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!"

No One Can Love You More
Phyllis Hyman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

No one can tell me
That I'm pretending
Why should I play games?
Love's not a play thing

Questions people ask of me
For loving you
Why should I say the reasons on my own?

No one has wanted more than I want you
No on has needed more than I do
No one has wanted more than I want you
No one has needed more than I love you

No I'm not dreaming
Love has a meaning
You're all I live for
No one can give more

Questions people ask of me
For loving you
Why should I say the reasons on my own?

No one has wanted more than I want you
No on has needed more than I do
No one has wanted mroe than I want you
No one has needed more than I love you

No one has wanted more than I want you
No on has needed more than I do

No one has wanted more than I want you
No one has needed more than I love you

Overall Meaning

The first stanza of the song “No One Can Love You More” by Phyllis Hyman reflects her strong feelings towards her love interest. She is confident in her love for him and cannot be swayed by anyone who might think she is pretending. Hyman also emphasizes the seriousness of love, stating that it is not a game to be played. She reflects on the questions people ask her about why she loves him, pointing out that she does not need to explain herself to anyone. Her love is her own, and no one can fully understand it except for her.

Hyman goes on in the chorus to state that she wants and needs her love interest more than anyone else. She is sure that no one else has ever wanted or needed him as much as she does. She states this more than once, highlighting the intense emotions she feels towards him. The second stanza starts with her again affirming her love and stating that it is not just a dream but something with a deeper meaning. She declares that he is all she lives for and that no one else could give her more than he does.

Overall, the song reflects the powerful emotions that come with being in love. Hyman’s lyrics are raw and honest, revealing her deep feelings for her love interest. The song is a beautiful expression of the intensity of love and the need to have someone close.

Line by Line Meaning

No one can tell me
I am confident in my feelings and no one can challenge that

That I'm pretending
I am not faking my love for you

Why should I play games?
Love is serious, and I am not interested in playing games or being insincere

Love's not a play thing
Love is real and not something to be taken lightly or treated as a game

Questions people ask of me
People want to know why I love you so much

For loving you
Because I love you

Why should I say the reasons on my own?
I don't owe anyone an explanation for why I love you