The song was written by Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Pam Sawyer, and James Roach, with its melody and intro based upon the classical music piece "Frühlingslied" by Felix Mendelssohn. Fuqua and Bristol handled the recording's production.
Ruffin had been dismissed from the Temptations in June 1968 for what has been repeatedly deemed increasingly unprofessional behavior. The song was originally intended to be sung by the Temptations when Ruffin was still the group's front man, but when he finally agreed to a solo contract with Motown, the song was given to him.
A bittersweet ballad in the style of "Since I Lost My Baby", "All I Need", "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need", "(I Know) I'm Losing You" and "I Wish It Would Rain", Ruffin, as the narrator, sings of the extensive pain he has felt since his lover has left him. All throughout the song, Ruffin asks his lover why she left him, what he did wrong that drove her away, and professes to her that without her, his life is meaningless. Singing backup for Ruffin on the recording are The Originals, who the same year would score a hit of their own with "Baby I'm For Real".
"My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" was the focal point of Ruffin's debut solo LP, My Whole World Ended. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. Only one more of Ruffin's solo singles, 1975's "Walk Away from Love", would match its success.
Lead vocals by - David Ruffin
Background vocals by - The Originals: Freddie Gorman, Walter Gaines, Hank Dixon, C.P. Spencer, and Joe Stubbs
Instrumentation by - The Funk Brothers.
"My Whole World Ended
(The Moment You Left Me)"
Single by David Ruffin
from the album My Whole World Ended
Released January 20, 1969
Format 7" single
Recorded Hitsville USA (Studio A); 1968
Genre Soul
Length 3:30
Label Motown
M 1140
Writer(s) Harvey Fuqua
Johnny Bristol
Pam Sawyer
James Roach
Producer Harvey Fuqua
Johnny Bristol
David Ruffin singles chronology
"My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)"
(1969) "I've Lost Everything I've Ever Loved"
(1969)
The song was covered by The Chi-Lites on their 1969 debut album Give It Away, and by The Spinners on their 1970 second album 2nd Time Around.
My Whole World Ended
David Ruffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But now it's nothing, nothing without you, baby,
My whole world is incomplete.
'Cause honey, I can't see you no more.
That was all that you said, baby,
But you just might as well placed a gun to my head, baby, baby.
(Oh! How could you do it!)
My Whole World Ended the moment you left me, Yeah, baby.
Honey, My Whole World Ended the moment you left me.
It tumbled down to the ground, baby.
Did you ever mean those sweet things,
Ah, that you used to say?
(Spoken): Did you mean it baby?
Of a house with a lovely, lovely garden,
And a little baby some day.
Ah! Tell me, where did I go wrong, honey?
Whatever changed your mind, baby?
I've asked myself these questions over a million times, baby, baby.
(Oh! How could you do it!)
My Whole World Ended the moment you left me, Yeah, baby.
Honey, My Whole World Ended the moment you left me.
It tumbled down to the ground, baby, baby, baby.
Now my body is numb, I feel so senseless to the touch,
My life is so wasted without you,
I guess I loved you much too much.
How can I face tomorrow,
When yesterday is all I see?
I just don't wanna face tomorrow, if you're not sharing it with me.
Baby, baby,
(Tell me why.)
My Whole World Ended the moment you left me, Yeah, baby.
Honey, My Whole World Ended the moment you left me.
It tumbled down to the ground, baby, baby, baby.
The lyrics of David Ruffin's "My Whole World Ended" portray the feelings of heartbreak and despair that come with losing someone you love deeply. The song describes a sudden and devastating loss that has left the singer feeling completely alone and incomplete. The opening lines of the song emphasize the dramatic transformation that has taken place in the singer's life, moving from a beautiful and meaningful existence to one that is now empty and hopeless.
The song conveys the singer's intense emotional pain and sense of confusion as they seek to understand why their relationship has ended. The lyrics suggest that the singer had been envisioning a future with their partner, including building a family, and now those dreams have been shattered. They are left with nothing but unanswered questions and a deep sense of woundedness. The song concludes with the singer expressing their inability to face the future without their beloved, leaving them feeling lost in a world that has crumbled around them.
Overall, David Ruffin's "My Whole World Ended" is a powerful portrait of the heartbreak that can come with losing someone you deeply love. The song speaks to the intensity of emotions that accompany a breakup, including feelings of despair, confusion, and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Last week my life had meaning, it was beautiful and so sweet.
I was happy and content with my life until you left me.
But now it's nothing, nothing without you, baby,
My life feels empty and meaningless without you as a part of it.
My whole world is incomplete.
You were my entire world, and now that you're gone, everything feels incomplete.
'Cause honey, I can't see you no more.
Not being able to see you anymore is tearing me apart.
That was all that you said, baby,
Your leaving was sudden and final, and all you said was that you couldn't see me anymore.
But you just might as well placed a gun to my head, baby, baby. (Oh! How could you do it!)
Your leaving feels just as painful and devastating as if you had physically harmed me.
My Whole World Ended the moment you left me, Yeah, baby.
My world came crashing down the moment you left me.
Honey, My Whole World Ended the moment you left me.
Losing you was the end of my world.
It tumbled down to the ground, baby.
Everything I had built up in my life crumbled and fell apart when you left me.
Did you ever mean those sweet things, Ah, that you used to say? (Spoken): Did you mean it baby?
I'm questioning whether everything you said to me was true and genuine.
Of a house with a lovely, lovely garden, And a little baby some day.
We had plans for the future that included building a home and starting a family together.
Ah! Tell me, where did I go wrong, honey? Whatever changed your mind, baby?
I'm struggling to understand what caused you to suddenly leave and what I may have done to contribute to it.
I've asked myself these questions over a million times, baby, baby. (Oh! How could you do it!)
I can't stop thinking about what went wrong and how I could have prevented this from happening.
Now my body is numb, I feel so senseless to the touch, My life is so wasted without you,
I feel emotionally and physically numb, and my life feels like it has no purpose or direction without you.
I guess I loved you much too much.
My intense love for you may have contributed to my inability to move on and accept your leaving.
How can I face tomorrow, When yesterday is all I see?
I'm struggling to move on and live in the present because all I can focus on is everything that's been lost in the past.
I just don't wanna face tomorrow, if you're not sharing it with me. Baby, baby, (Tell me why.)
The thought of a future without you in it is too painful to bear. I'm pleading with you to explain why you left and what I could do to get you back.
My Whole World Ended the moment you left me, Yeah, baby.
Losing you has had a catastrophic impact on my life.
Honey, My Whole World Ended the moment you left me. It tumbled down to the ground, baby, baby, baby.
Your departure caused my entire world to come crashing down around me, leaving me feeling lost and broken.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HARVEY FUQUA, JAMES ROACH, JOHNNY WILLIAM BRISTOL, PAMELA JOAN SAWYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Brown
on I Miss You, Pt. 2
David Ruff in is the best of the best okkk miss your voice sir.
George Brown
on I'm So Glad I Fell For You
David is this best