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/
If I Could Build My Whole World Around You
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
First I'd put heaven by your side
Pretty flowers would grow wherever you walk, honey
And over your head would be the bluest sky
Then I'd take every drop of rain
And wash all your troubles away
I'd have the whole world wrapped up in you, darling
And that would be alright, oh yes it will
If I could build my whole world around you
I'd make your eyes the morning sun
I'd put so much love where there is sorrow
I'd put joy where there's never been none
Then I'd give my love to you
For you to keep for the rest of your life
Oh, and happiness would surely be ours
And that would be alright, oh, yes it would
Do-do-do-doo-doo
Do-do-do-doo-doo
Do-do-do-doo-doo
Do-do-do-doo-doo
Oh, if I could build my whole world around you
I'd give you the greatest gift any woman could possess
And I'd step into this world you created
And give you a true love and tenderness
And there'd be something new with every tomorrow
To make this world better as days go by
That is, if I could build my whole world around you
If I could build my whole world around you
That would be all right, oh yeah
If I could build my whole world around you
If I could build my whole world around you
Then that would be all right, oh yeah
If I could just build my world, baby
If I could build it, build it, all around you
And that would be alright
The song "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell is a beautiful love ballad that expresses the deep love that the singers have for each other. The lyrics describe how if they could, they would build their entire world around each other. The song starts with the lines "Oh, if I could build my whole world around you, darling. First, I'd put heaven by your side. Pretty flowers would grow wherever you walk, honey. And over your head would be the bluest sky." These lines convey the idea that the singers would do anything to make their loved one happy, and all they want is to be with them always.
In the next verse, the singers express their desire to bring joy and love to their loved ones' lives. They sing "If I could build my whole world around you. I'd make your eyes the morning sun. I'd put so much love where there is sorrow. I'd put joy where there's never been none. Then I'd give my love to you, for you to keep for the rest of your life." The verses highlight their wishes to love and care for their significant others throughout their entire lives.
The chorus declares that if they could build their whole world around each other, it would be enough for them, and everything would be all right. The song's message is clear, and the singers convey it beautifully through their lyrics, melody, and voices.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, if I could build my whole world around you, darling
If I had the power to create a world just for you, my love.
First I'd put heaven by your side
I would ensure that you always had something heavenly, divine, and pure at your side.
Pretty flowers would grow wherever you walk, honey
Wherever you go, you bring beauty, light, and positivity along with you, just like flowers.
And over your head would be the bluest sky
I would give you the clearest, brightest, and most serene sky to look up to that represents the vastness of my love for you.
Then I'd take every drop of rain
Any troubles, worries, sorrows, or tears you have would be washed away by me.
And wash all your troubles away
I desire to be your protector and defender, and to always ensure that you're free from any problems.
I'd have the whole world wrapped up in you, darling
My ultimate gift to you is my undivided attention and devotion, which makes you the center of my universe.
And that would be alright, oh yes it will
The love I have for you is more than enough to make everything else in the world alright.
I'd make your eyes the morning sun
You have the power to make everything in my world brighter and more beautiful just by being in it.
I'd put so much love where there is sorrow
I want my love to heal the wounds of your past and replace any sadness you may feel with genuine happiness and joy.
I'd put joy where there's never been none
I want to be the source of your happiness and ensure that you always have reason to smile and feel fulfilled.
Then I'd give my love to you
My love is the most precious gift I can give you, and I'm willing to share it with you for the rest of our lives.
For you to keep for the rest of your life
I will make sure that the love I share with you is lasting and endures even in the toughest of times.
Oh, and happiness would surely be ours
I believe that true happiness can only be attained when we commit to each other and build a life together.
And that would be alright, oh, yes it would
With your love, I know that I can overcome any obstacle or challenge, and everything will turn out alright in the end.
If I could build my whole world around you
You're everything to me, and I want to create a world that revolves around you and all that you represent to me.
I'd give you the greatest gift any woman could possess
I want to give you the world, and all the riches that come with it, to demonstrate how much I cherish and value you.
And I'd step into this world you created
I want to be your partner, your ally, and your companion in this world that we create together.
And give you a true love and tenderness
I promise to love you unconditionally, and to always be tender, gentle, and caring towards you.
And there'd be something new with every tomorrow
My love for you grows stronger with every passing day, and each day presents a new opportunity to display my love and affection towards you.
To make this world better as days go by
My hope is that together, we can make the world a better place by spreading love, kindness, and positivity wherever we go.
If I could build my whole world around you
My love for you is so deep and overwhelming, that I'm willing to do anything and everything to make you happy.
If I could just build my world, baby
My one desire is to create a world where you always feel safe, loved, and cherished, and where our love can thrive and flourish.
If I could build it, build it, all around you
My ultimate goal is to build a world that revolves around you, and where everything in it is a reflection of my love for you.
And that would be alright
As long as I have you and your love, everything will always be alright in my world.
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Harvey Fuqua, Johnny William Bristol, Vernon Bullock
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AizhanaKerimkulova
Oh, if I could build my whole world around you, darling
First I'd put heaven by your side
Pretty flowers would grow wherever you walk, honey
And over your head would be the bluest sky
Then I'd take every drop of rain
And wash all your troubles away
I'd have the whole world wrapped up in you, darling
And that would be alright, oh yes it will
If I could build my whole world around you
I'd make your eyes the morning sun
I'd put so much love where there is sorrow
I'd put joy where there's never been none
Then I'd give my love to you
For you to keep for the rest of your life
Oh, and happiness would surely be ours
And that would be alright, oh, yes it would
Do-do-do-doo-doo
Do-do-do-doo-doo
Do-do-do-doo-doo
Do-do-do-doo-doo
Oh, if I could build my whole world around you
I'd give you the greatest gift any woman could possess
And I'd step into this world you created
And give you a true love and tenderness
And there'd be something new with every tomorrow
To make this world better as days go by
That is, if I could build my whole world around you
If I could build my whole world around you
That would be all right, oh yeah
If I could build my whole world around you
If I could build my whole world around you
Then that would be all right, oh yeah
If I could just build my world, baby
If I could build it, build it, all around you
And that would be alright
@carrienixon6663
I love the whole song, but when Marvin told Tammi, โ then Iโd take every drop of rain and wash all your troubles awayโ, that part right there put the icing on the cake. Yes yes yes. โค
@SamuelGriffin-u8d
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell were the sweethearts of Motown
@chriscole4094
In my humble opinion out of all the females Marvin duetted with, Tammy Terrell's voice suited him more than the others. No doubt they're in heaven belting out these tunes.
@SamuelGriffin-u8d
It's Sunday morning and this song has pure harmony while cooking my breakfast
@palcanon6888
Damn!!! It is oh so so sad that youngsters aren't growing up listening to beautiful wholesome music like this y'all!!
@Glee_kev
I'm 23 Mann I remember all the house parties and cookouts with this blasting on the speakers yea we this type of black over here
@hummycarton
Today was the first play of this on the ground-breaking Retro Charts Radio, as we continue to add No.41's and 42's to the complete archive of UK Top 40 hits 1952-1999๐
#HistoryInTheMaking
#6WeekNoRepeatPolicy #NoAds
#MarvinGaye #TammiTerrell
@JBoogie1
I remember being 7 years old and me and my mother would sing this together. I was Marvin and she was Tammi..This was the first song that I remembered all the words. Memories...Thanks Marvin & Tammi for beautiful duets (RIP)
@budlift
nice memory. i had a musical relationship with my older sister, 10 years older. she taught me to sing two part when I was 5.
@rogerkincaid931
No other duets can top them!