Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6 1949 - June 30, 1995), was born in Philadelphia… Read Full Bio ↴Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6 1949 - June 30, 1995), was born in Philadelphia, and grew up in Pittsburgh. She is perhaps best remembered for her signature song, You Know How to Love Me (1979), which was the title track from her fourth album and which peaked at #6 on the disco chart that year.

Hyman began singing professionally in 1971 as part of the group The New Direction. She was also a member of Miami groups All The People and The Hondo Beat before forming Phyllis Hyman & the P/H Factor in 1974 and touring for two years before relocating to New York.

She became a featured vocalist on Norman Connors' album, You Are My Starship (1976) performing "Betcha By Golly Wow" and the duet "We Both Need Each Other" with Michael Henderson.

Hyman released her debut album on Buddah Records with Phyllis Hyman (1977), followed by Sing a Song (1979). After the second album, she signed with Arista, delivering: Somewhere in My Lifetime (1979); You Know How to Love Me (1979); Can't We Fall in Love Again (1981); and Goddess of Love (1983). She then joined Gamble & Huff at Philadelphia International for Living All Alone (1987); Prime of My Life (1991); and I Refuse to Be Lonely (1995), which was released posthumously.

Hyman's first solo Top Ten hit came in 1981 with "Can't We Fall In Love Again", a duet with Michael Henderson. The song was recorded while she was performing in the Broadway musical Sophisticated Ladies (1981), a tribute to Duke Ellington. She performed in the role for almost two years, receiving a Theatre World Award for Best Newcomer and a Tony Awards nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical. In 1992 she was voted 'Number One Best Female Vocalist' in the United Kingdom by Blues & Soul magazine readers. She has also been honored with a bronze plaque along the Philadelphia Walk of Fame, a tribute to the city's native and immigrant musical legends.

In addition to duets with Henderson, Hyman lent vocals to projects with Grover Washington Jr., Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Joe Sample, Lonnie Liston Smith, Jon Lucien, The Fatback Band, Chuck Mangione, The Whispers and The Four Tops. Some of these collaborations appear on One on One (1998).

She can be heard in movie soundtracks: for Too Scared to Scream ("I'll Be There"); The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh ("Magic Mona"); and School Daze ("Be One"). The latter two titles are included on In Between the Heartaches (2004), a compilation that also contains guest appearances and previously unreleased material.

On the afternoon of June 30, 1995, Hyman committed suicide, leaving a note to her fans, family and friends that read in part: "I'm tired. I'm tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you." She was buried on what would have been her 46th birthday. For her stage presence and fashion sense, Hyman was often known as "The Sophisticated Lady".
At the coda of a particularly pretty and memorable tune from McCoy Tyner's "Looking Out" called "In Search of My Heart", Phyllis soulfully sings "Remember me!"

But I Love You
Phyllis Hyman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ooh, ooh, ooh

Don't want nobody
I don't want nobody
No one, no one, no one but you
I don't want no one but you
I don't want no one but you
I don't want no one but you to love me

I'd rather be lonely
All by myself
Sitting until you come home
No other arms could hold me the way you do
Baby can't you see, I'm devoted to you
Baby can't you see, I'm committed to you
Can't you see that I'm yours
I'm yours alone

I don't want no one but you
I don't want no one but you
I don't want no one but you to love

Love me so good
Your so right for me
I””m at my best when I'm with you
I give to you all the love that I have to give
Honey can't you see
I'm devoted to you
Baby can't you see, I'm committed to you
Can't you see that I'm yours
And yours alone

I don't want no one but you
I don't want no one but you
I don't want no one but you to love

I don't want no one but you
I don't want nobody to love me baby, but you
I don't want no one but you to love
don't want nobody to put their hands on me but you
But you baby
I don't, I don't want nobody but you sweet darling to love me
Don't you know I don't want nobody, don't you know, hey, hey
I don't want nobody, don't want nobody, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh,
Don't want nobody, but you to love me
Don't want nobody, uh huh, uh huh, no no, don't want nobody, don't want nobody, but you to love me
I want you, I want you
Don't want nobody but you baby

fade

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Phyllis Hyman's But I Love You express a deep sense of devotion to a lover, a desire to be with no one but them, and a willingness to be lonely until they return. The repetitious nature of the lyrics drives home the message that the singer does not want anyone else but their lover; they are committed to them and devoted to them alone. This message is emphasized with lines like 'No other arms could hold me the way you do' and 'I'm at my best when I'm with you.' The singer also seems to be communicating their desire for a certain kind of love or attention, presumably the love and attention that only their lover can provide.

The lyrics convey a sense of deep affection and longing that is both passionate and vulnerable. The repetition of the phrase 'I don't want no one but you' creates an emphasis on the singer's unyielding desire for their partner. The lyrics seem to convey a sense of emotional dependence on the partner, suggesting that without them, the singer would feel incomplete or less than whole. The longing expressed in the song is tempered by a sense of responsibility and commitment, with the singer repeating lines like 'Baby can't you see, I'm committed to you' and 'Can't you see that I'm yours, and yours alone.'

Overall, Phyllis Hyman's But I Love You is a powerful expression of love, devotion, and the desire for emotional connection. The repetition of the lyrics emphasizes the strength of the singer's feelings and underscores the importance of their partner in their life.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't want nobody
I don't want to be with anyone but you

No one, no one, no one but you
Only you can make me happy

I'd rather be lonely
I prefer being alone than being with someone else

All by myself
I don't want anyone else around me

Sitting until you come home
I am waiting for you to come home

No other arms could hold me the way you do
I feel safe and loved only in your arms

Baby can't you see, I'm devoted to you
I am completely and solely committed to you

Can't you see that I'm yours
I belong to you and no one else

I don't want nobody to love me baby, but you
I only want to be loved by you

Don't want nobody to put their hands on me but you
I only want to be touched by you

Don't want nobody but you to love me
I only want your love