Johnny Tillotson (born 20 April 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an A… Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Tillotson (born 20 April 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an American singer and songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored 9 top-ten hits on the pop, country and adult contemporary billboard charts including "Poetry In Motion" and the self-penned "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'".

In 1957 while still in high school, Tillotson was making records and performing on stage; as a student at the University of Florida, he had his own musical variety show on regional television. Following graduation in 1959 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Communications, he signed with Cadence Records and moved to New York City to pursue his music career. In 1960, he recorded his first hit, a composition entitled "Poetry in Motion" (written by Anthony/Kaufman), that went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and #1 on the UK Singles Chart.

A "crossover" artist, several of Tillotson's songs were successful on both the country music charts and pop charts. He earned a Grammy Award nomination for another of his own compositions, "It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin," and also for the song "Heartaches by the Number," nominated for Best Vocal Performance of 1965. He also appeared in the 1963 film "Just for Fun" and sang the theme song for the 1965 Sally Field television comedy "Gidget".

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Tillotson has recorded 26 singles that made it onto Billboard's charts, and performed at venues across the United States and other places around the globe.

He was featured in the 1966 camp comedy The Fat Spy starring Jayne Mansfield, Jack E. Leonard, Phyllis Diller, Brian Donlevy and Jordan Christopher & the Wild Ones. This film was featured in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (#46).

Tell Me Baby
Johnny Tillotson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Kiss me each morning for a million years
Hold me each evening by your side
Tell me you love me for a million years
Then if it don't work out then if it don't work out
Then you can tell me goodbye

Sweeten my coffee with a morning kiss
Soften my dreams with your sigh

And after you've loved me for a million years
Then if it don't work out then if it don't work out
Then you can tell me goodbye

If you must go I won't grieve
If you'll just wait a lifetime before you leave
If you must go I won't say no but so we can say that we try
Tell me you love me for a million years

Then if it don't work out then if it don't work out
Then you can tell me goodbye then you can tell me goodbye

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Johnny Tillotson's song "Tell Me Baby" express a desire for a long-lasting relationship. The lyrics suggest that the singer wants their lover to stay by their side and show affection for a million years. The repetitive phrase "Then if it don't work out, then if it don't work out, then you can tell me goodbye" indicates that the singer is aware that a long-term relationship may not succeed, but they want their lover to at least try.

The first verse describes the singer's desire for morning and evening rituals with their lover. "Kiss me each morning for a million years" and "hold me each evening by your side" express a need for consistent affection. The second verse asks the lover to continue showing affection in more subtle ways, such as sweetening the singer's coffee and softening their dreams with a sigh. The third verse expresses the singer's acceptance of the potential end of the relationship. They promise not to grieve if their lover leaves, but they want the opportunity to try for a long-lasting love.

Overall, the lyrics to "Tell Me Baby" express a longing for a committed and affectionate relationship. The singer acknowledges the possibility of the relationship ending but wants their lover to at least try. The lyrics are simple but convey a heartfelt desire for a lasting love.

Line by Line Meaning

Kiss me each morning for a million years
Start my every day with love and affection that will last forever

Hold me each evening by your side
Stay by my side every night and cherish me

Tell me you love me for a million years
Promise me that you will love me for eternity

Then if it don't work out then if it don't work out Then you can tell me goodbye
But if our love fades away, you will get the chance to say goodbye

Sweeten my coffee with a morning kiss
Let your love be the sweetener for my morning coffee and start my day with passion

Soften my dreams with your sigh
Make my dreams peaceful by whispering your love in my ear before I sleep

If you must go I won't grieve
I won't mourn your departure if it's necessary

If you'll just wait a lifetime before you leave
But I want us to spend our whole lives together, making memories until the end

If you must go I won't say no but so we can say that we try
If you must leave, I won't object, but let's make sure we gave our love enough time to grow

Then if it don't work out then if it don't work out Then you can tell me goodbye then you can tell me goodbye
If our love doesn't stand the test of time, you can say goodbye knowing that we did everything we could

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Loudermilk

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS