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.
Only You
Teddy Pendergrass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh-huh
You
You got, you got, you got what I want
You got, you got, you got what I need
Only you, baby, only you
Only you, you, you, you, you
Ain't never had nobody
Love me like you do
Ain't never had nobody
Please me through and through
Ain't never had nobody
Talk to me this way
Nobody even comes close
When it comes to loving me
You, come on
You got, you got, you got what I want
You got, you got, you got what I need
Only you, baby, only you
Only you, you, you, you, you
Ain't never had nobody
In my life before
Ain't never had nobody
Get me the key to the door
Ain't never had nobody
Take away my troubles
When I'm down and out, girl
You come running on the double
You
You got, you got, you got what I want
You got, you got, you got what I need
Only you, baby, only you
Only you, you, you, you, you
You, you, you, you, you, you
I ain't never had nobody
Love me like you do
Ain't never had nobody
Please me through and through
Ain't never had nobody
Talk to me this way
Nobody even comes close
When it comes to loving me
You
You got, you got, you got what I want
Yes, you do
You got, you got, you got what I need
Only you, baby, only you
Only you, you, you, you, you
You, you, you, you
You got, you got, you got, you got
You got what I want
You got, you got, you got, you got
You got what I need
Yes, you do
Only you, you
only you, you
Only you, you got, you got
You got what I want
You got, you got, you got what I need
Teddy Pendergrass's song Only You is a love song that expresses intense fondness for a particular person who seems to be the only one that matches the singer's desires. The first verse begins by acknowledging that the individual in question possesses what the singer wants and needs, emphasizing that there's nobody else that comes close to providing such satisfaction. The second verse highlights how the person has become indispensable to the singer, as they have never had anyone love them that way, treat them so kindly or speak to them in such a manner.
The chorus reinforces the theme of exclusivity, as the singer repeatedly asserts that only the person in question can meet their needs and desires, and nobody else comes close. The repeated use of "you, you, you" in the background throughout the song amplifies the idea of the singer's fixation on this one person. The song exudes feelings of satisfaction, comfort, and contentment in the company of the person in question.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on
Encouragement for the listener to engage with the singer
You
Addressing the person the singer is singing to
You got, you got, you got what I want
Expressing the desire for something the person has
You got, you got, you got what I need
Acknowledging that the person has something the singer requires
Only you, baby, only you
Stating that only this person can provide what the singer needs
Only you, you, you, you, you
Emphasizing that the person being addressed is the only one who can fulfill the singer's desires
Ain't never had nobody
Expressing the singer's lack of experience in this area
Love me like you do
Comparing the love that the singer has received in the past to the love they receive from this person
Please me through and through
Acknowledging that the person brings them complete satisfaction and delight
Talk to me this way
Appreciation for how the person communicates with the singer
Nobody even comes close
Emphasizing that no one else can compare to the person being addressed
When it comes to loving me
Specifically highlighting how the person has shown love to the singer
Ain't never had nobody
Reiterating the singer's lack of previous experience in this area
In my life before
Stating that the person being addressed is a new and important addition to their life
Get me the key to the door
Expressing that the person being addressed has given them access to something they have been seeking
Take away my troubles
Acknowledging that the person has brought them relief and comfort
When I'm down and out, girl
Describing a specific situation where the person has helped the singer and showing appreciation for it
You come running on the double
Highlighting the person's reliability and eagerness to assist the singer
You got, you got, you got what I want
Reiterating the singer's desire for something the person possesses
You got, you got, you got what I need
Reiterating that the person has something the singer requires
Yes, you do
Affirming that the person being addressed truly does have what the singer needs
Only you, you
Emphasizing that the person being addressed is truly the only one who can fulfill the singer's desires
You got, you got
Reiterating that the person does indeed possess what the singer needs
You got what I want
Expressing once again that the person has something the singer strongly desires
You got, you got, you got what I need
Reiterating that the person has what the singer requires to be satisfied
Only you, baby, only you
Reaffirming that the person being addressed is the only one who can provide what the singer needs
Only you, you, you, you, you
Emphasizing that no one else can fulfill the singer's desires besides the person being addressed
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Leon Huff, Kenny Gamble
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jeremy Manning
My favourite track since Teddy left the Bluenotes. Suits that soulful voice!
Carolyn Bratton
Love this song as all of Teddy's music. I listen to him often. He had such a unique sound and not to mention very handsome man.
Valerie Chapman
Teddy Pendergrass - Only You.
This is a lovely catchy, funky tune. He’s got such a great voice. This is a very fast moving but lovely song.
He keeps hold of the lyrics and keeps up with the beat. Very lovely 🥰 song. I’ll listen to this music again.
Lena Chavez
I agree!
mona cannon
YAZZZZZZ!! Love this song!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾I remember my friends mom always playing this cut. Sing It Teddy! Only You!!🎶🎤 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾He had one of the most distinctive voices in R&B. And will always be one of the most talented and gifted singers ever! Truly missed. RIP TeddyBear🧸
Lukas Carlsten
This is my favorite Teddy P song!!
Makes me enjoy life and dance while walkin the streets! 😎
Operation: Fatherhood
This song sounds so good live too.
Medusa Gorgon
Just watched him sing this song live!
*swoon😍
Scott Yahney
REAL DAMN MUSIC !!!!!
Errol Thomas
Still rockin after 1978