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!"
I Got It Bad And That Ain
Phyllis Hyman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You ain't never been blue,
Till you've had that mood indigo.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I just sit here and sigh, "Go 'long blues".
I always get that mood indigo,
Since my baby said goodbye.
I'm so lonely I could cry.
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me,
I'm just a poor fool that's bluer than blue can be.
When I get that mood indigo,
I could lay me down and die.
You ain't never been blue; no, no, no,
You ain't never been blue,
Till you've had that mood indigo.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I just sit here and sigh, "Go 'long blues".
The lyrics to "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good/Mood Indigo" by Phyllis Hyman featuring Terri Klausner, speak of the feeling of indigo, or a deep shade of blue that embodies sadness, loneliness, and despair. The singer of the song confesses that they have never truly felt blue until they have experienced the deep feeling of indigo. They feel this emotion so heavily that it feels like it is going down to their shoes, leaving them unable to move, and all they can do is sit and sigh for the blues to go away.
The singer then speaks of their personal experience of always having this mood indigo since their beloved said goodbye. In the evenings, when the lights are low, they feel so lonely that they could cry, and there is no one around to care about them. They admit to being a poor fool who feels bluer than blue can be because of this mood indigo. The weight of the heartbreak is so heavy that the singer wishes they could just lay down and die when they get that mood indigo.
The lyrics of this song evoke feelings of melancholy and a deep sadness that is hard to shake. This feeling of indigo can be all-consuming and linger long after the reason for the sadness has passed. The song serves as a reminder of how hard it can be to move forward after a heartbreak and how loneliness can be one of the worst feelings to endure.
Line by Line Meaning
You ain't never been blue; no, no, no,
You cannot understand the depth of sadness I am feeling right now.
You ain't never been blue,
You have never experienced the level of despair that I am going through.
Till you've had that mood indigo.
Unless you have felt this specific type of sadness, you cannot comprehend it.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
The emotion is so strong that it physically affects me from head to toe.
While I just sit here and sigh, "Go 'long blues".
I can do nothing but let out a long sigh and acknowledge the presence of the blues in my life.
I always get that mood indigo,
This feeling of sadness is a constant in my life.
Since my baby said goodbye.
It has been this way ever since my loved one left me.
And in the evenin' when the lights are low,
At night, when everything is dark and quiet, the feeling becomes even more intense.
I'm so lonely I could cry.
I am so alone that I am at the point of tears.
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me,
I feel unloved and forgotten by those around me.
I'm just a poor fool that's bluer than blue can be.
I am a sad, pathetic person who is beyond the normal level of sadness.
When I get that mood indigo,
Whenever I feel this level of sadness.
I could lay me down and die.
I am so overwhelmed by my feelings that I could just give up on life.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tjmama5
Now, this is what separates PH from the rest. She can't be matched or duplicated. She's in a class all her own. As a PH latecomer, she is simply addictive. Can't get enough of her. Once she opens her mouth, she grabs you and holds onto you until the last note.
darrenandbutterfly
OMG!! Why did I really believe that she was about to play the hell out of that harmonica?!! Then she just shrugged her shoulders like " oh well, ain't no use pretending" LMFAO...Girl is too funny; love her sense of humor..I loves me some Phyllis..You can't tell her shit!!!
Tjmama5
Her music influences are really prominent here, listen for some Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughn, some Ella. The woman was/is phenomenal, can't be touched. Today's wannabees should study her, Gladys, Diana, Nancy's work and see how it's really done. That's talent, most of the junk out there now is just hype.
awwyeahme2
oh my I thought she did great on broadway. this version is awesome too!! goodness I miss this woman...... what couldnt she sing?
akaziaj
Did yall see what she did with the mic :56 and then had a little saliva under her lip 1:08 and so graciously wiped it off. LMBO. Classic PH. PH never ceases to amaze me
Anastasia
I love that song! Imma gonna learn to it!
akaziaj
OMG. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better. Thanks jusca.
jusca
as many times as i've viewed the concert, i've never noticed that! now i've gotta watch it again...lmao.
akaziaj
She Hymanized the hell out of this song. Girl you better work it.
Audrey Thomas
my girl for life.sing Phyllis still jamming in 2014 and 2015