Martha and the Vandellas were one of the most successful groups in the Moto… Read Full Bio ↴Martha and the Vandellas were one of the most successful groups in the Motown roster during the 1960s and fully active from 1960 to 1972, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, rock and roll and soul.

The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave", "Jimmy Mack", "I'm Ready For Love", "My Baby Loves Me", "Nowhere to Run", and, their signature song, "Dancing in the Street".

The group had its origins in Detroit, Michigan in 1957, and had initially gone by the name The Del-Phis. It originally was a quartet comprising childhood friends Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford, Annette Beard, and original lead singer Gloria Williams. Williams left after a failed single on the Checkmate label, leaving the quartet as a trio. They changed their name to The Vells signing a deal with Motown's Mel-o-dy label, and singing background for established Motown performers such as Mary Wells and Marvin Gaye before signing a new deal with Motown's Gordy label on September 21, 1962, after which the group changed its name to Martha and the Vandellas.

In 1964, the Vandellas' lineup changed with Betty Kelly replacing Annette Beard (now Beard-Sterling). In 1967, Kelly was fired and was replaced by Martha's younger sister, Sandra "Lois" Reeves. In 1969, Ashford was also fired and replaced by Sandra Tilley. It was right about this time that the group's name was officially changed to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, to conform with the company's recent changes of The Supremes' and The Miracles' names to reflect their featured lead singers. The lineup of the Reeves sisters and Tilley continued after Martha's return from an institution after suffering a nervous breakdown. The group disbanded following a farewell concert, held at Detroit's Cobo Hall on December 21, 1972.

The story of the group did not end completely with their split-up in 1972, however. While Tilley and Williams (both now deceased) eventually retired, the others continued with their individual career pursuits: Lois sang with the group Quiet Elegance and also sang background for Al Green; Reeves reunited with original Vandellas Ashford and Beard-Sterling for a 1978 benefit concert in Los Angeles; and in 1983, Reeves performed solo at Motown 25, which partly helped her and the Vandellas gain a new audience. In particular, Reeves herself is still known to sing with her sisters Lois and Delphine, often performing as a solo artist under the bill, "Martha Reeves of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas", and still performs all over the world.

My Man
Martha and The Vandellas Lyrics

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Shaking like a leaf on a tree
That's coming loose from the stem
Shaking like a leaf on a tree
Because I'm coming loose from my man

I'm like a weeping willow
Weeping on my pillow
For years & years

There ain't no sweet man
That's worth the salt of my tears

Down & down he dragged me
Like a fiend he nagged me
For years & years
There ain't no sweet man
That's worth the salt of my tears

Although I may be blue
Still I'm through
I must tell him goodbye
Rather than have that man
Gonna lay me down & just die

So, broken-hearted sisters
Aggravating misters
Lend me your ears
There ain't no sweet man
That's worth the salt of my tears

Although I may be blue
Still I'm through
I must tell him goodbye
Rather than have that man
Gonna lay me down & just die

So, broken-hearted sisters
Aggravating misters
Lend me your ears
There ain't no sweet man

Overall Meaning

"That's worth the salt of my tears" is a song by the legendary girl group Martha and The Vandellas. It is a deeply emotional tune about a woman who is tired of being mistreated by her man and is finally leaving him. The song opens with the singer saying that she is shaking like a leaf on a tree that is coming loose from its stem, implying that she is feeling fragile and vulnerable. She then explains that she is weeping on her pillow for years and years and that there is no man who is worth the salt of her tears.

Throughout the verses, she recounts all the ways her man had mistreated her and how he dragged her down. Despite her deep feelings, she realizes that she has to leave him because it's better than dying under his control. She implores other women who have gone through the same thing to lend her their ears, and sings that there is no sweet man that's worth the salt of her tears. The song is a powerful anthem for every woman who has had enough of a toxic relationship and is ready to move on with her life.

Line by Line Meaning

Shaking like a leaf on a tree
Trembling nervously, like a leaf on a tree.

That's coming loose from the stem
Like a leaf that's about to fall because it's coming loose from the tree's stem.

Shaking like a leaf on a tree
Same as the first occurrence.

Because I'm coming loose from my man
Feeling like I'm losing my connection to my man, like a leaf coming off a tree.

I'm like a weeping willow
Comparing myself to a weeping willow tree, known for its long drooping branches.

Weeping on my pillow
Crying on my pillow.

For years & years
Crying for a long time.

There ain't no sweet man
There is no good man.

That's worth the salt of my tears
No man is worth the sadness and tears I've shed.

Down & down he dragged me
He brought me down emotionally.

Like a fiend he nagged me
He nagged me relentlessly like a devilish creature.