Barber won the Female Artist Recording of the Year award for her debut album "Oh Heart" at the 2005 Music Nova Scotia Awards. In 2007, Barber earned her fourth win as Best Female Local Solo Artist in The Coast’s annual "Best of Music Reader’s Poll", and her first win as Best Canadian Female Solo Artist for "For All Time".
Barber studied at Queen's University before pursuing her musical career full time. Her breakthrough "For All Time" was recorded & produced in Toronto by Les Cooper (who also performs as a multi-instrumentalist on the album), and features a number of Canada’s musicians; Bazil Donovan (Blue Rodeo) on bass and Blake Manning (Sarah Slean, Kim Stockwood) on drums. Guest appearances include a vocal performance by Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo) on Don’t Go Easy, guitar by singer/songwriter Luke Doucet, piano and clarinet performances by Spencer Evans (Sarah Harmer) and a duet with her brother Matthew Barber. The album was mixed by Andre Wahl (Hawksley Workman, Anne Murray) and mastered by Chris Potter (Sarah McLachlan, Rufus Wainwright). Further albums include "A Note to Follow So", "Oh Heart", and "For All Time".
In 2008, Barber released "Chances", a jazz album with full orchestral arrangements which was partially co-written with her producer Les Cooper, while also collaborating on several songs with Canadian musician Ron Sexsmith.
She followed up with the album ""Mischievous Moon", released through Outside Music in 2011. Barber won the SiriusXM 2012 Jazz Artist of the Year award, as well as the 2013 Western Canadian Francophone Album of the Year for ""Chansons".
Her solo album, ""Metaphora", was released in June 2018. She followed up with another French-language album, ""Entre nous", in 2020, and with ""Homemaker" in 2023.
Official site: http://www.jillbarber.com
Be My Man
Jill Barber Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And do everything that I should
And be the best woman that I can
Will you promise to be my man
If I swear all my love to you
If I swear always to be true
To be the one that you’ll know will understand
What on earth did I do to deserve
This little piece of heaven above
Where did you get the nerve
are you trying to spoil me with love
If I promise to be good
And do everything, everything that I should
You could make me the happiest woman in the land
If you promise to hold me tight
If you promise to treat me right
If you promise to be my man
To be my man...
In "Be My Man," Jill Barber sings to a potential partner about her willingness to be the best woman she can if he commits to being her man. She promises to be good and do everything she should, swear her love to him and always be true to him. She wonders what she did to deserve this wonderful man in her life and speculates if he's trying to spoil her with love, because she feels so lucky to have him.
The lyrics reflect a classic desire for commitment and partnership, with Barber offering her all in return for her man's promise to be faithful and treat her right. She emphasizes the importance of both partners understanding and supporting one another. The song has a upbeat, jazzy tempo and Barber's smooth, sultry voice adds an extra layer of enchantment to the message of the lyrics.
Overall, "Be My Man" is a timeless love song that speaks to the hopes and dreams of finding a lasting connection with a special person.
Line by Line Meaning
If I promise to be good
If I make a commitment to be kind, loyal and dependable
And do everything that I should
And if I fulfill all of my responsibilities and duties
And be the best woman that I can
And strive to fulfill my highest potential as a woman
Will you promise to be my man
Would you be willing to be my partner in life and love?
If I swear all my love to you
If I make a solemn promise to love only you wholeheartedly
If I swear always to be true
If I make a vow to always be honest and sincere
To be the one that you’ll know will understand
To be the one who comprehends you deeply and fully
Will you promise to be my man
Would you be willing to commit to be my partner in life and love?
What on earth did I do to deserve
What actions or deeds did I do that earned me this incredible blessing?
This little piece of heaven above
A metaphorical reference to the person who brings so much happiness and joy
Where did you get the nerve
What gave you the audacity or boldness to shower me with such love?
Are you trying to spoil me with love
Are you deliberately spoiling me or making me feel too good with your affection?
You could make me the happiest woman in the land
You have the potential to bring me overwhelming joy and contentment
If you promise to hold me tight
If you commit to embracing and comforting me
If you promise to treat me right
If you assure me of your respectful, honorable and loving conduct
If you promise to be my man
If you give me your word to be my partner in love and life
To be my man...
To be the significant other I long for and desire
Contributed by Sebastian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.