The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active … Read Full Bio ↴The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia, and disco. One of Motown's signature acts, The Supremes were the most successful African-American musical act of the 1960s, recording twelve #1 hits between 1964 and 1969, many of them written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland. The crossover success of the Supremes during the mid-1960s paved the way for future black soul and R&B acts to gain mainstream audiences both in the United States and overseas.

Founded in Detroit, Michigan, United States in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes. Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in the mid-1960s with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1967, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Ross left the group for a solo career in 1970, and was replaced by Jean Terrell. After 1972, the lineup of the Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977.

The Lady Is A Tramp
The Supremes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I get too hungry for dinner at eight
I like the theater but never come late
I never bother with people i hate
That's why the lady is a tramp

I like the crap games with barons and earls
Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
Won't dish the dirt with the rest of the girls

That's why the lady is a tramp

I like that cool fresh wind in my hair
Life without care
I'm broke, it's oke!
Hate California
It's cold and it's damp
That's why the lady is a tramp

I get too hungry for dinner at eight
I like the theater but never come late
I never bother with people i hate
That's why the lady is a tramp

I like the crap games with barons and earls
Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
Won't dish the dirt with the rest of the girls
That's why the lady is a tramp

I like that cool fresh wind in my hair
Life without care
I'm broke, it's oke!
Hate California

It's cold and it's damp
That's why the lady is a tramp

Overall Meaning

The Supremes's song "The Lady Is A Tramp" is a playful and empowering anthem about a woman who defies societal norms and expectations. The lyrics portray a woman who is unapologetically herself and enjoys her life on her own terms. The opening lines suggest that she is too independent and hungry to conform to traditional meal times, and her love for the theater is not based on impressing anyone else. The lady does not waste her energy on people she dislikes, indicating that she is not interested in playing games or seeking approval from others.

The lyrics continue to describe her aversion to conformity as she prefers "crap games with barons and earls" over socializing in high society. She will not go to Harlem in "ermine and pearls" or "dish the dirt with the rest of the girls." These lines suggest that she is content with herself and does not need to impress anyone. The lady is comfortable in her own skin and finds joy in the simple pleasures of life such as feeling the cool fresh air in her hair and living without worries. The final couplet, "I'm broke, it's oke! Hate California, it's cold and it's damp, that's why the lady is a tramp," implies that she is not concerned with materialistic goods or societal expectations, but only with living her life according to her own desires.

Overall, the message of the song is that a woman can be powerful and confident without conforming to societal expectations. The lady represents a unique individual who recognizes her own strengths and weaknesses, and does not let anyone else determine her happiness.

Line by Line Meaning

I get too hungry for dinner at eight
I have a big appetite and prefer to eat dinner early.

I like the theater but never come late
I enjoy going to the theater, but ensure that I am always on time for the show.

I never bother with people I hate
I choose to ignore individuals who do not appreciate or respect me.

That's why the lady is a tramp
These characteristics make me unconventional and perhaps misunderstood by some, hence why I am referred to as a tramp.

I like the crap games with barons and earls
I enjoy playing gambling games with wealthy people.

Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
I have no interest in pretending to be someone I'm not by going to fancy places dressed in expensive clothing.

Won't dish the dirt with the rest of the girls
I do not participate in gossip or talking negatively about others like some women do.

I like that cool fresh wind in my hair
I relish the feeling of breeze blowing through my hair.

Life without care
I prefer to live a carefree life without worrying too much about what others think of me.

I'm broke, it's oke!
I'm okay with being financially unstable or not having much money.

Hate California
I do not enjoy the climate in California.

It's cold and it's damp
I dislike cold and damp conditions.

That's why the lady is a tramp
All these characteristics add up to my unconventional personality, hence the label of a tramp.

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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