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.
Your Heart Belongs to Me
The Supremes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gone to a far-away land
Serving your country
On some far-away sand
If you should get lonely,
Remember that your heart belongs to me
I'm sending you a picture
So when you're feeling lonely
It's something to remind you
I'm thinking of you constantly
Remember that your heart belongs to me
(your heart belongs to me)
If a pretty girl should pass you by
I won't mind if you give her the eye
Or even if you give her a smile sometimes
But keep your heart because your heart is mine
Your heart is mine
Your heart is mine
Lover of mine
If I could tell you how I yearn
For the day to come
When you will return
From far across the sea
So remember that your heart belongs to me
Remember your heart belongs to me
You're far across the sea
But your heart, it belongs, it belongs to only me
Lover of mine
The Supremes' "Your Heart Belongs to Me" is a touching and sweet song that speaks to the experience of being in a long-distance relationship. The lyrics describe a lover who is far away, serving in the military, and the singer's desire to keep their heart close. The opening lines immediately establish the distance between the lovers, with the singer acknowledging that their partner has gone to a far-away land to serve their country. The use of "far-away sand" as a descriptor for where the partner is stationed adds to the dreamlike and distant nature of their separation.
The chorus of the song is the highlight, as the singer repeats the phrase "remember that your heart belongs to me." This repetition emphasizes the importance of keeping their love alive, despite the distance between them. The singer also sends their lover a picture to remind them of their love, indicating a connection between visual memories and emotional connection. The third verse acknowledges the possibility of temptation, with the singer saying they won't mind if their lover looks at other women, as long as they keep their heart devoted to them.
The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer expressing their desire for their partner's swift return, but reminding them that their heart belongs solely to them. Overall, the song encapsulates the experience of being in a long-distance relationship, the challenges it presents, but also the enduring love that can survive even the greatest physical distance.
Line by Line Meaning
Lover of mine
Addressing the song to a lover who is currently far away
Gone to a far-away land
The lover is serving in a foreign military base
Serving your country
The purpose of the lover's trip is for national service
On some far-away sand
The location of the military base is likely to be desert-like
If you should get lonely,
Implying the possibility of the lover feeling lonely
Remember that your heart belongs to me
Despite the distance, the two still share a strong emotional bond
I'm sending you a picture
Sending a picture, to provide a source of comfort for the lonely lover
To carry with you all the time
The picture should be kept on the lover's possession at all times
So when you're feeling lonely
The picture is meant to be a comfort during the lover's dark moments
It's something to remind you
Acting as a visual reminder of their love
I'm thinking of you constantly
The singer has the lover in mind at all times
Remember that your heart belongs to me
The refrain reiterates the strong bond they share
(your heart belongs to me)
A repetition of the song's main theme
If a pretty girl should pass you by
Jealousy can creep in during their separation
I won't mind if you give her the eye
Allowing the lover to appreciate physical beauty of others as long as it does not lead to emotional betrayal
Or even if you give her a smile sometimes
A smile is arguably a non-verbal expression of flirtation or interest
But keep your heart because your heart is mine
The emotional aspect of the lovers' relationship is most important to the artist
Your heart is mine
Another reminder of the strength of their emotional bond
If I could tell you how I yearn
The singer is conveying the depth of their desire to be physically reunited
For the day to come
Hopeful for the lover's return
When you will return
The artist eagerly awaits the lover's return
From far across the sea
The artist is acknowledging the great distance between them
So remember that your heart belongs to me
Reiterating the central message of their emotional bond even when they are physically separated
Remember your heart belongs to me
Last repetition of the song's message, followed by a reaffirmation of the artist's love
You're far across the sea
A reminder of how far apart they are
But your heart, it belongs, it belongs to only me
Closing the song with a final statement of the unwavering love and emotional bond between the lovers
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hannahgilliam3026
I wish that I could have
Been raised in them
Wonderful day's, but
My mom was and she
Had me in 1965 thanks
Mom!!!!
@ceeceetracey9839
Listen to Flo on the background saying "Mine" starting at about 1:37. WOW!!!
@boomerang905
She was the EXPERT backup.
@diorgasmask
This is my favorite song from the Supremes. Definitely one of my favorite songs of all time.
@DetroitLives313
The good ole days when you had to have real talent. Listen to the purity of the vocals, those exquisite harmonies......whew!
@walterbower2699
no voice machines
@general5886
smokey is one of the cleverest songwriters of all time...
@1Shao_
I haven’t stopped playing it since I found it
@vernonsmith6176
This is an early smokey tune...nice.
@MotownConnoisseur30
Recorded: December 8, 1961 The last single by The Supremes as a quartet.