Kim Weston (December 20, 1939) is an American soul singer, and Motown alumna. In the 1960s, Weston scored hits with the songs "Love Me All the Way" and "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)", and with her duet with Marvin Gaye, "It Takes Two".
"It Takes Two" was a hit single recorded in late 1965 by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston for Motown's Tamla label.
Produced by Weston's then-husband, longtime Gaye collaborator William "Mickey" Stevenson, and co-written by Stevenson and Sylvia Moy, "It Takes Two" centered around a romantic lyric which depicted many things in life (dreams, love, wishes, etc.) being better with two people instead of one. The single became Gaye's most successful duet single to date, later outperformed by Gaye's duets with Tammi Terrell.
Gaye and Weston's duet peaked at #14 on the Billboard Pop charts and #4 on Billboard's Soul Singles chart in January 1967. "It Takes Two" was also Gaye's first major hit in the UK, where it peaked at #16 on the British singles charts in the spring of that same year.
Also in 1967, soul singers Otis Redding and Carla Thomas covered the song for their duet album, King & Queen.
What Good Am I Without You
Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Woah ohh, woah ohh
What good would a rose be if the raindrops didn't fall?
What good is a telephone if there's no one to call?
What good is a wedding if no one says, "I do"?
Tell me, baby what good am I without you?
Woah ohh, woah ohh
Oh, what good is a flier if he don't have a plane?
What good is a doctor if he can't cure the pain?
Tell me, what good is a sweetheart who proves to be untrue?
What good, baby, am I without you?
I'm no good without you, and there's one thing I know
I just got to have you, Marvin, 'cause I love you so (tell me, tell me)
What good is living without the one you love?
And what good is the heavens without the stars above?
Tell me, what good is a true heart that proves to be broken in two? (What good?)
Hey, what good, baby, am I without you?
Woah oh, woah ohh
Woah oh, woah ohh
What good, baby, am I without you?
I wanna know baby (woah ohh)
What good, baby, am I without you?
I wanna know, yeah
What good, baby, am I without you?
Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston's song "What Good Am I Without You" delves into the idea that many things we take for granted, like roses or telephones, are only as valuable as their purpose. In the first verse, the lyrics emphasize the importance of the raindrops that fall on the rose to nourish it, and the person on the other end of the telephone to call. The second verse includes examples of more specialized roles and underscores how essential it is to have the proper person in that role, such as a flyer needing a plane and a doctor needing to cure the pain. The refrain repeats the central question: What good is the person singing without their lover?
The bridge offers more insight into the emotions behind the question being posed. It's clear from the words that the singer feels incomplete without their partner and that they love them deeply. The final verse again reinforces the idea that without love, the world is incomplete. Not only is the singer incomplete without their own specific lover, but the world itself is lacking without love.
Overall, the song uses simple, everyday examples to underscore the importance of love and the central role that one's loved one plays in their well-being. It's a universal message that resonates with many and has made the song a classic more than five decades after it was first recorded.
Line by Line Meaning
What good would a rose be if the raindrops didn't fall?
What is the point of having something beautiful if it cannot complete its purpose?
What good is a telephone if there's no one to call?
What is the point of having a means of communication if there is no one to communicate with?
What good is a wedding if no one says, "I do"?
What is the point of having a wedding and the celebrations that come with it if the ultimate goal is not fulfilled?
Tell me, baby what good am I without you?
The artist is trying to convey the pointlessness of their existence without the presence of their lover. They are seeking reassurance from their lover and want their lover to realize their importance in their life.
Oh, what good is a flier if he don't have a plane?
What is the point of having the skills required for something if you do not have the resources to carry out the act?
What good is a doctor if he can't cure the pain?
What is the point of having a medical professional if they cannot provide relief or cure to the patient?
Tell me, what good is a sweetheart who proves to be untrue?
What is the point of having a partner who does not reciprocate the same love and loyalty?
What good, baby, am I without you?
The artist is once again emphasizing the importance of their lover in their life and how incomplete they feel without them.
What good is living without the one you love?
What is the point of living if the person you love is not with you? The artist is trying to communicate how insignificant life feels without their lover.
And what good is the heavens without the stars above?
The stars complete the beauty of the sky and without them, the heavens feel incomplete. This is an analogy for their life without their lover.
Tell me, what good is a true heart that proves to be broken in two? (What good?)
What is the point of having a true heart and the capacity to love if it is broken and cannot find someone to love?
Hey, what good, baby, am I without you?
The artist is reiterating the importance of their lover in their life and wants them to realize how much they need them.
I wanna know baby (woah ohh)
The singer is asking for reassurance from their lover and wants to know their thoughts on the same topic.
I wanna know, yeah
This line is a continuation of the previous line which emphasizes the singer's need for reassurance from their lover.
What good, baby, am I without you?
The singer is once again emphasizing the significance of their lover in their life and is trying to communicate the same to them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alphonso Higdon, William Stevenson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@toyahill4151
You betta sang Kim!!!
@rubymcnair4206
Tammi Terrell was the one four Marvin Gaye wish the two of them were here today rest in peace
@malcolmmarshall5946
Kim Weston was a belter!
@rubymcnair4206
I used to love this song When I was a teenager growing up Marvin Gaye sing with so many great ladies this was one of my favorites I just found it a minute ago
@rubymcnair4206
Tammi Terrell was always the number one woman in Marvin Gaye's life may they both rest in peace still listen to them to this day
@tonyrussi7777
They were NEVER romantically involved, LOL
@rubymcnair4206
Kim had a beautiful voice to Marvin Gaye sing with a lot of females you would think out of all the females he have seen with he could have had any of them that he wanted to but when Tammi Terrell came into his life that was the happiest he had ever been until she passed
@davidmoore6112
One of the all-time duets Marvin Gaye and Kim Wesson and a lot of people mistaken the two Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye but it's all good that's just how close they were together both females Marvin Gaye had both of them in the groove and I love it God bless both families the western family and the Terrell family we miss both of y'all we miss all y'all Motown we love you we miss you come on back Motown we miss you we love you God bless you
@russellyoung1262
One of my favorite duo's
@rubymcnair4206
✌🏾✌🏾