His initial rise to stardom occurred under tutelage of producer's Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff on the then CBS subsidiary Philadelphia International in 1970. The Blue Notes had hits such as "I Miss You," "Bad Luck," "Wake Up Everybody," the two million seller "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and many more. Following personality conflicts between Melvin and Pendergrass, Pendergrass launched a solo career and released hit singles like "The More I Get the More I Want," "Close the Door," "I Don't Love You Anymore," "Turn Off the Lights" and others.
His first solo album was self titled Teddy Pendergrass (1977), followed by Life is a Song Worth Singing (1978), Live! Coast to Coast and Teddy (1979), 1980's TP and the final Philadelphia International Records album It's Time for Love (1981). He also sang a duet with Whitney Houston on "Hold Me," from her self-titled debut album.
Teddy Pendergrass started singing gospel music in Philadelphia churches, becoming an ordained minister at ten years old. While attending public school, he sang in the citywide McIntyre Elementary School Choir and in the All-City Stetson Junior High School Choir. A self-taught drummer, Pendergrass had a teen pop vocal group when he was 15.
By his late teens, Pendergrass was a drummer for local vocal group the Cadillacs. In the late 60s, the Cadillacs merged with another more-established group, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. In 1970, when the Blue Notes broke up, Melvin, now aware of Pendergrass' vocal prowess, asked him to take the lead singer spot. It's no secret that Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff wanted Marvin Junior of the Dells for their Philadelphia International Records roster. Since the Dells were signed to Chess, they were unavailable. When the gruff'n'ready vocals of Pendergrass came their way, they eagerly signed the group.
Beginning with "I Miss You," a steady stream of hit singles flowed from the collaboration of Pendergrass and Gamble & Huff: "If You Don't Know Me By Now," "The Love I Lost," "Bad Luck," "Wake Up Everybody" (#1 R&B for two weeks in 1976), and two gold albums, To Be True and Wake Up Everybody.
Unfortunately, the more success the group had, the more friction developed between Melvin and Pendergrass. Despite the revised billing of the group, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Theodore Pendergrass, Pendergrass felt that he wasn't getting enough recognition. Around 1976, Pendergrass left Melvin's Blue Notes and formed his own Blue Notes, featuring Teddy Pendergrass. Briefly, there was some confusion as to which Blue Notes was which. The resolution came when Pendergrass disbanded his Blue Notes in favor of a solo career and Melvin's group signed a recording contract with Source Records, distributed through ABC Records, scoring a hit with "I Want to Be Your Lover."
Pendergrass signed a new contract with Philadelphia International Records sometime between late 1976 and early 1977. He burst back on the scene with Teddy Pendergrass, a platinum solo debut that included the top-notch singles "I Don't Love You Anymore," "You Can't Hide From Yourself," and "The More I Get the More I Want." Around this time, Pendergrass began to institute his infamous "Ladies Only" concerts. His next three albums went gold or platinum: Life Is a Song Worth Singing, Teddy, and Live! Coast to Coast. The hit single "Close the Door" was used in the film Soup for One, where Pendergrass had a minor role.
The singer received several Grammy nominations during 1977 and 1978, Billboard's 1977 Pop Album New Artist Award, an American Music Award for best R&B performer of 1978, and awards from Ebony magazine and the NAACP. He was also in consideration for the lead in the movie biopic The Otis Redding Story. The '70s ended, but Pendergrass kept racking up the hits. TP, his fifth solo album, went platinum in the summer of 1980 off the singles "Turn Off the Lights," "Come Go With Me," "Shout and Scream," "It's You I Love," and "Can't We Try." It's Time for Love gave Pendergrass another gold album in summer 1981, which included the hit singles "Love TKO" and "I Can't Live Without Your Love." However in the UK chart success was limited to a handful of singles peaking just short of the top 40. Amazingly "Love TKO" failed to even grace the top 100.
A 1982 car accident left Pendergrass paralyzed from the waist down and wheelchair-bound. After almost a year of physical therapy and counseling, Pendergrass returned to the recording scene, signing a contract with Elektra/Asylum in 1983. His ninth solo album, his Elektra/Asylum debut, Love Language went gold the spring of 1984. Philadelphia International issued two albums of unreleased tracks, This One's for You (1982) and Heaven Only Knows (1983). Other albums included Workin' It Back (1985), Joy (1988, whose title track stayed at #1 in the R&B charts for two weeks), and A Little More Magic (1993). The latter half of '90s found Pendergrass recording for the Surefire/Wind Up label. Truly Blessed (the name of an 1991 Elektra album) is the title of the autobiography Pendergrass co-authored with Patricia Romanowski.
Pendergrass passed away at age 59 on January 13, 2010 from complications following surgery for colon cancer.
Can We Be Lovers
Teddy Pendergrass Lyrics
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And I really hate to rush you girl
We've been knowin' each other for so long
And I really think it's time to let go, baby
Oh baby, don't you feel my heart
It's missing some excitement and you're the missing part
You're the missing part that can heal my lonely nights
Can we be lovers?
Can we be lovers?
Can we be lovers?
You're the only one I need in my life
Can we be lovers? (Tonight)
Can we be lovers?
Can we be lovers?
Can't you feel my love, it's calling you (calling you)
To a romantic rendezvous (rendezvous)
I believe every heart wants to feel real love
I don't think true love is a mystery, it's right here for you
Can we be lovers? (Can we)
Can we be lovers?
Can we be lovers? (Can we be love)
Please be careful, baby, how you talk to me (how you talk to me)
'Cause I have a fragile heart and it's broken easily
And if it's broken I may never love again
And it will be so sad, sweet darling
To live without my friend (without my friend)
Can't you feel my love, hey, it's calling you baby (calling you)
To a romantic rendezvous (rendezvous)
Well, each and every heart wants to feel real, real love
I want you to know that my love is here for you
See let me in your heart
You're the only one I want
In my life, in my life
In my life, in my life, life
Can we be lovers? (Oh baby)
(Oh baby) Can we be lovers?
Hey baby
You're the only one I need (in my life baby)
Can we be lovers? (believe me)
Can we be lovers? (can we)
Can we be lovers? (can we be love, huh)
Can we be lovers? (I'm asking you)
Can we be lovers? (I'm asking you)
You're the only one I need (I'm asking you, baby)
Can we be lovers? (Can we be love)
Can we be lovers? (well)
Can we be lovers? (can we be love)
Can we be lovers? ('cause I love you so much)
Can we be lovers? (I want you so much)
You're the only one I need (see, you're the only one I need, huh)
Can we be lovers? (believe what I say, baby)
Can we be lovers? (I need to know)
Can we be lovers? (I need to know, can we be love baby)
Can we be lovers? (all I ever want is you)
Can we be lovers? (all I ever need is you)
You're the only one I need (I, well)
Can we be lovers? (said I want you so much)
Can we be lovers? (I need you so much)
Can we be lovers? (can we be love)
Can we be lovers? (oh, oh baby)
Can we be lovers? (oh baby)
You're the only one I need (you're the only one I need)
In this song, Teddy Pendergrass pleads with his long-time friend to take their relationship to the next level and become lovers. He acknowledges their history and the fact that he hates to rush her but feels like it's time to make a move. He expresses that he feels incomplete without her and believes that she is the missing piece that can heal his lonely nights and make his days brighter. He asks her repeatedly throughout the song, "can we be lovers?" and even asks her to be careful with his heart because it's fragile and he may not love again if it's broken.
The lyrics suggest a sense of vulnerability and an underlying fear of rejection. Teddy's delivery is soulful and emotive, conveying the depth of his feelings for this woman. He believes that true love is not a mystery and that his love is real and ready for her if only she would let him in her heart. The song ends with Teddy repeatedly asking her, "can we be lovers" and expressing that she is the only one he needs in his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh baby, you know I hate to beg
I don't like to beg or plead.
And I really hate to rush you girl
I don't like to rush into things with you.
We've been knowin' each other for so long
We've known each other for a long time.
And I really think it's time to let go, baby
I think it's time to take our relationship to the next level.
Oh baby, don't you feel my heart
You should feel my heart.
It's missing some excitement and you're the missing part
It's missing something and you're what's missing.
You're the missing part that can heal my lonely nights
You're the one who can make my lonely nights better.
You're the missing part that's makes my day so bright
You're the one who brightens up my day.
Can we be lovers?
Can we be in a romantic relationship?
Can we be lovers? (Tonight)
Can we start our relationship tonight?
Can't you feel my love, it's calling you (calling you)
My love is reaching out to you.
To a romantic rendezvous (rendezvous)
Let's have a romantic date or encounter.
I believe every heart wants to feel real love
I think everyone wants to feel true love.
I don't think true love is a mystery, it's right here for you
I don't believe true love is hard to find, it's here with me.
Please be careful, baby, how you talk to me (how you talk to me)
Be mindful of how you speak to me because I get hurt easily.
'Cause I have a fragile heart and it's broken easily
My heart is fragile and easily broken.
And if it's broken I may never love again
If my heart is broken, I may not be able to love again.
And it will be so sad, sweet darling
It will be very sad, my love.
To live without my friend (without my friend)
It would be hard to live without you.
See let me in your heart
Let me into your heart.
You're the only one I want
You're the only one I desire.
In my life, in my life
I want you in my life.
Can we be lovers? (Oh baby)
Can we be in a romantic relationship?
(Oh baby) Can we be lovers?
Can we be in a romantic relationship?
Hey baby
Hey, my love.
You're the only one I need (in my life baby)
You're the only one I need in my life.
Can we be lovers? (believe me)
Can we be in a romantic relationship? Trust me.
(can we) Can we be lovers?
Can we be in a romantic relationship?
(can we be love, huh)
Can we be in love?
Can we be lovers? (I'm asking you)
Can we be in a romantic relationship? I'm asking you.
You're the only one I need (I'm asking you, baby)
You're the only one I need in my life. I'm asking you.
Can we be lovers? (Can we be love)
Can we be in love?
Can we be lovers? (well)
Can we be in a romantic relationship? Well?
Can we be lovers? (all I ever want is you)
Can we be in a romantic relationship? All I want is you.
(all I ever need is you)
All I need is you.
Can we be lovers? (I, well)
Can we be in a romantic relationship? I want you.
(said I want you so much)
I really want you.
(I need you so much)
I need you so badly.
Can we be lovers? (can we be love)
Can we be in love?
Can we be lovers? (oh, oh baby)
Can we be in a romantic relationship? Oh, my love.
(oh baby)
Oh, my love.
You're the only one I need (you're the only one I need)
You're the only one I need in my life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Fred Williams, James Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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