She was born Barbara Lynn Ozen in Beaumont, Texas, and attended Hebert High School. She played piano as a child, but switched to guitar, which she plays left-handed. Inspired by blues artists Guitar Slim and Jimmy Reed, and pop acts Elvis Presley and Brenda Lee, and winning several local talent shows, she created an all-female band, Bobbie Lynn and Her Idols.
She began performing in local clubs in Texas. Singer Joe Barry saw her and introduced Lynn to producer Huey P. Meaux, who ran SugarHill Recording Studios and several record labels in New Orleans. Her first single, "You'll Lose A Good Thing", co-written by her and Meaux, was recorded at Cosimo Matassa's J&M studio with session musicians including Mac Rebennack (Dr. John). Released by Jamie Records, it was a number 1 US Billboard R&B chart hit and Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1962. The song was later recorded by Aretha Franklin and became a country hit record for Freddy Fender. Lynn also released an album, also titled You'll Lose A Good Thing, which featured ten of her compositions.
Unusually for the time, Lynn was a female African American singer who both wrote most of her own songs and played a lead instrument. Soon Lynn was touring with such soul musicians as Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, James Brown, Al Green, Carla Thomas, Marvin Gaye, Ike and Tina Turner, The Temptations, and B.B. King. She appeared at the Apollo Theater, twice on American Bandstand, and had her song, "Oh Baby (We've Got A Good Thing Goin')" (1964) covered by The Rolling Stones on their album The Rolling Stones Now! (1965). She continued to record for the Jamie label until 1966 and had several more minor hits.
In 1966 she signed to Meaux's Tribe label, and recorded "You Left the Water Running," which was covered by Otis Redding among others. She signed for Atlantic the following year, and recorded another album, Here Is Barbara Lynn, in 1968. She married for the first time at age 28, in 1970 and had three children. This, together with dissatisfaction with poor promotion by the record company, contributed to her decision to largely retire from the music business for most of the 1970s and 1980s. However, while living in Los Angeles, she occasionally appeared at local clubs, and released several singles on Jetstream and other small labels.
In 1984 she toured Japan, and recorded a live album, You Don't Have to Go, which was released later in the US. She resumed her recording career after her husband's death, and returned to Beaumont, Texas, where her mother lived. She also undertook further international tours, to Europe and elsewhere. In 1994, she recorded her first studio album for over twenty years, So Good, and released several more albums for various labels in later years.
She continues to reside in Beaumont, and was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999. In 2002, electronic musician Moby sampled Lynn's "I'm A Good Woman" on his album, 18.
Forever
Barbara Lynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can break my heart
Forever, if you want to
I'll play the part of a fool
Just to be with you forever
Forever, darling, forever
You can taunt me
But I'll always be just a fool
Just to be with you forever
I'll be your slave
For the rest of my days
Love you more in so many ways
Just to be with you thrills me through and through
And darlin', forever, forever
You can taunt me
Take my love for granted
But I'll always be just a fool
Just to be with you forever
Forever, forever, I'll love you so
The lyrics to Barbara Lynn's song "Forever" express a willingness to endure heartbreak and humiliation in order to remain in a relationship. The singer declares that they will play the part of a fool just to be with their love forever, even if that means being taunted and taken for granted. They promise to be a slave to love for the rest of their days, loving their partner more with each passing moment. Despite the mistreatment they receive in the relationship, the singer seems to derive great pleasure from simply being with their partner, as it "thrills" them through and through.
The song is a classic example of a love ballad, expressing the kind of all-consuming passion and devotion that is often idealized in popular culture. It speaks to the truth that sometimes people are willing to put up with a lot of pain and mistreatment in order to remain with the person they love. At the same time, the song can be seen as problematic, romanticizing the idea of putting oneself in a subservient position in a relationship.
Overall, the lyrics to "Forever" are a poignant expression of the power dynamics that often exist in romantic relationships, highlighting the tension between a desire for love and a need for self-respect and boundaries.
Line by Line Meaning
Darlin', forever, forever
The singer is declaring that they will love their partner for eternity.
You can break my heart
The singer is telling their partner that their heart is vulnerable and can be shattered.
Forever, if you want to
The singer is willing to endure heartbreak and continue loving their partner regardless.
I'll play the part of a fool
The singer is acknowledging that they may come off as foolish for loving someone who can break their heart, but they will do it anyway.
Just to be with you forever
The singer will endure any pain or ridicule just to be with their partner forever.
You can taunt me
The singer acknowledges that their partner can tease them or treat them poorly, but they will not stop loving them.
Take my love for granted
The singer acknowledges that their partner may not appreciate the love they give, but they will continue to give it anyway.
But I'll always be just a fool
The singer is aware that their love for their partner may seem foolish to others, but they will always love them regardless.
I'll be your slave
The singer is willing to serve their partner and do anything to make them happy.
For the rest of my days
The singer is committed to loving and serving their partner for their entire life.
Love you more in so many ways
The singer loves their partner deeply and in many different ways.
Just to be with you thrills me through and through
Being with their partner brings the singer immense joy and excitement.
Forever, forever, I'll love you so
The singer promises to love their partner forever and forever.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN HOLLAND, FREDDIE GORMAN, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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