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.
What A Good Man He Is
Tammi Terrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Made out of real good stuff, he's made out of real good stock
With the big strong arms & hands that he has
He knows how to handle me like I was made out of glass
Pretty good lovin' (pretty good lovin')
Pretty good kissin' (pretty good kissin')
It seems so unreal that this man of steel
Could possess such a tender feel Let this girl tell the world
Oh what a good man he is (oh what a good man he is)
Wo wo what a good man he is (oh what a good he is)
He makes the fact that he loves me clearly understood
He makes me feel so happy, girl, that he makes me feel so good
He knows that I need lovin' & I don't need neglect
So he comes around me constantly to make sure that I get
Pretty good lovin' (pretty good lovin')
Pretty good kissin' (pretty good kissin')
Nothing know I that he doesn't try
To keep my hopes up high
Let this girl tell the world
Oh what a good man he is (oh what a good man he is)
Wanna tell the world about my baby (oh what a good man he is)
All right
(Yes indeed, it's him I need)
(Yes indeed, it's him I need)
I wanna say that man of mine is determined as can be
To make a good life for him & make a good life for me
Works every day grindin' the ax
But I know what to give him when it's time to relax
Pretty good lovin' (pretty good lovin')
Pretty good kissin' (pretty good kissin')
They're far & few between
Let this girl tell the world
Oh what a good man he is (oh what a good man he is)
Wanna tell the world about my baby (oh what a good man he is)
Wo wo wo wo wo what a good man he is (oh what a good man he is)
Got a whole lot of other (oh what a good man he is)
Don't worry I'll love another, no (oh what a good man he is)
Let this girl tell the world
...& fade
The song "What A Good Man He Is" by Tammi Terrell is a tribute to a man who is not only strong and dependable but also loving and tender. In the first verse, Terrell describes her man as "sturdy as a rock" and "made out of real good stuff", indicating his physical strength and reliability. However, she goes on to say that he also knows how to handle her "like I was made out of glass", suggesting that he is gentle and caring in his treatment of her.
The second verse highlights the man's emotional intelligence and his ability to make Terrell feel loved and happy. She emphasizes that he makes it clear that he loves her and constantly comes around to make sure she is not neglected. The line "Nothing know I that he doesn't try" indicates that he is committed to their relationship and puts effort into making it work.
The final verse praises the man's work ethic and dedication to providing for their future. Terrell acknowledges that he works hard every day but knows how to relax when the time comes. She also notes that he is rarely mean and that those instances are "far and few between". Overall, "What A Good Man He Is" celebrates a man who embodies strength, reliability, tenderness, and emotional intelligence.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, that man of mine, he's as sturdy as a rock
My significant other is very reliable and dependable
Made out of real good stuff, he's made out of real good stock
He is of high quality and comes from a good background
With the big strong arms & hands that he has
He is physically strong
He knows how to handle me like I was made out of glass
He is gentle and caring with me
Pretty good lovin' (pretty good lovin')
He is a good lover
Pretty good kissin' (pretty good kissin')
He is a good kisser
It seems so unreal that this man of steel
His physical strength is surprising when considering his emotional tenderness
Could possess such a tender feel
He is caring and gentle despite his strong exterior
He makes the fact that he loves me clearly understood
He communicates his love for me well
He makes me feel so happy, girl, that he makes me feel so good
He brings joy and happiness to my life
He knows that I need lovin' & I don't need neglect
He recognizes my emotional needs and makes an effort to fulfill them
So he comes around me constantly to make sure that I get
He consistently prioritizes my emotional well-being
Nothing know I that he doesn't try
He puts effort into our relationship
To keep my hopes up high
He supports me and encourages me
Wanna tell the world about my baby (oh what a good man he is)
I want to share with others how wonderful my partner is
All right
Expression of agreement or affirmation
(Yes indeed, it's him I need)
Affirmation of needing and wanting the partner mentioned prior
I wanna say that man of mine is determined as can be
My partner is very motivated and driven
To make a good life for him & make a good life for me
He strives to create a happy and fulfilling life for both of us
Works every day grindin' the ax
He works hard every day
But I know what to give him when it's time to relax
I know how to help him unwind and de-stress
Days that he's mean I've seldom seen
He is rarely unkind to me
They're far & few between
Expressions of how infrequent his unkindness is
Got a whole lot of other (oh what a good man he is)
He has many good qualities
Don't worry I'll love another, no (oh what a good man he is)
I don't need to worry about finding someone else because my current partner is so wonderful
Let this girl tell the world
Expression of wanting to share my love and admiration for my partner
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALFRED CLEVELAND, ALFRED W CLEVELAND, SMOKEY ROBINSON, WILLIAM ROBINSON JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidcheung7789
Smokin'! No other words to describe it 😊, with Motown's iconic greasy saxophone embellishments.
@GrandsonofSoul
Great track from such a beautiful, talented woman. And also a great bassline from the legendary James Jamerson.
@SuperChris1225
Somehow I completely missed this wonderful release by the talented Tammi Terrell. I was just released from active U.S. Army duty, at the end of September, 1967. I don't remember hearing anything of this song on the radio. I first heard it on Tammi's "Irresistible" album two years later. I wonder if the "45" r.p.m. is available. It should have been a huge hit. I guess Motown wasn't pushing Tammi's solo works.
@davidcheung7789
It should have been 😢. Still have the original LP since then.
@jamess4535
What a beautiful talent taken waaayyy too soon.. F*** cancer.
@jonkimberson3253
Her outfit for this album is just perfect
@1977Playmate
Hell, I'll wear that today!
@user-nd5jc8xv8v
she died 1970 but i,l tell you she wont be forgotten
@1977Playmate
You're right! I didn't get here until 7 years after she left and I'm still a big fan. Not to mention we have Ms Taraji P Henson walking around in every movie. (born in 1970 ironically) You can't tell me you don't look at her and think of lively Tammi.
@user-nd5jc8xv8v
i hope you both are in a better place