At the age of 17, she recorded a duet with her father Rufus Thomas, "Because I Love You", which became a Southern hit and gave the Satellite label (later Stax Records) its first real success.
In 1961 she rose to national prominence with "Gee Whiz (Look in His Eyes)", which reached the Top Ten in both the R&B and Pop categories, becoming the first Memphis soul record to have an impact nationwide and ensuring the success of the Stax Records label.
In the next ten years, she had 22 singles on the national charts, including "I'll Bring It on Home to You" (an answer to Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me"), "Let Me Be Good to You", and Isaac Hayes' "B-A-B-Y".
She is well-known for her duets with Otis Redding, from the album King & Queen, including the recordings of the Lowell Fulson composition "Tramp" and the Steve Cropper/Eddie Floyd song "Knock on Wood".
In 1993 Carla Thomas received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.
Good Man
Carla Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Substituting lap dancin' for love, love, love
Going home to an empty house
Thinkin' who should I call for some fun, hey
I never knew love
Until you loved
Never thought
That I'd fall in love
The man I always knew I could be, baby
[Chorus:]
I can't count the lovers that I've had
All those relationships gone bad
I want to thank you for guiding me
And showing me love
I was just a boy and not a man
Falling deep in love was not the plan
Baby because of you
And what you do
You made me a good man
Had to change my numbers every other week
Gettin' crazy crank calls from them freaks
I'll be in V.I.P with a bottle of something
Trying hard to push up on some peek
Cause' I... I never knew love
Until you loved
You showed me a true love
You gave me the chance
Now I understand how to be a good man
Oooh yes
[Chorus]
Thank you
For loving me
Its the love that you give
Its the love you are
Its the love that was you
Its your love for me yeah
Nothin' I be ain't you
My love
For nobody
(nobody, nobody, nobody)
Noo-body
Ooooh-oooh-ooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh
[Chorus]
The song "Good Man" by Carla Thomas is a soulful track that explores the idea of a man transitioning from a boy to a good man after experiencing true love. The opening verses of the song reveal the man's past experiences with women at gentleman's clubs, substituting lap dances for love and going home to an empty house, wondering who he can call for some fun. He never knew what love truly was until he met the person who made him understand how to be a good man. This person helped him become the man he always knew he could be. The chorus expresses gratitude for the person who guided him and showed him love, making him a good man.
The bridge of the song touches on the struggles the man faced before finding love. He had to change his phone numbers every other week due to crazy crank calls from women he had been involved with in the past. He was in the VIP section of a club, trying to push up on some "peek" before realizing the transformative power of love. The final verse expresses the man's love and gratitude for the person who changed his life, saying that he would not be who he is today without their love.
Overall, "Good Man" is a touching song about the transformative power of love and the impact it can have on someone's life. It encourages listeners to strive to be good people and to appreciate the significant others who guide them on that journey.
Line by Line Meaning
You can catch me in the gentleman's club
I frequently visit strip clubs
Substituting lap dancin' for love, love, love
I go to these clubs instead of seeking genuine love
Going home to an empty house
After these visits, I go back to a lonely home
Thinkin' who should I call for some fun, hey
I search for someone to satisfy my desires
I never knew love
Until recently, I never truly experienced love
Until you loved
That's when you showed me what love really is
Never thought
I never considered the possibility
That I'd fall in love
Of actually experiencing the feeling of love
'Til you brought out of me
It was you that changed me
The man I always knew I could be, baby
You helped me become the better version of myself
I can't count the lovers that I've had
I've had many short-term relationships in the past
All those relationships gone bad
None of them worked out
I want to thank you for guiding me
You helped me find my way
And showing me love
You've shown me the true meaning of love
I was just a boy and not a man
I was immature and inexperienced in love
Falling deep in love was not the plan
I never intended to fall in love deeply
Baby because of you
But ever since I met you
And what you do
And the things you do for me
You made me a good man
You've made me a better man and helped me become more mature
Had to change my numbers every other week
I always receive unexpected calls from different people
Gettin' crazy crank calls from them freaks
These calls are coming from strangers who do not know how to behave properly
I'll be in V.I.P with a bottle of something
I'm usually in the VIP section with an alcoholic beverage
Trying hard to push up on some peek
I try hard to impress someone or gain their attention
Cause' I... I never knew love
Before meeting you, I did not truly comprehend love
You showed me a true love
But you showed me the true meaning of love
You gave me the chance
You gave me an opportunity to love and be loved
Now I understand how to be a good man
Now I have become a better person and I know how to love and treat others well
Thank you
I am grateful for you
For loving me
For showing me your love
Its the love that you give
Your love is truly special
Its the love you are
You are a symbol of love
Its the love that was you
You represent love in my life
Its your love for me yeah
Your love for me is immeasurable
Nothin' I be ain't you
Without you, I wouldn't be the man I am today
My love
My love for you
For nobody
Is reserved for only one person
(nobody, nobody, nobody)
Noo-body
It's only you for me, nobody else
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HARVEY JAY MASON, ROBERT L. HUGGAR, DAMON E. THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nubeing09 N
That's what I need Carla thanks for the real music that so many forget about
John Benn
I agree 100& What a fantastic voice & she really rocks! Amazing sounds & so,so good.
Steve Eaton
Great.