Originated from a surf rock group called the Crossfires, the Turtles delved into many genres such as breezy pop, psychedelic music, and folk rock. A precursor to the bubblegum pop of the late 60s and early 70s as well as a foil to the more self-consciously hip and "serious" acts of the era, the Turtles produced at least a dozen memorable, radio-friendly chart singles. Yet they remain best known for 1967's "Happy Together", which was their only chart-topping single.
The Turtles wound down their career in 1970.
The two prominent singers - Howard Kaylan ("Eddie") and Mark Volman ("Flo" a.k.a. "Phlorescent Leech") - collaborated with Frank Zappa for a short but very intensive period of one and a half years (between 1970-72) and were the cornerstone of what was known to be the Zappa "Vaudeville" band; two of the most famous achievements of that period being the albums Fillmore East – June 1971 and 200 Motels, the soundtrack of the film by the same name.
Person Without A Care
The Turtles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who never complains
Who never gets mad
Who always seem so happy that
Nothing can get him down
They say when a man keeps his feelings inside
And puts on a show with his smile so wide
He should see
That it's hard to be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
It's hard to be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
When I Iove my girl and she loves me
We have everything like we want it to be
And as long as we're so happy
Nothing can get me down
Yes, I'll always be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
I'll always be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
[Interlude]
People envy our lives and they know us well
We have hangups, but no one can tell
It may be corny, but I hear wedding bells
And I know I'll be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
I know I'll be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
Person without a care
Person without a care
The Turtles’ song “Person Without a Care” is about the misconception that people have about those who always seem happy and carefree. The first verse talks about people who envy individuals who never complain, get angry or seem to be down regardless of the situation. The singer tells us that people think that keeping our feelings inside and pretending to be happy all the time is easy, but it’s actually quite challenging. It takes quite a bit of effort to put on a show of being happy-go-lucky all the time without ever expressing your true feelings.
In the second verse, the singer talks about his relationship with his loved one. He tells us that when he’s with her and everything’s going great, nothing can get him down. He’s able to maintain his happy-go-lucky outlook on life. In the chorus, he reaffirms that he’ll always be a happy-go-lucky person without a care.
The final verse talks about how people envy our lives, but no one knows that everyone has their hang-ups, even if they don’t show them. The singer admits that hearing wedding bells might “be corny,” but he knows that he’ll always remain the same happy-go-lucky person without a care.
Overall, the song is a reminder that appearances can be deceiving, and being always happy and carefree is not as easy as it may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
I know people who envy the man
I know individuals who are jealous of the man
Who never complains
Who never expresses dissatisfaction or discontent
Who never gets mad
Who never experiences anger or frustration
Who always seem so happy that
Who always appear to be content and joyful to the extent that
Nothing can get him down
It seems like nothing is able to make him upset
They say when a man keeps his feelings inside
People say that when a man refrains from expressing his emotions outwardly
And puts on a show with his smile so wide
And pretends to be happy by forcing an excessively wide smile
That everyone thinks he has nothing to hide
That everyone assumes he has nothing to conceal
He should see
He should realize
That it's hard to be a happy-go-lucky
It is challenging to be carefree and lightheartedly happy
Person without a care
Person who does not have any worries or problems
When I love my girl and she loves me
When I feel affection for my romantic partner and she reciprocates those feelings
We have everything like we want it to be
We have everything how we want it to be
And as long as we're so happy
As long as we continue to be so ecstatic
Nothing can get me down
Nothing has the power to make me unhappy or disheartened
Yes, I'll always be a happy-go-lucky
Certainly, I will persistently be carefree and cheery
Person without a care
Person who does not have any worries or problems
People envy our lives and they know us well
Individuals are envious of our lifestyles and they are familiar with us
We have hangups, but no one can tell
We have issues, but no one can perceive them
It may be corny, but I hear wedding bells
It may seem cheesy, but I anticipate getting married soon
And I know I'll be a happy-go-lucky
And I am confident that I will remain carefree and cheery
Person without a care
Person who does not have any worries or problems
Person without a care
Person who does not have any worries or problems
Person without a care
Person who does not have any worries or problems
Contributed by Oliver W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.