Raitt began playing guitar at an early age, something not a lot of her high school girlfriends did. "I had played a little at school and at camp," she later recalled in a July 2002 interview. "My parents would drag me out to perform for my family, like all parents do, but it was a hobby—nothing more...I think people must wonder how a white girl like me became a blues guitarist. The truth is, I never intended to do this for a living. I grew up...in a Quaker family, and for me being Quaker was a political calling rather than a religious one."
In 1967 Raitt continued her pursuit in that path when she entered Harvard's Radcliffe College as a freshman, majoring in African Studies. "My plan was to travel to Tanzania, where President Julius Nyerere was creating a government based on democracy and socialism," Raitt recalled. "I wanted to help undo the damage that Western colonialism had done to native cultures around the world. Cambridge was a hotbed of this kind of thinking, and I was thrilled."
One day, Raitt was notified by a friend that blues promoter Dick Waterman was giving an interview at WHRB, Harvard's college radio station. An important figure in the blues revival of the 1960s, Waterman was also a resident of Cambridge. Raitt went to see Waterman, and the two soon became friends, "much to the chagrin of my parents, who didn't expect their freshman daughter to be running around with 65-year-old bluesmen," recalled Raitt. "I was amazed by his passion for the music and the integrity with which he managed the musicians."
During Raitt's sophomore year, Waterman relocated to Philadelphia, and a number of local musicians he counted among his friends went with him. Raitt had become a strong part of that community, recalling that "these people had become my friends, my mentors, and though I had every intention of graduating, I decided to take the semester off and move to Philadelphia...It was an opportunity that young white girls just don't get, and as it turns out, an opportunity that changed everything."
Raitt eventually went back to school, but her time performing in Philadelphia had encouraged her to pursue music as a career. When Waterman contacted her and invited her to tour with The Rolling Stones, she made a second trip to the admissions office at Radcliffe and told them, "I'm going to take a leave of absence, but this is only going to last a year." As Raitt would later recall, "Imagine being 20 in 1970—wouldn't you have gone on tour with the Rolling Stones?"
By now, Raitt was also playing both folk as well as rhythm and blues clubs in the Boston area, performing alongside established blues legends like Howlin' Wolf, Sippie Wallace, and Mississippi Fred McDowell, all of whom she met through Waterman. In the fall of 1970, while opening for Fred McDowell at the Gaslight Cafe in New York, a reporter from Newsweek Magazine saw her and began to spread word of her performance. Scouts from major record companies were soon attending her shows to watch her play. She eventually accepted an offer with Warner Bros. who soon released her eponymously titled debut in 1971. The album was warmly received by the music press, many of which praised her skills as an interpreter and as a bottleneck guitarist; at the time, very few women in popular music had strong reputations as guitarists.
While admired by those who saw her perform, and respected by her peers, Raitt gained little public acclaim for her work. Her critical stature continued to grow but record sales remained modest. Her second album, Give It Up, was released in 1972 to universal acclaim, and though many critics still regard it as her best work, it did not change her commercial fortunes. 1973's Takin' My Time was also met with critical acclaim, but these notices were not matched by the sales.
Raitt was beginning to receive greater press coverage, including a 1975 cover story for Rolling Stone Magazine, but with 1974's Streetlights, reviews for her work were becoming increasingly mixed. By now, Raitt was already experimenting with different producers and different styles, and she began to adopt a more mainstream sound that continued through 1975's Home Plate.
In 1976, Raitt made a notable appearance on Warren Zevon's self-titled album with Warren Zevon's friend Jackson Browne and Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
1977's Sweet Forgiveness gave Raitt her first commercial breakthrough when it yielded a hit single in her cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway." Recast as a heavy r&b recording based on a rhythmic groove inspired by Al Green, Raitt's version of "Runaway" was disparaged by many critics, but its commercial success prompted a bidding war between Warner Bros. and Columbia Records. "There was this big Columbia – Warner war going on at the time," recalled Raitt in a 1990 interview. "James Taylor had just left Warner Bros. and made a big album for Columbia...And then, Warners signed Paul Simon away from Columbia, and they didn't want me to have a hit record for Columbia — no matter what! So, I renegotiated my contract, and they basically matched Columbia's offer. Frankly the deal was a really big deal."
Warner Bros. held higher expectations for Raitt's next album, 1979's The Glow, but it was released to poor reviews as well as modest sales. Raitt would have one commercial success in 1979 when she helped organize the five MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) concerts at Madison Square Garden. The shows spawned a three-record gold album as well as a Warner Bros. feature film, No Nukes. The shows featured co-founders Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, John Hall, and Raitt as well as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Gil Scott-Heron, and numerous others.
For her next record, 1982's Green Light, Raitt made a conscious attempt to revisit the sound of her earlier records, but to her surprise, many of her peers and members of the press would compare her new sound to the burgeoning New Wave movement. The album received her strongest reviews in years, but her sales did not improve and this would have a severe impact on her relationship with Warner Bros.
In 1983, as Raitt was finishing work on her follow-up album, titled Tongue & Groove, Warner Bros. cleaned house, dropping a number of major artists from their roster. Van Morrison and Arlo Guthrie were two of the most high-profile cases, and the day after mastering was completed on Tongue & Groove, Raitt was notified that she was to be dropped too. The album was shelved indefinitely, and Raitt was left without a label. By now, Raitt was also struggling with alcohol and drug abuse.
Despite her personal and professional problems, Raitt continued to tour and participate in political activism. In 1985, she sang and appeared in the video of "Sun City," the anti-apartheid record written a produced by Steven Van Zandt. Along with her participation in Farm Aid and Amnesty International concerts, Raitt would later travel to Moscow in 1987 as part of the first joint Soviet/American Peace Concert later shown on Showtime television. Also in 1987, Raitt would organize a benefit in Los Angeles, for Countdown '87 to Stop Contra Aid, featuring herself, Don Henley, Herbie Hancock, Holly Near and others.
Two years after dropping her from their label, Warner Bros. notified Raitt of their plans to release Tongue & Groove. "I said it wasn't really fair," recalled Raitt. "I think at this point they felt kind of bad. I mean, I was out there touring on my savings to keep my name up, and my ablility to draw was less and less. So they agreed to let me go in and recut half of it, and that's when it came out as Nine Lives." A critical and commercial disappointment, 1986's Nine Lives would be Raitt's last new recording for Warner Bros.
In late 1987 she joined k.d. lang and Jennifer Warnes as female background vocals for Roy Orbison's television special, Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night. By now, Raitt was clean and sober, having broken her substance abuse — for which she would credit Stevie Ray Vaughan in a Minnesota State Fair concert[1] the night after Vaughan's 1990 death. Following this highly acclaimed broadcast, she began working on new material. During this time, Raitt considered signing with Prince's own label, Paisley Park, but negotiations would ultimately fall through. Instead she began recording a bluesy mix of pop and rock under the production guidance of Don Was at Capitol Records.
Raitt had met Was through Hal Wilner, who was putting together Stay Awake, a tribute album to Disney music for A&M. Was and Wilner both wanted Raitt to sing lead on an adult-contemporary arrangement created by Was for "Baby Mine," the lullaby from Dumbo. Raitt was very pleased with the sessions, and she asked Don to produce her next album.
After more than twenty years of singing and recording popular music, Bonnie Raitt achieved immense success with her 10th album. Released in 1989, Nick of Time went to the top of the U.S. charts and won three Grammy Awards. At the same time, she walked away with a fourth Grammy Award for her duet "In the Mood" with John Lee Hooker on his album "The Healer".
She followed up this success with three more Grammy Awards for her 1991 album, Luck of the Draw, then, in 1994 she added two more Grammy's with her album Longing in Their Hearts. Both of these albums were multiplatinum successes. Raitt's collaboration with Was would amicably come to an end with 1995's live release, Road Tested. Released to solid reviews, it sold well enough to be certified gold.
For her next studio album, Raitt hired Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake as her producers. "I loved working with Don Was but I wanted to give myself and my fans a stretch and do something different," Raitt said. Her work with Froom and Blake was released on Fundamental in 1998.
In March of 2000, Raitt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Silver Lining was released in 2002 while Souls Alike was released in September of 2005.
Love Me Like A Man
Bonnie Raitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got their soul up on a shelf
You know they could never love me
'Cause they can't even love themselves
But I want someone to love me
Baby I want one to understand
Won't put himself above me
I never seen such losers
Don't think I haven't tried
Find a man to take me home instead of
Always for a ride
Baby, I use someone to care
Believe it when I tell you darlin'
You can love me like a man
Oh won't they rock on
Like my back ain't got no bone
Why don't you rock me one time baby
Like my backbone was your own
Baby, I want to wait until you can
Believe it when I tell you darlin'
You can love me like a man
Come home sad and lonely
Feel like I want to cry
Come over here and hold me baby
And don't ever ask the reason why
I said I, I want a lover
Won't have to work to understand
Don't put yourself above me baby
Love me like a man
In Bonnie Raitt's Love Me Like A Man, the first verse expresses the singer's frustration with the men she's been involved with. She asserts that these men cannot love her because they do not even love themselves, which suggests that they lack self-awareness or emotional intelligence. She desires someone who is not afraid to express their emotions and is willing to put her needs before their own. In the second verse, she compares the men she's met to "losers" who cannot provide her with the emotional fulfillment she craves. She laments that she has never had the opportunity to find someone who truly cares about her, and she repeats her desire for a partner who can love her like a man.
The chorus of the song emphasizes that Raitt wants a man who is not afraid to take charge in the relationship and make her feel loved and understood. She longs for someone who can rock her world and treat her like an equal. Raitt's use of the phrase "love me like a man" is significant. It suggests that traditional gender roles have limited her ability to find a partner who can meet her emotional needs.
In the final verse, Raitt confesses that she often comes home feeling sad and alone. She wants a partner who can hold her without demanding an explanation for her emotions. She repeats the chorus and stresses that she wants a lover who will not put himself above her but will instead understand and value her feelings.
Overall, Love Me Like A Man is a song about feminist empowerment and the desire for an equal and fulfilling relationship. Raitt challenges gender roles and expresses her yearning for a partner who can provide her with the love and understanding she deserves.
Line by Line Meaning
The men that I've been seeing, baby
The men that I have met in my life
Got their soul up on a shelf
Are preoccupied with themselves
You know they could never love me
They are not truly capable of loving me
'Cause they can't even love themselves
Because they don't even love themselves
But I want someone to love me
But I desire somebody to love me
Baby I want one to understand
Who can empathize and comprehend me
Won't put himself above me
Will not prioritize himself over me
Who can love me like a man
Who can love me unconditionally and wholeheartedly
I never seen such losers
I have encountered some poor and inadequate suitors
Don't think I haven't tried
But it's not like I haven't made an effort
Find a man to take me home instead of
To locate a man who can give me love instead of
Always for a ride
Only using me for his own pleasure
Baby, I use someone to care
I need someone to show me some love and affection
Believe it when I tell you darlin'
Take my word for it, my dear
You can love me like a man
You can love and treat me with respect and equality
Oh won't they rock on
Oh, why don't they provide some excitement and energy
Like my back ain't got no bone
Like they're making love to somebody with no spine
Why don't you rock me one time baby
Why don't you give me some wild passion, honey
Like my backbone was your own
As if my backbone belonged to you
Baby, I want to wait until you can
Honey, I'm willing to be patient until you're able to
Believe it when I tell you darlin'
Truly believe and trust my words, my dear
You can love me like a man
That you're capable of loving me with respect and integrity
Come home sad and lonely
When I return feeling unhappy and alone
Feel like I want to cry
Feeling like crying
Come over here and hold me baby
Come and embrace me, my love
And don't ever ask the reason why
And never question me about it
I said I, I want a lover
I just want a partner who loves me
Won't have to work to understand
Who doesn't have to try hard to comprehend me
Don't put yourself above me baby
Please don't prioritize yourself over me, my love
Love me like a man
Just love me with respect and equality
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Chris Smither
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chelsea Sorrell
Lyrics
The men that I've been seeing, baby
Got their soul up on a shelf
You know they could never love me
'Cause they can't even love themselves
But I want someone to love me
Baby I want one to understand
Won't put himself above me
Who can love me like a man
I never seen such losers
Don't think I haven't tried
Find a man to take me home instead of
Always for a ride
Baby, I use someone to care
Believe it when I tell you darlin'
You can love me like a man
Oh won't they rock on
Like my back ain't got no bone
Why don't you rock me one time baby
Like my backbone was your own
Baby, I want to wait until you can
Believe it when I tell you darlin'
You can love me like a man
Come home sad and lonely
Feel like I want to cry
Come over here and hold me baby
And don't ever ask the reason why
I said I, I want a lover
Won't have to work to understand
Don't put yourself above me baby
Love me like a man
Megha Manoj
These men that I've been seeing, baby
Got their soul up on the shelf
You know they could never love me
When they can't even love themselves
But I need someone to love me
Someone to really understand
Who won't put himself above me
Who just loves me like a man
I've never seen such losers, darlin'
Even though I tried
To find a man who could take me home
Stead of takin' me for a ride
And I need someone to love me
I know you can
Believe me when I tell you
You can love me like a man
They all want me to rock them
Like my back ain't got no bone
I want a man to rock me
Like my back bone was his own
Darlin', I know you can
Believe me when I tell you
You can love me like a man
I come home sad and lonely
Feel like I wanna cry
I want a man to hold me
Not some fool to ask me why
And I need someone to love me
Darlin', I know you can
Don't you put yourself above me
You just love me like a man
Sing Your Style Studio
These men that I've been seeing, baby
Got their soul up on the shelf
You know they could never love me
When they can't even love themselves
But I need someone to love me
Someone to really understand
Who won't put himself above me
Who just loves me like a man
I've never seen such losers, darlin'
Even though I tried
To find a man who could take me home
Stead of takin' me for a ride
And I need someone to love me
I know you can
Believe me when I tell you
You can love me like a man
They all want me to rock them
Like my back ain't got no bone
I want a man to rock me
Like my back bone was his own
Darlin', I know you can
Believe me when I tell you
You can love me like a man
I come home sad and lonely
Feel like I wanna cry
I want a man to hold me
Not some fool to ask me why
And I need someone to love me
Darlin', I know you can
Don't you put yourself above me
You just love me like a man
William Bulla
"“No one has ever loved anyone the way everyone wants to be loved.”
Mignon McLaughlin
Damned if I know what Mignon McLaughlin is getting at, or trying to say, and I'm not sure he does either!!!
However, In a love relationship, If you have, honesty, communication, and mutual respect from both parties, you should have it covered.
Thank You "achatscheibe" for posting this Bonnie Raitt classic.
Please Be Well, and Stay Strong, Will
Q
The men that I've been seeing, baby
Got their soul up on a shelf
You know they could never love me
'Cause they can't even love themselves
But I want someone to love me
Baby I want one to understand
Won't put himself above me
Who can love me like a man
I never seen such losers
Don't think I haven't tried
Find a man to take me home instead of
Always for a ride
Baby, I use someone to care
Believe it when I tell you darlin'
You can love me like a man
Oh won't they rock on
Like my back ain't got no bone
Why don't you rock me one time baby
Like my backbone was your own
Baby, I want to wait until you can
Believe it when I tell you darlin'
You can love me like a man
Come home sad and lonely
Feel like I want to cry
Come over here and hold me baby
And don't ever ask the reason why
I said I, I want a lover
Won't have to work to understand
Don't put yourself above me baby
Love me like a man
MOJO RISIN
Give me goosebumps every time i hear this song. Bonnie's got the blues under control jack!!!! I cant listen to her or Alison Krauss without getting goosebumps. I love great great music that just hits you to the bone! LOVE YOU BONNIE!!!
Armando De Marco
@David Groth . 4##xx
deleted channel
5yrs 2x and a 766200000 44
David Groth
The great Chris Smither is the writer, and she just totally rocks it!
Irene Brill
I've loved her voice, timing and guitar since I was 15. I'm 67 now and love her even more now!
Martti Suomivuori
Heh and the young people call her 'underrated'...after half a century of a career!
Donna Coltrane
Same here, 61.
Rod Franklin
This was the signature song for me. Couldn't get enough of it! She bent the bluest acoustic notes ever in this masterful gem.
Tillie Hanvey
Got to see her in concert 16 times!
Love her...she's so awesome
Mary Montijo
OMG... this is a blues song with so much feeling... the sweet voice of Bonnie Raitt is amazing and those strings are amazing!