I Must Have That Man
Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't need a friend
My heart is broken, it won't ever mend
I ain't much carin'
Just where I will end
I must have that man
I'm like an oven
He treats me awful
Each time we meet
It's just unlawful
How that boy can cheat
But I must have that man
He's hot as Hades
A lady's not safe in his arms when she's kissed
But I'm afraid that when he's cooled off
And maybe I'm ruled off his list
I'll never be missed
I need that person much worse 'n just bad
I'm half alive 'n he's drivin' me mad
He's only human if he's to be had
I must have that man
I must have that man
The lyrics to Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra's song "I Must Have That Man" describe the singer's desperate desire for a man who is not treating her fairly. The song opens with the singer stating that she doesn't want her mother or a friend - the only thing she wants is the man who has broken her heart. She continues to describe how she is crying out for his love like an oven needs heat. Although he treats her terribly every time they meet, she can't help but want him more. The singer acknowledges that he's a dangerous man who can't be trusted but she still must have him in her life.
The second verse further emphasizes the singer's obsession with this man. She mentions how he's so hot that no woman can be safe when he kisses them. She's aware that she's putting herself in a dangerous position by wanting to be with him. However, she also mentions that she's afraid that when he's no longer interested in her, she'll be left alone and forgotten. Despite this possibility, the singer still can't help but crave him more. She ends the song by stating that she needs him much more than just "bad" - she's half alive and he's driving her mad. She believes that he's only human and therefore capable of being had, and that's why she must have that man.
Overall, the lyrics to "I Must Have That Man" are a vivid portrayal of the intense desire one can have for someone who is not treating them well. It's a raw representation of how some people can become so fixated on a person that they lose sight of their own well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't want my mammy
I desire the love of a man so much that I don't want the love of my mother.
I don't need a friend
Having a friend can't replace the love of a man that I long for.
My heart is broken, it won't ever mend
My heart is shattered into so many pieces that I don't think it can ever be fixed.
I ain't much carin'
Just where I will end
I'm not really concerned about where this relationship will take me, I'm just desperate to have him.
I must have that man
I need that man so desperately that nothing else matters.
I'm like an oven
That's cryin' for heat
I'm hot and wanting, like a heat-filled oven, yearning for my man to come satisfy me.
He treats me awful
Each time we meet
Although he treats me cruelly every time we meet, I cannot help but want him.
It's just unlawful
How that boy can cheat
It is unfair how he regularly cheats on me, but I still can't let him go.
He's hot as Hades
A lady's not safe in his arms when she's kissed
He is so passionate and intense that it's dangerous for a woman to be with him since she won't be able to resist him.
But I'm afraid that when he's cooled off
And maybe I'm ruled off his list
I'll never be missed
I fear that if I get crossed off his list, he will forget me and move on without hesitation.
I need that person much worse 'n just bad
I'm half alive 'n he's drivin' me mad
He's only human if he's to be had
I must have that man
The only thing that will make me feel alive again is to have him in my arms, even if it's bad for me. He's only human, and I can't resist him.
I must have that man
I am so consumed by my longing for him that I cannot let him go.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind