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/
I Can't Help but Love You
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah Tammi?
Listen to me baby
Take a plane a million miles and stay 100 years
And come back baby, and I'll be waiting here
I'll be true to you, I ain't goin' nowhere
'Cause this love I have is just for you to share
Can't help but love you, can't help but love you, baby
I don't care to know how far I have to fly
I don't care to know how many stars are in the sky
There's just one thing, baby, that I've got to know
Will you love me forever, never let me go?
Oh Tammi!
Yeah Marvin?
Oh baby, oh
I'll be lovin' you, I can't help myself
I'll be lovin' you and nobody else
I'll be lovin' you, oh yes I will
Till I'm old and gray
Till my heart stands still, oh Tammi!
Oh Marvin, tell me why do you love me?
I was just a rollin' stone goin' nowhere
Empty like a hollow room filled with despair
Then, like a rainbow and a pot of gold
You came into my life and you saved my very soul
Can't help but love you, can't help but love you, baby
Can't help but love you
Tell me, why do you love me?
I was so alone like a leaf without a tree
When out of the darkness your love lifted me
And I'm so grateful, baby I'm so glad
'Cause your sweet sweet love is the best I've ever had
Can't help but love you, can't help but love you, baby
Can't help but love you, oh
I'll be lovin' you, I can't help myself
I'll be lovin' you and nobody else
I'll be lovin' you, oh yes I will
Till I'm old and gray
Till my heart stands still
Can't help but love you, can't help but love you, baby
Can't help but love you, oh
I'll be lovin' you, I can't help myself
I'll be lovin' you and nobody else
I'll be lovin' you, oh yes I will
Till I'm old and gray
The lyrics of Marvin Gaye's "Can't Help It" speak of a deep, abiding love between two people who are separated physically, but who remain emotionally and spiritually connected. The opening lines suggest a length of time--a million miles and 100 years--that they will be apart, but the singer is confident that the love between them will endure. She promises to be true to him, and pledges that her love is for him alone. The chorus repeats the refrain "Can't help but love you," which conveys the irresistible nature of their love.
In the second verse, the singer asks if their love will be forever, and the response is an emphatic expression of love that can't be denied. The third verse reveals a bit more about the singer's backstory, suggesting that he had been lost and aimless before he met the object of his affection. In what may be the most poetic image of the song, he likens finding her to the discovery of a rainbow and a pot of gold. The final verse brings the song back to the theme of unshakable love, with the singer saying that he will love her until the end of his days.
Overall, "Can't Help It" is a song about constancy and commitment, and the unbreakable bond between two people who have found true love. It's a romantic ballad with a timeless quality that has made it a classic of the Motown era.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a plane a million miles and stay 100 years
I would go to the ends of the earth and wait for you if it meant being with you forever.
And come back baby, and I'll be waiting here
I'll be here, waiting for you to come back to me, no matter how long it takes.
I'll be true to you, I ain't goin' nowhere
I will always be loyal and faithful to you, and I plan to stay by your side forever.
'Cause this love I have is just for you to share
I have so much love to give, and it's all for you. I want us to share our lives together.
Can't help but love you, can't help but love you, baby
I can't control my feelings for you - I just love you so much.
I don't care to know how far I have to fly
Distance means nothing to me - I am willing to travel anywhere to be with you.
I don't care to know how many stars are in the sky
The universe is vast and infinite, but my love for you exceeds it all.
Will you love me forever, never let me go?
I need to know that you will be with me always, and that you will never leave my side.
I'll be lovin' you, I can't help myself
My love for you is so strong that I can't resist it - it's just a natural part of who I am.
I was just a rollin' stone goin' nowhere
Before I met you, my life had no direction and I felt lost.
Empty like a hollow room filled with despair
My heart was empty and I was filled with sadness and hopelessness.
Then, like a rainbow and a pot of gold
Meeting you was like finding a rare treasure - something beautiful and valuable that I never expected to find.
You came into my life and you saved my very soul
Your love brought me back to life and helped me become the person I am today.
I was so alone like a leaf without a tree
Before I met you, I felt like I had no purpose or direction in life.
When out of the darkness your love lifted me
Your love gave me hope and lifted me out of the dark place I was in.
And I'm so grateful, baby I'm so glad
I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to have you in my life.
'Cause your sweet sweet love is the best I've ever had
No one has ever loved me the way you do, and I treasure every moment we spend together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARVIN GAYE, MARVIN P GAYE, ROBERT GORDY, THOMAS KEMP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind