Singer Patti Drew had the first hit version of "Workin' on a Groovy Thing,"… Read Full Bio ↴Singer Patti Drew had the first hit version of "Workin' on a Groovy Thing," later a 1969 Top 20 R&B/pop hit for the 5th Dimension. She began her singing career as the lead singer of the Drew-vels, which included her sisters Lorraine and Erma and bass vocalist Carlton Black. Born December 29, 1944, in Charleston, SC, Drew grew up in Nashville, TN, and later moved with her family to the Chicago suburb of Evanston.

During her teens, she attended Evanston High and sang with her mother and sisters in church. Her mother was a domestic worker whose employer, Maury Lathowers, was the regional promoter for Los Angeles, CA-based Capitol Records. She invited Lathowers to come to her church to hear her daughters sing and, impressed, he invited them to his home for an audition and got the group a deal with Capitol. Their debut single, Tell Him was a huge local hit around the Chicago area and charted number 90 R&B in early 1964. The Drew-vels broke up later that year, and in 1966, Drew signed to Peter Wright's Quill label. The following year, Drew signed a solo deal with Capitol. Her first single, a re-recording of "Tell Him," hit number 22 on the R&B charts in fall 1967. A Capitol LP, Tell Him, was also issued. One year later, her recording of the Neil Sedaka/Roger Atkins song "Workin' on a Groovy Thing" made it to number 34 R&B. A Workin' on a Groovy Thing LP was issued along with two more Capitol LPs, I've Been Here All the Time (1969) and Wild Is Love (January 1970). Drew's other singles were "Hundreds of Guys," "Keep on Movin'," and "My Lover's Prayer." In 1971, she left the music business. She resurfaced with a release on Carl Davis and E. Rodney Jones' Innovation Records in 1975. During the '80s, she reunited with Carlton Black in the group Front Line and performed around the Evanston area. Most of her Capitol singles can be found on the Collectables 1994 CD Tell Him: Golden Classics Edition.

Tell Him
Patti Drew Lyrics

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If you ever see the boy for me
Tell him that I love him
Tell him that I care
If he ever needs me
Tell him I'll be there

It happened the other night
We argued but we didn't fight

He grabbed his bag and slammed the door
He hasn't been a-back here no more

If an' how you can see my man
Tell him that I need him
Tell him he was right
Tell him that I miss him
Oooh, each and every night

I didn't mean a word I said
Tell him I was wrong
And yes, if he'll just listen
Tell him to come back where he belongs

If you ever find that love of mine
Tell him to forgive me
Tell him don't be mean
I didn't mean to start it
I wish it was all just dream

Tell him
Tell him
Oh, how much I love

Oh, how much I need him
How much I love him.......FADE

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Patti Drew's song “Tell Him” speak to that moment in a relationship when a couple has an argument and one leaves, and the other regrets the disagreement as soon as it happens. The singer of the song is regretful after an argument with her partner, and she wishes she could tell him how much she loves him and needs him. She asks the person singing the song – presumably a mutual friend – to please reach out to him and tell him these things. She wants him to know that she was wrong and that she regrets what she said. This is a common theme in love songs, but Drew's unique voice and the catchy, soulful melody make the message poignant and powerful.

The song's opening lines make it clear that the singer wants to communicate something important to her lover. The repetition of the phrase “tell him” is meant to emphasize the urgency of the situation. Drew's smooth, laid-back delivery gives the listener a sense of calm, even though the situation is stressful for her. The lyrics describe the aftermath of an argument - the man leaves after a disagreement and hasn't returned. The singer is desperate for him to understand how much he means to her and how much she wants him back.

The song's emotional depth, mixed with Drew's soulful delivery and the catchy melody, make it a classic. The way the singer's voice swells on the lines “How much I love him” is enough to make anyone believe in true love. The lyrics weave a story of love and loss, and they speak to anyone who has ever felt regret over saying something they wished they could take back. This song is a reminder that when it comes to love, communication is key.

Line by Line Meaning

If you ever see the boy for me
If you come across the boy I love

Tell him that I love him
Let him know that I have love for him

Tell him that I care
Inform him that I am truly concerned about him

If he ever needs me
If he ever requires my assistance

Tell him I'll be there
Make him aware that I will always be available

It happened the other night
Something occurred in the recent past

We argued but we didn't fight
We engaged in a dispute, but it never became physical

He grabbed his bag and slammed the door
He picked up his baggage and forcefully shut the door

He hasn't been a-back here no more
He has not returned to this place since then

If an' how you can see my man
If you catch a glimpse of my man

Tell him that I need him
Express to him that I require him