The Tavares brothers — Arthur Tavares, Ralph Vierra Tavares, Perry Lee Tavares, Antone Tavares, and Feliciano Tavares nicknamed "Pooch," "Tiny," "Chubby," and "Butch" — started the group in 1964 as Chubby and the Turnpikes in New Bedford, MA. Their grandparents taught them traditional Cape Verde folk songs, while their older brother John schooled them on doo wop singing. In 1969, the group became Tavares. They began singing in New England clubs and were signed to Capitol Records in 1973. Their debut album, Check It Out , was issued in early 1974. The title track slow jam single went to number five R&B on Billboard's charts in summer 1973. The next single, the ballad "That's the Sound That Lonely Makes," hit number ten R&B in early 1974. Check It Out was followed by Hard Core Poetry in summer 1974, helmed by songwriting/production duo Dennis Lambert & Brian Potter (the Four Tops' "Aint No Woman Like the One I Got"). It listed the soaring number ten hit "Too Late," the number one hit "She's Gone," and "Remember What I Told You to Forget," which hit number four in 1975. Lambert & Potter produced In the City (summer 1975), which yielded the driving number one hit "It Only Takes a Minute," "Free Ride" (a 1973 pop smash for the Edgar Winter Group), and "The Love I Never Had." Take That's 1993 cover of "It Only Takes a Minute" was a U.K. hit.
Tavares' album Sky High (spring 1976) was the group's first collaboration with producer Freddie Perren. Perren seemed to have an affinity for family singing groups, having had hits with the Jackson 5 ("I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save") as a member of the Motown arrangers/songwriters/producers collective The Corporation, and would later go to have hits with the Sylvers ("Boogie Fever"). Sky High boasted the sparkling number three R&B hit "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel (Part 1)" from summer 1976. Their fifth LP, Love Storm was issued in spring 1977 and included the clever number one R&B hit "Whodunit" in spring 1977.
"More Than a Woman" was specifically written for Tavares by the Bee Gees and was issued as a single from the 11-million-selling Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. "More Than a Woman" was also on their Future Bound LP released in spring 1978. A greatest hits set, The Best of Tavares, was released in fall 1977. On 1979's Madame Butterfly LP, the group worked with Philly soul arranger/producer Bobby Martin (the Manhattans, LTD). The sweet ballad "Never Had a Love Like This Before" went to number five R&B in early 1979.
In 1994, Canadian label Unidisc released The Best of Tavares Revisited, which had re-recordings by the group of their past hits.
Don't Take Away The Music
Tavares Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's the only thing I've got
It's my piece of the rock
I knew you were always there
You were my song
How am I supposed to bear it
Now that you've gone
Memories from a sweet melody
Baby would you take away
The music from a symphony
Don't take away the music it's the only thing I've got
It's my piece of the rock
Don't take away the music everything else is gone
Don't strip my world of it's song
Everytime you whispered low
My heart would sing
Now it's silent like the phone
The phone that never rings
Memories of love's refrain
Memories keep haunting me
What are we doing to the song we sang
What happened to our sweet harmony
Don't take away the music it's the only thing I've got
It's my piece of the rock
Don't take away the music everything else is gone
Don't strip my world of it's song
Don't take away the music ooh ooh ooh
Don't take away the music ooh ooh ooh
Don't take away the music ooh ooh ooh
Oh
Since you're not here with me
My whole life seems out of key
Don't take away the music it's the only thing I've got
It's my piece of the rock
Don't take away the music everything else is gone
Don't strip my world of it's song
The lyrics to Tavares's song "Don't Take Away The Music" talk about the importance of music in the singer's life. For the singer, music is the only thing they have left now that their lover has gone. The singer compares their love to a song that they have sung together and begs their partner not to take away the music. They ask their partner not to strip their world of its song.
The lyrics discuss the memories that the singer has associated with music. The song was a place where the singer and their partner shared their love, and it was full of beautiful memories. The music was always there, just like their partner, and they couldn't bear to lose both. Therefore, they beg their partner not to take away the music, which is the only thing they have left.
In conclusion, the lyrics to Tavares's song "Don't Take Away The Music" emphasize the importance of music in the singer's life. The song is a reminder of the love that they shared with their partner, and they don't want to lose both. For the singer, music is the only thing that is keeping them going, and they beg their partner not to take it away from them.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't take away the music
The singer pleads for the music to not be taken away.
It's the only thing I've got
The music is the only solace the singer has in their life.
It's my piece of the rock
Like a solid foundation, the music is something the singer can rely on.
I knew you were always there
The artist acknowledges the presence of someone important in their life.
You were my song
This person was a source of inspiration and joy for the artist.
How am I supposed to bear it
The singer is struggling to cope with the loss of this person.
Now that you've gone
The person the singer is referring to has left them.
Would you separate the words
The artist questions if it's possible to disconnect memories from the music they associate with this person.
Memories from a sweet melody
The music is heavily intertwined with fond recollections.
Baby would you take away
The artist begs for the music to not be taken away, as it would cause them great distress.
The music from a symphony
The music is part of something much greater, something that brings great pleasure to the singer.
Everything else is gone
Aside from the music, everything else in the artist's life seems to have disappeared.
Don't strip my world of its song
This one aspect of their life that brings the singer comfort should not be taken away from them.
Every time you whispered low
The singer reminiscent of intimate moments with the person they lost.
My heart would sing
The singer felt immense joy and happiness when this person was around.
Now it's silent like the phone
Now that this person is gone, the artist feels an emptiness where that source of joy once was.
The phone that never rings
The phone represents a lack of communication or connection, between the artist and the absent person.
Memories of love's refrain
The memories of love still echo loudly in the singer's mind.
Memories keep haunting me
The memories of this person serve as a constant reminder of their absence.
What are we doing to the song we sang
The song used to be a representation of the love shared between the artist and this person.
What happened to our sweet harmony
The deep connection and love between the artist and this person have been disrupted.
Since you're not here with me
The artist feels the absence of the person they lost.
My whole life seems out of key
Without this person, the singer's entire existence is unsettling, off-balance.
Don't take away the music ooh ooh ooh
The artist once again pleads for the music to not be taken away.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTINE YARIAN PERREN, FREDERICK J. PERREN, KENI ST. LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rockmassa4151
Not only loved their music...Tavares was great to watch....all their dance moves & costume changes. We lived in a wonderful time. 🎶
@rlp5
This is when music made sense and singers were singers for real!!!! This music will forever be in my heart!!!!
@dannybinda2418
The same thing people say in the 16 century wen listening to boring violins
@sferrer3020
How can we forget this group? It will be here forever...
@Mark-wg6gu
I don't care what anyone says. Tavares was THE BEST GROUP of the disco era. And, to me anyway, that includes the Bee Gees!!!
@paulgregory4091
These lads are top of the tree! 5 brothers who harmonise brilliantly!
@tarbert363
Never realised they were brothers. Fab group.
@nidzaperez7258
Lord rain dn. This just took me back. I'm going threw something big and it my mommy. I just went there .....💓💔😖🙏🙏🙏❤️💯💯💯💯. God bless them all this was 🎵 and still can make hairs. Stand ❤❤❤😂😢😢😢
@user-xg6gp7qq2v
Tavares I danced away the night away back in the day. There will never be music like this ever. Best music 70 and 80. ❤
@lucillelaurenzi3117
I may be a senior in the here and now. But I still feel young again listening to this song.