The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves and 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 Kelly replacing Annette Beard (now Beard-Sterling). In 1967, Kelly was fired and was replaced by Martha's younger sister, Sandra "Lois" Reeves. In 1969, Ashford was also fired and replaced by Sandra Tilley. It was right about this time that the group's name was officially changed to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, to conform with the company's recent changes of The Supremes' and The Miracles' names to reflect their featured lead singers. 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.
The story of the group did not end completely with their split-up in 1972, however. While Tilley and Williams (both now deceased) eventually retired, the others continued with their individual career pursuits: Lois sang with the group Quiet Elegance and also sang background for Al Green; Reeves reunited with original Vandellas Ashford and Beard-Sterling for a 1978 benefit concert in Los Angeles; and in 1983, Reeves performed solo at Motown 25, which partly helped her and the Vandellas gain a new audience. In particular, Reeves herself is still known to sing with her sisters Lois and Delphine, often performing as a solo artist under the bill, "Martha Reeves of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas", and still performs all over the world.
Baby
Martha and the Vandellas Lyrics
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Martha and The Vandellas
My baby loves me, oh yeah
My baby needs me, oh yeah
No other guy can whisper sweet things in my ear
My sweetie pie has the only sweet voice I hear, so clear
So he needs me, oh yeah
I'm telling you he needs me
Oh yes he does
Can't seem to see no other handsome face
There's just no cute substitute can
Take my baby's place
Cause I know he needs me, oh yeah
I will never, never give my baby no trouble
Whenever he calls me I come runnin' on the double
Cause my baby loves me, oh yeah
And he needs me, yes he does
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Now nobody can tell me the place
Where I'm going wrong, oh no
Nobody could ever erase the love so strong
Cause I know he loves me
He told me that he needs me
I know he loves me
Can't do without me, oh no
The song "My Baby Loves Me" by Martha and The Vandellas is a classic love song that sends a message of a strong and lasting love. Throughout the song, the lyrics emphasize the deep love the singer's baby has for her and how no one else could ever take his place. The lyrics celebrate a love that is true and unwavering, and the singer expresses her unwavering belief in their relationship.
The lyrics of the song indicate that the singer's baby is the only one who can whisper sweet things into her ear, and his voice is the only one she hears. She expresses that whenever he calls, she always runs for him, and she never gives him any trouble. The song portrays a deep sense of devotion and loyalty that the singer has for her baby. The lyrics of the song also suggest that the singer's love for her baby is so strong that nothing can ever make her doubt their relationship, and she believes in her heart that he needs her.
In conclusion, "My Baby Loves Me" is a beautiful and timeless love song that celebrates a love so strong and true. The song affirms the power of love, loyalty, and devotion in a relationship, which is something we can all identify with. It's a classic song that has stood the test of time and remains popular to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby loves me, oh yeah
My significant other has strong feelings for me
My baby needs me, oh yeah
My significant other relies on me
No other guy can whisper sweet things in my ear
I am loyal to my significant other because their words are one-of-a-kind
My sweetie pie has the only sweet voice I hear, so clear
I am enchanted by the voice of my partner because it is special and beautiful
So he needs me, oh yeah
My significant other depends on my presence and assistance
I'm telling you he needs me
I am confident that my significant other values and relies on me
Oh yes he does
I am certain that my significant other needs me
Can't seem to see no other handsome face
No one else appears attractive to me
There's just no cute substitute can
No one else can take the place of my significant other
Take my baby's place
Replace my significant other
Cause I know he needs me, oh yeah
I know my significant other counts on me
I will never, never give my baby no trouble
I will never cause difficulties for my significant other
Whenever he calls me I come runnin' on the double
I rush to assist my significant other whenever they request my presence or help
And he needs me, yes he does
My significant other certainly requires me
Now nobody can tell me the place
No one can instruct me where I'm going astray
Where I'm going wrong, oh no
Where I'm making a misstep
Nobody could ever erase the love so strong
No one can eliminate the intense love present between my significant other and me
Cause I know he loves me
I am certain that my significant other loves me
He told me that he needs me
My significant other expressed that they rely on me
Can't do without me, oh no
My significant other cannot function without my presence and support
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GRETCHEN PETERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind