Tammy
Ames Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tammy! Tammy! Tammy's in love!
The ole hootie owl hootie-hoo's to the dove
Tammy! Tammy! Tammy's in love!
Does my darling feel what I feel
When he comes near?
My heart beats so joyfully
You'd think that he could hear!
Tammy! Tammy! Tammy's in love!
Whippoorwill, whippoorwill, you and I know
Tammy! Tammy! Can't let him go!
The breeze from the bayou keeps murmuring low
Tammy! Tammy! You love him so!
When the night is warm, soft and warm
I long for his charms!
I'd sing like a violin
If I were in his arms
Wish I knew if he knew what I'm dreaming of!
Tammy, Tammy, Tammy's in love!
The lyrics to "Tammy" by the Ames Brothers tell the story of a girl who is hopelessly in love with a boy named Tammy. The first verse starts out with the whispering sound of the cottonwoods, painting a picture of a serene environment that's disturbed only by the girl's love for Tammy. She hears his name everywhere she goes - even the hootie owl hootie-hoo's to the dove the same three syllables. In the second verse, the girl tries to figure out if Tammy feels the same way about her as she does him. She describes her heart beating with joy every time Tammy is near, and she wonders if he can hear it too. The girl wishes she knew if Tammy knew what she was dreaming of.
In the final verse of the song, the girl turns to the whippoorwill to help express her love for Tammy. She knows she can't let him go, and the breeze from the bayou murmurs low about her love for him. When the night is warm, she longs for his embrace and wishes she could sing like a violin in his arms. But she still doesn't know if Tammy knows the depth of her feelings for him.
The lyrics to "Tammy" are a classic example of a love song that captures the bittersweet feeling of longing for someone who may or may not feel the same way. The imagery in the song creates a sense of place and time - the whispering cottonwoods, the hootie owl, the bayou breeze - adding to the wistful tone of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear the cottonwoods whisperin' above
The singer hears the rustling of the cottonwood trees, perhaps symbolizing nature's agreement with her feelings for Tammy.
Tammy! Tammy! Tammy's in love!
The repeated proclamation that Tammy is in love, perhaps implying that this is a new and exciting realization.
The ole hootie owl hootie-hoo's to the dove
The owl and dove's calls serve as another natural sign of Tammy's love.
Does my darling feel what I feel
When he comes near?
The artist wonders if Tammy reciprocates her love when they are together.
My heart beats so joyfully
You'd think that he could hear!
The artist's happiness and excitement are so evident that she feels like Tammy should be able to sense them.
Wish I knew if he knew what I'm dreaming of!
Tammy! Tammy! Tammy's in love!
The singer desires to know if Tammy shares her dreams and feelings for him, and continually declares Tammy's newfound love.
Whippoorwill, whippoorwill, you and I know
Tammy! Tammy! Can't let him go!
The singer confides in a whippoorwill her resolve not to let go of Tammy.
The breeze from the bayou keeps murmuring low
Tammy! Tammy! You love him so!
The bayou's breeze serves as another natural sign of Tammy's love, with the added emphasis of the phrase 'you love him so.'
When the night is warm, soft and warm
I long for his charms!
The artist's longing for Tammy's charms is particularly strong on warm, soft nights.
I'd sing like a violin
If I were in his arms
The artist imagines herself so content in Tammy's embrace that she would sound as beautiful as a violin.
Wish I knew if he knew what I'm dreaming of!
Tammy, Tammy, Tammy's in love!
The singer reiterates her desire for Tammy to understand and share her dreams, bringing the song full circle.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jay Livingston, Raymond B. Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gingerdances
I love it when a romantic song about a woman is sung by men with manly voices and not boyish voices! Thanks for sharing this!
@tkyaheya
100% correctly said
@glenpeachey7285
Takes me back to the 60s watching my mother doing laundry. Brings tears to my eyes
@Jerry-gu7yp
Hello Glen, how is everything going with you?
@billmiller119
THIS SONG BY THE AMES BROTHERS BRINGS BACK RECALL OF HIGH SCHOOL DAYS RIDING WITH MY NEIGHBOR IN HIS 53 BUICK SUPER WE WOULD HEAR TAMMY ,ALONG WITH OTHER GREAT SONGS OF THAT ERA GROUPS LIKE THE FOUR LADS, THE KINGSTON TRIO ,THE BROTHERS FOUR AND THE FOUR FRESHMEN THE MC GUIRE SISTERS, AND THE FOUR PREPS. AND ON AND ON !....////
@Atomino8
Thanks. It's a shame that this fine vocal quartett is almost forgotten for the younger generations.
@tytyblvz130
my grandmother sings this while crying because my granma sings this when my grandpa were alive and not they will meet on paradise
@naniajoe3137
What a beautiful song. Ames Brothers were so great .
@FredPickett
One of the best Groups We ever had/Such good harmony.
@larshansson9442
The Ames Brothers were great.