1. America… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least 2 musicians by the name Carl Carlton.
1. American R&B, soul, and funk singer and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan, USA
2. German rock guitarist and songwriter from Irhove, Leer, Germany.
1. Carl Carlton (b. 1953) is an American R&B, soul, and funk singer and songwriter best known for his hits "Everlasting Love" and "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)".
Carlton, born in Detroit, Michigan, first began recording in the late 1960's as "Little Carl" Carlton, a likely marketing ploy to capitalize on some vocal similarities to established hitmaker Stevie Wonder, who also hails from Detroit and had recorded under the name "Little Stevie" Wonder in the early 60's. After scoring some minor local hits, Carlton was signed by Don D. Robey and moved to Houston, Texas, the home of his new record label, Back Beat Records. Carlton saw some success with the new label including his first major hit, a disco-tinged remake of Robert Knight's "Everlasting Love" that went to #6 on the U.S. pop music charts.
Robey sold his labels to ABC Records in 1972, and in 1976 Carlton became embroiled in a royalty dispute with the new ownership that caused him to stop recording for some time. He then signed with Mercury Records in 1977, but only released one single on that label. Carlton was unable to land a new record deal for several years until Leon Haywood helped him get a singles deal with 20th Century Records. A Haywood-penned single, "She's a Bad Mama Jama", became a major hit, peaking at #2 on the pop charts and earning Carlton a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. Carlton's subsequent album, Carl Carlton, went gold in 1981. "She's a Bad Mama Jama" has since become a staple of compilation albums and soundtracks and is often sampled in rap music.
Carlton released several more albums in the 80's but had only a few minor R&B hits, and eventually fell out of favor with record companies and out of the public eye. After 1985's Private Property, he did not release another album until 1994's Main Event, which failed to chart.
In late 2002, Carlton appeared with many R&B superstars on the "Rhythm, Love, and Soul" edition of the PBS series American Soundtrack. His performance of "Everlasting Love" was included on the accompanying live album that was released in 2004.
2. His most active band project is called Carl Carlton and the Songdogs.
After 3 Albums with the Songdogs, Carl released "Lights out in Wonderland" under his solo name and went on tour with fellow musicians and friends like Klaus Voormann. This tour brought up the live 2CD "Woodstock & Wonderland (Live)"
Bad Mama Jama
Carl Carlton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look at her
She's a bad mama jama
Just as fine as she can be
She's a bad mama jama
Just as fine as she can be
Are perfect in every dimension
She's got a figure
That's sho 'nuff payin' attention
She's poetry in motion
Beautiful sight to see
I get so excited
Viewing her anatomy
She's built (She's built, she's stacked)
Oh she's stacked (All the curves that men like)
Got all the curves men like
She's built (She's built, she's stacked)
Oh she's stacked (All the curves men like)
Got all the curves that men like
Look at her!
She's a bad mama jama
Just as fine as she can be
Hey!
She's a bad mama jama
Just as fine as she can be
Looks like
She's poured into the gold, she bad
An essence of beauty
Ooo, such lovely hair
She's foxy, classy
Oh, sexy sassy
She's heavenly
A treat for the eye to see
Ooo wee!
She's a bad mama jama
Just as fine as she can be
Hey!
She's a bad mama jama
Just as fine as she can be
Woo, hoo
Na, na, na, na
[Repeat x 2]
She's built, she's stacked
All the curves that men like
Her body measurements
Are perfect in every dimension
She's got a figure
That's sho 'nuff payin' attention
She's poetry in motion
Beautiful sight to see
I get so excited
Viewing her anatomy
Look at her!
The lyrics to Carl Carlton's song "Bad Mama Jama" celebrate the beauty and sexiness of a woman. The singer describes her as a "bad mama jama" who is "just as fine as she can be." He is drawn to her physical attributes, from her body measurements that are "perfect in every dimension" to her curves that all men like. He is excited just from viewing her anatomy, describing her as poetry in motion and a beautiful sight to see.
The song's lyrics reflect a long history of objectification and fetishization of women's bodies in popular culture. The focus on the woman's physical measurements and curves reduces her to an object of male desire rather than a human being with her own thoughts, feelings, and desires. At the same time, the song celebrates female sexuality and beauty, suggesting that these are sources of power and pride for women.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, ooo, ooo-oh
Expressing excitement and positive emotion about something/someone
Look at her
Calling attention to a specific person
She's a bad mama jama
She is an extremely attractive woman
Just as fine as she can be
She is absolutely beautiful
Her body measurements
Her physical proportions
Are perfect in every dimension
Her proportions are ideal and flawless
She's got a figure
Her body shape is impeccable
That's sho 'nuff payin' attention
Her appearance is captivating and noticeable
She's poetry in motion
Her movements are graceful and fluid
Beautiful sight to see
Her appearance is striking and attractive
I get so excited
She causes me to feel intense pleasure and joy
Viewing her anatomy
Looking at her physical form
She's built (She's built, she's stacked)
She has a well-proportioned and curvy body that men find attractive
Oh she's stacked (All the curves that men like)
She has a full and curvaceous figure that men find appealing
Got all the curves men like
Her body shape is ideal for men's attraction
Looks like
It appears
She's poured into the gold, she bad
She is wearing something that accentuates her figure, making her extremely attractive
An essence of beauty
She exudes beauty and grace
Ooo, such lovely hair
Her hair is beautiful and fits her appearance well
She's foxy, classy
She is both attractive and sophisticated
Oh, sexy sassy
She is attractive and confident
She's heavenly
She is breathtakingly beautiful
A treat for the eye to see
She is so beautiful that looking at her is enjoyable
Ooo wee!
Expressing excitement and/or admiration
Woo, hoo
Expressing excitement and/or celebration
Na, na, na, na
Vocal sounds expressing joy and/or energy
She's built, she's stacked
She has a well-proportioned and curvy body that men find attractive
All the curves that men like
Her body shape is ideal for men's attraction
Look at her!
Calling attention to a specific person
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEON HAYWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind