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.
I'm a Good Woman
Barbara Lynn Lyrics
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Miscellaneous
Una Mujer (I'm A Woman)
Cuánto te extrañe
Cuánto desamor sentí
Cuantas veces derrame
Mis lagrimas por ti
Pero me cansé
La razón para volar
Y vivir en libertad
Si lloré, si reí
Si tanto resistí
Si avance, si caí
Nuevamente renací
Decidí caminar
Y tuve que luchar
Aprendí el valor
De simplemente ser
Una mujer
Una mujer
Este loco corazón
Conoció la soledad
Descubriendo su poder
En su fragilidad
Tuvo que saber
El dolor del verbo amar
La aventura de aprender
El placer de ser mujer
Si lloré, si reí
Si tanto resistí
Si avance, si caí
Nuevamente renací
Decidí caminar
Y tuve que luchar
Aprendí el valor
De simplemente ser
Una mujer
Puedo ser serena
Brisa o tempestad
Fuego, hielo, tierra, hogar
Si lloré, si reí
Si tanto resistí
Si avance, si caí
Nuevamente renací
Decidí caminar
Y tuve que luchar
Aprendí el valor
De simplemente ser
Una mujer
Si lloré...
The lyrics of the song I'm a Good Woman by Barbara Lynn describe the journey of a woman who has faced heartbreak and disappointment in love but has chosen to rise above it and find her strength within herself. The opening lines express the pain and sorrow the woman felt from missing and being unloved by someone. However, she decided to look within herself to find reasons to fly and live freely. She goes on to describe her journey of learning to accept herself as a woman with all her imperfections, and she faced the challenges that came with it. She learned to value and embrace her own strength and resilience even through the ups and downs of life. The song also affirms the different ways in which a woman can embody strength - she can be calm and peaceful or fierce and powerful like a storm.
Overall, the lyrics of the song affirm the idea that a woman should not limit herself or be defined by what society thinks she should be but instead, embrace her own unique strength as a woman and her journey of self-discovery and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Cuánto te extrañe
I felt the pain of missing you
Cuánto desamor sentí
I felt the heartbreak of being unloved
Cuantas veces derrame
I shed tears many times
Mis lagrimas por ti
My tears were because of you
Pero me cansé
But I got tired
Y busque dentro de mi
And looked within myself
La razón para volar
To find a reason to fly
Y vivir en libertad
And live in freedom
Si lloré, si reí
If I cried, if I laughed
Si tanto resistí
If I resisted so much
Si avance, si caí
If I advanced, if I fell
Nuevamente renací
I was born again
Decidí caminar
I decided to walk
Y tuve que luchar
And I had to fight
Aprendí el valor
I learned the value
De simplemente ser
Of simply being
Una mujer
A woman
Este loco corazón
This crazy heart
Conoció la soledad
Knew loneliness
Descubriendo su poder
Discovering its power
En su fragilidad
In its fragility
Tuvo que saber
It had to know
El dolor del verbo amar
The pain of loving
La aventura de aprender
The adventure of learning
El placer de ser mujer
The pleasure of being a woman
Puedo ser serena
I can be tranquil
Brisa o tempestad
Breeze or storm
Fuego, hielo, tierra, hogar
Fire, ice, earth, home
Writer(s): B. L. Ozen
Contributed by Wyatt Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rlhemming
This is brilliant. So tight and funky. What a fantastically talented lady, who was one of the early forces in 60's soul.
@danavixen6274
Such a talent! Penetrating voice with in depth lyricism. Thank you Barbara Lynn! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🎶🎵🎶🎵
@paulmorson7402
THIS is SOUL MUSIC
@sereneamani1713
I remember as a teenaged DJ for my parents' get-together and playing this. My parents and their guests had never heard it and they went crazy. (I always bought new good records when they came out. 59 cent specials for 45's LOL)
@davidp3802
https://youtu.be/vxbd0b3-BT4
@mygigi43
She definitely deserved to be recognized more!
@dlanodrelda
Saw her live at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ a couple of years ago. Still has it-great singing and left-handed guitar playing!
@udontgnomiebeee
love the lyrics, what a good woman and an amazing voice!
@ondinaprod
I can't get tired to hear it!! <3
@afrosoulstylist
Just superb.