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!"
Loving You Losing You
Phyllis Hyman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one to love now it's you I'm thinking of
You're a little of heaven to me
You're all I need it's my concern
There's a lesson to be learned
I thought I had the whole world at my feet
Now I know
That I was dreaming
And now I'm sorry, oh so sorry
Loving you isn't worth the pain of losing you
Losing you isn't worth the pain of loving you
Loving you isn't worth the pain of losing, losing your love
You can label a man worth having it's up to me
This heart of mine has to live a second time
Take a little of your love from me
And I'll be gone
You're love to me is like honey to a bee
I stand accused of being what I am
I'm a fool and now I know it
This episode is ready to unfold
How can I begin to write a brand new story
Loving you isn't worth the pain of losing you
Losing you isn't worth the pain of loving you
Oh loving you isn't worth the pain of losing you
Losing you isn't worth the pain of loving you
Don't wanna lose you
Oh I
In "Loving You Losing You," Phyllis Hyman reflects on a past relationship that she took for granted until it was lost. She starts off by saying that in the middle of her life, she had nothing to lose and no one to love. However, she then realizes that the person she is thinking of now is worth everything to her. She describes this person as a little bit of heaven, and that they are all she needs. However, she had to learn this lesson the hard way, by losing the person who was made for her when she fooled around. Now she expresses deep regret over not appreciating what she had and realizing she was dreaming with the whole world at her feet. She desperately wishes she could write a new story with this person, but acknowledges that loving them is not worth the pain of losing them.
The chorus of the song repeats this sentiment - that loving this person is not worth the pain of losing them and that losing them is not worth the pain of loving them. Hyman acknowledges that she has to take responsibility for her past mistakes, and that she wants to live a second time in order to love this person fully. She describes her love as sweet and necessary, but understands that she is the one accused of being a fool. She ends the song with an earnest plea to not lose this person, as she has come to understand how much they mean to her.
Line by Line Meaning
In the middle of my life I had nothing to lose
At one point in my life, I had nothing to lose and was indifferent towards everything.
No one to love now it's you I'm thinking of
Now that I have someone to love, it's only you that I care about.
You're a little of heaven to me
To me, you're like a small piece of heaven.
You're all I need it's my concern
All I need is you, and it's important to me.
There's a lesson to be learned
I've learned a valuable lesson.
I thought I had the whole world at my feet
I foolishly believed that I had everything under control.
Now I know
I've come to realize my mistake.
That I was dreaming
What I previously thought was a reality was merely a dream.
I fooled around and lost the only one made for me
I made a mistake and lost the person who was meant for me.
And now I'm sorry, oh so sorry
I regret what I've done and am truly sorry.
Loving you isn't worth the pain of losing you
As much as I love you, the pain of losing you isn't worth it.
Losing you isn't worth the pain of loving you
The pain of loving you and then losing you isn't worth it.
Loving you isn't worth the pain of losing, losing your love
Everything that comes with loving you isn't worth the pain of losing your love.
You can label a man worth having it's up to me
You may see a man as worthy, but it's up to me to decide.
This heart of mine has to live a second time
My heart has to start over again.
Take a little of your love from me
Take some of your love from me and I'll be on my way.
And I'll be gone
I'll be leaving soon.
You're love to me is like honey to a bee
Your love is very sweet to me.
I stand accused of being what I am
I'm being blamed for just being myself.
I'm a fool and now I know it
I realize now that I was foolish.
This episode is ready to unfold
This drama is about to play out.
How can I begin to write a brand new story
How can I start fresh and create a new chapter in my life.
Don't wanna lose you
I don't want to lose you.
Oh I
I feel strongly about this.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEROY BELL, THOM BELL, THOMAS RANDOLPH BELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
the1atcpc
The intro is everything! It just eases you into the song. Can you imagine a live version with orchestra??? Love Ms. Hyman!
Musiclover60
Man that would've been off the chain
Loved
the1atcpc .I absolutely love the introduction.So moving.
One of the things i relish the most of old school music is the background music -it sets the tone and channels you into grief, happiness,despair, sorrow , and love, it allows you to fully experience the emotion(s) in its rawness and heaviness.We'll never get music like this . I'm so grateful for my dad, i literally grew up on this .And when i want something to reach my soul i often turn to old school music.
Musiclover60
Phumelele Khoza
amen
Purple Reels
Exactly! I am so in love. Smh. Wow.
Lee Lees Two Cents
Yes Yes Yes Honey! I can just see a grand orchestra playing this as Miss Pyllis emerges thru a thin smog of smoke singing soo effortlessly! I cried when she committed suicide in '95. I was just beginning to know who she was! May she rip and song!
Torrie Sykes
This song expressed her personal struggles with love. Phyllis tried so hard to be kept but only experienced being left. The voice of songs told all of us that there were no guarantees in loving. I miss her jazzy voice and through her death; I fought my personal losses because she would have wanted all of us to remain standing.
Musiclover60
This song was written,produced and arrainged by the late Thom Bell
Craig Steven Prentice
This might sound messed up , but even right before she passed , I used to "talk to her" .
Fanimations
2:32 That part is so good