You've Got Your Troubles

Album: The Fortunes (1965)
Charted: 2 7
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "You've Got Your Troubles" was the fifth single released by The Fortunes, written by the noted songwriting team of Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook, who also wrote "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)." It was The Fortunes' most successful single and the first song Cook and Greenaway wrote together.
  • This song was also covered by Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan, who were a husband-and-wife country duo from Florida. Their version in 1970 charted #27 on the US Country charts and #11 on the Canadian country charts. If you're still drawing a blank on Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan, they're also the duo behind "Tennessee Bird Walk," their most-successful single. Since that was a novelty song, ask any Dr. Demento fan to show you their copy of Dr. Dememto's 30th Anniversary Collection: Dementia 2000!. Once you hear it, you'll want it played at your wedding.
  • While they aren't as well-known today, The Fortunes were a big deal in their time. You know the Coca-Cola jingle "It's The Real Thing?" And the even-earlier one "Things Go Better With Coke?" The Fortunes! In the 1990s and 2000s, they recruited ex-Badfinger Bob Jackson and ex-Dakota Eddie Mooney. They were also on the UK TV show Top of the Pops in 1965. The Fortunes also signed to Decca Records in 1963 - who were probably still smarting from their decision to turn down the Beatles the year before because "guitar groups are on the way out."
    Speaking of Coca-Cola jingles, in case you were wondering, The Fortunes did not also do "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" - that was The New Seekers in 1971, although the same song-writing team of Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook also wrote that one. Apparently, Coca-Cola at once point decided to hang its entire marketing strategy upon British pop stars.
  • The Fortunes come from Birmingham, England, and thus form part of the "brum beat" genre. Brum beat and Mersey sound (sometimes called "Mersey beat") have a lot in common - both from England, both with a similar (often confused) sound, both originating in the 1960s. Brum beat concentrates around the West Midlands music scene in the 1960s.
  • "You've Got Your Troubles" also has one more piece of fascinating music history attached to it. The British pirate radio station Radio City ("your tower of power" around the Thames Estuary) would play this song as a kind of distress signal to associates, indicating that the station needed assistance.
  • Want a quote from Roger Cook about this song? Here's what he said in 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh: "There isn't a musician in England, who didn't learn something from The Beatles, but I like to think that they picked up a trick or two from us. Roger Greenaway and I wrote a counter-melody on 'You've Got Your Troubles' and there hadn't been one in a hit song for years. A few weeks later, The Beatles came out with 'Help!.' and there is a counter melody in that."

Comments: 6

  • AnonymousRe The Fortunes, played support for them at the 101 Club RAF Abingdon in1967 and at the Gosforth Park Hotel, Newcastle on Tyne in 1971.
    A great band that went on for decades, I count several of their members, past, present and passed away, as my friends. Brian Whittle.
  • Robsdad27 from Brooklyn NyIt seems to have escaped most commenters that its Roy Orbison guesting on this recording "So forgive me if I say that I aint got no pity for you...Etc Listen for it, cause its all Orbison joining the talents of t\The Fortunes
  • Steve from Northampton EnglandI attended a music copyright conference in 1984, where Roger Greenaway was guest speaker. He explained where he got the inspiration for this song. In the early sixties, he was late for an appointment and urged his taxi driver to make haste through the London traffic. The taxi driver responded with the line 'You've got your troubles mate, I've got mine.'
  • Anton from EarthI believe the counter lyric toward the end of the song is:

    And it must seem to you, my friend
    That I ain't got no pity for you,
    Well, that ain't true,
    You see I lost my lost my lost my little girl too

    That and the great harmonizing really made this song stand out back in the day. Still enjoy it, even after 40+ years.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 15th 1965, "You've Got Your Troubles" by the Fortunes entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #95; and on October 3rd, 1965 it peaked at #7 {for 1 week} and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
    It reached #2 on the United Kingdom Singles chart and spent 15 on the chart {was at #3 for 3 weeks before peaking at #2}
    Between 1965 and 1971 the British quintet had six Top 100 records; their next biggest hit was "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again", it peaked at #15 {for 1 week} on July 25th, 1971.
  • Sam Williams from Sherman Oaks, CaAbout that last songfact, the Beatles also got the idea of using horns in "Got To Get You Into My Life" to back them up from this song, (and the Outsider's Time Won't Let Me, although Revolver might have been recorded before that, I'm not 100% sure).
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul Station

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul StationSongwriter Interviews

Paul Stanley on his soul music project, the Kiss songs with the biggest soul influence, and the non-make-up era of the band.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.