Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she entered the music business at the age of 13, regularly performing live. In 1961 she was signed to the fledgling Scepter Records (later Wand Records), recording under the name "Tammy Montgomery". After coming to the attention of James Brown she recorded one single apiece for Brown's own Try Me record label and, in 1964, Checker Records. The year after that, she was spotted by Berry Gordy Jr. while playing live, and signed to his Motown label. Attractive and talented, she became romantically linked with both James Brown and David Ruffin, lead singer of The Temptations.
Tammy Montgomery changed her name to "Tammi Terrell" at the time of her Motown signing, and was teamed with producers Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol. After releasing a pair of minor R&B chart hits, "I Can't Believe You Love Me" and "Come On and See Me," Terrell was chosen to replace Kim Weston as Marvin Gaye's duet partner. The duo recorded a number of successful hits which remain popular today: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Your Precious Love," "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," and "You're All I Need to Get By", all written (and in the case of the latter two, produced by) Ashford & Simpson.
While on tour with Gaye in Virginia in mid-1967, Terrell fainted on stage, and was later diagnosed as having a malignant brain tumor. While Terrell endured several operations and continued to record new material, her health steadily deteriorated. Fuqua and Bristol resorted to having Gaye overdub archived Terrell solo tracks to fill out the Gaye/Terrell duets albums. The final album attributed to Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, "Easy" (1969), actually features co-producer Valerie Simpson subbing for Terrell on all but two of the tracks.
Twelve of Tammi Terrell's solo Motown recordings, including "I Can't Believe You Love Me", "Come On and See Me," and a minor hit cover of The Isley Brothers' "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)", were issued as Terrell's only solo album, "Irresistible," in January 1969. Terrell died of brain cancer at age 24 on March 16, 1970.
Come On And See Me
Tammi Terrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Truer than any other
Come on and see me
If you need a heart
That will never tear apart
Better come on and see me
'Cause I've got a true love just for you, love
And it can be yours baby eternally
If you want it, better come and get it
If you need a lover
That'll stick right by you, brother
Come on and see me
I'll stand by your side
Wipe your weepin' eyes
Come on and see me
I've got joy, love, for some boy, love
And it can be yours eternally
If you want it, you better come and get it
I say if you want it, better come and get it
Ba-a-by (come on darling)
Su-yu-gar (come on honey)
Ho-yo-ney (come on baby)
Ba-a-by (come on)
I've got joy, love, for some boy, love
And I've got a true love, just for you, love
It can be yours, baby, it can be yours baby, eternally
If you want it, better come and get it
Ba-a-by, baby (come on)
Su-yu-gar, sugar (come on)
Ho-yo-ney, honey
Ba-a-by, baby (come on, come on)
The song "Come On And See Me" is a plea from Tammi Terrell to a potential suitor. She is inviting him to come and see her if he is looking for a lover who will be true and stick by his side through thick and thin. Tammi assures him that she has a heart that will never tear apart and that her love can be his eternally. She declares that she has joy and love for some boy, love, and urges him to come and get it.
The lyrics are simple and straightforward, but they carry a message of hope and promise. Tammi is offering a reliable and faithful love, something that many people yearn for in their romantic lives. She is also presenting herself as someone who will stand by her man and offer support and comfort in difficult times. The repetition of the line, "If you want it, better come and get it," emphasizes the urgency and sincerity of her offer.
Overall, the song has a positive and uplifting tone, with a catchy melody and a sing-along chorus. Tammi's voice is smooth and soulful, conveying both vulnerability and strength. "Come On And See Me" is a classic example of Motown's signature sound, blending elements of R&B, pop, and gospel music.
Line by Line Meaning
If you need a lover
If you are in need of a partner for a loving relationship
Truer than any other
Someone who is faithful and loyal, and exceeds other potential partners
Come on and see me
Come and meet with me to see if I am the right fit for you
If you need a heart
If you need someone who is compassionate and caring
That will never tear apart
A heart that will never break or abandon one's partner
Better come on and see me
Visit me so you can get to know me better and decide if I am the right person for you
'Cause I've got a true love just for you, love
I have a genuine and sincere love that I would like to offer to you
And it can be yours baby eternally
My love is available to you indefinitely
If you want it, you better come and get it
If you are interested, you need to take action and pursue the relationship
That'll stick right by you, brother
Someone who will remain by your side and support you through thick and thin
I'll stand by your side
I will be there for you through all your ups and downs
Wipe your weepin' eyes
I will comfort and console you during difficult moments
I've got joy, love, for some boy, love
I have happiness and affection to offer a deserving partner
It can be yours eternally
My love can be yours for a lifetime
Ba-a-by (come on darling)
Affectionate term of endearment, inviting the listener closer
Su-yu-gar (come on honey)
Affectionate term of endearment, inviting the listener closer
Ho-yo-ney (come on baby)
Affectionate term of endearment, inviting the listener closer
Ba-a-by (come on)
Affectionate term of endearment, inviting the listener closer
If you want it, better come and get it
If you are interested, you need to take action and pursue the relationship
Ba-a-by, baby (come on)
Affectionate term of endearment, inviting the listener closer
Su-yu-gar, sugar (come on)
Affectionate term of endearment, inviting the listener closer
Ho-yo-ney, honey
Affectionate term of endearment, inviting the listener closer
Ba-a-by, baby (come on, come on)
Affectionate term of endearment, inviting the listener closer
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HARVEY FUQUA, JOHNNY WILLIAM BRISTOL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jack Spry
RIP Tammi Terrell (April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970), aged 24
You will always be remembered as a legend.
Assia Volts
Yes I agree with you. A legend. I loved her. RIP. Tammi. 😢
Rev. Mary Newbern-Williams
What a grand talent!!! Passionate, personable, and she was an outstanding performer!!! Heaven gained a talented lady!!
HoneyHoneyBaby
Amen 💯👏🏽🙌🏽💞👼🏽‼️
Carl Wise
Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol wrote and produced this masterpiece !! Tammi completely made it her signature song !!
Anita Smith
This is one of my favorite songs out of Motown. The Funk Brothers kills it with those horns when Tammi sings the chorus "Baby, come on!" It pulls my heart strings every time. Marvin never recovered from her loss.
u000drl
Are they also the Andantes?
Netta Mcquilla
always play it over and over , love it
Noomz-of-Earl
Thoroughly winning tune by Johnny Bristol & Harvey Fuqua; Tammi's best solo record and last national chart hit [#25 soul/#80 pop] before being teamed with Marvin Gaye ("Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and too many others to mention here). It was shattering when we lost her at age 24 in 1970, but her records live on.
Margaret Keane
Truly beautiful voice and person RIP ❤