Music has this weird way of sticking to your ribs. You know that feeling when a song comes on the radio and suddenly it’s 1973 again, even if you weren't even born yet? That's the power of Kent LaVoie. Most people know him as Lobo. He wasn't some flashy rockstar with leather pants and a penchant for destroying hotel rooms. No, he was the guy with the acoustic guitar who sounded like he was sitting right there in your living room, drinking a lukewarm beer and telling you his deepest regrets. Among his catalog of hits, one track stands out for its raw, almost uncomfortable honesty. We're talking about Lobo how can i tell her about you, a song that basically invented the "it's complicated" relationship status decades before Facebook was a glimmer in Mark Zuckerberg's eye.
It’s a song about a guy caught between two worlds. Honestly, it’s a bit of a mess, emotionally speaking.
He loves one woman, but he’s still seeing another. He’s trying to figure out how to break the news without destroying everyone involved. It’s not a "cheating anthem" in the way we think of modern pop songs. It’s more of a slow-motion car crash of the heart. You listen to it and you think, "Man, just talk to her already," but life is never that simple, is it?
Why This Specific Track Still Hits Different
Most pop songs from the early seventies are about sunshine, lollipops, or maybe a very specific type of mountain high. Lobo went a different direction. He tapped into the anxiety of transition. When you listen to Lobo how can i tell her about you, you aren't hearing a polished studio production designed to sell millions of records—even though it did. You're hearing a guy struggle with the morality of his own feelings.
The arrangement is sparse. It’s basically just Kent and his guitar, with some light orchestration that swells up just when the guilt gets too heavy to carry. That’s the "Lobo sound." It’s intimate. It’s the reason why, in an era dominated by Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, a soft-spoken guy from Tallahassee, Florida, could dominate the Billboard charts. He wasn't trying to be a god. He was trying to be a person.
People often confuse his work with Bread or Jim Croce. That makes sense. They all shared that "sensitive singer-songwriter" DNA. But Lobo had this specific Florida-folk vibe. It was a little bit country, a little bit pop, and a whole lot of melancholy. If you’ve ever had to tell someone the truth when you knew it would break them, this song is your personal soundtrack. It’s the sound of a heavy heart.
The Reality of Kent LaVoie's Success
Let's look at the facts. Kent LaVoie didn't just stumble into the spotlight. He’d been playing in bands since the early sixties, like The Rumors and The Sugar Beats. But it wasn't until he adopted the name "Lobo"—which means "wolf" in Spanish—that things really took off. He liked the idea of being a "lone wolf." It fit his solo persona perfectly.
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When "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo" hit the airwaves in 1971, it was a massive success. But it was a bit... whimsical? It didn't have the grit. Then came "I'd Love You to Want Me" and, eventually, Lobo how can i tell her about you. These tracks showed a much more mature, albeit troubled, side of his songwriting. He was exploring the gray areas of human connection.
Breaking Down the Lyrics
The song opens with a dilemma. He’s with "her," but he’s thinking about "you."
"How can I tell her about you? / Girl, please tell me what to do."
It’s a plea for help. He’s asking the new woman in his life to help him navigate the exit strategy from his current relationship. It’s kind of selfish, right? If you really look at the lyrics, the narrator is putting the emotional labor on the new girl. But that’s what makes it human. We aren't always heroes in our own stories. Sometimes we’re just confused guys with guitars who can’t figure out how to say goodbye.
The melody is incredibly catchy, which masks the sadness. That’s a classic songwriting trick. You give the audience a hook they can hum in the shower, and then you hit them with the emotional trauma in the second verse. It works every time.
The 1970s Soft Rock Context
To understand why Lobo how can i tell her about you worked so well, you have to look at what was happening in the world. The Vietnam War was winding down. The counterculture movement was fracturing. People were tired of the noise. They wanted something quiet. Something that felt real.
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The "Mellow Gold" era was in full swing. Artists like Seals and Crofts, America, and England Dan & John Ford Coley were all over the place. But Lobo stayed relevant because he didn't lean too hard into the hippie aesthetic. He felt more like a blue-collar poet. He wasn't singing about "diamond girls" or "summer breezes" as much as he was singing about the stuff that happens in small towns at 2:00 AM.
There’s a persistent rumor that his songs were all autobiographical. While he certainly drew from his own life, LaVoie was a storyteller first. He knew how to craft a narrative that felt universal. Even if you weren't cheating on your girlfriend, you knew the feeling of being stuck between two choices. You knew the weight of a secret.
Technical Brilliance in Simplicity
Musically, the song is a masterclass in "less is more." The guitar work is clean. No distortion. No flashy solos. Just fingerpicking that follows the vocal melody like a shadow. This was recorded at Big Tree Records, and the production by Phil Gernhard was intentional. They wanted it to sound like a demo that just happened to be perfect.
Sometimes, over-producing a song kills the soul. If they had added a heavy drum beat or a synth line to Lobo how can i tell her about you, it would have been a disaster. It needed that space. It needed the silence between the notes so the listener could fill in the gaps with their own memories.
Legacy and the Digital Age
It’s funny how songs find new life. A few years ago, you might only hear Lobo on "oldies" stations or in the bargain bin of a record store. Now? He’s all over YouTube and Spotify. There’s a whole new generation discovering this music. Why? Because the feelings haven't changed.
The "how can I tell her" trope is everywhere in modern R&B and country. But they usually play it for drama or sex appeal. Lobo played it for the guilt. That’s the difference. There’s a vulnerability in his voice that’s hard to fake. He sounds genuinely pained. In an age of Auto-Tune and hyper-polished pop, that kind of raw vocal performance stands out like a sore thumb—in a good way.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Lobo
A lot of critics back in the day dismissed Lobo as "schmaltzy." They thought he was too soft. They wanted him to "rock out." But that’s missing the point entirely. Being soft isn't the same as being weak. It takes a lot of guts to stand on a stage and sing about how you're failing at being a good partner.
Another misconception is that he was a "one-hit wonder." Far from it. He had several Top 10 hits and a string of successful albums throughout the seventies. He even had a massive following in Southeast Asia and South America that continues to this day. In places like the Philippines, Lobo is basically a musical deity. His songs are staples at every karaoke bar from Manila to Cebu.
How to Approach the Conversation (The Real-World Application)
If you’re searching for Lobo how can i tell her about you because you’re actually in this situation, music can only do so much. The song captures the feeling, but it doesn't give you the answer. Actually, the song is a warning. It shows the paralysis of indecision.
- Be Honest Fast. The longer the narrator in the song waits, the worse it gets. Don't be the guy in the song.
- Own the Mess. If you've developed feelings for someone else, that's a reality you have to face. Hiding it doesn't make it go away; it just makes it ferment.
- Respect the Process. The "her" in your life deserves the truth, even if it hurts. Lobo's narrator is terrified of that hurt, which is why he's singing to us instead of talking to her.
The Actionable Insight
If you want to dive deeper into this era of music, don't just stop at the greatest hits. Listen to the album Calumet. It’s where "How Can I Tell Her" lives. It’s a cohesive piece of work that paints a picture of a specific time and place.
Listen to the phrasing. Notice how he holds the notes just a second longer than you expect. That’s where the emotion hides. If you're a songwriter yourself, study his economy of language. He doesn't use big words. He uses the right words.
To truly understand the impact of Lobo, you have to stop treating him like a "soft rock" relic. Treat him like a storyteller. The situation described in Lobo how can i tell her about you is timeless because human flaws are timeless. We mess up. We love the wrong people at the wrong time. We get scared of the truth. And as long as people keep doing those things, this song will stay relevant.
Next Steps for the Music Collector
- Hunt for the Vinyl: The original Big Tree pressings have a warmth that digital files just can't catch. Look for the "Big Tree" logo with the green and blue label.
- Check the B-Sides: Often, Lobo put his most experimental stuff on the flipsides of his singles.
- Compare the Covers: Many artists have covered this song, but none capture the specific "Florida humidity" of the original. Listen to them and see why the original still holds the crown.
The story of Lobo isn't just about a guy who had some hits in the seventies. It's about the staying power of honesty in art. Even when that honesty is uncomfortable. Especially when it is.
Practical Next Steps
- Listen to the Lyrics Closely: Instead of just letting it be background noise, read the lyrics while you listen. Notice the shift in perspective between the verses.
- Explore Contemporary Artists: If you like this vibe, check out modern artists like Gregory Alan Isakov or Iron & Wine. They carry that same torch of quiet, intense storytelling.
- Evaluate Your Own Communication: If the song resonates too much, take it as a sign to have those difficult conversations you’ve been putting off. Art should reflect life, but it should also help us navigate it.