Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she entered the music business at the age of 13, regularly performing live. In 1961 she was signed to the fledgling Scepter Records (later Wand Records), recording under the name "Tammy Montgomery". After coming to the attention of James Brown she recorded one single apiece for Brown's own Try Me record label and, in 1964, Checker Records. The year after that, she was spotted by Berry Gordy Jr. while playing live, and signed to his Motown label. Attractive and talented, she became romantically linked with both James Brown and David Ruffin, lead singer of The Temptations.
Tammy Montgomery changed her name to "Tammi Terrell" at the time of her Motown signing, and was teamed with producers Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol. After releasing a pair of minor R&B chart hits, "I Can't Believe You Love Me" and "Come On and See Me," Terrell was chosen to replace Kim Weston as Marvin Gaye's duet partner. The duo recorded a number of successful hits which remain popular today: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Your Precious Love," "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," and "You're All I Need to Get By", all written (and in the case of the latter two, produced by) Ashford & Simpson.
While on tour with Gaye in Virginia in mid-1967, Terrell fainted on stage, and was later diagnosed as having a malignant brain tumor. While Terrell endured several operations and continued to record new material, her health steadily deteriorated. Fuqua and Bristol resorted to having Gaye overdub archived Terrell solo tracks to fill out the Gaye/Terrell duets albums. The final album attributed to Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, "Easy" (1969), actually features co-producer Valerie Simpson subbing for Terrell on all but two of the tracks.
Twelve of Tammi Terrell's solo Motown recordings, including "I Can't Believe You Love Me", "Come On and See Me," and a minor hit cover of The Isley Brothers' "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)", were issued as Terrell's only solo album, "Irresistible," in January 1969. Terrell died of brain cancer at age 24 on March 16, 1970.
Just Too Much To Hope For
Tammi Terrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Too much to hope for, honey)
Pardon me, I'm sorry
But I just had to call you on the phone
Sitting here in my lonely room
Darling, so all alone
Staring at the floor
Wishing that you'd walk through the door But darling I know it's just too much to hope for
(Too much to hope for, baby)
(Too much to hope for, honey)
Darling, please be kind to me
At least just once in a while?
If you pass me on the street
Would you flash me just a little smile?
'Cause darling, I know
If I ask for anything more
Surely it would be just too much to hope for
(Too much to hope for, baby)
(Too much to hope for, honey)
I tried so hard to keep you for myself
But now I know I've lost you, darlin', to somebody else
Darling, I'm not blaming you
For all of my misery
The only thing I ask of you
Is would you try to comfort me?
'Cause all I have in store is heartaches galore
& getting you back is just too much to hope for
(Too much to hope for, baby)
(Too much to hope for, honey)
(Too much to hope for, baby)
(Too much to hope for, honey)
Getting you back is just too much to hope for
(Too much to hope for, baby)
(Too much to hope for, honey)
Darling, I know...& fade
The song "Just Too Much to Hope For" by Tammi Terrell is about the pain of unrequited love. Through the lyrics, the singer, who is in love with someone who does not feel the same way, emphasizes that her hopes and desires for love and companionship with her lover are just too much to expect. Throughout the song, she asks for just a little smile, a little kindness, and a comforting word from her lover, but the song implies that it will never be enough. The singer has come to the realization that she has lost her lover to someone else, and now she is left with nothing but heartaches.
The first verse sets the tone for the song, as the singer calls her lover on the phone and admits that she is sitting in her lonely room, staring at the floor, and wishing that he would walk through the door. In the second verse, the singer asks for just a small gesture of kindness from her lover, such as a little smile if he passes her on the street. By the end of the song, the singer accepts that her lover is gone and that there is nothing left for her to do but to accept the fact that getting him back is just too much to hope for.
Overall, Tammi Terrell's "Just Too Much to Hope For" is a poignant ballad that captures the heartache of unrequited love. It is a song that many people can relate to, as everyone has experienced a broken heart at some point in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
(Too much to hope for, baby)
I know what I want is unlikely to happen, but I can't help hoping.
(Too much to hope for, honey)
I want this so badly, but it feels like it's out of my reach.
Pardon me, I'm sorry
I'm apologizing for bothering you, but I had to reach out.
But I just had to call you on the phone
I couldn't resist the urge to hear your voice and talk to you.
Sitting here in my lonely room
I'm surrounded by loneliness and emotional pain.
Darling, so all alone
I feel incredibly isolated without you.
Staring at the floor
I'm lost in thought, unable to focus on anything else.
Wishing that you'd walk through the door
I am longing for you to come back into my life.
But darling I know it's just too much to hope for
I've come to terms with the fact that what I want is unlikely to happen.
Darling, please be kind to me
I'm begging for a little bit of compassion and understanding.
At least just once in a while?
I'm not asking for much, just a little bit of your time and attention.
If you pass me on the street
I'm hoping to run into you unexpectedly.
Would you flash me just a little smile?
I'm looking for any sign of affection or connection with you.
'Cause darling, I know
I'm aware that what I'm asking for is unlikely to happen.
If I ask for anything more
I'm afraid to ask for more from you because I don't want to be disappointed.
Surely it would be just too much to hope for
I'm convinced that anything more than what I'm asking for is unrealistic.
I tried so hard to keep you for myself
I put forth a lot of effort to try to make our relationship work.
But now I know I've lost you, darlin', to somebody else
I've come to terms with the fact that you've moved on to someone else.
Darling, I'm not blaming you
I'm not trying to make you feel guilty for what happened between us.
For all of my misery
I'm taking responsibility for my own emotional pain.
The only thing I ask of you
The only thing I'm hoping for from you is comfort and support.
Is would you try to comfort me?
I need you to be there for me emotionally during this difficult time.
Cause all I have in store is heartaches galore
I'm afraid that my future holds even more emotional pain and suffering.
& getting you back is just too much to hope for
I'm beginning to accept that rekindling our relationship is unlikely.
Darling, I know it's just too much to hope for
I've come to terms with the fact that what I want is unlikely to happen.
(Too much to hope for, baby)
I know what I want is unlikely to happen, but I can't help hoping.
(Too much to hope for, honey)
I want this so badly, but it feels like it's out of my reach.
Getting you back is just too much to hope for
I'm accepting that my hope of rekindling our relationship is unrealistic.
(Too much to hope for, baby)
I know what I want is unlikely to happen, but I can't help hoping.
(Too much to hope for, honey)
I want this so badly, but it feels like it's out of my reach.
Darling, I know...& fade
I'm accepting the situation for what it is, and preparing to move on.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CLYDE WILSON, HARVEY FUQUA, JACKSON WILBURT, JOHNNY WILLIAM BRISTOL, WILBURT JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@charlessweedler674
I heard this last night on the radio for the first time (an R&B show on WKHS, as I drove north of Baltimore). So many things had to go just right for me to hear this song, which I loved immediately, and which I've now played a dozen times in less than 24 hours, I had to be visiting my dad on the right day, and I had to be listening to the right radio station (one I had never listened to before), and I had to start my trip at just the right time so I would hear the show. Sometimes you just get lucky.
@Crazylady-e5w
Beautiful voice ❤
@mariemooney63
Ist time hearing this.
It is the story of her Romantic life x RIP Tammi
At least in Heaven and here by your fans of over 50 years you feel loved
@charlessweedler674
Let's not forget the stellar background vocals by the Andantes on this one (and hundreds of other Motown hits).
@darrylruiz2573
I still ♥️ you Tammi
@Likhona-qo9yh
Wish to see you in afterlife 😢
@Ciriledupont
Superbe voix 🥰
@williamgause4029
She should have been a Megastar
@steveslater26
any song from tammi is a hit for me
@Likhona-qo9yh
Agreed