Born on February 16, 1946 in Blackville, South Carolina, Sease got his start by joining a gospel group in nearby Charleston called the Five Gospel Singers, and moved to New York at age 20, where he joined another gospel group called the Gospel Crowns. Preferring R&B, though, Sease put together a backing band (called Sease) featuring his three brothers. When this venture failed, Sease began singing to pre-recorded backing tracks at local dances and clubs, self-released several 45s, and eventually scored a regular gig at a Brooklyn nightspot called the Casablanca.
Gunning for greater success, Sease recorded a self-titled LP in 1986 featuring one of his most popular songs, "Ghetto Man," and began working the South's so-called chitlin circuit of ghetto bars, rural juke joints, and blues festivals. While shopping the LP, released on his own Early label, to record stores, Sease stumbled upon a contact who eventually got him a deal with Polygram, which re-released the LP on London/Mercury in 1987 with the addition of the newly recorded, ten-minute track "Candy Licker." "Candy Licker" became an underground success on jukeboxes across the South; it was too explicit for radio airplay, but audiences -- especially female ones -- flocked to see Sease in concert.
Over the next ten years, Sease recorded a string of albums for London/Mercury (Breakfast, 1987; The Real Deal, 1989; Show Me What You Got, 1991) and the New York-based Jive (The Housekeeper, 1993; Do You Need a Licker?, 1994; Please Take Me, 1996) that sold consistently well, although none have yet matched the performance of Marvin Sease, which hit number 14 on Billboard's R&B chart and number 114 on the pop chart. Several more releases were issued before the '90s came to a close: Bitch Git It All (1997), Hoochie Momma (1999). Women Would Rather Be Licked was issued in early 2001. The live CD and DVD Live with the Candy Licker both appeared in 2005.
On February 09, 2011, just days before what would've been his 65th birthday Marvin Sease died of pneumonia at River Region Medical Center in Vicksburg, Miss.
Tell Me Why
Marvin Sease Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know I must have shocked you, when I walked in on you
Making love to another man, kissing and holding hands
I could tell you were surprised, girl, 'cause I saw it in your eyes
I even heard you call him, babe
I said, Lord I hope it's not my friend
But the longer I stayed, the more I felt blue
Somebody tell me it ain't true
You can imagine what I've said
Somebody tell me it ain't true
Oh Lord, tell me why did you do?
I wanna know why did you do?
Listen, mama said you'll hurt me someday
But I never thought it would happen this way
I know my feeling won't be the same for you
Unless you tell me, Marvin, it's all a game
You've got me hurting inside
So bad I think I'm gonna cry
Somebody tell me it ain't true
Somebody tell me it ain't true
Oh, tell me why did you do?
I wanna know why, why did you do?
You see I gave you everything
Oh Lord, money could buy you
But you lied, cheated, touch down me
With my best friend, baby
I'm going clean out of my mind, only me, I'm not lying
Somebody tell me it ain't true
Somebody tell me it ain't true
Tell me why did you do?
I wanna know why did you do?
Why, why did you do?
Why did you do?
Diamond rings, fine clothes
Woman, I know I gave you love
Tell me why did you do?
Why did you do?
You got me hurting inside
So bad I think I'm gonna cry
Tell me why did you do?
Why did you do?
Tell me why
The lyrics to Marvin Sease's "Tell Me Why" explore the pain and confusion of betrayal in a romantic relationship. The song begins with Marvin walking in on his partner "making love to another man, kissing and holding hands." He expresses his shock and disappointment, hoping that it is not true that his partner is cheating on him with his friend. As he laments his hurt feelings, he also reflects on the warning his mother gave him that one day he would be hurt by his partner. He ends with a plea for an explanation, asking his partner to tell him why she did what she did, while also expressing the depth of his love for her and the material gifts he gave her.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh baby
Opening of the song.
I know I must have shocked you, when I walked in on you
The singer caught his lover cheating on him unexpectedly.
Making love to another man, kissing and holding hands
The lover was caught in the act of cheating with another man.
I could tell you were surprised, girl, 'cause I saw it in your eyes
The singer noticed that his lover was surprised to see him and feel guilty for cheating.
I even heard you call him, babe
While catching his lover in the act, he heard her call the other man a pet name.
I said, Lord I hope it's not my friend
The singer expresses his hope that the man his lover was with was not his friend.
I stood there hoping this wasn't true
The singer was in disbelief and couldn't believe what he was seeing.
But the longer I stayed, the more I felt blue
Despite not wanting to believe what he saw, the longer he stayed the worse he felt about it.
Somebody tell me it ain't true
The singer cannot believe what he has just witnessed and is seeking confirmation that it's not true.
You can imagine what I've said
The singer is conveying the magnitude of what he saw to others, suggesting they can only imagine how he feels.
Oh Lord, tell me why did you do?
The singer is expressing his confusion and asking why his lover would cheat on him.
Listen, mama said you'll hurt me someday
The singer's mother had warned him that his lover would hurt him, suggesting that he should have listened to her.
But I never thought it would happen this way
Despite his mother's warning, the singer didn't expect his lover to cheat on him with someone he knows.
I know my feeling won't be the same for you
The singer acknowledges that his feelings for his lover have changed now that he's been betrayed.
Unless you tell me, Marvin, it's all a game
The singer is asking his lover to assure him that what he saw was just a game and not real.
You've got me hurting inside
The singer is expressing his pain and hurt over his lover's betrayal.
So bad I think I'm gonna cry
The singer is overwhelmed with emotion and is close to tears due to the magnitude of the situation.
Somebody tell me it ain't true
The singer reiterates that he wants to hear that what he saw isn't true.
Tell me why did you do?
The singer keeps questioning why his lover would cheat on him with his friend.
You see I gave you everything
The singer reminds his lover that he has given her everything he possibly could.
Oh Lord, money could buy you
The singer emphasizes that he has even given her material possessions.
But you lied, cheated, touch down me
The singer's lover betrayed him by lying and cheating with his friend.
With my best friend, baby
The singer highlights that the person his lover cheated on him with was his best friend.
I'm going clean out of my mind, only me, I'm not lying
The singer is indicating that he is losing his mind, suggesting he is not lying about his emotions.
Why did you do?
The singer is asking again, why his lover would cheat on him.
Diamond rings, fine clothes
The singer points out that he has gone all out to keep his lover happy with expensive gifts.
Woman, I know I gave you love
The singer acknowledges that he gave his lover genuine love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Marvin Sease
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Troy
on Condom On Your Tongue
So, is this where the creators of South Park got the idea for Chef?
Aaron Carter
on The Price Of Feeding Him
He should have listened to the woman he was with. In with he helped a friend and the friend slept with his woman. And on the final occasion he just happened to get off work early just to creep in and catch his supposed to be friend laying up with his woman. And all she can tell him is she told him so with a smile