The song also stood to be one of Marvin's most popular singles during his later Motown period followed by his sabbatical following the release of 1973's Let's Get It On. The song eventually reached number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Selling Soul Singles chart.[1] It also became a disco hit, reaching number ten on the Disco Singles Chart alongside "After the Dance".
Originally conceived by Motown songwriter Leon Ware and his songwriting partner "T-Boy" Ross, it was originally intended to be included in Ware's Musical Massage album. When Ware, who was also signed to the label as a solo artist, presented the rough draft of his album to Motown-CEO Berry Gordy, the mogul was appreciative of the songs, including a rough version of "I Want You". But after hearing it, he convinced Ware to give some of the songs to Marvin Gaye, who was coming off the release of his acclaimed 1973 record, Let's Get It On, his final duet recording with Diana Ross and a commercially successful live album and was coming off a US tour at the time. Marvin, who called himself a perfectionist, had struggled with creating a follow-up album to Let's Get It On. When Ware played Gaye the rough draft of "I Want You", Marvin, then inspired by his relationship with his girlfriend Janis Hunter,[2] was motivated to record a convincing performance of the song, which was about a man trying to convince a wayward lover that he wanted the woman to love him as much as he did.
Purportedly recorded at Marvin's Room, the singer's new recording studio in Los Angeles, Marvin also reportedly recorded the song while lying on his back of his sofa according to Ware, who said that he couldn't see Gaye at first but then discovered a laid-back Marvin delivering the song in his trademark tenor vocals.
The song was a fusion of different genres, an unusual mix for Gaye. The instrumentation included strings, then an important ingredient to soul and disco-styled music in the seventies, percussive congas added a jazz feel to the song, the bass guitar notes and guitar riffs bring in a funk ingredient, while additional guitar (provided by Ray Parker, Jr., then a Detroit session musician) put in an added rock element. Gaye's leading vocals brought in both falsetto and a gospel approach near the ending coda of the song. Additional vocals, later added to Gaye's deluxe edition re-issue of I Want You, showcase two different lead vocal takes by Marvin. The background vocals, all by Gaye, recalled Marvin's early doo-wop roots.
Released a day before Marvin's 37th birthday in 1976, the single was released a month after its similarly-titled parent album was released, the single gained success on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles chart, eventually peaking at number-fifteen on the Hot 100 and number-one on the R&B chart. The single's light-disco/soul approach helped the song gained a club audience after it was combined with the album's second single, "After the Dance" and peaked at number-ten on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play chart, Marvin's first single on that chart. Eventually the song would help its self-titled album sell over a million copies. Marvin would also be nominated with a Grammy Award for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance, losing out the second time to Lou Rawls, whom he had a competitive rivalry with, for his single, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine".
I Want You
Marvin Gaye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
More than the earth could quake
If you should ever go
You know my heart would break
If I lost your sweet embrace
Even time could not erase
The memories of you
Tears would cover up my face
Oh, how I'd miss you
Baby, I need you so
Oh how I'd miss you
Baby, never go
I'll never leave
My world would cease to be
Without the love you give to me
The chains around my heart
Would never set me free
When my life had just begun
My sky didn't have a sun
You fill my every need
So if you ever leave
Oh, how I'd miss you
Baby, I need you so
Oh, how I'd miss you
Baby, never go
I'll never leave
(Oh, how I'd miss you, baby, baby)
(Oh, how I'd miss you, baby, baby)
Oh you're always on my mind
Losin' you would leave me blind
Fill my heart forevermore
Never leave my love behind
With the joy your love can bring
To you I'll always cling
If you took away your love
It would be the end of things
And oh, how I'd miss you
Oh, baby
Oh, how I'd miss you
Marvin, I need you so
Oh, how I'd miss you
The lyrics to Marvin Gaye's song I Want You express his deep devotion to the person he loves. In the first stanza, he says that his love is so powerful that it could shake his heart more than an earthquake if that person ever left. He emphasizes that even time could not erase the memories of the person he loves, and tears would cover his face if he lost their sweet embrace. In the chorus, he repeats how much he would miss the person if they were ever to go, and that he would never leave.
The second stanza goes deeper into how important this person is in Marvin Gaye's life. He says that his world would cease to be without the love that they give him, and that the chains around his heart wouldn't ever set him free. He emphasizes that when his life had just begun, his sky didn't have a sun until that person came along and filled his every need. In the final stanza, he declares that this person is always on his mind, and losing them would leave him blind. He ends by saying that if they took away their love, it would be the end of things.
Overall, the song conveys the idea that the person Marvin Gaye loves is everything to him, and he couldn't live without them. The lyrics are delivered with a sense of urgency and heartfelt passion, which underscores the importance of the message.
Line by Line Meaning
My lovin' heart would shake
If you were to leave me, it would cause me great emotional distress
More than the earth could quake
This emotional distress would be more intense than even an earthquake
If you should ever go
If you were to leave me
You know my heart would break
My heart would be shattered
If I lost your sweet embrace
If I no longer felt your loving embrace
Even time could not erase
No amount of time passing could ease the pain of your absence
The memories of you
The memories of our time together
Tears would cover up my face
I would cry uncontrollably
Oh, how I'd miss you
I cannot express how much I would miss you
Baby, I need you so
I need you more than anything
I'll never leave
I will always be here for you
My world would cease to be
My entire world revolves around you
Without the love you give to me
Your love is what sustains me
The chains around my heart
I feel trapped by my love for you
Would never set me free
I can never escape my feelings for you
When my life had just begun
At the beginning of my life
My sky didn't have a sun
I felt lost and alone before I met you
You fill my every need
You complete me
So if you ever leave
But if you were to leave
Oh, how I'd miss you
I cannot express how much I would miss you
Baby, I need you so
I need you more than anything
Oh you're always on my mind
I think about you all the time
Losin' you would leave me blind
Without you, I would be lost
Fill my heart forevermore
Your love will always be in my heart
Never leave my love behind
I will never let go of my love for you
With the joy your love can bring
Your love brings me so much happiness
To you I'll always cling
I will always hold onto you
If you took away your love
If you were to stop loving me
It would be the end of things
My world would come crashing down
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRANK WILSON, FRANK EDWARD WILSON, HAL DAVIS, VANCE WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@armybrat1980
Do you realize this man would have turned 80 yrs old this year...and yet we are still playing his music trying to get significant others to understand how we feel about them...Timeless...
@christianguerrero1845
armybrat1980 so true man
@kurtadams3021
True indeed
@dawnsingleton5508
I agree.. 💯💯💯
@carlashutes260
In my feelings rite now
@crystakr6958
Just got a chill off this song! Love his music!
@chiedu90069
"Don't play with something you should cherish for life." One of the best lines ever
@thingfish000
That's wisdom you can take to the bank.
@JohnSmith-pp6dk
I feel the same way
@tehur8878
❤