In the mid-60s, Terrell released a series of minor R&B chart hits, among them "I Can't Believe You Love Me", "Come On and See Me", and "This Old Heart of Mine" (putting on her own spin on The Isley Brothers' classic). In 1967, she was selected to replace Kim Weston as Marvin Gaye's recording partner, with Gaye being one of Motown's biggest singer-songwriters and being hungry to try more. This teaming produced Gaye's most successful duets, and the pair issued a stream of hit singles between 1967 and 1969. Tracks such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "You're All I Need To Get By" epitomized their style, as Gaye and Terrell wove around each other's voices, creating an aura of romance and eroticism that led to persistent (yet false) rumors that they were in a secret relationship.
Being such close friends and strong admirers of each other's talents, the partnership's non-singles and b-side releases have attracted critical praise as well, with many commenting that both of them sing like passionate actors on a stage totally into their roles. Most of the Gaye/Terrell duets were crafted by two songwriting/production teams: Ashford & Simpson and Harvey Fuqua & Johnny Bristol. Though productions could be intense, given the number of talented musicians in one space at one time, the duo recorded track after track. Yet it all would come to a sudden end soon.
While on tour with Gaye in Virginia during the summer of 1967, Terrell fainted onstage. She was diagnosed as suffering from a brain tumor, much to the shock of her and her friends. Despite a series of major operations over the next three years, her health steadily weakened to the point that she could barely sing. By 1969, Terrell was too weak to perform in public or in the studio, and the duo's co-producer, Valerie Simpson, subbed for Terrell on many of the duo's final recordings. Ironically, one of these tracks, called "The Onion Song", proved to be the most successful of the Gaye/Terrell singles in the U.K.
Tammi Terrell died on March 16, 1970. Her burial service attracting thousands of mourners, including many of her Motown colleagues, numerous musicians in Motown and elsewhere felt shocked. Over the years since, her work with Gaye has proved deeply influential on many later soul and rnb artists. As well, Marvin Gaye's spiritual wanderings and self-reflection upon the passing of such a beloved friend proved a significant life event, and he would soon release his critically acclaimed 'What's Going On' album soon afterward.
Official Motown artist page: http://classic.motown.com/artist_pages/marvin-gaye-tammi-terrell/
Hold Me Oh My Darling
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
& never, never let me go
Oh kiss me & tell me you love me
Yeah yeah because I, I I I I I, I I love you so
(I I love you, I love you so)
When I'm alone, alone & troubled
& my life seems dark as nightAll I ask, I'll ask you please
Yeah yeah, baby won't you be, won't you be be be, be my guiding
light
(Won't you be be my guiding light)
You know I get such a strange sensation
Every time I hear your name
Now all of my friends & my relations
They say I'm loving you (loving you) loving you in vain
Yeah yeah
Snuggle, snuggle on my shoulder
Come on & tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me that you care
& as my love, my love, my love, my love grows older
Yeah yeah, tell me that the flame, that the flame flame flame
Flame will still be there
(That the flame flame will still be)
Yeah yeah (darlin', wo oh)
Hold me baby (darlin', wo oh) hold me
[...fade]
The lyrics to Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell’s song "Hold Me Oh My Darling" express an intense desire for love and affection. The singer wants to be held by their lover and told that they love them. In return, they proclaim their love for their partner. They turn to their lover as a source of comfort when they feel alone and lost, asking them to be their guiding light. They seek reassurance that their love will withstand the test of time and that the flame will continue to burn.
There is a sense of vulnerability and a need for emotional support in the lyrics. The singer acknowledges that they get a "strange sensation" every time they hear their lover’s name, suggesting that they are deeply enamored. However, the singer’s friends and family doubt the genuineness of their love, implying that either the relationship is forbidden or that the singer has a history of short-lived romances. Despite this, the singer urges their lover to hold them and promises to never let them go.
Overall, the lyrics revolve around the theme of love as a source of comfort and security. The singer yearns to be held by their lover and seeks reassurance of their love. Despite their doubts and the skepticism of others, the singer declares their love and promises to hold onto their partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Whoa, whoa
Expressing a feeling of excitement and anticipation
I want you to hold me
Desire to be held physically and emotionally
Oh, my darling
Term of endearment for the loved one
And never, never let me go
Request for protection and commitment in the relationship
Oh, kiss me
Request for physical affection and intimacy
And tell me you love me, yeah, yeah
Need for verbal affirmation of love and admiration
Because I-I-I-I-I-I-I, I love you so
Strong declaration of love and devotion
Oh, when
Introducing a situation
When I'm alone and troubled, baby
Feeling of loneliness and distress
And my life, life, my life seems dark as night, ooh
Metaphor for a depressive state of mind
Then I ask baby, I'll ask, I'll ask, please
Pleading for help and support
Oh, oh please, please be my guiding light
Desire for direction and guidance in life
Won't you be, be my guiding light?
Reiteration of the request for guidance
You know I get such a strange sensation
Acknowledgement of a peculiar feeling
Every time I hear your name
Association of the feeling with the loved one
Now all of my friends and my relations
Referring to people close to the artist
They say I'm loving you, loving you in vain, yeah, yeah
Suggestion that the love might not be reciprocated
Snuggle, snuggle, snu-snuggle on my shoulder, baby
Invitation for physical closeness
Come on and tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me you care, darling
Desire for emotional expressiveness
Oh, as our love, our love, our love, our love grows older, baby
Anticipation for the future of the relationship
Ooh, tell me that the flame, the flame, oh, baby will still be there
Request for assurance that the love will endure
That the flame, flame will still be
Reiteration of the request for assurance
Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna hold you, baby
Promise of physical affection and security
Never let you go, now what you gotta say?
Repetition of the promise of commitment
Hold me, baby, yes I will, darling
Reciprocal desire for physical and emotional closeness
I'll love to remember it darling, yeah, yeah
Expression of pleasure and gratitude
Hold me, I'm gonna hold you in my arms
Assurance of affection and support
I know, I know, I know, baby
Confidence in the strength of the relationship
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HARVEY FUQUA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Wolfhoundersful
I want you to hold me, oh my darling and never, never let me go
Oh kiss me and tell me you love me
Yeah yeah because I, I I I I I, I I love you so
(I I love you, I love you so)
When I'm alone, alone and troubled and my life seems dark as night
All I ask, I'll ask you please
Yeah yeah, baby won't you be, won't you be be be, be my guiding light
(Won't you be be my guiding light)
You know I get such a strange sensation
Every time I hear your name
Now all of my friends & my relations
They say I'm loving you (loving you) loving you in vain
Yeah yeah
Snuggle, snuggle on my shoulder
Come on and tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me that you care
And as my love, my love, my love, my love grows older
Yeah yeah, tell me that the flame, that the flame flame flame
Flame will still be there
(That the flame flame will still be)
Yeah yeah (darlin', wo oh)
Hold me baby (darlin', wo oh) hold me
@lorettajohnson207
STILL LISTENING IN 2025 THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS FROM THE UNITED ALBUM. I THINK THE UNITED ALBUM WAS THE BEST ALBUM OF ALL THE ALBUM TAMMY AND MARVIN RECORDED TOGETHER. THERE TALENT WERE EXTRAORDINARY, THERE VOICES COMPLIMENTING TO ONE ANOTHER.
@rooseveltmccarter6087
Was it taken from "United" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell from 1968?
@markrauson2050
Nice song by marvin gaye tammi Terrell something tells me those are the temptations in the background tammi Terrells music deserved air play
@popularloner4279
One of my favorites!
@pleasure64
i love their song, and every sing that they sing is a number one hit, they will make you melt like butter, R.I.P. Tammi Terrelle and Marvin Gaye, You are truely missed and it haven;t been no sing out there that is compatible to yours, I won;t trade for another, Thank you UTube.
@alexarolasgarcia1747
Esta buena canción la compuso HARVEY FUQUA y la canto en solitario TAMMI TERRELL en el año 1965 y luego la cantaron juntos TAMMI TERRELL y MARVIN GAYE en el año 1969
@Wolfhoundersful
I want you to hold me, oh my darling and never, never let me go
Oh kiss me and tell me you love me
Yeah yeah because I, I I I I I, I I love you so
(I I love you, I love you so)
When I'm alone, alone and troubled and my life seems dark as night
All I ask, I'll ask you please
Yeah yeah, baby won't you be, won't you be be be, be my guiding light
(Won't you be be my guiding light)
You know I get such a strange sensation
Every time I hear your name
Now all of my friends & my relations
They say I'm loving you (loving you) loving you in vain
Yeah yeah
Snuggle, snuggle on my shoulder
Come on and tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me that you care
And as my love, my love, my love, my love grows older
Yeah yeah, tell me that the flame, that the flame flame flame
Flame will still be there
(That the flame flame will still be)
Yeah yeah (darlin', wo oh)
Hold me baby (darlin', wo oh) hold me
@shanitrahan9904
I love that picture of Marvin gaye & Tammi Terrell he has his arms wrapped around Tammi's waste
@otoleya
I think they are happy together on heaven now....
@raymondgalindo9647
😘!