Locking up My Heart

The Marvelettes

About Locking up My Heart

"Locking Up My Heart" is a 1963 single released by Motown girl group The Marvelettes on the Tamla record label. The first charting single written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland,1 "Locking Up My Heart" was also the first single to feature Wanda Young as lead vocalist on the A-side, albeit in a split lead vocal with main lead vocalist Gladys Horton. The track was recorded 8 January 1963 in Studio A Hitsville USA and released 15 February 1963; the B-side: "Forever", was a cut from the 1962 Playboy album, written and produced by Holland–Dozier–Gorman (H-D-H's predecessor), and also featured Young as lead vocalist. On the single's initial A-Side, Horton, as the main lead and narrator, tells the audience that she's giving up love, as she's "tired of being abused" and "mis-used". The flip-side, narrated by Young, tells us she's so devoted to her love that she'll endure any pain and suffering for it. The second single of the group where both sides charted, it would be promoted as if it were a "double A-side" by the label. This is also one of the last Marvelettes' singles to feature member Juanita Cowart (in the background) on either side. By the time of the single's release, Cowart, who had already ceased performing on stage, would permanently leave the group and had retired from both performing and recording.  


Year:
1982
2:19
76 

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I'm puttin' up my guard
I'm lockin' up my heart
Tellin' Cupid to pass by me
'Cause all love ever brought me was misery

Hello loneliness, goodbye love
I'm tired of being abused and being misused
I've had my share of romance, no more for me
I'm lockin' up my heart and throwin' away the key

Lockin' up (lockin' up, lockin' up)
Said I'm gonna throw away the key (throw away the key)
I'm lockin' up (lockin' up)
'Cause all love ever brought me was misery

I don't want (don't want) nobody to love me
Leave me alone and let me be lonely
This way I'll know just where I stand
I'll never have to worry about love again

Lockin' up (lockin' up, lockin' up)
Said I'm gonna throw away the key (throw away the key)
I'm gonna save myself from all this misery

Lockin' up (lockin' up, lockin' up)
Said I'm gonna throw away the key
I'm lockin' up (lockin' up my heart)
I'm lockin' up (lockin' up my heart)

Yeah yeah yeah (lockin' up my heart)
Yeah yeah yeah (lockin' up my heart)
Yeah yeah yeah (lockin' up my heart)
Yeah yeah yeah (lockin' up my heart)
Yeah yeah yeah (lockin' up my heart)

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The Marvelettes

The Marvelettes were an all-girl group who achieved popularity in the early to mid-1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson (later Katherine Anderson Schnaffer), Georgeanna Tillman (later Georgeanna Tillman-Gordon), Juanita Cowart (later Juanita Cowart Motley) and Georgia Dobbins, who was replaced by Wanda Young (later Wanda Rogers) prior to the group signing their first deal. The group was the first major successful act of Motown Records after The Miracles and were its first significant successful girl group on the label's early years after the release of the number-one single, "Please Mr. Postman", one of the first number-one singles recorded by an all-female vocal group and the first by a Motown recording act. more »

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Written by: LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER, BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, EDWARD, JR. HOLLAND, JR.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Vintage Era
"Locking Up My Heart" by The Marvelettes was released in the 1960s, specifically in 1963, hence, it's a part of the classic Motown sound from that era.
Label Association
The Marvelettes were signed to Motown Records, a popular music label known for its significant impact on the music industry and its catalytic role in racial integration of popular music.
Chart Performance
Even though "Locking Up My Heart" did not reach the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, it reached a respectable no. 25 and did even better on the R&B charts, where it peaked at no. 13.
Production Team
The song was produced by the renowned Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Edward Holland Jr., popularly known as Holland-Dozier-Holland, who are responsible for creating numerous hits for Motown artists.
Backing Vocals
The renowned group The Andantes provided backing vocals for the song, which often complemented the unique sound of The Marvelettes.
Continued Popularity
Despite its age, "Locking Up My Heart" continues to be popular among fans of classic soul and Motown music, and is frequently included on compilations and Best Of albums.
Shift in Lead Singers
Unlike many of their earlier songs where Gladys Horton was the lead vocalist, "Locking Up My Heart" was one of the songs where Wanda Young Rogers stepped in as the lead vocalist.
Underrated Classic
While it may not be as famous as other Marvelettes songs, such as "Please Mr. Postman," "Locking Up My Heart" is often cited by fans as an underrated classic in the group's discography.
Vinyl Release
Like many songs from its era, "Locking Up My Heart" was initially released as a 7" vinyl single.
B-Side Track
The B-side of "Locking Up My Heart" was a song called "Forever", however, it didn't manage to chart.
Song Theme
The song talks about the fear of heartbreak and the self-defensive measure of locking up one's heart to prevent pain.
Reissues
The song was later reissued on several compilation albums including "Forever: The Complete Motown Albums, Volume 1" and "The Definitive Collection" among others.

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    Locking up My Heart

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1963

    Billboard #44


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