Marvelettes lyrics question

[daviddesper]

I am sure I could get this answer any of a dozen other places or just by listening more carefully, but it is more fun to ask on here and see where the discussion goes. This is about the song Barefootin.

What is the line toward the end of the song that follows: "Little John Henry said to Sue If I Could Barefoot, Would You Barefoot Too?"

It sounds like the next line is: "Sue Told John, I'll Share Your Stoop." As if to say that I will sit beside you on a stoop and watch other people dancing. But then I also wondered if maybe the line might be "I Swear You're Stupid" since the next line is "I Been Barefootin Ever Since I Was Two."

So experts, what exactly is that line?

[longtimefan]

The lyric are:

"Lil John Henry he said to Sue,
If I was barefootin' would you barefoot too
Sue told John, "I'm thirty two,
I was barefootin ever since I was two."

[MotownLover]

I believe these are the words you're speaking of:

Sue told John, "I'm thirty two

I was barefootin ever since I was two"

[sophisticated_soul]

I thought the lyric was: Sue told John, I'll stir your stew. LOL!!!!!

[rrussi]

It is! Sue told John I'll stir your stew, I've been barefootin' ever since I was two.

[marybrewster]

I thought it was:


Sue told John, I can get out here and groove
I was barefootin ever since I was two

[Kamasu_Jr]

I think Russi is right. I thought the line was "Sue told John, out stuttered Sue. I've been barefootin' every since I was two." I thought ol' Sue had a speech impediment.

[roger]

Well .. this website has the lyrics for the original version by ROBERT PARKER as "Sue told John I'm thirty two" ..

http://www.musicsonglyrics.com/baref...rt-parker.html

But the clip of him lip-synching his hit sounds like he is singing "I'll Stir Your Stew".



The plot [[or stew) thickens ...

Roger

[longtimefan]

http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_8999...es/tpx_8231551

[roger]

http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_8999...es/tpx_8231551

So .. another site that has the "thirty two" version for the lyrics. Yet that isn't what THE MARVELETTES sing in their version .. I can't access the video link via the whosdatedwho site so here it is on you-tube ..



I've listened to it on this and on the versions I have on the "Forever More" C.D. set [[both Mono and Stereo) and they are definitely stirring something ...

Roger

[sophisticated_soul]

It would make sense that for the Marvelettes they adjusted the lyric from "I'm 32" to "I'll stir your stew" because of how young the girls would have been at the time. I took "stir your stew" to mean something like 'well, I'll show you'. The controversy rages on!

[nosey]

I always thought it was "thirty-two" as well. It makes perfect sense to me that she's saying, you ain't said nothing but a word, I've been barefootin for 30 years son!

[rrussi]

Those sites that print lyrics are not always correct and do not necessarily get the lyrics from the actual publishers. I believe "I'll stir your stew" is correct in the Parker original. The only difference is he seems to say "Little Joe Henry" and not "Little John Henry" as it sounds like Wanda is singing.

[phil]

I've listened to it on this and on the versions I have on the "Forever More" C.D. set [[both Mono and Stereo) and they are definitely stirring something ...

Roger

You're right Roger, I can hear it too.

[Methuselah2]

I think Wanda might be singing:

"Take off your shoes, you need a little breather,
I don't think Martha's the First Lady neither."

[misty]

ME TOO, sophisticatedsoul! LOL!

[daviddesper]

ME TOO, sophisticatedsoul! LOL!

Gosh! Didn't know I would be starting something this wild and crazy! Don't you just love Motown and the many ways to interpret the lyrics and moods of the artists?

I am surprised to find out that I am as far off in my interpretation as I apparently am. I definitely don't hear the reference to 32 in there, but I can see how the "I'll Stir Your Stew" could be right, since that is pretty close to the two guesses I made.

[144man]

Does anyone knows what Wanda sings near the end of "Here I Am Baby"?

It sounds like: "Don't wanna be loved by another, I ain't going another FUTHER[[?)", and the Barbara McNair version sounds just the same.

[sophisticated_soul]

Does anyone knows what Wanda sings near the end of "Here I Am Baby"?

It sounds like: "Don't wanna be loved by another, I ain't going another FUTHER[[?)", and the Barbara McNair version sounds just the same.

That's the way I hear it, "further".

[westgrandboulevard]

Me too.....also "I'll stir your stew'......

[144man]

What does "I ain't going another further" mean? Has anyone ever heard anyone say that?

[westgrandboulevard]

I've always felt it has the equivalent meaning of saying "I'll not go another step further" - hence "I'll not go another man further" [[meaning, I'll stick with the man I have) ...

But yes, it is awkward construction and no, I've not heard it said anywhere else....

[144man]

That's very unusual for Smokey.

[sophisticated_soul]

What does "I ain't going another further" mean? Has anyone ever heard anyone say that?

I take it to mean that she is stopping with this guy, that she has found what she wants. That she doesn't have to keep looking for another, the next one. She doesn't have to go another [[one) further.

[sophisticated_soul]

That's very unusual for Smokey.

Actually, I thought the "another further" lyric was a clever rhyme and very Smokey.

[daviddesper]

Actually that whole song has always been a favorite and easy to understand for me. And I like the Marvelettes' version much better than Barbara's.

[johnjeb]

Actually, I thought the "another further" lyric was a clever rhyme and very Smokey.

I agree. I've always loved that lyric, especially the way Wanda delivers it.

[sophisticated_soul]

I agree. I've always loved that lyric, especially the way Wanda delivers it.

I love Barbara McNair and her version of HIAB is very good, but I agree Wanda totally nails the delivery on this one. She gives it that 'female' Smokey feel [[Wanda being frequently referred to as a female Smokey). IMHO I don't think any other artists at Motown performed Smokey's lyrics as well - and as consistenly successful - as Wanda. The lyrics always seemed to be written especially for her voice. And I'm sure quite a few were.

[144man]

Actually, I thought the "another further" lyric was a clever rhyme and very Smokey.

I wasn't criticising the rhyme itself, more the strangeness of the phrase. I feel the same about the "inclined to find my baby" line in the Temptations' "Since I Lost My Baby".

I'm not the only one to have had problems understanding the "another further" phrase. One of the the internet lyric sites thinks Wanda is singing "another bother", and another one goes for "another brother".