Ruth was born in David City, Nebraska. Her mother died when she was 5, and her father left her with her grandparents, George and Hannah Etting, who owned a roller mill. Her father remarried and moved away, seldom visiting his daughter. When she was 17 she moved to Chicago to attend art school, and got a job designing costumes at a night club. One night the tenor got sick and since she was the only one who could sing low enough, she took his place, and landed a job in the chorus. By 1918 she was one of the club's featured vocalists. It was there she met Moe "The Gimp" Snyder, a wanna-be gangster who took over management of Ruth's career and married her in 1922.
After her New York sucess, she moved to Los Angeles and had roles in a number of films including Roman Scandals with Eddie Cantor. There are conflicting stories about the scandal that virtually ended her career. The marriage between Ms. Etting and The Gimp was virtually loveless from the beginning, and he was a demanding and controlling manager who would not let other men near his wife. They were divorced in 1937. While in Los Angeles she began spending time with Myrl Alderman, a pianist who had played with her earlier in her career. In 1938, The Gimp forced his way into Ruth's house, and shot Alderman, wounding him. The subsequent trial put a halt to her career, although she did make some appearances in 1947. Ruth and Myrl married and retired to Colorado Springs, where she died in 1978. The academy award nominated movie version of her life story, Love me or Leave Me, with Jimmy Cagney and Doris Day, was apparently highly fictionalized.
Try A Little Tenderness
Ruth Etting 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
The song "Try a Little Tenderness" by Ruth Etting is a call for men to treat women with a little more compassion and care. Etting sings about how young girls can get tired of wearing the same old clothes and dealing with the stresses of life. When they're feeling weary, all they need is a little tenderness from the men in their lives. It's a sentiment that's still relevant today, and the song's catchy horn section and soulful vocals have helped it stay popular for decades.
The line "But while she there waiting, try just a little bit of tenderness" is particularly powerful because it speaks to the idea of taking a chance on love. The woman may be waiting for something that the man can't give her, but he can at least offer her a little kindness and understanding. The repetition of the phrase "you've got to hold her, don't squeeze her, never leave her" reinforces the idea that love is about being gentle and supportive, rather than possessive or controlling.
Overall, "Try a Little Tenderness" is a classic song that encourages people to treat each other with dignity and respect. Its message is universal, and it's no surprise that the song has been covered by countless artists over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh she may be weary
The woman in question may be tired and worn out
Them young girls they do get wearied
Young girls tend to get tired and bored easily
Wearing that same old miniskirt dress
Having to wear the same outfit repeatedly can be tedious
But when she gets weary
When she becomes tired and drained
You try a little tenderness
Demonstrate kindness and compassion towards her
Oh man that
An exclamation of acknowledgement
Un hunh
An agreement or confirmation
I know shes waiting
I am aware that she is anticipating my attention
Just anticipating
She is eagerly awaiting my affection
The thing that you'll never never possess
The thing she desires is not a material possession but emotional connection and love
No no no
An emphatic declaration of disagreement
But while she there waiting
However, in the meantime while she is waiting for love
Try just a little bit of tenderness
Show affection and tenderness towards her to gain her affection
That's all you got to do
Displaying tenderness and compassion is a simple yet effective gesture
Now it might be a little bit sentimental no
The act of being romantic may come across as trite or overly emotional
But she has her greavs and care
She has her own hardships and concerns in life
But the soft words they are spoke so gentle
Kind and tender words can ease her burdens and make her feel loved
Yeah yeah yeah
An expression of agreement or enthusiasm
And it makes it easier to bear
Such words of affection can help her handle her struggles with more ease
Oh she wont regret it
She will not resent or be unhappy with the loving attention given to her
Them young girls they don't forget it
Young girls will remember such affectionate gestures and appreciate them
Love is their whole happiness
Love and connection are essential to their joy and fulfillment
But its all so easy
Making a connection with her does not have to be complicated or difficult
All you got to do is try
All it takes is an attempt to show affection and consideration
Try a little tenderness
Demonstrate compassion and care towards her
Yeah
An exclamation of agreement or emphasis
Damn that hart (hard?)
An expression of frustration or annoyance
All you got to do is know how to love her
Understanding how to connect and communicate love is important
You've got to
It is imperative that you
Hold her
Physically embrace and hold her
Squeeze her
Gently pull her close in a hug
Never leave her
Be constant and loyal in your connection with her
Now get to her
Approach her in a loving and tender manner
Got got got to try a little tenderness
It is necessary and essential to show compassion and care
Lord have mercy now
An exclamation of surprise or awe
All you got to do is take my advice
Following the advice given will lead to successful connection and affection
Don't squeeze her
Avoid being too forceful or uncomfortable in your embrace
And never
Under no circumstances
So you got to try a little tenderness
Demonstrate care, kindness, and affection towards her
A little tenderness
A small amount of gentleness and compassion can go a long way
A little tenderness
Another reminder that displaying tenderness can be impactful
A little tenderness
Yet another reminder to show compassion and care
You've got to
It is imperative to
Got to got to
It is critical and necessary to
You've gotta hold her
Physical affection is an important aspect of connection
Don't squeeze her
Emphasizes the importance of a gentle, comfortable embrace
Never leaver her
Being constant in one's attention and love is critical
You got
You must
Got got got to
A reminder of the critical importance of showing tenderness
Now now now
An exclamation of urgency or importance
Got got got to
Another reminder of the importance of tenderness
Try a little tenderness
One final reminder to show compassion, care, and affection towards her
Ye
An exclamation of agreement or affirmation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CAROLE BAYER SAGER, DAVID W. FOSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind