(2) The Tams, not just Tams. Check your scrobbles, they are incorrectly directed to this page.
Origin Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genre(s) R&B, Soul
Years active 1960 — present
Label(s) Swan Records
ABC-Paramount
Probe
Virgin
Members
Charles Pope
Robert Lee Smith
Little Red
Former members
Joseph Pope
Horace Key
Floyd Ashton
The Tams, sometimes billed as "The Joe Pope Tams" are an American vocal group from Atlanta, Georgia, who enjoyed their greatest chart success in the 1960s, and the 1970s, and most improbably in the 1980s. Two separate versions of the group continue to perform and record. One version features original member Robert Lee Smith - 'The Original Tams with R. L. Smith', and the other under the leadership of Charles Pope, brother of founder Joe Pope.
Contents
* 1 Career
* 2 Main personnel
* 3 Chart hits
* 4 References
* 5 External links
Career
They were originally formed in 1960, and took their long lasting name from the Tam o'shanter style of hat that the group choose to wear on stage. By 1962, they had a hit single on Swan Records. "Untie Me", a Joe South composition, became a Top 20 U.S. R&B success. Follow-up releases largely failed until 1964, when "What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am)", reached the Top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song spent 3 weeks at number one on the Cashbox R&B charts.
"Hey Girl Don't Bother Me" was also a modest U.S. hit the same year. The Tams had only one further major U.S. hit (in 1968) when "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy", peaked on the Billboard R&B chart at #26, and subsequently made the UK Top 40 in 1970.
Their 1965 recording "I've Been Hurt" was their biggest regional hit (based on sales and airplay) prior to 1980. To show the importance of regional sales and airplay, fellow beach music stars Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs have an RIAA Gold Record for Williams' song "May I", that never made the Billboard Hot 100. Many radio stations and DJs consider "I've Been Hurt" to be the biggest selling and most played Tams song, even though it was primarily popular in the southeast (and not recognized as a national hit by Billboard).
However, the group stunned many (including themselves), by flying to the Number one slot in the UK Singles Chart in September 1971, with the re-issue of "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me", thanks to its initial support from the then thriving UK northern soul scene.
They were destined to not chart again until sixteen years later, when a further UK Top 40 entry came about because of the band's association with a dance craze known as the Carolina shag, which featured heavily in the subsequent 1989 film, Shag. It secured a further lifeline to the group, giving The Tams a #21 UK hit with their song, "There Ain't Nothing Like Shaggin'". However, the track was subject to an airplay ban by the BBC because the word "shag" means "to have sexual intercourse" in colloquial British English.[1][2]
Still quite popular in the Southeastern United States, they continue to record new music and perform at well-attended concerts. In 1999, they were featured performers with Jimmy Buffett on his CD, Beach House on the Moon, and also toured with him around the country.
Main personnel
* Joseph Pope - born Joseph Lee Pope, 6 November 1933, Atlanta, Georgia — died 16 March 1996
* Robert Lee Smith - born 18 March 1936
* Horace Key - born 13 April 1934, Atlanta, Georgia
* Charles Pope - born 7 August 1936, Atlanta, Georgia
* Floyd Ashton - born 15 August 1933 - joined 1960 - left 1963
* Little Red - son of Charles Pope
Chart hits
* "Untie Me" - (1962) - U.S. R&B chart #12, U.S. Hot 100 chart #60.
* "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me" - (1964) - U.S. R&B chart #41.
* "It's All Right (You're Just in Love)" - (1964) - U.S. R&B chart #79.
* "Silly Little Girl" - (1964) - U.S. R&B chart #87.
* "What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am" - (1964) - U.S. Hot 100 chart #9 - (ABC-Paramount).
* "You Lied to Your Daddy" - (1964) - U.S. R&B chart #70.
* "I've Been Hurt" - (1965) - did not chart, Southeast regional hit
* "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" - (1968) - U.S. R&B chart #26, U.S. Hot 100 chart #61.
* "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" - (1970) - UK chart #32.
* "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me" - (1971) - UK chart #1 - (Probe).
* "There Ain't Nothing Like Shaggin'" - (1987) - UK chart #21 - (Virgin).
References
1. ^ James Masterton chart blog, December 2007
2. ^ BBC - h2g2 - The Origins and Common Usage of British Swear-words
* Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X
* The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits - ISBN 0-85112-250-7
* The New Musical Express Book of Rock, 1975, Star Books, ISBN 0 352 300744
External links
* The Original Tams site
* The Tams site
I've Been Hurt
Tams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes I've been hurt
I've been hurt like I've never been hurt before
And you lied, you lied to me
So leave me alone, little girl
'Cause I've been hurt
'Cause you cheated, mistreated
And you told me
You told a whole lot of lies
What happened, happened
What happened last night
I saw you with another guy was holding you tight
And you lied, you lied to me
So leave me alone, little girl
Cause I've been hurt
I've been hurt
Yes I've been hurt
'Cause you cheated, mistreated
You cheated, cheated on me, girl
I've been hurt yes I've been hurt
'Cause you cheated, mistreated
You cheated, cheated on me, girl
The lyrics of Tams's song "I've Been Hurt" depict a heartbroken individual who has been hurt deeply by their partner's infidelity. The repetition of the phrase "I've been hurt" highlights the intensity of the pain that the singer is experiencing. The lyrics make a direct accusation towards the partner who has cheated and lied to the singer, causing them emotional distress. The use of the word "girl" in the song suggests that the partner is a female, and the singer has chosen to address her directly.
The line "Cause you cheated, mistreated" emphasizes that the partner did not only cheat but also mistreated the singer, which caused further pain. The singer describes how he witnessed his partner with another man the previous night, "And you lied, you lied to me", revealing the partner's deceit. The song ends with the singer's plea to be left alone, suggesting that he is not interested in reconciling with his cheating partner.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been hurt, hurt, hurt
I have suffered a great deal of pain emotionally or physically
Yes I've been hurt
Indeed, I have experienced great pain
I've been hurt like I've never been hurt before
The pain I am experiencing is unprecedented
And you lied, you lied to me
You acted with deceit by not telling me the truth
So leave me alone, little girl
Please go away and let me process the pain I am experiencing
'Cause you cheated, mistreated
You acted with disloyalty and treated me poorly
You cheated, cheated on me, girl
You acted dishonestly by engaging in an intimate relationship with someone else
And you told me
You informed me
You told a whole lot of lies
You were dishonest with me numerous times
What happened, happened
An event or situation occurred and cannot be changed
What happened last night
An event or situation occurred the previous night
I saw you with another guy was holding you tight
I witnessed you being physically close with another man
I've been hurt
I have suffered emotional or physical pain
Yes I've been hurt
Indeed, I have experienced great pain
'Cause you cheated, mistreated
You acted with disloyalty and treated me poorly
You cheated, cheated on me, girl
You acted dishonestly by engaging in an intimate relationship with someone else
I've been hurt yes I've been hurt
I have experienced great emotional or physical pain
'Cause you cheated, mistreated
You acted with disloyalty and treated me poorly
You cheated, cheated on me, girl
You acted dishonestly by engaging in an intimate relationship with someone else
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: RAY WHITLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
randy knisely
So healing to be connected with them again through the internet, I played with them back in "69-70", Randy( trombone) most of them have passed on now, wonderful memories!...
juha vesanen
@Bill Porter OK and thanks, that's excellent...! 🙂👍🏿👍🏿
Bill Porter
@juha vesanen just lovin' the Tams music!
juha vesanen
@Bill Porter What you mean by that, can you explain to me...? 🤔
Bill Porter
@juha vesanen q
juha vesanen
❤️😥😥😥
kalenakani
The late great Joe Pope on lead. One of the great soul /beach music voices!
Dave Penn
He was THE BEST soul/beach music voice. There will never be another one like him in my view.
2 Tall Jones
I love the Tams music forever...I'm 73 and I got a chance to meet all the guys, good folk....
blackirishdave
I first heard this song in September of 2017. It was the beginning of my life changing forever. I still hear it when I awaken at 2:00 am. Hauntingly beautiful.