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.

Mr. Blues
The Supremes Lyrics

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Mr. Blues
You are my only companion
Since my baby's gone

Hey, Mr. Blues
You are my lonely companion
Since my baby's gone

How I wish you would go
Away and leave me
Oh, yeah
But I know if you do
I'll be all alone

'Cause you're the only guy
In this whole wide world
That I can call my own

Hey, Mr. Blues
Why did I take you and stay with me
But you've been here every day with me
Since my baby's gone

Oh, Mr. Blues
Although I don't want to hurt you
I know I have to desert you
If my baby comes
If my baby comes
If my baby comes

Hey, Mr. Blues

Overall Meaning

The Supremes' song "Mr. Blues" is a moving ballad that speaks to the familiar theme of heartbreak and loneliness. In this song, the singer sings to Mr. Blues, who is her only companion since her baby has left. She tells Mr. Blues how much she wishes he would go away and leave her alone, but she knows she will be all alone if he does. Mr. Blues is the only guy she can call her own in the entire world, and she admits that she has taken him and stayed with him every day since her baby left her.

The song conveys the pain that the singer feels every day as she struggles with her loneliness. She turns to Mr. Blues as a means of support, but at the same time, she resents him for being there. She wishes she could be free of him, but she knows she needs him too. At the end of the song, she admits that, although she doesn't want to hurt Mr. Blues, she knows she will have to desert him if her baby ever comes back. The song is a poignant reminder of the emotional struggles that come with heartbreak and losing a loved one.

Overall, "Mr. Blues" is a beautifully written song with deep meaning and heartfelt emotion that many people can relate to. The Supremes' poignant lyrics and harmonious vocals make this a classic song that will always be remembered and cherished by music lovers.

Mr. BluesThe Supremes Lyrics

Mr. Blues
The Supremes Lyrics