Clyde McPhatter (November 15, 1932 – June 13, 1972) was an influential Afri… Read Full Bio ↴Clyde McPhatter (November 15, 1932 – June 13, 1972) was an influential African-American R&B singer, born in Durham, North Carolina. He was raised in a religious Baptist family, and formed a gospel group in 1945 after his family moved to New Jersey. They soon relocated to New York City, and McPhatter joined the Mount Lebanon Singers, a popular gospel group.

In 1950, McPhatter joined Billy Ward & the Dominoes, and was present for the recording of "Sixty Minute Man", which was a huge hit in 1951, and was one of the earliest rock and roll records. After several more hits, McPhatter quit the group in 1953 because he made little money and gained virtually no fame, in spite of his voice being the lead on most of the group's songs. McPhatter then signed to Atlantic Records after forming a group, The Drifters. "Money Honey", "Such a Night", "Honey Love", "White Christmas" and "Whatcha Gonna Do" became huge hits.

In 1954, McPhatter was drafted but was assigned in the U.S., allowing him to continue recording. He soon left The Drifters and launched a solo career. His first solo hit occurred just after being discharged - "Love Has Joined Us Together" (with Ruth Brown). He released several R&B hits in the next few years, but only made one serious dent in the pop charts with the Brook Benton penned song "A Lovers Question", which made it to #6 in 1958. White groups usually covered his best compositions and achieved more widespread mainstream success. In spite of this, McPhatter became one of the most popular black musicians among white listeners. His 1956 recording of "Treasure of Love" saw him enjoy just one week in the UK singles chart. The lack of any subsequent entry gave him the unenviable tag there of being a one hit wonder

McPhatter soon signed to MGM Records, and released several more hits. "I Told Myself a Lie" and "Think Me a Kiss" (1960) became minor pop hits, as was "Ta Ta", his first single for Mercury Records. "I Never Knew" and "Lover Please" (1962) became even bigger pop hits, but his career started suffering due to his alcoholism. Other black artists were following McPhatter's blueprint into pop audiences, including Rudy Lewis, Johnny Moore, Sam Cooke and an all new line-up of The Drifters. McPhatter's unreliability kept him from maintaining his career in the face of this competition. As the 1960s wore on, McPhatter's career kept falling in spite of a few minor hits.

In the early 1970s, McPhatter spent some time living in England, where he still had a significant audience, but this was short-lived. Back again in America, Clyde McPhatter died of a heart attack in 1972, at the age of 39.

In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

You're Moving Me
Clyde McPhatter Lyrics

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If I take you by the hand
And tell you I'm you're lover man
And if I smile (smile), smile (smile)
Smile (smile), smile
You know you're movin' me
(You know you're movin' me)

If I ask you for a kiss

Pretty baby, don't resist
When I say yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah), Oh yeah!
You know you're movin' me
(You know you're movin' me)
You're movin' my hands
You make me feel so good
You're movin' my feet
I know they fly, they could
You're movin' my soul
I wanna sing and shout
Baby you knock me out

The way you talk that pretty talk, oh yeah
The way you walk that pretty walk, walk on
When I say oh (oh), oh (oh)
Oh (oh), Whoa!
You know you're movin' me
(You know you're movin' me)

You're movin' my hands
You make me feel so good
You're movin' my feet
I know they fly, they could
You're movin' my soul
I wanna sing and shout

Baby you knock me out

The way you talk that pretty talk, oh yeah
The way you walk that pretty walk, walk on
When I say oh (oh), oh (oh)
Oh (oh), Whoa!
You know you're movin' me

(You know you're movin' me)
You know you're movin' me
(You know you're movin' me)
Oh! you know you're movin' me
Whoa, you know you're movin' me
(You know you're movin' me)
Whoa, you know you're movin' me
(You know you're movin' me)

Keep on movin' me, pretty babe

(You know you're movin' me)
Keep on movin' me

Overall Meaning

In Clyde McPhatter's "You're Moving Me," the singer is expressing how his love interest is having an intense effect on him. He proclaims that she makes him feel so good that she is "moving" him physically, mentally, and emotionally. Throughout the song, he uses metaphors to further describe how she is affecting him, including moving his hands, feet, and soul. The chorus repeats the line "you know you're moving me" to emphasize the impact of her actions on him.

The lyrics suggest a certain level of submission and vulnerability on the part of the singer, as he is letting himself be swept away by his love interest. The song's upbeat, rhythmic melody matches the joyful tone of the lyrics, creating an overall feeling of infatuation and excitement.

You're Moving MeClyde McPhatter Lyrics

You're Moving Me
Clyde McPhatter Lyrics