Born in Salem (near Ann Arbor), Michigan, Lewis was writing and recording by her teens with producer Ollie McLaughlin. (McLaughlin was a black DJ at Ann Arbor radio station WHRV, now WAAM, who is also credited with discovering Del Shannon.) Her first single release in 1962, the uptempo "My Heart Went Do Dat Da," did not chart nationally but was a local hit in the Detroit area. She wrote all of the songs on her debut LP (including the hit "Hello Stranger"). Though her follow-ups did not have the same success, her song "Someday We're Gonna Love Again" was covered by The Searchers for a British Invasion hit.
In the 1960s, Lewis recorded in New York City, with producers Bert Berns and Jerry Wexler, leading to commercially-successful hits like "Baby I'm Yours" which is written by Van McCoy ('The Hustle'1975) and "Make Me Your Baby." At the end of the decade she released a grittier-sounding album on Stax Records, and after its lack of commercial success, she began to withdraw from music.
However, over the next decade, a number of other artists had success with Lewis' songs, most notably Yvonne Elliman, who made the U.S. Top 20 (and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart) and the UK Top 30 with her version of "Hello Stranger" in 1977. "Baby I'm Yours" also charted in versions by Jody Miller and Debby Boone (the B-side of her single "God Knows"). In Canada, Suzanne Stevens had a hit in 1975 with a disco version of "Make Me Your Baby". Cover versions of Barbara Lewis' tracks continue into the new millennium with the Arctic Monkeys including a version of "Baby I'm Yours" as a B-side to their 2006 single, "Leave Before The Lights Come On".
In 1995, Lewis' "Baby I'm Yours” was featured on the Bridges of Madison County soundtrack. She was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999.
The backup group on many songs from the album "Hello Stranger" are The Dells who enjoyed some hits of their own.
Make Me Belong to You
Barbara Lewis Lyrics
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So baby, baby whatever you make me
Make me belong to you
I can be a beggar or a queen
You've got the power to make me anything
You've got the power so open your heart
It's up to you
Yeah, 'cause darlin' I am whatever you make me
So baby, baby whatever you make me
Make me belong to you
I can be a puppet on a string
You've got the power to make me anything
You've got the power so open your heart
It's up to you
Yeah, darlin' I am whatever you make me
So baby, baby whatever you make me
Make me belong to you
The lyrics to Barbara Lewis's song "Make Me Belong to You" are about the power that one person holds to shape another's life and identity. The singer of the song is addressing a lover or romantic partner, declaring that they are willing to be anything the partner wants them to be, as long as they are loved in return. The idea of being "whatever you make me" suggests a kind of vulnerability and surrender to the partner's will. The repetition of the phrase "make me belong to you" emphasizes the desire for a sense of belonging and connection with the partner.
The verses highlight the extreme ways in which the singer is willing to be molded by the partner's influence. The lines "I can be a beggar or a queen" and "I can be a puppet on a string" suggest a willingness to play any role necessary in order to be close to the partner. The chorus reinforces this message, with the repeated refrain of "darlin', I am whatever you make me" serving as a reminder that the singer's identity is inextricably tied to the partner's.
Line by Line Meaning
Darlin, I am whatever you make me
I am completely under your influence and will adapt to fit whatever image you desire.
So baby, baby whatever you make me
Whatever transformation you envision and guide me towards, I will become.
Make me belong to you
Bring me under your possession and control so that I am entirely devoted to you.
I can be a beggar or a queen
I have the potential to be anything, either of low or high status, depending on your influence.
You've got the power to make me anything
You possess the authority to mold me into any form or role you choose.
You've got the power so open your heart
You have the ability to dictate how I am shaped, so let your compassion and desires guide me.
It's up to you
I am completely at your mercy and the direction you choose to take me in is entirely your decision.
Yeah, 'cause darlin' I am whatever you make me
It is solely in your hands to sculpt my identity and nature into whatever you want it to be.
I can be a puppet on a string
I am capable of becoming a passive subject that only follows the direction and manipulations of others.
Make me belong to you
Take control of me and shape me into the form that satisfies your desires and purposes.
Yeah, darlin' I am whatever you make me
I am a blank slate for you to shape as you please, with no resistance or claim to my own identity.
So baby, baby whatever you make me
However you metamorphose me, I will submit and comply to your will.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY VERA, CHIP TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind