[edit] Childhood & teen years
Charlotte Denise McClain… Read Full Bio ↴Early life
[edit] Childhood & teen years
Charlotte Denise McClain was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1956. Originally named Charlotte, "Charly" was given her masculine moniker by neighborhood friends in Memphis, and she also used it when she started playing hotel lounges. When Epic Records decided it sounded catchier than Charlotte, it became a permanent professional banner. [1] McClain's father had tuberculosis when she was eight, and, since she was under age for visitation rights at the hospital, she had to communicate with him through a tape recorder. [2]
[edit] Career discovery
McClain's use of the tape recorder with her father inspired her interest in singing. McClain soon began performing in public regularly. She began singing in the club circuit by the time she was seventeen. She then gained a recording contract with Epic Records by the time McClain was almost twenty years old. She began her musical career at age 12 with her brother in a band called "Charlotte & The Volunteers" for 6 years. Her first appearance was on TV in Jackson, Tennessee, local station WBBJ morning show. She was a regular on local Memphis show "Mid-South Jamboree" from 1973-1975. [3]
Signed to her first recording contract in 1976, McClain's distinct vocal sound provided an edge in recognizability — as did her appearance. [4]
[edit] Country music career
[edit] 1976 – 1980: Country beginnings
McClain debuted in late 1976 with her first single, "Lay Me Down", which peaked at #67 on the Billboard Country Chart. McClain's first singles between 1976 through 1977, mainly from her debut album Here's Charly McClain, did not chart very high on the Country charts at the time. McClain's second album, titled Let Me Be Your Baby, was released in 1978. She hit country's Top Ten for the first time in 1978 with "That's What You Do to Me," [5] followed by two other Top 25 hits from the album, "Let Me Be Your Baby" and "Take Me Back".
McClain had a series of Top 20 hits between 1978 and 1980, including "When Love Ain't Right", "You're a Part of Me", and "I Hate the Way I Love It", a duet with Johnny Rodriguez. Occasionally McClain's singles would enter the Top 10. She had two Top 10 hits during this time, "That's What You Do to Me" (1978), followed by "Men", which peaked at #7 in 1980. However, McClain still hadn't achieved breakthrough success.
McClain released two albums between 1979 and 1980, Alone too Long (1979) and Women Get Lonely (1980).
[edit] 1981 – 1989: Breakthrough
McClain hit the top spot one year later with "Who's Cheatin' Who." [6] This brought McClain breakthrough success for the 1980s. In 1981, McClain had three Top 10 hits off her Surround Me With Love, the title track, "Sleepin' With the Radio on", and "The Very Best is You". McClain's albums were also beginning to become more successful as well. Her Who's Cheatin' Who album peaked at #9 on the "Top Country Albums" chart, as did her 1981 album, Surround Me With Love.
She stayed in the upper reaches during 1982 with "Dancing Your Memory Away" and "Sentimental Ol' You," then hit number one again in 1983 with her Mickey Gilley duet "Paradise Tonight." [7] "Paradise Tonight" became McClain's second #1 hit in 1983. McClain's and Gilley's duet partnership became so successful, they released a duet album the following year, It Takes Believers, which spawned the Top 5 hit, "Candy Man", which peaked at #5 on the Billboard Country Chart, followed by "The Right Stuff", which became a Top 15 hit.
McClain also acted occasionally, appearing as a guest star on such shows as Hart to Hart and CHiPs. McClain's lonely life on the road was also chronicled in a 1981 HBO special titled "So You Want to Be a Star."
McClain released another big-selling album in 1985, Radio Heart, after having a series of minor solo hits in 1984. The title track off became a #1 Country hit in 1985, McClain's last #1 hit to date. The album also spawned two other Top 10 hits that year. McClain married former soap star Wayne Massey in 1984, and their own duet ("With Just One Look in Your Eyes") reached number five. [8] The third single off the album was also a duet with Massey, "You Are My Music, You Are My Song." The album, Radio Heart peaked at #15 on the "Top Country Albums" chart in 1985, and became on of McClain's best-known songs.
McClain's success began to subside after 1986, as Country-pop styled music was becoming unfavorable on Country radio. Her 1987 album brought only one Top 40 single, "Don't Touch Me There", which peaked at #20 on the Billboard Country Chart. The other singles did not become as successful. The album became McClain's last album with Epic, as she parted ways with them the following year. She continued to chart until her last recording came in 1989.[9] She recorded one studio album with Mercury Records before the end of the decade. She charted until the end of 1989. Her last charted single was "You Got the Job", which peaked at #65.
[edit] 1990 – present: Current music career status
McClain has not recorded another studio album since 1989's self-titled album with Mercury, and thus has dropped out of the public eye. Since 1989, several compilation albums of her music have been released, including 1999's Anthology, which was a compilation CD of McClain's biggest hits under Epic, beginning with her late '70s hits to her last '80s hits.
McClain has not toured in the past ten years or so. As of 2007 she is still married to Wayne Massey.
[edit] Discography
Main article: Charly McClain discography
[edit] References
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide.com; retrieved March 30, 2008
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide.com; retrieved March 30, 2008
^ Charly McClain biography at her official website (Geocities.com)
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide
^ Charly McClain biography at AOL.com
^ Charly McClain biography at AOL.com; retrieved March 30, 2008
^ Charly McClain biography at AOL.com
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide.com
[edit] External links
Charly McClain Official Website
CMT.com: Charly McClain
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charly_McClain"
Men
Charly McClain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Others treat you just like a child
And they can drive you so far away
Or they can drive you wild
Some you wanna show to your mama
And some you wouldn't show to your dad
Some wanna take you straight to the altar
Wo men, I'm here to tell you about 'em
Men, we couldn't make it without 'em
I've loved a few and I've found that a few need a friend
There's nothin' better than men to hold
There's nothin' better than men
Some men are as cold as December
Some are 'bout as hot as July
Sometimes they fill your life with happiness
Sometimes they make you cry
Wo men, I'm here to tell you about 'em
Men, we couldn't make it without 'em
I've loved a few and I've found that a few need a friend
There's nothin' better than men to hold
There's nothin' better than men
The lyrics of Charly McClain's song Men talk about the different types of men that exist and the impact they have on a woman's life. The song states that some men treat women like ladies who deserve respect and chivalry, while others treat them like children who are not capable of making their own decisions. This disparity in how men treat women can be frustrating and confusing for women, leading them to be driven away or driven wild.
The song also highlights the different intentions that men have with women. Some men are serious and want to introduce their partners to their parents and take their relationship to the next level, while others are just interested in a fling or a one-night stand. The song suggests that women should be careful who they choose to be with, as some men are not worth introducing to their parents.
Despite the different types of men, the song acknowledges that the world wouldn't be the same without them. The singer has had positive experiences with some men and knows that sometimes they just need a supportive friend. Overall, the song conveys a mixed message about men and how they treat women, but ultimately suggests that men are ultimately worth holding onto.
Line by Line Meaning
Some men treat you just like a lady
There are certain men who treat you with respect and admiration
Others treat you just like a child
While some men patronize and disrespect you as if you were a child
And they can drive you so far away
These men may push you away with their actions and attitude
Or they can drive you wild
Conversely, these men can ignite a passion and excitement within you
Some you wanna show to your mama
There are certain men whom you would want to introduce to your mother due to their positive qualities
And some you wouldn't show to your dad
Other men, however, you would keep away from your father due to their negative traits
Some wanna take you straight to the altar
There are men who are interested in commitment and marriage with you
And some just wanna take you to bed
However, there are other men who solely want a physical relationship with you
Wo men, I'm here to tell you about 'em
The singer is addressing the female audience, stating that she will give an account of men
Men, we couldn't make it without 'em
She acknowledges that men are crucial and necessary in the lives of women
I've loved a few and I've found that a few need a friend
The singer has had romantic relationships with numerous men, and has discovered that some of them require a friend rather than a lover
There's nothin' better than men to hold
Despite their flaws, men can provide comfort and support to women in their embrace
Some men are as cold as December
Certain men can be emotionally unavailable and distant like the winter season
Some are 'bout as hot as July
On the other end of the spectrum, some men can be passionate and intense like the summer heat
Sometimes they fill your life with happiness
Men can bring immense joy and fulfillment to your life
Sometimes they make you cry
However, men can also cause pain and heartbreak
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JERRY HAYES, RONNY SCAIFE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind