Introduction

The legendary song “More Than A Woman” by Tavares is a timeless classic that has resonated with music lovers for decades. With its infectious melody and soulful vocals, it has left an indelible mark on the world of music. In this article, we will delve into the history of this iconic track, shed light on the talented artists behind it, and uncover some fascinating facts in our ‘Did You Know?’ section. But first, let’s kick things off with a Facebook caption that encapsulates the essence of this unforgettable song.The Sound of a Generation - The Wonderful Career of Tavares

Did You Know?

  • Origin of “More Than A Woman”: The song “More Than A Woman” was originally written by Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, and Maurice Gibb, famously known as the Bee Gees. It was initially recorded for the soundtrack of the 1977 blockbuster film “Saturday Night Fever.” Tavares’ rendition of this track played a crucial role in the film’s success, earning them well-deserved recognition.
  • Tavares: The Soulful Siblings: Tavares, a dynamic R&B group hailing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, was formed in the 1960s by the Tavares brothers – Ralph, Pooch, Chubby, Butch, and Tiny. With their harmonious vocals and captivating stage presence, they achieved immense success in the 1970s and became synonymous with the disco era.
  • Chart-Topping Success: “More Than A Woman” quickly climbed the charts and secured a spot on the Billboard Hot 100, ultimately reaching the 32nd position. This phenomenal track not only captivated music enthusiasts but also served as a cornerstone in the genre’s evolution.
  • Musical Resurgence: In recent years, “More Than A Woman” has experienced a resurgence in popularity, with the younger generation discovering its irresistible charm. The song’s inclusion in various movie soundtracks and television shows has contributed to its continued relevance.
  • Tavares’ Lasting Impact: Tavares’ contribution to the world of music extends beyond this classic hit. They have left an indelible mark with other popular songs, making them a revered group in the history of R&B and disco music.

Ralph Tavares of R&B group Tavares dies at 79 - TheGrio

Video

Lyrics: More Than A Woman  

Girl, I’ve known you very well
I’ve seen you growing every day
I never really looked before
But now you take my breath awaySuddenly you’re in my life
A part of everything I do
You got me working day and night
Just trying to keep a hold on you

Here in your arms I found my paradise
My only chance for happiness
And if I lose you now I think I would die

Oh, say you’ll always be my baby
We can make it shine
We can take forever just a minute at a time (Minute at a time)

More than a woman
More than a woman to me, baby
More than a woman (More than a woman)
More than a woman to me
Shoo, doo doo
More than a woman, ahh

There are stories old and true
Of people so in love like you and me
And I can see myself
Let history repeat itself

Reflecting how I feel for you
Thinking ’bout those people then
I know that in a thousand years
I’d fall in love with you again

This is the only way that we should fly
This is the only way to go
And if I lose your love I know I would die

Oh, say you’ll always be my baby
We can make it shine
We can take forever just a minute at a time (Minute at a time)

More than a woman (More than a woman)
More than a woman to me (Yes you are, baby)
More than a woman (More than a woman)
More than a woman to me
Shoo, doo doo
More than a woman, ahh

More than a woman (More than a woman)
More than a woman to me, yeah
More than a woman (More than a woman)
More than a woman to me (Every day of my life)
More than a woman (Ohh baby)
More than a woman to me, yeah (You are, you are, you are)
More than a woman (More than a woman)
More than a woman to me (She treats me good, like a love should)
More than a woman (Yeah)
More than a woman to me (Yeah baby)

 

You Missed

Thousands of fans filled the Nashville arena, restless after waiting two years to see Loretta Lynn again. She sat in the shadows beside the stage, weakened by the stroke that had taken her mobility in 2017 and the broken hip she suffered the following year. When the house band started the familiar rhythm of ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter,’ the room seemed to hold its breath. Her sister, Crystal Gayle, leaned over and encouraged her to sing. Loretta waved her off at first, looking down, apparently content to stay quietly in the wings. Then something changed. As the crowd pressed forward, humming the song that told her own story, their response seemed to reach her through the exhaustion. She reached out suddenly and firmly, closing her hand around the microphone’s cool metal. ‘Let me have that damn mic,’ she muttered. Her voice carried through the sound system with unmistakable authority. She was taking back the place she had held for more than fifty years, brushing aside every doctor and therapist who had told her to slow down. The crowd’s roar hit the stage and seemed to shake the rafters. For a moment, the frailty of the past two years faded from view. The audience saw the Kentucky girl who had lived through hardship and made music out of it. Loretta leaned into the song, her voice cracking a little but still carrying the grit that had defined her career. As the last note lingered, everyone in the room understood: she was giving them more than a performance. She was reminding them who was still in charge.

RCA’s doors stayed closed to Dottie West, enough to shake any performer’s confidence in Nashville. Her stints with Starday and Atlantic had left her with little beyond empty pockets and unpaid bills. By 1961, she and her husband, steel guitarist Bill West, were living in a small house in West Nashville. It felt less like a home than a place to make one last, desperate attempt. For years, they had driven back and forth from Cleveland, spending time and money on trips that brought them no closer to getting through the industry’s doors. At that house, Dottie began taking a different approach. Instead of chasing executives, she fed hungry songwriters. Willie Nelson, Roger Miller, and Red Lane started coming over, finding something at her kitchen table that the labels hadn’t offered: someone willing to listen. Auditions gave way to suppers, with Dottie hearing unfinished verses as her guests unpacked their battered guitar cases. If she couldn’t get into the business, she would bring it into her home. Each meal was a deliberate investment in the songwriting Nashville claimed to value but had yet to recognize in her. Things changed the night Jim Reeves heard her song, ‘Is This Me?’ and took it to Chet Atkins. One straightforward exchange over a melody opened a path that had been blocked for years. It wasn’t simply a lucky break. It grew out of her decision to stop asking for a place and create one herself. When she became the first woman to win a country Grammy, the award meant more than recognition. It confirmed that those lean years in the West Nashville house had produced some of the most important work of her life.

Tucked away in a private drawer, far from the polished sets of her television show, lay a bundle of 341 letters. These were not press clippings or scripts; they were brittle, handwritten testimonies from servicemen stationed in remote barracks, deep in war-torn tunnels, and across desolate battlefields. During the long years of the Second World War, as Hollywood presented a glossy, curated image of American life, Donna Reed spent her nights reading these letters and, more remarkably, personally answering them. This was the quiet, invisible work that defined her, long before the public labeled her the quintessential television mother. Behind the camera during her production years, Reed was a different person entirely. She was rarely seen holding a script for a scene; she was more likely to be found hunched over lighting diagrams or studying the intricacies of cinematography. She possessed an uncredited producer’s mind, constantly analyzing how the frame could better reflect the reality of the family she was trying to depict. The studio environment was frequently cold and high-pressured, but she moved through it with a meticulous attention to detail that frustrated those who wanted to treat her as merely another pretty face in the cast. These tactile remnants—the stacks of ink-stained paper and the forgotten notes on camera angles—tell the story of a woman who never truly fit the box Hollywood built for her. While the world remembers the steady, comforting image of a television home, she lived a life carved out of hard labor and deep empathy. She carried the weight of those soldiers’ stories and the technical burdens of the studio floor until her final days, forever balancing the fragility of her public image against the demanding, gritty reality of her actual life.