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.
I Gotta Find A Way To Get You Back
Tammi Terrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I tell you, I've been so alone, boy
You've got me afraid, afraid to close my eyes
Each time I do it's you I visualize
Baby baby I can see you walkin' away
Ooo just like you did that day
The same hurt that I felt when we parted
Baby baby once again has started
To get you back, boy; I'm so lonely
Nights I can't sleep, boy
I tell you, without you I'm weak, boy
Don't you know, not one single day goes by
That I wake up without tear-filled eyes
Don't you know I very seldom leave my lonely room
'Cause without you my life is filled with gloom
There's no end to the tears that I shed
Slowly, slowly goin' out of my head
So baby baby I gotta find a way
To get you back, boy; ooo I'm so lonely
(instrumental)
Baby baby ooo, when I'm out walkin'
Boy, I always wind up on your street
I'm just a broken hearted girl
In a dark & lonely world
In need of the love you took from me
Baby baby all I do is think about you
Believe me, it's a cold cold world without you
Boy, my heart ain't gettin' no stronger
I tell you, can't carry on very much longer
So baby baby I gotta find a way
To get you back, boy; ooo I'm so lonely
Baby baby my heart keeps gettin' higher
Baby, burnin', burnin' with desire
So baby baby I gotta find a way
To get you back, boy; ooo
Can't make another day without you
I cry every time I think about you
So baby baby I gotta find a way
music fades out
Tammi Terrell's "I Gotta Find A Way To Get You Back" is a song about the pain of a broken heart and the overwhelming desire to get back the person who made it whole. The lyrics are filled with emotive language that conveys the loneliness and sadness of the singer. The opening line "Oooo since you've been gone, boy, I tell you, I've been so alone, boy" sets the tone for the song, highlighting the loneliness that the singer feels in the absence of the person they love.
The song talks about the struggles of trying to move on but constantly being reminded of the person who broke their heart. This is seen in lines such as "Don't you know, not one single day goes by/ That I wake up without tear-filled eyes" and "Baby baby ooo, when I'm out walkin'/ Boy, I always wind up on your street". The singer's heartache is conveyed through her struggle to move on, as she takes comfort in visualizing the person she loves each time she closes her eyes.
The song is about the desperate search for love and the desire to mend a broken relationship. The chorus "Baby baby I gotta find a way/ To get you back, boy; ooo I'm so lonely" highlights the singer's determination to win back the love of the person who left her heartbroken. In the end, the song ends on a poignant note, with the singer admitting that she cannot go on without the love of her life.
Line by Line Meaning
Oooo since you've been gone, boy
Since you left, I have been feeling lost and alone, boy
I tell you, I've been so alone, boy
I feel so lonely without you, boy
You've got me afraid, afraid to close my eyes
I am scared to sleep because all I can think about is you, boy
Each time I do it's you I visualize
Every time I try to sleep, I imagine you with me, boy
Baby baby I can see you walkin' away
I still remember the way you left me, boy
Ooo just like you did that day
I feel like you left me all over again
The same hurt that I felt when we parted
The pain of our separation is back again
Baby baby once again has started
I am feeling the same pain as before
So don't you know that I gotta find a way
I need to find a way to get you back, boy
To get you back, boy; I'm so lonely
I miss you so much and I need you back in my life, boy
Nights I can't sleep, boy
I can't sleep at night, boy
I tell you, without you I'm weak, boy
I feel so weak and vulnerable without you, boy
Don't you know, not one single day goes by
Every single day, I think about you, boy
That I wake up without tear-filled eyes
I cry every morning when I wake up without you, boy
Don't you know I very seldom leave my lonely room
I hardly ever leave my room because I feel so lonely without you, boy
'Cause without you my life is filled with gloom
My life is so dull and depressing without you, boy
There's no end to the tears that I shed
I can't stop crying because I miss you so much, boy
Slowly, slowly goin' out of my head
I feel like I'm losing my mind without you, boy
Baby baby I gotta find a way
I must find a way to get you back
To get you back, boy; ooo I'm so lonely
I need you back in my life, boy. I'm so lonely without you.
Baby baby ooo, when I'm out walkin'
When I go for a walk, all I can think about is you, boy
Boy, I always wind up on your street
I always end up on your street, boy
I'm just a broken hearted girl
I am a heartbroken girl
In a dark & lonely world
I feel like I'm living in a dark and lonely world without you, boy
In need of the love you took from me
I need the love you used to give me back, boy
Baby baby all I do is think about you
All I can do is think about you, boy
Believe me, it's a cold cold world without you
Without you, my world is a cold and lonely place
Boy, my heart ain't gettin' no stronger
My heart isn't getting any stronger without you, boy
I tell you, can't carry on very much longer
I can't go on like this for much longer without you, boy
So baby baby I gotta find a way
I need to find a way to get you back, boy
Baby baby my heart keeps gettin' higher
My love for you keeps growing stronger, boy
Baby, burnin', burnin' with desire
I desire you so much and I am burning with love for you
Can't make another day without you
I can't go on without you, boy
I cry every time I think about you
I cry every time I think about how much I miss you, boy
So baby baby I gotta find a way
I must find a way to get you back, boy
Writer(s): C. GRANT, N. WHITFIELD, E. HOLLAND, E. KENDRICKS
Contributed by Harper V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nicolas Eldeves
I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back) (Cornelius Grant-Norman Whitfield-Edward Holland Jr-Eddie Kendricks) published Jobete 15-Jul-67
[alt lyrics to "He Who Picks A Rose"]
The Temptations; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 17-Sep-68 ; produced by Norman Whitfield ; [2nd odb lead Dennis Edwards]
17-Feb-69; LP (S): Gordy S939 Cloud Nine
18-Aug-97; CD (S): Debutante 530 818 2 This Is Northern Soul! [UK]
23-Oct-00; CD: Motown 159 446 2 Cloud Nine / Puzzle People [UK]
02-May-05; CD (S): Motown 067 024 2 This Is Northern Soul! The Motown Sound Volume 1 [UK]
Tammi Terrell; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 17-Aug-67 ; produced by Norman Whitfield
1997; CD (M): DPSM 5239 The Complete Motown Anthology Vol 3
16-Jul-01; CD (M): Spectrum 544 491 2 The Essential Collection [UK]
01-Oct-10; CD (M): Hip-O Select B0014792-02 Come On And See Me: The Complete Solo Collection
He Who Picks A Rose (Norman Whitfield-Edward Holland Jr-Earl Smiley) published Jobete
Edwin Starr; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 08-Aug-68 ; produced by Norman Whitfield
Apr-69; LP (S): Gordy S940 25 Miles
09-Jun-70; 45 (M): Gordy G 7101 B
Oct-02; CD (S): Motown 016 839 2 Soul Master / 25 Miles [UK]
27-Jun-08; CD (M): Hip-O Select B0011056-02 The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 10 1970
The Temptations; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 28-Feb-68 ; produced by Norman Whitfield ; [v2 lead David Ruffin]
29-Apr-68; LP (S): Gordy S927 Wish It Would Rain
29-Apr-68; LP (M): Gordy G927 Wish It Would Rain
16-Feb-93; CD (M): Rhino R2 71180 Hum Along And Dance
23-Oct-00; CD: Motown 159 511 2 Wish It Would Rain / In A Mellow Mood [UK]
He Who Picks A Rose (Cornelius Grant-Norman Whitfield-Edward Holland Jr-Eddie Kendricks) published Jobete 01-Mar-68
[alt lyrics to "I Gotta Find A Way To Get Her Back"]
Jimmy Ruffin; recorded Hitsville, completed 17-May-65 ; produced by Norman Whitfield ; [no strings]
28-Jun-01; CD (M): Spectrum 556 827 2 Northern Soul Connoisseurs [UK]
12-Jan-04; CD (M): Motown 981 2006 Jimmy Ruffin - The Ultimate Motown Collection [UK]
The Temptations; recorded Hitsville, completed 31-Oct-63 ; produced by Norman Whitfield ; [v1 2nd odb lead Eddie Kendricks]
17-Dec-13; MP3 (M): UMC Digital Release Motown Unreleased 1963
30-Sep-14; CD (M): Kent CDTOP 424 Satisfaction Is Guaranteed! - Motown Guys 1961-69 [UK]
Paul James
I just love this original version by Tammy, I just wish it was avaliable on vinyl !!!
frankie hunter
Why so few views? This song should have several millions visits. Motown at its best.
petesokeh
+frankie hunter Same backing as Jimmy Ruffin "He who picks a rose"
martin brogan
A fantastic version,first time I,ve heard it.
Paul James
It's not just a version Martin it's the the original version !!
HoneyHoneyBaby
Absolute perfection 💃🏽🙌🏽💋💖‼️
pathorne1
MAGNIFICENT!!!!!! GREAT COMPOSING!!!!!!!!!!
dundee holt
Love it.
Steve G
Taken far too soon R.I.P. Wonderful voice.
dundee holt
According to the Motown archives, Tammi's version was done first, completed on August 17, 1967 before Dennis Edwards even joined the Temps.