Set me free, why don't'cha, babe?
Get out my life, why don't'cha, babe?
'Cause you don't really love me,
You just keep me hangin' on.
You don't really need me,
But you keep me hangin' on.
Why do you keep a-comin' around,
Playing with my heart?
Why don't you get out of my life,
And let me make a new start?
Let me get over you,
The way you've gotten over me.
Hey, set me free, why don't'cha, babe?
Let me be, why don't'cha, babe?
(Ooo-oo-oo.)
'Cause you don't really love me,
You just keep me hangin' on.
(Ooo-oo-oo.)
Now you don't really want me,
You just keep me hangin' on.
You say although we broke up,
You still wanna be just friends.
But how can we still be friends,
When seein' you only breaks my heart again?
[Spoken:] And there ain't nothing I can do about it!
Wo-oh oh-oh oh.
(Set me free, why don't'cha, babe?)
Wo-oh oh-oh oh.
(Get out my life), ((why don't'cha, babe?))
(Ooo-oo-oo.)
Set me free, why don't'cha, babe?
Get out my life, why don't'cha, babe?
You claim you still care for me,
But your heart and soul needs to be free.
And now that you've got your freedom,
[ Find more Lyrics on ]
You wanna still hold on to me.
You don't want me for yourself,
So let me find somebody else.
Hey-hey!
Why don't you be a man about it,
And set me free?
(Ooo-oo-oo.)
Now, you don't care a thing about me,
You're just using me.
(Ooo-oo-oo.)
Go on, get out, get out of my life,
And let me sleep at night.
[Fade.]
(Ooo-oo-oo.)
'Cause you don't really love me,
You just keep me hangin' on...
[YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON]
[Written by: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier & Edward Holland, Jr.]
[Performed by: The Supremes [1] [2] [3] -1965]
[Appears on: The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland-1965, "You Keep Me
Hangin' On" (B-side: "Remove This Doubt") (45 RPM from the album, The
Supremes sing Holland-Dozier-Holland)-1966, The Supremes Sing Motown-1968,
20 Golden Greats-1977, Classic Rock: (1966)-1987*, Every Great Motown Song,
Vol. 1: The 1960s-1988* [4] , You Keep Me Hangin' On-1999, Songs in the Name
of Love-2002, The #1s-2003, The Best of the Girl Groups-2004*, Gold-2005,
The Essential Supremes-2006, The Complete Collection-2008, et al.]
[1] When The Supremes made their Motown debut in 1961, they were Diana Ross,
Mary Wilson & Florence Ballard. In mid-1967 Ballard left the group and was
replaced by Cindy Birdsong, after which they were billed as Diana Ross &
the Supremes. Ross left the group toward the end of 1969 (with the
execption of one show in Las Vegas in January 1970), to pursue a solo
career. She was replaced by Jean Terrell and the three of them recorded
under the name, The Supremes, until 1977 with a few personnel changes along
the way. Only Mary Wilson stayed with the group from beginning to the end.
[2] Many elements of the recording, including the guitars, the drums, Ross's
& Florence Ballard's lead vocals, were multitracked. The song was recorded
multiple times with the Supremes & session musicians the Funk Brothers,
before a satisfactory version was obtained.
[3] Covered by: BB Band, Phil Collins, The Concretes, Dixie Chicks, The Four
Tops, Hit Crew, Jive Bunny & the Mastermixers, Melanie, Graham Parker,
Barbara Randolph, Brian Setzer, Stray Cats, Studio 99, Junior Tucker, Lou
Watson, Mary Wilson, et al.
[4] Transcribed from the track on this album.