Letta Mbulu (Soweto, 23 August 1942) is a South African jazz singer born an… Read Full Bio ↴Letta Mbulu (Soweto, 23 August 1942) is a South African jazz singer born and raised in Soweto, South Africa. She has been active since the 1960s, but left South Africa due to Apartheid in 1965 and moved to the United States. There she worked with Cannonball Adderley and Harry Belafonte. Her singing can also be heard in Roots (TV miniseries), The Color Purple, and she was a guest on a Season 6 episode of Soul Train.

Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady
Letta Mbulu Lyrics

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I guess it was yourself you were involved with,
I would've sworn it was me.
I might've found out sooner
If you'd only let me close enough to see.

That ain't no way to treat a lady, no way to treat your baby,
Your woman, your friend. That ain't no way to treat a lady,
No way, but maybe it's a way for us to end.

I was only bein' a picture,
With all the colors, I know,
While you were busy lookin' into
Wide blue mirrors and lovin' the show.

That ain't no way to treat a lady, no way to treat your baby,
Your woman, your friend. That ain't no way to treat a lady,
No way, but maybe it's a way for us to end.
There's a funny kind of consolation keeping me sane,
And I'd really like to share it, crawl on deep in my brain;
And see the times you never felt me lovin' you or needin' you,
So leavin' you now, you still won't know how to feel the pain.

I was lookin' out for my happiness
While you were lookin' within
And before you knew your own reflection
Always starts to tire you, it's happened again.

That ain't no way to treat a lady, no way to treat your baby,

Your woman, your friend. That ain't no way to treat a lady,
No way, but maybe it's a way for us to end.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Letta Mbulu's song Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady speaks about the betrayal and neglect experienced by the singer from her partner. The singer reminisces about the relationship and points out how she mistakenly thought her partner was involved with her, only to discover later that the attention was meant for someone else. The singer also expresses her desire to be close to her partner and see what was going on. The lyrics imply that the partner was emotionally distant and neglectful towards the singer, which is the "funny kind of consolation" she experiences.

The chorus of the song states "That ain't no way to treat a lady, no way to treat your baby, your woman, your friend..." and this line speaks about how the singer deserves better treatment from her partner, who has not been treating her well. She calls out how her partner's actions are hurting her and are not reflective of their relationship. The lyrics conclude with the singer pointing out how she was trying to find happiness in the relationship while her partner was only looking within themselves. The ending of the song suggests that the relationship has come to its end, but the pain will be felt by both parties.

Line by Line Meaning

I guess it was yourself you were involved with,
I thought that you were in a relationship with me, but it seems like you were only focused on yourself.

I would've sworn it was me.
I was really convinced that we were in a relationship.

I might've found out sooner If you'd only let me close enough to see.
Maybe I would have realized the truth earlier if you had allowed me to get closer to you.

That ain't no way to treat a lady, no way to treat your baby, Your woman, your friend.
Treating someone poorly, especially a woman who is your partner, is not acceptable.

That ain't no way to treat a lady, No way, but maybe it's a way for us to end.
Although it is not an acceptable way to treat a partner, it may be the end of our relationship.

I was only bein' a picture, With all the colors, I know, While you were busy lookin' into Wide blue mirrors and lovin' the show.
I was trying to be the best I could be, but you were too focused on yourself and your own interests to notice or care.

There's a funny kind of consolation keeping me sane, And I'd really like to share it, crawl on deep in my brain; And see the times you never felt me lovin' you or needin' you, So leavin' you now, you still won't know how to feel the pain.
Despite the pain of our breakup, I have found some comfort knowing that you never really appreciated my love or needed me the way I needed you. Leaving you won't make you understand the pain I am feeling now.

I was lookin' out for my happiness While you were lookin' within And before you knew your own reflection Always starts to tire you, it's happened again.
I was trying to find happiness in this relationship, but you were too self-absorbed to see that. Your obsession with yourself is exhausting, and it has led to the end of our relationship.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HARRIET SCHOCK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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