Carolyn Crawford-Forget About Me

[theboyfromxtown]

For years I have tried to work out the lyrics to this wonderful song but I am still stuck. Does anyone know the lyrics or can can give me a link to where I can find them.

It's the second verse that gets me...


You done things that weren't right
You needed to quarrel or fight
You should have treated me the way you wanted to be treated
So that I forgave you all my love

After that I get real lost tright up to .....try and get me off your mind


Clever song, composed by Carolyn herself and produced by Holland and Dozier. Female composers were not common at the best of times so she did well to get her song recorded.

[radionixon]

It's difficult because the lyrics don't make complete grammatical sense - almost as if she was doing a guide vocal with not-quite-finished lyrics, but it turned out so well Holland-Dozier went with that take anyway.

From many listens, I have it as:

So that I could have gave you all my love
I know you loved me, [[yeah, well)*
but it wasn't plain to see
Whoa, well I won't love you no more
I've tried to tell you before
Whoa, that's the present you didn't get from [[him?)**
Well I won't love you, no I don't love you
So try and get me off your mind
Go on, forget about me...

* [[She actually sings "yell", but based on her doing similar things earlier in the song, I think it's Carolyn running two words together).
**[[It definitely sounds like "him", even though "me" would make more sense! Could be "hearing", I suppose?)

[theboyfromxtown]

Radio Nixon

THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking the trouble to write out those lyrics. I have the same problem as you.....so when I sing those words in future, at least I know I won't be the only one!

That "present" line has foxed me for years.

Thank you again. *smile*

[westgrandboulevard]

the boyfromxtown & radionixon


'Forget about me' does make for compulsive listening, doesn't it.....the song just trails round and round, like a merry-go-round......

There seem to be too many words, and I agree with radionixon...when you listen closely, the lyrics don't make complete grammatical sense, even if the meaning seems pretty plain.

Just to add something....

I'm hearing the 'present' line as... "Whoa, that's a present you didn't get from you"...

Again, it doesn't make sense...but...it would make sense if it was originally meant to be either

"that's a [[or 'the') present I didn't get from you" or
"that's a [[or 'the') present you didn't get from me" [[which perhaps best fits the meaning of the lyrics)

It sounds like a slip by Carolyn, as the word 'you' features at least three times, if not four, in only two lyrical lines.


Anyway, that's just what my own ears tell me, but what do I know?!

So, does someone here know Carolyn, or anyone who can contact her, and ask her? Carolyn wrote it herself, so she should know the answer, I guess!

Finally, who were the male voices in the background? I want to think it's the Temps, but something tells me it may not be....!

[theboyfromxtown]

Roger

Now why didn't I think of asking her? LOL

[westgrandboulevard]

theboyfromxtown

Ha! That's exactly what Carolyn is going to say to YOU!

[theboyfromxtown]

Roger

I don't hear the Temps. I'm thinking more Mary Wells.

[westgrandboulevard]

theboyfromxtown

Are you meaning The Lovetones, who backed Mary Wells....?

[theboyfromxtown]

Yes....I am. But I am sure Caroline knows.

I had a faint thought it might also include Brian and/or Lamont. I ought to listen to it again....would be nice if you could isolate the vocals. Where's Midnight Johnny when you need him! LOL

[pj1]

[QUOTE=westgrandboulevard;40068]the boyfromxtown & radionixon


There seem to be too many words, and I agree with radionixon...when you listen closely, the lyrics don't make complete grammatical sense, even if the meaning seems pretty plain.

Just to add something....

I'm hearing the 'present' line as... "Whoa, that's a present you didn't get from you"...

Again, it doesn't make sense...but
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know that I'm entering the discussion a little late but 'that's a present you didn't get from you' makes complete sense if you refer to what precedes it as mapped out by the boyfromxtown

The present that Carolyn's boyfriend didn't give himself is respect of another human being [Carolyn], so that he might be the recipient of like respect from her. By not treating her as he would like to be treated [[showing that he really didn't understand that love is a two way street) Carolyn loses respect for him and is breaking off the relationship , even though she confesses that she was ready to give him all of her love.
Regrettably there are still far too many people who enter into a relationship with another person expecting it to be their/one sided. They want to take everything they can get from the other and never really give in like kind to the other.

[theboyfromxtown]

It's been really helpful and interesting to understand the complete message of the song rather than my one verse effort!

Thank you all for your help.

*smile*

[robb_k]

That might be The Love-Tones on back-up. They were doing many -if not most-of the male back-up parts in 1962-63 [[Mary Wells/Linda Griner/Carolyn Crawford).