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.

You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart
The Supremes Lyrics

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You gotta have love in your heart
You gotta have a song on your lips
You gotta let freedom roll
Then you'll feel good
Yes you will

I look out my window
And what do I see

I see a world that's full of confusion
And I know just what it needs

It needs to have a little love in its heart
It's gotta have a song you can sing
It's gotta let freedom roll
Then you'll feel good
Yes you will

I look in my mirror
And what do I see, yeah
I see a man
Who's lost and is wandering
And I know just what he needs

He needs to have a little love in his heart
He's gotta have a song on his lips
He's gotta let freedom roll
Then he'll feel good
Yes he will

Don't you wanna feel good
Yes I do
Ooh, you should feel good
Yes I do
You've gotta feel good, oh yeah
Yes I do

You gotta have a little love in your heart
You gotta have a song on your lips
You gotta let freedom roll
Then you'll feel good
Yes you will
You gotta have a little love in your heart
You gotta have a song on your lips
You gotta let freedom roll
Then you'll feel good
Yes you will

You gotta have a little love in your heart(Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love)
You gotta have a song on your lips (Yeah people)
You gotta let freedom roll (And I'm talking to you)
Then you'll feel good (And you-ooh-ooh-ooh-, yeah)
Yes you will
You gotta have a little love in your heart(Ohh)
You gotta have a song on your lips(Say it, say it again)
(Oh yeah)You gotta let freedom roll(You sound so good)

Then you'll feel good
Yes you will

Overall Meaning

The Supremes's song "You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart" expresses the idea that love is essential to feeling good and that all people need to have love, peace, and freedom in their lives. The lyrics assert that love and singing are key components of a happy life. In the first verse, the singer looks out the window and sees confusion in the world. She believes that the world needs a little love in its heart and people have to sing a song to express their joy. In the chorus, the singer repeats that people have to have love, a song, and freedom to feel good.

In the second verse, the singer looks in the mirror and sees a man who's lost and wandering. She believes that he needs love, a song, and freedom just like the world outside. In the bridge, the singer encourages the listener to feel good and have love, peace, and freedom in their heart. The chorus then repeats with the additional encouragement to say it again and let freedom roll.

The tone of the song is upbeat and hopeful, with a clear message that love and freedom are key ingredients to happiness. The Supremes's harmonious vocal arrangement adds additional depth to the song, emphasizing the importance of love and harmony.

Line by Line Meaning

You gotta have love in your heart
To live a fulfilling life, you need to possess love in your heart.

You gotta have a song on your lips
You need to have something that inspires you and gives you hope and strength to face the world.

You gotta let freedom roll
You have to let go of all your fears and insecurities and embrace freedom and openness to experience life to the fullest.

Then you'll feel good
Only after having love, a song, and freedom in your life, you will feel good about yourself and the world around you.

I look out my window
By observing the state of the world around us, we can understand the problems and possible solutions to make it a better place.

And what do I see
Our perception of the world shapes our reality, and what we see can influence how we feel and act.

I see a world that's full of confusion
The world is full of conflicts, misunderstandings, and chaos, making it difficult to find truth and happiness.

And I know just what it needs
By recognizing the problems of the world, we can have a better understanding of what it takes to make it better and fulfilled.

You Gotta Have Love In Your HeartThe Supremes Lyrics

You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart
The Supremes Lyrics