Patricia Barber, born in 1955, is an American jazz singer, pianist, and ban… Read Full Bio ↴Patricia Barber, born in 1955, is an American jazz singer, pianist, and bandleader. She was born in Chicago to parents who were both professional musicians (her father is Floyd "Shim" Barber, a former member of Glenn Miller's Band). She was raised and educated in South Sioux City, Nebraska, and completed high school there.

Her music is centered on her singing, in a fairly low register and a traditional bluesy-jazz style, and her piano playing, which is technically accomplished. Her repertoire includes many of her own compositions, but also a selection of standards drawn mostly from the classic-rock genre; examples include "Ode to Billie Joe," "A Taste of Honey," and "Black Magic Woman." She is known for her apparent above-average intelligence and vocabulary, which results in complex and witty lyrics. Her last album to date, Mythologies is a set of songs based on Ovid's Metamorphoses. In September 2008, Patricia is releasing "The Cole Porter Mix," a collection of Patricia's renditions of the Porter songbook along with three Barber originals inspired by Cole Porter.

Patricia Barber is a lesbian. Interviews with her suggests that she does not try to hide this fact, but that she 'tires' of the public interest in her sexuality – disliking the fact that it contributes to her fame.

Her albums Cafe Blue, Modern Cool, Companion, Nightclub, Verse have been reissued by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab on SACD and limited edition 45 rpm 1/2 speed mastered, 180 gram audiophile vinyl.

My Girl
Patricia Barber Lyrics

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I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

I've got so much honey the bees envy me

I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Ooh

I don't need no money, fortune, or fame
I've got all the riches baby one man can claim
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
With my girl

I've even got the month of May
With my girl

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Patricia Barber's "My Girl" are a tribute to a special woman in the singer's life who brings joy and happiness into his life. The opening lines of the song, "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day / When it's cold outside I've got the month of May," suggest that his girl brings brightness and positivity to even the bleakest of days. He goes on to explain that she is the source of his happiness, with lines like "I've got so much honey the bees envy me" and "I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees." The repetition of the phrase "my girl" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's deep connection to this person and the joy that she brings to his life.

Line by Line Meaning

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
I am so happy and content in my life that even on a dull and gloomy day, I am surrounded by happiness and positivity.

When it's cold outside I've got the month of May
Even when faced with difficult and harsh conditions, I feel warmth and comfort in the presence of my loved one.

I guess you'd say
Perhaps it's fair to assume, or it's possible that you might say.

What can make me feel this way?
What could possibly bring so much joy and happiness into my life? I am grateful for this feeling, but I wonder where it comes from.

My girl (my girl, my girl)
The source of this feeling is my significant other, the one I love and cherish.

Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
I can't help but speak about her, because she's the reason for my happiness and I want everyone to know.

I've got so much honey the bees envy me
I am so fortunate and blessed to have so much sweetness in my life that it exceeds that of the bees, who are known to produce honey.

I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees
Not only do I have sweetness, but I also have a beautiful and melodic voice that even the birds envy.

Hey hey hey
This is simply an expression of excitement and happiness, without any specific meaning.

Ooh
This is also an expression of excitement and happiness, without any specific meaning.

I don't need no money, fortune, or fame
I don't desire or need wealth, success, or celebrity status in my life, because what I already have is more than enough.

I've got all the riches baby one man can claim
The true wealth and riches in my life are the love and companionship of my significant other, which I value above all else.

With my girl
Everything in my life is better when she is by my side, and I am grateful for her presence and love.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ronald White, William Robinson Jr.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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