Come Back & Finish What You've Started
Gladys Knight Lyrics


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Come back and finish what you started
Come back and finish what you started
And don't leave me hanging on
Come back and finish what you started
And don't leave me hanging on, no

You planted seeds of love in my heart
With all the tender words you said at the start
But love is something you shouldn't begin
If you're not gonna see it through to the end

Come back and finish what you started
Oh, and don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)
Mmm, come back and finish what you started
And don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)

A taste of honey is a dangerous thing
After it's gone, the memories cling
Just like the promise I heard you repeat
That you left undone and incomplete

Come back and finish what you started
Oooh, and don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)
Oooh, come back and finish what you started
And don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)

(Baby, come back, ooohooohooo) Don't leave me
(Baby, come back, come back) Don't you know my loving?
(Baby, come back, ooohooohooo) Mmm-mmm
(Baby, come back, come back!)

Come back and finish what you started
Don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)
Come back and finish what you started
Ooohooo, don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)

A taste of honey is a dangerous thing
After it's gone, the memories cling
Just like the promise I heard you repeat
That you left undone and incomplete

Come back and finish what you started
Oooh, and don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)
Come back and finish what you started
And don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)

Come back and finish what you started
And don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)
Come back and finish what you started
And don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)

Don't you know I need you beside me
Come right back and let your love hide me

Come back and finish what you started




And don't leave me hanging on (Hanging on, hanging on)
Come back and finish what you started

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Gladys Knight & The Pips' song "Come Back & Finish What You Started" express a plea for a lost lover to return and complete the love that was started but never fulfilled. The song describes the heartbreak and pain that a relationship can cause when one person decides to end it prematurely without seeing it to its natural end. The opening lines of the song repeat the same line twice, emphasizing the desperation of the singer who wants their lover to come back and complete what they started. The lines, "You planted seeds of love in my heart, with all the tender words you said at the start" reveal the depth of the love that was shared and the importance of not leaving it unfinished.


The chorus repeats the same line, with the addition of "no" at the end, highlighting the fact that the singer is hanging on hopelessly without their lover. The second verse, "A taste of honey is a dangerous thing, after it's gone, the memories cling," suggests that the short moments of happiness the two shared can be even more painful than never having had them at all. The final lines of the song repeat the same line three times, solidifying the message that the singer's love is still waiting to be completed.


Line by Line Meaning

Come back and finish what you started
Return to me and complete what you began


Come back and finish what you started
Come back to me and complete the unfinished business


And don't leave me hanging on
Don't abandon me with uncertainty


Come back and finish what you started
Continue what you started with unwavering commitment


And don't leave me hanging on, no
Do not leave me uncertain and incomplete


You planted seeds of love in my heart
You initiated the relationship with love and care


With all the tender words you said at the start
With all the affectionate words you spoke in the beginning


But love is something you shouldn't begin
But starting a relationship without a clear intention is not wise


If you're not gonna see it through to the end
If you are not committed to seeing it through, it's better not to start


A taste of honey is a dangerous thing
A brief experience of love can be a dangerous game


After it's gone, the memories cling
After the love is gone, the memories still hold tight


Just like the promise I heard you repeat
Just like the promise you made and kept repeating


That you left undone and incomplete
That you failed to finish and left undone


Don't you know I need you beside me
Don't you understand that I need you close to me


Come right back and let your love hide me
Quickly return to me and let your love protect me




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOE COBB, VAN MCCOY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Robert Kelvin

Rare?This was the groups fastest selling chart hit in the uk. Great bouncy beat and Gladys' vocals soaring on top.......Superb!!!!

Marilyn Middleton Mellor

I've always loved Gladys Knight and the Pips. Never heard this one. Love it! give me some more old soul!!!

FUNKYTOWN UUT GRUNN

Enjoy the Facebook group : Funkytown Uut Grunn . There You can hear many Soul &Funk songs like this .

shook up

A comforting voice warm and motherly for someone who is greiving

David Steven

Old school timeless classic

Alan Golding

Timeless classic !

Wendy Jones

love old music real artists who sing real music thanks

Michael Sinski

Absolutely 👌

Chris Rose

The real Queen of Soul...

andytrevor001

great track, i love it!!!

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