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.
Set Me Free
The Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wonderful
You keep me satisfied
I need you by my side
But you want to leave today
Don't throw it all away
The tender love so true
The happiness we shared
Just knowin' someone cared
You're gonna need me
Like you needed me before
Need me, baby
Come back and close the door
Can't cool all my emotion
Can't cool all my devotion
Life could be something wonderful
I'll set you free
Something wonderful
I'll set you free
In your sweet caress
It's better than livin' a life of loneliness
Ooh I'm givin' you all I had to give
Each day made me proud to live
You took the best of me
If you don't want the rest of me
I'll set you free
Fine fine
I'll set you free
Fine fine
I don't want nobody who don't want me, ooh
You're gonna miss the love I've been givin'
You're gonna miss the life you've been livin'
You're gonna need me I know it
You're gonna want me
But I'll set you free, I'll set you free
Ooh, I'll set you free, I'll set you free
You don't care about me
Ooh, life could be something wonderful
Something wonderful
Here's a sweet caress
It's better than livin' a life of loneliness
You're gonna be lonely boy
Ooh I'm givin' you all I had to give
Each day made me proud to live
You took the best of me
If you don't want the rest of me
I'll set you free
I'll set you free
I'll set you free
Don't want nobody who don't want me
Yeah, you're gonna be lonely
You're gonna miss the love I've been givin'
You're gonna miss the life you've been livin'
You're gonna want me, baby I know it
You're gonna want me, but I'll set you free
I could be, oh baby, I could be
Oh baby, I could be
Anything I want to be
As long as I know you're here with me
The Supremesβ βIβll Set You Freeβ is about a woman who is trying to convince her partner not to leave her. She tells him that life could be something wonderful and that she needs him by her side. She talks about the tender, true love that they share and how itβs a shame to throw it all away. She promises him that he will miss her love and that he will be lonely without her. However, she knows that if he doesnβt want to be with her, then she will set him free, knowing that she can be anything she wants to be as long as he is there with her.
This song is all about a womanβs emotional struggle as she tries to hold onto a relationship that is falling apart. She knows that her partner doesnβt want to be with her anymore, but she canβt help but try to convince him to stay. The lyrics express the pain and uncertainty of a relationship that is on the verge of ending. The woman is torn between her desire to hold onto the love she has and the knowledge that she needs to let go and move on.
In summary, βIβll Set You Freeβ is a poignant ballad about a womanβs attempts to keep her relationship intact while dealing with the pain of knowing that it is slipping away. Itβs a powerful reminder of the impact that love and loss can have on our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, baby life could be something wonderful
Life has the potential to be amazing.
You keep me satisfied
I am happy in this relationship.
I need you by my side
I truly rely on you.
But you want to leave today
You want to end things now.
Don't throw it all away
Don't end what we have for no good reason.
The tender love we knew
We once had a sweet and loving connection.
The tender love so true
Our love was genuine and sincere.
The happiness we shared
We had good times together.
Just knowin' someone cared
It was comforting to have someone who cared for us.
You're gonna need me
You will realize how much you need me again.
Like you needed me before
Just like you needed me in the past.
Need me, baby
You will need me again, my dear.
Come back and close the door
Come back to me and end your search for something better.
Can't cool all my emotion
I am still feeling a lot of love for you.
Can't cool all my devotion
I still care for you deeply.
I'll set you free
I will let you go because I love you.
In your sweet caress
Being with you was once so tender and loving.
It's better than livin' a life of loneliness
Being alone is worse than being with you.
Ooh I'm givin' you all I had to give
I gave everything I had to make this work.
Each day made me proud to live
I was happy with you, proud of our relationship.
You took the best of me
You had the best of me in this relationship.
If you don't want the rest of me
If you don't want the other parts of me, it's okay.
Fine fine
I understand, it's okay.
I don't want nobody who don't want me, ooh
I don't want someone who doesn't want me in return.
You're gonna miss the love I've been givin'
You will eventually miss the love I gave you.
You're gonna miss the life you've been livin'
You will miss the life we had together.
You're gonna be lonely boy
You will end up alone without me.
You're gonna want me
Eventually you will want me again.
But I'll set you free
But I will let you go.
I could be, oh baby, I could be
I have so much potential.
Anything I want to be
I can achieve anything.
As long as I know you're here with me
As long as I have your support, I can do anything.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERRY GORDY JR, BERRY JR GORDY, GWENDOLYN GORDY FUQUA, IVY JO HUNTER, RENEE LEE TENER, TENER RENEE LEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Peter-bu6ld
LYRICS:
Set me free why don't you babe
Get out of my life why don't you babe
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on
You don't really need me
But you keep me hangin' on
Why do you keep a comin' around
Playing with my heart
Why don't you get out of my life
And let me make a new start
Let me get over you
The way you've gotten over me
Set me free why don't you babe
Let me be why don't you babe
'Cause you don't really love me at all
You just keep me hangin' on
You don't really want me
But you keep me hangin' on
You say although we broke up
You still wanna be just friends
How can we still be friends
When seeing you only breaks my heart again
(And there ain't nothing I can do about it)
Set me free why don't you babe
Get out of my life why don't you babe
'Cause you don't really love me at all
You just keep me hangin' on
You don't really need me
You keep me hangin' on
You claim you still care for me
But your heart and soul needs to be free
And now that you've got your freedom
You still wanna hold on to me
You don't want me for yourself
So let me find somebody else
Why don't you be a man about it
You just keep hangin' on
No you don't care a thing about me
You're just keep me hangin' on
Go on, get out of my life
Let me sleep at night
'Cause you don't really love me at all
You just keep me hangin' on
Go on, get out of my life why don't you, babe
You just keep me hangin' on
Get out of my life, get out of my life
You just keep me hangin' on
@39Kohm
This is a timeless song, the lyrics are relevant after any breakup, regardless of the decade you're in
@paulshepherd1348
They are indeed... my girlfriend broke up with me... but wants to see me as friends... how can that possibly work... this song nails my situation .
@laurenparker1091
Always will be.
@laurenparker1091
Definitely
@lisaparsons4124
Yes I agree and great singers
@elisehill3574
Exactly why I'm here. βΊοΈ
@conradford7493
Can you imagine what your life would be like without music from Motown. Because I can't, this song is fire. If you grooving, then you have great taste.
@robertkyte4055
Can you dig it baby ?????? !!!
lol (Warriors )
@BlackMasakari
oh yes, that is beautiness and sencerely uplifting.
@ggttee3
No