Shakey Ground
The Temptations Lyrics


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Lady luck and four leaf clovers
Won't be as hurt as I feel all over
My life was one special occasion
'Til you leave in depth with the situation

Well well well I'm standing on shakey ground, yay
Ever since you put me down, oh ho ho
Standing on shakey ground, yay
Ever since you put me down, ah

My car got repossessed this morning, yay
Harder times I haven't seen in years
Girl, you better throw me a life preserver
'Cause I'm about to drown in my own tears

Well well well standing on shakey ground, yay
Ever since you put me down, oh ho ho
Standing on shakey ground
Ever since you put me down

Well well well standing on shakey ground
Ever since you put me down

Standing on shakey ground
Ever since you put me down
Standing on shakey ground (standing, standing)
Standing, standing, standing on shakey ground (ground)
Got to stand, got to stand, standing on, standing on shakey ground, woo
Ever since you put me down




And I love standing on shakey ground
Ever since you put me down

Overall Meaning

The Temptations' "Shakey Ground" is a lamentation on heartbreak and misfortune. The song's opening couplet references luck and fortune. Despite any good omens, the singer is still overcome with the pain of a break-up. The singer reminisces about happier times when his life was like "one special occasion." But now, he is left to deal with negative feelings of sadness, depression and uncertainty. This song shows how a bad relationship and an abrupt end to the same can send people's world to a brand-new level of inconsistency and instability.


The song uses a clever metaphor of standing on "shakey ground." The metaphor is likened to difficult times when there is emotional turmoil and when things fall apart, like it does in a bad relationship. Since his relationship has ended, the singer feels like he is constantly operating from a position of instability. Even worse, all his possessions are teetering on the edge of ruin - his car has been repossessed. The title, "Shakey Ground" connotes a sense of uneasiness, making it an apt description of an emotional state where one is always feeling uncertain.


Line by Line Meaning

Lady luck and four leaf clovers
Even the best of luck charms can't erase the pain I feel


Won't be as hurt as I feel all over
The pain of losing you is more intense than any physical pain I've felt


My life was one special occasion
My life was perfect and celebratory when we were together


'Til you leave in depth with the situation
But when you left, everything fell apart and I was left struggling to deal with the consequences


Well well well I'm standing on shakey ground, yay
I am barely holding on and everything in my life feels unsure


Ever since you put me down, oh ho ho
All of this instability is a direct result of you leaving me


My car got repossessed this morning, yay
Things are getting worse and worse, and I am losing everything I have


Harder times I haven't seen in years
I haven't faced this level of hardship in years, if ever


Girl, you better throw me a life preserver
I need your help to get through this and save me from drowning in my own sorrows


'Cause I'm about to drown in my own tears
The depth of my sadness is overwhelming and I feel like I am suffocating in it


Standing on shakey ground
I am constantly unsure of what comes next and struggling to stand firmly


(standing, standing)
Everything feels unstable and I am constantly trying to maintain balance


Got to stand, got to stand, standing on, standing on shakey ground, woo
I have to keep pushing through and standing strong, even when everything around me is uncertain


And I love standing on shakey ground
Even though it's difficult, I am determined to keep standing and fighting through this hardship


Ever since you put me down
All of this struggle and instability is directly linked to you leaving me




Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alphonso Boyd, Edward Earl Hazel, Jeffrey Bowen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Amal Mondal

Lady luck and a four leaf clovers
Wanting this hurt I feel all over
My life was one special occasion
Till your leavin' ended the situation
I'm standin' on shakey ground, yeah
Ever since you put me down
Oh, standin' on shakey ground, yeah
Ever since you put me down
My car got repossessed this morning, yeah
Hardest times I've seen in years
God, you got to throw me a life preserver, yeah
'Cause I'm about to drown in my own tears
I'm standin' on shakey ground, yeah
Ever since you put me down
Oh, standin' on shakey ground, yeah
Ever since you put me down
I'm standin' on shakey ground, yeah
Ever since you put me down
Oh, standin' on shakey ground, yeah
Ever since you put me down
Standin'
Standin'
Standin' of course
Standin'
Standin'
Standin' on shakey ground
I'm standin' on shakey ground
Ever since you put me down
Standin' on shakey ground
Ever since you put me down



All comments from YouTube:

Mia Treadwell

That bass line ๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿ’–

shoe

same bruv

Nick Mullen

@shoe ong bruh

Carlos The Rocker

THAT BASS LINE! THIS SONG LITTERALLY MADE ME DECIDE TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY BASS AT THE AGE OF 14!

david Reynolsd

Awesome bass

bass7842

THOSE bass lines. Billy Bass of the Funkadelics sat in on this. Not sure who the other guy is. I'm guessing Bob Babbitt.

4 More Replies...

dfreeman120

Opened for the Temps 10 nights in a row and got to hear Dennis Edwards get down live on these jams !!!

E Lord

What a fortunate and amazing thing you got to experience!

Wendell Morrison

This is one the most underrated groves of all ๐Ÿ•™!!

Joseph Craig

That my friend is 100,000% PURE UNADULTERATED FUNK!! ๐Ÿ™‚๐ŸŽต.

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