Lyrics to The Band's (And Marvin Gaye's) Don't Do It

The Band came to this tune late in their career. And when they did, they owned this song (with all deference to the late, great Marvin Gaye, who covered the song in the first place). It was the opener at the fantastic Rock Of Ages New Year's show, and brought down the house. The Band often played this song as their encore, as they did in The Last Waltz, where the song plays at the beginning of the movie, over the credits.

Levon and Rick sang the song, sometimes in dual leads, and sometimes with Danko coming in mostly on the chorus. It's a very piano-ish song, with a great rumbling bridge by Richard Manuel on piano over Helm's lead vocal. There is a spirited live version on the compilation The Genuine Bootleg Series - Crossing The Great Divide 1961-1991 in addition to the Last Waltz and Rock of Ages versions. It opens The Last Waltz movie, but they did not put the song on the soundrack--at least on the more common 2 CD set. It did appear on the 4 Disc Last Waltz box set. The Last Waltz version, alas, only includes one verse. They were eager to get off stage. As that song died down, things would never be the same again.

Don't Do It
By Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Edward Holland, Jr.


Baby don't you do it, don't do it
Don't you break my heart
Pleeeeease don't do it, don't you break my heart

A sacrifice would make you happy if nothing for myself
Now you wanna leave me for the love of someone else
My pride is all gone whether I'm right or wrong
I need you baby to keep on keepin' on

You know I'm trying to my best
Oh i'm trying to do my best
Don't do it, don't you break my heart
Pleeeeease don't do it, don't you break my heart

My biggest mistake was loving you too much and letting you know
Now you got me where you want me and you won't let me go
If my heart was made of glass well then you'd surely see
How much heartache and misery, girl, you've been causing me

While I've been trying to do my best
Well I've tried to do my best
Don't do it, don't you break my heart
Pleeeeease don't do it, don't you break my heart

Go down to the river and there I be
I'm gonna jump in girl, but you don't care bout me
Open up your eyes
Can't ya see I love ya?
Open up you heart, girl
Can't ya see I need ya?

Oh baby don't do it, do it, do it
Don't you break my heart
Pleeeeease don't do it don't you break my heart

My biggest mistake was loving you too much and letting you know
Now you got me where you want me and you won't let me go
If my heart was made of glass well then you'd surely see
How much heartache and misery, girl, you've been causing me

While I've been trying to do my best
You know I've tried to do my best
Don't do it, don't you break my heart
Pleeeeease don't do it, don't you break my heart
---o0o---