'm too weak to break away
Ooh, each day love gets a little stronger
Ooh, heartaches lasts a little longer
Help, help me mother dear
'Cause I can't help myself
Ooh, he treats your daughter bad
Keeps your daughter sad
So many times I've tried
Telling him we're through
But when he takes me in his arms
There's nothing I can do
Ooh, it's no use
I can't break loose
I keep love him more and more each passing day
All my love to him I give it
Without him around
I couldn't live
I need him so
And he knows it
Can't let him go
And I show it
Help, help me mother dear
I'm so in love with him
But he treats your daughter bad
Keeps your daughter sad
Help, help me mother dear
Help, help me mother dear
He keeps your daughter crying
The Supremes' "Mother Dear" is a song about the pain of being in love with someone who is no good for you. The lead singer is addressing her mother, asking for help and advice on how to deal with the situation. She is deeply in love with a man who treats her badly, and she is too weak to break free from his grip. She is crying and confused, unable to let go of her feelings for him. She wishes she didn't love him so much, but his kisses make her heart weaker and her love stronger. She knows that he is no good for her, but she is unable to break away from him, and her heartaches just get longer.
The lyrics describe the struggle of being in a toxic relationship and the powerlessness that comes with it. The lead singer is reaching out to her mother for guidance and support, but the situation seems hopeless. The song is a poignant and relatable portrayal of the pain of being in love with someone who is no good for you, and the helplessness that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Something's on my mind
There's something bothering me
Mother dear the boy keeps me crying
I can't stop crying because of the boy
Don't know which way to turn
I'm lost and confused
Keeps me so confused
I'm constantly confused
Cause for him I yearn
I have a strong desire for him
But he treats your daughter bad
He treats me badly
Keeps your daughter sad
He makes me sad
I wish I didn't love him so
I wish I didn't have such strong feelings for him
Cause now I can't let him go
Now I'm unable to break away from him
His kiss gets a little sweeter
His kisses are intoxicating
Ooh, my heart gets a little weaker
My feelings for him weaken me
I'm falling deeper
I keep falling more in love with him
Deeper in love each day
My love for him grows stronger every day
I know he's no good for me
I'm aware that he's not right for me
But I'm too weak to break away
I can't find the strength to end things with him
Heartaches lasts a little longer
The pain of heartbreak lingers
Help, help me mother dear
I need your help and support
'Cause I can't help myself
I can't do it alone
So many times I've tried
I've attempted numerous times
Telling him we're through
Breaking up with him
But when he takes me in his arms
When he embraces me
There's nothing I can do
I can't resist him
It's no use
It's pointless
I can't break loose
I can't break away from him
I keep love him more and more each passing day
My love for him continues to grow stronger
All my love to him I give it
I give all my love to him
Without him around I couldn't live
I can't imagine living without him
I need him so
I have a strong need for him
And he knows it
He's aware of my feelings
Can't let him go
I can't break up with him
And I show it
I make it known to him
I'm so in love with him
I love him so much
He keeps your daughter crying
He makes me cry
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER, BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, EDWARD, JR. HOLLAND, JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
E Z
Apparently the cameraman didn't get the memo that Gordy wanted him to focus only on the lead singer. That's why I love this video so much. You can move your eye from one girl to the other and still enjoy the entire group. That's what made The Supremes...supreme!
Roy Cobb
This is wonderful, awesome 👍👊 of the Supremes being a Dean Martin TV 📺 special!
CeeCee Tracey
this is probably before he started all of that nonsense
Jack Jules
@r jb5711 Really? But Mary and Florence aren't anybody..they are the Supremes.
Kryilic
@JACK ANTHONY same. I almost never look at her
prentiss belton
Amen
TM
I love seeing all of the original Supremes and hearing their voices. They sound so great and look so happy. 🙂
I saw them for the first time when they were known as the "No Hit Supremes" and they were fantastic!
Beautiful Mary....R.I.P.
makmelaf
I must have played this song 500 times in the last week since I discovered it. Always a Supremes fan but never heard this one before.
TONE B HURT
Always wonderful to hear the harmonies in unison!!
Pieter DeVries
Absolutely stunning. Love the steady group shot. The Supremes were so sophisticated. Crystal clear vocals. Diana's vocals are most pleasant. I just listened to the Supremes doing a song called "Come On Boy". Incredible harmonies and Diana's phrasing and vocal is similar to champagne in a crystal goblet.