In My Tribe. Merchant joined 10,000 Maniacs at the age of 17 and became the band's driving artistic force. After a pair of successful independent releases, they signed to Elektra in 1985 and briefly became one of the most popular acts in alternative rock, shooting into the Top 40 with 1987's In My Tribe and charting even higher with their follow-up effort, Blind Man's Zoo. Merchant's desire to launch a solo career increased alongside the band's growing reputation, however, and by the time the group sat down to record 1992's Our Time in Eden, she gave her bandmates two years' notice. Following the release of MTV Unplugged in 1994, she publicly announced she was leaving the group's ranks.
OpheliaMerchant made her solo debut with 1995's Tigerlily, a self-produced album that debuted at number 13 and scored a Top Ten single with "Carnival." Two additional singles, "Wonder" and "Jealousy," also cracked the Top 40, prompting Tigerlily to sell over five million copies in the U.S. alone. It was followed in 1998 by Ophelia, another platinum-selling effort that was supported by Merchant's inclusion in the second Lilith Fair tour. Live in Concert, recorded at New York's Neil Simon Theatre, appeared a year later. A prominent social activist, Merchant also drew notice by campaigning in the name of such hot-button issues as animal rights, domestic violence, and homelessness.
MotherlandMerchant launched a folk tour in 2000, with members of progressive folk band the Horse Flies joining her on the road. She then returned to her solo career with Motherland. Two years later, Merchant left Elektra's roster and formed her own independent label, Myth America, in order to issue House Carpenter's Daughter, a collection of traditional and contemporary folk music inspired by the 2000 tour. A long period of silence followed, during which a pair of greatest-hits releases -- the 10,000 Maniacs collection Campfire Songs and Merchant's own Retrospective: 1995-2005 -- kept fans relatively sated. As the decade drew to a close, though, Merchant signed with Nonesuch Records and began making plans for a new album, which eventually arrived in the form of the ambitious, double-disc neo-children's album, 2010's Leave Your Sleep. Merchant returned to straight-ahead pop music with a self-titled album in May 2014.
Baby I Love You
Natalie Merchant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you want my lovin'
If you really do
Don't be afraid, just ask me
And you know I'm gonna give it to you
Oh I do declare (I do), wanna see ya willing
Stretch out your arms and boy you're gonna get it
'Cause I love you
Baby baby baby I love you
Now ain't no doubt about it
Baby I love you
Baby baby baby I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you
If you feel you wanna kiss me
Go right ahead, I don't mind
All you got to do is snap your fingers
And I'll come runnin', I ain't lyin'
O what'cha want little boy, ya know ya got it
I'll deny myself before I see you without it
'Cause I love you
Baby baby baby I love you
Now ain't no doubt about it
Baby I love you
Baby baby baby I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you
Some day you might wanna run away?
Leave me standin' here and cryin'
But if it's all the same to you baby
I'm gonna stop you from sayin' goodbye
Baby I love you (baby, baby)
Baby I need ya (baby, baby)
Baby I want ya (baby, baby)
Baby I love you (baby, baby)
Don't let your neighbors tell you that I don't love you
Don't let your low down friends tell you I don't need you
Natalie Merchant's song Baby I Love You is a love letter of sorts to her partner. The lyrics express the singer's willingness to give all her love and affection to the person she loves, no matter what. The song starts by assuring her partner that if they want her love, all they have to do is ask for it as she is willing to give it to them. The singer's lyrics convey the message that the person is free to express their love without being judged or criticised. The lyrics highlight the singer's openness to receive love, expressed through lines such as "If you feel you wanna kiss me, go right ahead, I don't mind."
The song's chorus "Baby, I love you" is a simple but powerful message of love. The singer repeats these lines throughout the song, emphasising the depth of her feelings. The third verse expresses the fear of losing the person she loves, with Merchant singing, "Someday you might wanna run away, leave me standing here and crying." However, she reassures the person that she would try her best to stop them from leaving, stating that she loves, needs and wants them. The final lines of the song call out any doubters of her love and affection, declaring that their opinions will not change her love for the person.
Overall, the song expresses a love that is selfless and unconditional, promising to give all of herself to the person she loves. It is a powerful declaration of affection that speaks to the hearts of many who have experienced such love.
Line by Line Meaning
If you want my lovin'
If you truly desire my love
If you really do
If you genuinely want me
Don't be afraid, just ask me
Don't hesitate, request for it
And you know I'm gonna give it to you
I will surely give you what you want
Oh I do declare (I do), wanna see ya willing
I confess, I would like to know if you're willing
Stretch out your arms and boy you're gonna get it
Open up and you'll receive it
'Cause I love you
The reason why I do all of this is that I love you
Baby baby baby I love you
My dear, I love you so much
Now ain't no doubt about it
There's no question that I love you
If you feel you wanna kiss me
In case you feel like kissing me
Go right ahead, I don't mind
Please go ahead, I don't object
All you got to do is snap your fingers
Just snap your fingers, and I'll be there right away
And I'll come runnin', I ain't lyin'
I will rush to you, I'm not lying
O what'cha want little boy, ya know ya got it
Whatever you desire, my dear, you already have it
I'll deny myself before I see you without it
I would do anything to make sure you're not without it
'Cause I love you
Because of how much I love you
Some day you might wanna run away?
One day, would you perhaps choose to leave me?
Leave me standin' here and cryin'
Leave me here, standing and crying
But if it's all the same to you baby
However, my love, if it doesn't matter to you
I'm gonna stop you from sayin' goodbye
I'll prevent you from bidding farewell
Baby I love you (baby, baby)
My dear, I love you so much
Baby I need ya (baby, baby)
Sweetheart, I need you
Baby I want ya (baby, baby)
Darling, I want you so much
Baby I love you (baby, baby)
My dear, I love you so much
Don't let your neighbors tell you that I don't love you
Please don't listen to your neighbors claiming I don't love you
Don't let your low down friends tell you I don't need you
Don't let your unkind friends convince you I don't need you
Contributed by Hudson O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aillean Anaithnid
Performaned with the incredible Jen Turner, a goddess on guitar.
Brad Kozak
...and the rest is ancient history. Tigerlily alone outsold all 10,000 Maniacs records combined.
Ken Wilson
Everybody stay on G for the last three minutes? Is that sloppy for a bunch of pro's? They must have all been on it? I seriously don't know but it sounded great.
Edward Barnhart
I love you, Holly kolhanic
Edward Barnhart
Tammy did Elsa once, she said, we’re Frank and Tammy. Sit
Edward Barnhart
Genre bridge to avoid needing, Joan and Natalie in same place? Of th3 target market kinds of tunes ?
Edward Barnhart
Martha are you drinking alone ?
Edward Barnhart
10,000 cops, farm.
Edward Barnhart
Suakm