Davis was born as Betty Mabry in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Mabry's debut was as a songwriter, with The Chambers Brothers's Uptown (1967, Columbia). When Betty turned sixteen, she moved to New York and met several musicians including Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone. She met Miles Davis in 1967 and married him in 1968. As he stated in his autobiography, in addition to creating turmoil in his personal life, his wife helped him to explore music by introducing him to psychedelic rock guitarist Hendrix and funk innovator Stone. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence, though seemingly no credible documentation, to support the idea that Miles Davis named his masterpiece jazz-fusion album Bitches Brew after Betty.
After the breakup of her marriage, Davis moved to London to pursue her modelling career. She wrote music - a passion since childhood - while in the U.K. and returned to the U.S. with the intention of recording songs with Santana and The Commodores. When those projects didn't work out, she organised a group of talented West Coast funk musicians and recorded the songs under her own name.
Her first album, Betty Davis, was released in 1973 and her band included members of Sly and the Family Stone, Graham Central Station, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power, and Neil Schon who came from Santana, but went on to form Journey. Davis released two more studio albums: They Say I'm Different (1974) and Nasty Gal (1975). Her backing band, Funkhouse,consisted of her cousin, Larry Johnson on bass, Fred Mills on keyboards, double-platinum artist Carlton Morales on guitar, and Nikki Neal on drums. None of the three albums was a commercial success, and Davis's 1976 album Is It Love or Desire remained unreleased until 2009.
Davis remained a cult figure as a singer, due in part to her open sexual attitude, which was controversial for the time and remains so thirty years later. Some of her shows were boycotted and her songs not played on the radio due to pressure by religious groups. With the passage of time her records have become highly regarded by collectors of soul and funk music. Davis eventually stopped making music and returned to the city where she had attended high school, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She continues to live there as a recluse from the music industry.
Material from a 1979 recording session,which was recorded at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, where Kevan Tynes attended, and Alfonse Mouson was the drummer, with Carlton Morales on guitar, and Davis's 1979 material was eventually used for two further albums: Hangin' Out in Hollywood (1995) and Crashin' from Passion (1996). A greatest hits album, Anti Love: the Best of Betty Davis, was released in 2000.
You and I
Betty Davis Lyrics
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And you
Ah you are a strange one
Tryin'
To be my man
Ah lying here so close to me tryin'
I love you I love you I love you
But it's so hard for me to be me
I'd be free I'd be free I'd be free
Ah then I could be me
I'm just a child trying to be a woman
And you
Ah you are a strange one trying to be
My friend
Ah lyin' here telling me what you feel tryin'
I need you I need you I need you
But it's so hard for me to be me
I wish I could live for you
I'd be free I'd be free I'd be free
Ah then I could be me
I'm just a child trying to be a woman
And you
You are a strange one
Trying not to be a child.
The lyrics to Betty Davis's song "You and I" are a poignant and evocative exploration of the struggles inherent in growing up and navigating romantic relationships. The singer notes that she is "just a child trying to be a woman," while her partner is "a strange one tryin' to be [her] man." Both parties are grappling with their roles, trying to find their place in each other's lives.
The repeated refrain, "But it's so hard for me to be me," underscores the theme of self-discovery and self-realization in the face of societal expectations and pressures. The singer wishes she could give herself more freely to her partner, but feels held back by her own uncertainty and confusion.
The second verse continues in a similar vein, with the singer noting that her partner is "lyin' here telling me what you feel tryin'/I need you I need you I need you." They too are struggling with their own desires and insecurities, trying to find a way to connect and be vulnerable with each other.
The final lines of the song bring the themes full circle, with the singer noting that her partner is "trying not to be a child" while she is "trying to be a woman." Ultimately, both parties are struggling to find their place in the world and in their relationship, torn between their desires and the expectations placed upon them.
Overall, "You and I" is a powerful and emotional exploration of the challenges inherent in growing up and forming romantic relationships. Through Davis's haunting vocals and evocative lyrics, the song captures the complexities and struggles of navigating these issues with honesty and authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just a child trying to be a woman
I'm young and inexperienced, trying to navigate my way into adulthood.
And you
Ah you are a strange one
You're different, unique in your own way.
Tryin'
To be my man
Attempting to take on the role of a significant other to me.
Ah lying here so close to me tryin'
Being physically close to me yet emotionally distant, trying to connect.
I love you I love you I love you
Expressing my feelings towards you.
But it's so hard for me to be me
Struggling to stay true to myself in this relationship.
I wish I could give to you
Desiring to offer myself more fully to you.
I'd be free I'd be free I'd be free
If I could do this, I could be myself and be liberated.
Ah then I could be me
This is what I need to be authentic.
Ah you are a strange one trying to be
My friend
You're still unique, but you're working to be a companion to me.
Ah lyin' here telling me what you feel tryin'
Being vulnerable and expressive with me, striving to connect.
I need you I need you I need you
Expressing my dependency on you.
But it's so hard for me to be me
It's challenging to maintain my own identity with this dependence.
I wish I could live for you
Wishing I could give more to you and be more dependent on you.
I'd be free I'd be free I'd be free
If I could do this, I could be myself and be liberated.
Ah then I could be me
This is what I need to be authentic.
I'm just a child trying to be a woman
I'm still inexperienced, but taking steps towards maturity and growth.
And you
You are a strange one
Trying not to be a child.
You're unique and striving for your own growth, trying to be responsible and mature.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Betty Mabry, Miles Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind