Early Life
Marie was born in Santa Monica, California. She is of Belgian, Portuguese, Irish, Italian, and Native American ancestry. Marie grew up in Oakwood, a neighborhood in West Los Angeles. As a child, she had an acting role on The Beverly Hillbillies, credited as Tina Marie Brockert. She also sang at the wedding of actor Jerry Lewis's son when she was 10 years old.
Marie worked briefly at Pup 'n' Taco in the mid 1970s while attending Venice High School, where she joined the Summer Dance Production, and also had a role in the school's production of The Music Man.
1979–1981: Motown era
Marie signed with Motown Records in 1976, having gained an introduction to staff producer Hal Davis (best known for his work with The Jackson 5) and then auditioned, with her then band, for label boss Berry Gordy. She recorded unreleased material with a number of different producers, including Kerner and Wise, but was then spotted by Rick James, who effectively became her mentor. (Some of the earlier unreleased material has since been made available on compilation albums.) Her debut album release, Wild and Peaceful, was originally conceived as a project to be produced by James for Diana Ross, but James preferred to work with Marie. The album was at one point due to be credited to "Tina Tryson", but ultimately was put out under Marie's now-established stage name. It scored Marie her first top-ten R&B hit, "I'm Just a Sucker for Your Love" (#8 Black Singles Chart), which was a duet with James. Neither the album sleeve nor other packaging showed a picture of Marie, apparently on the theory that black audiences might be reluctant to buy an album by a white artist. In fact, many radio programmers wrongly assumed Marie was African American during the earliest months of her career. This myth was dispelled when, in 1980, her sophomore album, Lady T, sported a picture of her on the cover.
Marie's second album is noted for having production from Richard Rudolph (husband of R&B singer Minnie Riperton who passed a year earlier). Marie had asked Berry Gordy to contact Rudolph and secure his input as Rick James was unavailable and she did not feel quite ready yet to be sole producer of her own material. Rudolph intended for the song he penned, "Now That I Have You", to be sung by his wife, but was later given to Marie. Rudolph also co-composed the single "Behind The Groove", which reached number 21 on the black singles chart. The song was also included on the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the Fever 105 station. Another notable track, "Too Many Colors," featured Rudolph and Riperton's then 7-year-old daughter, Maya Rudolph, who became Teena Marie's god-daughter.
Also in 1980, Marie released her third LP, Irons in The Fire, in which she handled all writing and production herself, including the horn and rhythm arrangements of her band and all backing vocals. The single "I Need Your Lovin'" (#37 Pop, #9 Black Singles) brought Teena her first top 40 hit. That same year, Teena Marie appeared on James' hugely successful album Street Songs with the steamy duet "Fire and Desire." The two would perform the single at the 2004 BET Awards, which would be the two's last TV appearance with one another as Rick James passed later that year.
Marie continued her success with Motown in 1981 with the release of It Must Be Magic (#2 Black Albums Chart), her first gold record, which included her then biggest hit on R&B, "Square Biz" (#3 Black Singles). Other notable tracks include "Portuguese Love" (featuring a brief, uncredited cameo by James, #54 Black Singles), the title track "It Must be Magic" (#30 Black Singles), and album only track "Yes Indeed" which Marie cites as a personal favorite.
In 1982, Marie got into a heated legal battle with Motown records over her contract and disagreements on releasing her new material. The shuffle resulted in "The Brockert Initiative", which makes it illegal for a record company to keep an artist under contract without releasing new material for that artist. The artist would then be able to sign and release with another label instead of being held back by an unsupportive one. Teena Marie commented on the law in an LA Times article, saying, "It wasn't something I set out to do. I just wanted to get away from Motown and have a good life. But it helped a lot of people, like Luther Vandross and the Mary Jane Girls and a lot of different artists, to be able to get out of their contracts".
1983-1991: Epic Records
After leaving Motown in 1982, Marie signed with Epic Records in 1983 and released the concept album Robbery, which featured the hit "Fix It" (#21 R&B), as well as "track artist=Teena Marie]Shadow Boxing" and "Casanova Brown." The latter was one of a number of tracks Marie would write over the years about her real-life romance with one-time mentor Rick James. The relationship had ended by that point, but the two would continue a sometimes tempestuous friendship until James's death. In 1984, Marie released her biggest-selling album, Starchild. It yielded the singles "Lovergirl" and "Out on a Limb," the former of which became Marie's highest-peaking single to date on the US pop charts, peaking at #4, while peaking at #9 on the R&B charts. "Out on a Limb" was not as successful as "Lovergirl" on the R&B Charts, however, peaking only at #56. Also in 1985, "14k" (R&B #87) was featured on the soundtrack of the film Goonies.
In 1986, Marie released a rock-music-influenced concept album titled Emerald City. It was controversial with her established fan base and not as successful as its predecessors. She also recorded another rock-influenced track, "Lead Me On", co-produced by Georgio Moroder, for the soundtrack of the box office hit film Top Gun that year. In 1988, however, she returned to her R&B and funk roots releasing the critically-acclaimed album Naked to the World. That album contained the hit "Ooo La La La," which reached the top of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and remains her only #1 single on that chart to date.
Marie released Ivory in the fall of 1990. Despite the success of the first two singles, "Here's Looking at You" (#11 R&B) and "If I Were a Bell" (#8 R&B), Epic Records was not totally pleased with sales of the album, so Marie and her label mutually agreed to go their separate ways.
Mid 90s Hiatus: Passion Play and Black Rain
During the 1990s, Marie's classic R&B, soul and funk records were either sampled by hip-hop artists or covered by R&B divas. Marie herself is regarded as something of a pioneer in helping to bring hip-hop to the mainstream by becoming one of the first and only artists of her time to rap one of her singles—the aforementioned "Square Biz." In the hip-hop portion of that song, she mentions some of her inspirations: Sarah Vaughn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Shakespeare, Maya Angelou, and Nikki Giovanni, "just to name a few," as she said. In 1996, The Fugees paid tribute to her by interpolating the chorus of her 1988 hit "Ooo, La, La, La" on their own "Fu-Gee-La," which was a huge hit.
In the fall of 1994, Marie released Passion Play on her own independent label, Sarai. Lacking the backing of a major label, this album sold less well than her earlier work, but was well received by fans.
Subsequently Marie devoted most of her time to raising her daughter Alia Rose (who has since adopted the name Rose Le Beau and is pursuing her own singing career). During the late 1990s, she made appearances (as herself) on the TV sitcoms The Steve Harvey Show and The Parkers. She also began work on a new album, entitled Black Rain. She was unable to secure a major label deal for this, and did not want to put it out on her own Sarai label in light of the modest sales of Passion Play. However, a version pressed for promotional purposes was widely bootlegged amongst fans. This contained the tracks: "The Mackin Game", "I'll Take the Pressure", "Baby I'm Your Fiend", "My Body's Hungry", "Ecstasy", "I'm On Fire", "Watcha Got 4 Me", "Black Rain", "1999", "Butterflies", "Spanish Harlem", "Blackberry Playa", "The Perfect Feeling" and "Rainbow Outro". Some of these tracks have resurfaced on the later albums La Doña, Sapphire and Congo Square, in some cases (e.g. "The Mackin Game") in significantly reworked versions. Although there have been rumours of other tracks recorded during the Black Rain sessions, including one called "Underneath the Covers" and another (allegedly a duet with Rick James) entitled "Pretty Tony", these would appear to be apocryphal.
2004-2006: La Doña and Sapphire
After a 14-year sabbatical from the national spotlight, Marie returned to her musical career by signing with the Classics sub-label of the successful hip-hop label Cash Money Records, and she released her comeback album, La Doña, in 2004, and follow up Sapphire, in 2006. La Doña became a gold-certified success (and the highest-charting album of her career, peaking at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart) on the basis of the Al Green-sampled "I'm Still In Love" (#23 R&B, #70 Pop) and a duet with the late Gerald Levert, "A Rose by Any Other Name." Marie was nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award for Best R&B Female Vocal Performance for "Still in Love." Marie quickly followed this success with the release of Sapphire in 2006. While sales were not as great this time around (the album peaked at #24 on the Pop Chart), the release did give Marie yet another R&B Top-40 hit, "Ooh Wee" (#32); it also reunited her (on "God Has Created" and "Cruise Control") with Smokey Robinson, the early Motown mentor whose style she had emulated on early hits such as "Young Love." Marie parted ways with Ca$h Money records after the release of Sapphire.
2009-present: Congo Square
On September 19, 2008, Teena performed in concert at BB King's restaurant in NYC. Marie took this time to play a couple of finished tracks from her upcoming album, Congo Square, and she received a positive response from the crowd. Congo Square was released on June 9, 2009 on the Stax Records/Concord Music label. She has described the album as "personal and spiritual" and indicated that it is more jazz-influenced than most of her previous work. "Can't Last a Day", a duet with Faith Evans, leaked to the internet in March 2009. Teena Marie says of Evans, "It was after I had recorded the song (Can't Last a Day) I got the idea to put Faith on it. I’ve always loved Faith and her vocal style. She reminds me of me. Her correlation with Biggie — having a career with him and without him — reminds me of me and Rick (Rick James). I feel like she’s a younger me. Of the younger ladies, she’s the one I love most.” The album proved another success, reaching the Top 20 on Billboard's Top 200, and giving Teena Marie yet another Top 10 R&B chart entry. In 2023 she posthumously received a Grammy award for a sample credit on Cuff It by Beyoncé, but for unknown reasons the credit was removed so her Grammy was revoked.
Square Biz
Teena Marie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody get up
Flash back, who's that dancin' to the latest
Suave de bone, the greatest, ooh, he sure is moving me
That's what I said though you didn't know yet
Our love is was kismet, soon to be made history
So don't you have no doubt, I'm gonna spell it out
I'll hip you to the Tee that is
I got the best, the most, baby, from coast to coast
And I don't wanna boast, but I love you Square Biz
I'm talkin' Square Biz to you, baby
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love that it
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' Square Biz to you, baby
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love that is
That is, that is Square Biz
So shy, whoa, my, had to change that real quick
Had to use a few tricks, you know like my femme fatale
Phase two, me, you dancin' on a cloud
I'm gonna sing it loud ?cause my love is on the wow
So don't you have no doubt, I'm gonna spell it out
I'll hip you to the Tee that is
I got the best, the most, baby, from coast to coast
And I don't wanna boast, but I love you Square Biz
I'm talkin' Square Biz to you, baby
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love that it
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' Square Biz to you, baby
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love that is
That is, that is Square Biz
Square Biz
Square Biz, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love
Square Biz, Square Biz
Square Biz, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love
Phase three, ooh-wee, on a love oasis
Joy upon our faces sent from up above
Bombs burst, fireworks, big production thing
I'm talkin' horns and string, orchestration is my love
So don't you have no doubt, I'm gonna spell it out
I'll hip you to the Tee that is
I got the best, the most, baby, from coast to coast
And I don't wanna boast, but I love you Square Biz
I'm talkin' Square Biz to you, baby
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love that it
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' Square Biz to you, baby
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love that is
That is, that is, that is Square Biz
Ooh
Hey, baby, what's your name, huh
Ladies call me Slick Rick, baby
Well, don't be too slick now
I'm talking Square Biz
Talk to me, talk to me, baby
I'm talking Square Biz
Talk to me, talk to me
I'm talking Square Biz
Talk to me
I'm talking Square Biz to you
I'm talking Square Biz
Talk to me
I'm talking Square Biz to you
Baby, what's happening
Entre vous Lady Tee
I've heard a boatload of others ladies' raps
But they ain't got nothin' on me
I'm less than five foot one, a hundred pounds of fun
I like sophisticated funk
I live on Dom Perignon, caviar, filet mignon
And you can best believe that's bunk
Here's what I'm talking, baby
Square Biz, Square Biz
I've been called Casper, Shorty, Lil' Bit
And some they call me Vanilla Child
But you know that don't mean my world to me
?Cause baby, names can't cramp my style
I love chick-icken
And Buff's collard greens
A little hot water corn bread
I love you too Cat daddy
But don't you let that go to your head
That's what I'm talking, baby
Square Biz, Square Biz
You know I love spirituals and rock
Sarah Vaughn, Johann Sebastian Bach
Shakespeare, Maya Angelou
And Nikki Giovanni just to name a few
Well, I'm wild and peaceful Lady Tee
I got to keep my irons in the fire, you see
I got the point, the scam, the low, the deal
What you feel, say what
Flash back, who's that
Flash back
Flash back, who's that
Flash back
So don't you have no doubt, I'm gonna spell it out
I'll hip you to the Tee that is
I got the best, the most, baby, from coast to coast
And I don't wanna boast, but I love you Square Biz
I'm talkin' Square Biz to you, baby
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love that it
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' Square Biz to you, baby
Square, Square Biz
I'm talkin' love that is
Woo
I'm gonna talk about it
I'm gonna talk my love
I'm gonna talk about it
I'm gonna talk my love
I'm gonna hip you to the Tee
The Tee, The Tee
What's the Tee
Now you know that's me
Flash back, who's that
Flash back
Flash back, who's that
Flash back
Flash back, who's that
Flash back
Flash back, who's that
Flash back
I'm gonna talk about it
I'm gonna talk my love
I'm gonna talk about it
I'm gonna talk my love
I'm gonna hip you to the Tee
Everybody's dancing on the Tee
Quit talking Square Biz
Everybody's dancing on the Tee
Quit talking Square Biz
Teena Marie's 1981 hit song "Square Biz" is a funky jam about love, with a mix of old-school and contemporary beats. The opening verse sets the stage for a lover's declaration, as Marie sings about the intensity of the relationship, comparing it to kismet, or fate. She tells her lover not to have any doubts, spelling out that she's got the best love from coast to coast. The chorus repeats the phrase "Square Biz," affirming that this is a genuine and authentic relationship.
In the second verse, Marie uses her femininity to charm her lover, using a few tricks to win him over. She promises to make their love known loudly, bringing in her powerful vocals. The third verse has a celebratory tone, with Marie speaking about love in terms of orchestration, calling it a big production with bombs bursting and fireworks. She sings about experiencing joy with her lover and talks about the orchestration of their love.
Throughout the song, Marie drops hints about her style, sophistication, and love of soulful music, with references to Sarah Vaughn, filet mignon, collard greens, and Johann Sebastian Bach. Her final declaration is to "hip" her lover to "the Tee," which is her soulful, electrifying song - "Square Biz." The song is a powerful love ballad that uses funky bass and powerful singing to convey the authenticity of the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Hee...
A joyful expression to kick off the song
Everybody get up
Invitation to dance as the song starts
Flash back, who's that dancin' to the latest
Reliving a memory of a great dancer
Suave de bone, the greatest, ooh, he sure is moving me
A charming dancer with impressive moves
That's what I said though you didn't know yet
Explaining what was thought but not said earlier
Our love is was kismet, soon to be made history
Describing love that feels destined to succeed, to be remembered in time
So don't you have no doubt, I'm gonna spell it out
Asserting love with absolute conviction and clarity
I'll hip you to the Tee that is
Introducing yourself as Lady Tee, the singer
I got the best, the most, baby, from coast to coast
Boasting about the quality of love that is being offered
And I don't wanna boast, but I love you Square Biz
Another assertion of love, keeping it humble this time
I'm talkin' Square Biz to you, baby
Emphasizing that this love is straightforward and direct
Square, Square Biz
A catchy repetition of the song's title
I'm talkin' love that it
Clarifying that the song is about expressing love
I'm talkin' love that is
Repeating and accentuating the last statement
That is, that is Square Biz
Linking love and Square Biz theme together
So shy, whoa, my, had to change that real quick
Shyness is not desirable, it needs to go away quickly
Had to use a few tricks, you know like my femme fatale
Teasingly suggesting that seductive tactics were employed
Phase two, me, you dancin' on a cloud
Introducing a new step in the love story, a romantic evening with dancing
I'm gonna sing it loud ?cause my love is on the wow
Singing passionately to reflect the depth of love
Square Biz
Repeating the song's title for emphasis
Square Biz, Square Biz
More catchy repetition
I'm talkin' love
Reiterating once again that love is the main subject
Phase three, ooh-wee, on a love oasis
The love affair is evolving into a new phase
Joy upon our faces sent from up above
Expressing how happy they are, thanks to divine intervention
Bombs burst, fireworks, big production thing
Describing a spectacular event
I'm talkin' horns and string, orchestration is my love
Comparing the beauty of love to the harmonious sound of an orchestra
Ooh
An exclamation of pleasure
Hey, baby, what's your name, huh
Asking for the listener's name in a flirtatious tone
Ladies call me Slick Rick, baby
Introducing oneself as Slick Rick
Well, don't be too slick now
A playful comment, asking Slick Rick to avoid being too suave
I'm talking Square Biz
Returning to the main point of the song, love delivered straight
Talk to me, talk to me, baby
Encouraging the listener to speak up
I'm talking Square Biz to you
Reiterating the direct and straightforward approach to love
Baby, what's happening
Asking the listener about what's going on in their life
Entre vous Lady Tee
Introducing Lady Tee's French nickname
I've heard a boatload of others ladies' raps
Noticing other female singers' music out there
But they ain't got nothin' on me
Asserting oneself as a superior singer
I'm less than five foot one, a hundred pounds of fun
Describing oneself with playful pride
I like sophisticated funk
Expressing a preference for a specific music genre
I live on Dom Perignon, caviar, filet mignon
Mocking the idea of luxury and excess that sometimes comes with fame
And you can best believe that's bunk
Dismissing any possible misinterpretation of earlier lines as bragging
Here's what I'm talking, baby
Returning to the main point of the song, it's all about love
I've been called Casper, Shorty, Lil' Bit
Listing some of the nicknames received over the years
And some they call me Vanilla Child
Referring to being a white female singer in a traditionally black genre
But you know that don't mean my world to me
Asserting that one's self-worth is not measured by nicknames and appearances
?Cause baby, names can't cramp my style
Confidently affirming that no one can hold you down, regardless of their opinions
I love chick-icken
Expressing a love for a specific food
And Buff's collard greens
Referencing a diner in Los Angeles with famous soul food
A little hot water corn bread
Describing a popular side dish in Southern cuisine
I love you too Cat daddy
A term of endearment
But don't you let that go to your head
Warning someone not to get too complacent or conceited
That's what I'm talking, baby
Bringing it back to love once again
You know I love spirituals and rock
Appreciating different music genres
Sarah Vaughn, Johann Sebastian Bach
Naming artist inspiration and exemplars of excellence
Shakespeare, Maya Angelou
Naming literary inspirations
And Nikki Giovanni just to name a few
Mentioning another famous poet as part of a wider artistic taste
Well, I'm wild and peaceful Lady Tee
Describing oneself as both energetic and serene
I got to keep my irons in the fire, you see
Juggling several projects and keeping busy
I got the point, the scam, the low, the deal
Knowing about the various aspects of music business and artistry
What you feel, say what
Encouraging others to speak up and express themselves
Flash back, who's that
Bringing the listener's attention back to the memory from earlier
Flash back
Repeating 'flash back' for emphasis
Woo
A final exclamation of joy and excitement
I'm gonna talk about it
Stating that the song is about to end
I'm gonna talk my love
Affirming once again that the song is an expression of love
I'm gonna hip you to the Tee
Reintroducing Lady Tee as the singer
The Tee, The Tee
Repeating twice for emphasis
What's the Tee
Asking the listener again, 'What's up?'
Now you know that's me
Confirming the identity of the singer once more
Everybody's dancing on the Tee
Closing with an image of everyone dancing together
Quit talking Square Biz
A final statement of love with the catchy song title as a sign off
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALLEN HENRY MC GRIER, MARY C BROCKERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sara
on I'm a Sucker for Your Love
Beautiful ❤️ just for you and me.