Comments for Hyman, Phyllis, I Refuse to Be Lonely

Posthumously released after Phyllis Hyman committed suicide in 1995, "I Refuse to Be Lonely" is rich, beautiful, and a reminder of what a spectacular vocalist we have lost. Her pop ballad skills were never so sharp as on the title track and "Give Me One Good Reason to Stay," and her jazz inflections shine triumphantly on the sweet ballads "I`m Truly Yours" and "I`m Calling You." Phyllis even successfully ventured into hip-hop on the ever-funky "It`s Not About You (It`s About Me)"...Phyllis apparently had a bit of a cold when she did the take included here, and probably left us before she did another, but it`s still full of spirit and a cool, laid-back sense of defiance against the song`s antagonist. "It Takes Two" is a slick pop ballad that definitely could`ve been a major single...her lower-register chorus and delightful scat improvisation give new meaning to the word "smooth." A couple of the songs, such as "Waiting for the Last Tear to Fall" and "Why Not Me," are a bit haunting, considering their lovelorn, world-weary lyrics...one can only wonder how close these songs were to her state of mind when she took her own life. But "This Too Shall Pass" is especially haunting, with lyrics like "when there`s no comfort in sleeping/when I am so close to weeping...". The song`s chorus and title are almost too ironic considering the track was released after the artist`s self-inflicted death. If it weren`t for the track`s superior vocal and flawless vocal, it might have been almost unbearable. In fact, the same can be said for the entire project. What a loss for the music industry to have to mourn the passing of such a soulful and emotional vocalist...and just before she was about to release one of her finest albums ever. Still, the obvious love of music Phyllis generously left us makes it impossible not to smile through our tears. It`s sad that it had to be her last artistic statement, but it`s still an important and highly entertaining piece of the significant legacy she left behind. May she rest in peace. It is most definitely our loss.

I borrowed Phyllis Hyman's CD "I Refuse to be Lonely" from my local library. A-W-E-S-O-M-E and spellbounding. The lady looked into my heart, and explored what's been happening for the past 3 years. I'm young for her music, being that I'm only 29 and she recorded these a while ago. However, her sound.....her feelings on love and life.....her skill and ability is timeless. I'll surely be searching for her in the stores, because I love what I've heard, experienced, and felt. "I refuse to be lonely".....every single woman worth the time should take solace in, and find comfort & strength in this piece from Phyllis. And my other favorite is "Give me One Good Reason to Stay." Awesome, Ms. Hyman. You're missed by your generation, and will be by all those future generations fortunate enough to find you as I did.