Percy Sledge worked in the fields in Leighton before he worked as an orderly at Colbert County Hospital in Sheffield. By the mid-1960s, Sledge was touring the Southeast with the Esquires Combo on weekends and working at the hospital. A former patient who was a friend of producer Quin Ivy introduced the two, an audition followed, and Sledge was signed to a recording contract.
Sledge's smooth voice was perfect for the series of soul ballads produced by Ivy and Marlin Greene, which rock critic Dave Marsh called "emotional classics for romantics of all ages."
"When a Man Loves a Woman" was the first song recorded under the contract (released in 1966), and it became not only an international hit (it reached #1 in the US) but was also the first gold record released by Atlantic Records. The magnificent soul anthem became the cornerstone of Sledge's career and was followed by "Warm and Tender Love," "Take Time to Know Her," and "Cover Me."
Sledge charted with "I'll Be Your Everything" and "Sunshine" during the 1970s, and has become an international concert favorite throughout the world, especially in the Netherlands, Germany, and on the African continent.
His career enjoyed a renaissance in the 1980s when "When a Man Loves a Woman" re-entered the Top 10 in the UK after being used in a Levi's commercial.
Sledge was an inaugural Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award honoree in 1989. In 2005, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Try A Little Tenderness
Percy Sledge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Them young girls they do get wearied
Wearing that same old miniskirt dress
But when she gets weary
You try a little tenderness
Oh man that
Un hunh
Just anticipating
The thing that you'll never never possess
No no no
But while she there waiting
Try just a little bit of tenderness
That's all you got to do
Now it might be a little bit sentimental no
But she has her greavs and care
But the soft words they are spoke so gentle
Yeah yeah yeah
And it makes it easier to bear
Oh she wont regret it
No no
Them young girls they don't forget it
Love is their whole happiness
Yeah yeah yeah
But its all so easy
All you got to do is try
Try a little tenderness
Yeah
Damn that hart (hard?)
All you got to do is know how to love her
You've got to
Hold her
Squeeze her
Never leave her
Now get to her
Got got got to try a little tenderness
Yeah yeah
Lord have mercy now
All you got to do is take my advice
You've got to hold her
Don't squeeze her
Never leave her
You've got to hold her
And never
So you got to try a little tenderness
A little tenderness
A little tenderness
A little tenderness
You've got to
Got to got to
You've gotta hold her
Don't squeeze her
Never leaver her
You got
Got got got to
Now now now
Got got got to
Try a little tenderness
Ye
Percy Sledge's "Try a Little Tenderness" is a soulful ballad about showing love and care to a weary woman. The lyrics describe a young girl who may be tired of wearing the same old miniskirt dress and waiting for someone to show her tenderness. Sledge encourages the listener to try just a little bit of tenderness, as it can make all the difference. The song advises the listener to hold, squeeze and never leave the woman they love. If they follow this advice and show just a little bit of tenderness, they can make her happy and never have any regrets.
The song was written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, and Harry M. Woods and has been covered numerous times by various artists. Originally released in 1966, the song became one of Sledge's biggest hits and a classic of the soul and R&B genres. The song's message of tenderness and care has resonated with audiences for decades, and it continues to be a popular choice for weddings, romantic gatherings, and other special occasions.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh she may be weary
The girl may be tired and worn out.
Them young girls they do get wearied
Young girls can become tired easily.
Wearing that same old miniskirt dress
Wearing the same clothing every day can be exhausting.
But when she gets weary
When she's tired, she needs something to lift her spirits.
You try a little tenderness
Being gentle and caring can help improve her mood.
Oh man that
The situation is challenging.
Un hunh
Agreement or acknowledgement.
I know shes waiting
She's waiting for someone to show her love and kindness.
Just anticipating
Looking forward to something good happening.
The thing that you'll never never possess
You will never be able to have everything you want.
No no no
Emphasizing the previous statement.
But while she there waiting
While she's hoping for someone to care for her,
Try just a little bit of tenderness
Show her gentleness, care, and concern.
That's all you got to do
It sounds simple, but it can make a big difference.
Now it might be a little bit sentimental no
It may seem overly emotional or sappy.
But she has her greavs and care
She has worries and needs love and compassion.
But the soft words they are spoke so gentle
Speak softly, gently, and kindly to her.
Yeah yeah yeah
Expression of agreement or enthusiasm.
And it makes it easier to bear
It helps her to deal with her struggles more easily.
Oh she wont regret it
She won't regret showing her love and care for someone.
Them young girls they don't forget it
Young girls remember the love and care shown to them.
Love is their whole happiness
Love is the source of their joy and happiness.
But its all so easy
It is simple to show her love and care.
All you got to do is try
Just make the effort to be kind and caring.
Yeah
Expression of agreement or enthusiasm.
Damn that hart (hard?)
Expressing frustration or difficulty.
All you got to do is know how to love her
Knowing how to show love is important.
You've got to
You must
Hold her
Embrace her with care.
Squeeze her
Hold her gently and lovingly.
Never leave her
Don't abandon her.
Now get to her
Go to her and show her love and care.
Got got got to try a little tenderness
Emphasizing the importance of being gentle and caring.
Lord have mercy now
Expressing wonder or surprise.
All you got to do is take my advice
Following advice can be helpful.
You've got to hold her
You must embrace her with care.
Don't squeeze her
Be gentle and loving when holding her.
Never leave her
Don't abandon her.
And never
Always
So you got to try a little tenderness
Show her kindness and empathy.
A little tenderness
A small amount of care and attention.
A little tenderness
A small amount of care and kindness.
A little tenderness
A small amount of love and compassion.
You've got to
You must
Got to got to
Emphasizing the importance of showing love and concern.
You've gotta hold her
You must embrace her with care.
Don't squeeze her
Hold her gently and lovingly.
Never leaver her
Don't abandon her.
You got
You must
Got got got to
Emphasizing the importance of being gentle and caring.
Now now now
Urging to take action quickly.
Got got got to
Emphasizing the importance of showing love and care.
Try a little tenderness
Be kind, gentle, and caring to her.
Ye
Expression of agreement or enthusiasm.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Bluewater Music Corp., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Harry M. Woods
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind