I Want You Back
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas Lyrics
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I didn't want you around
Those pretty faces always made you
Stand out in a crowd
But someone picked you from the bunch
One glance was all it took
Now it's much too late for me
To take second look
Oh baby give me one more chance
To show you that I love you
Won't you please send me back in your heart
Oh darlin' I was blind to let you go
But now since I see you in his arms
I want you back
Yes I do now
I want you back
Ooh ooh baby
Yeah yeah, naw
Trying to live without your love
Is one long sleepless night
Let me show you girl
That I know wrong from right
Every street you walk on
I leave tear stains on the ground
Following the girl
I didn't even want around
Oh baby give me one more chance
To show you that I love you
Won't you please send me back in your heart
Abuh buh buh buh
All I want!
Abuh buh buh buh
All I need!
Abuh buh buh buh
The lyrics of "I Want You Back" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas is a classic example of a man trying to win back his lover after he has let her go. The song has an upbeat tempo with an infectious melody that makes it difficult not to want to move to the rhythm. The opening lines of the song depict a scenario where the man had the woman to himself but didn't value her at the time. He was blinded by the presence of other pretty faces around him, and he couldn't see what he had until he lost it. He thought he could always have her, but it turns out he was wrong. Someone else saw what he couldn't see and has taken her from him. The man regrets his decision and wishes he could have another chance to show her how much he loves her.
The chorus of the song echoes his plea for a second chance. He wants her to know that he was wrong to let her go and wants to make amends. He wants to send a message to her heart about how much she means to him. The second verse of the song further emphasizes his heartbreak as he tries to live without her. He can't seem to get over her, and every street she walks on echoes his pain. He followed her, even though he didn't want her around initially. However, now, he desires her more than ever before. The song ends with him chanting, "All I want, all I need" captioning his plea for her love.
Line by Line Meaning
When I had you to myself
When I had you all to myself
I didn't want you around
I didn't want you near me
Those pretty faces always made you
Those attractive people made you
Stand out in a crowd
Noticed more in a group of people
But someone picked you from the bunch
But someone chose you from the rest
One glance was all it took
Just one look and that was it
Now it's much too late for me
Now it's too late for me to act
To take second look
To reconsider my decision
Oh baby give me one more chance
Oh please give me another opportunity
To show you that I love you
To prove my affection to you
Won't you please send me back in your heart
Can't you let me back into your heart
Oh darlin' I was blind to let you go
Oh dear, I was foolish to let you leave
But now since I see you in his arms
But now that I see you with someone else
I want you back
I want you back with me
Yes I do now
I truly do
Ooh ooh baby
Oh baby
Yeah yeah, naw
Yeah, not really sure
Trying to live without your love
Trying to survive without your affection
Is one long sleepless night
Feels like an endless night of insomnia
Let me show you girl
Let me demonstrate to you
That I know wrong from right
That I am capable of differentiating good from bad
Every street you walk on
Every road you go down
I leave tear stains on the ground
I leave a trail of tears behind me
Following the girl
Following you, the woman
I didn't even want around
That I did not even want to be near
Abuh buh buh buh All I want! Abuh buh buh buh All I need! Abuh buh buh buh
Sounds expressing desire for love and affection
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Freddie Perren, Alphonso Mizell, Deke Richards, Berry Gordy Jr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" Read Full BioMartha Reeves & The Vandellas were one of the most successful groups in the Motown roster during the 1960s and fully active from 1960 to present, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, rock and roll and soul.
The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave", "Jimmy Mack", "I'm Ready For Love", "My Baby Loves Me", "Nowhere to Run", and, their signature song, "Dancing in the Street".
The group had its origins in Detroit, Michigan in 1957, and had initially gone by the name The Del-Phis. It originally was a quartet comprising childhood friends Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford, Annette Beard, and original lead singer Gloria Williams. Williams left after a failed single on the Checkmate label, leaving the quartet as a trio. They changed their name to The Vells signing a deal with Motown's Mel-o-dy label, and singing background for established Motown performers such as Mary Wells and Marvin Gaye before signing a new deal with Motown's Gordy label on September 21, 1962, after which the group changed its name to Martha and the Vandellas.
In 1964, the Vandellas' lineup changed with Betty Kelley replacing Sterling. In 1967, Kelley was fired and was replaced by Martha's younger sister, Sandra "Lois" Reeves. In 1969, Ashford was also fired and replaced by Sandra Tilley. The lineup of the Reeves sisters and Tilley continued after Martha's return from an institution after suffering a nervous breakdown. The group disbanded following a farewell concert, held at Detroit's Cobo Hall on December 21, 1972., however, Reeves still performs with sister Lois and another Reeves sister, Delphine.