Early Life
Marie was born in Santa Monica, California. She is of Belgian, Portuguese, Irish, Italian, and Native American ancestry. Marie grew up in Oakwood, a neighborhood in West Los Angeles. As a child, she had an acting role on The Beverly Hillbillies, credited as Tina Marie Brockert. She also sang at the wedding of actor Jerry Lewis's son when she was 10 years old.
Marie worked briefly at Pup 'n' Taco in the mid 1970s while attending Venice High School, where she joined the Summer Dance Production, and also had a role in the school's production of The Music Man.
1979–1981: Motown era
Marie signed with Motown Records in 1976, having gained an introduction to staff producer Hal Davis (best known for his work with The Jackson 5) and then auditioned, with her then band, for label boss Berry Gordy. She recorded unreleased material with a number of different producers, including Kerner and Wise, but was then spotted by Rick James, who effectively became her mentor. (Some of the earlier unreleased material has since been made available on compilation albums.) Her debut album release, Wild and Peaceful, was originally conceived as a project to be produced by James for Diana Ross, but James preferred to work with Marie. The album was at one point due to be credited to "Tina Tryson", but ultimately was put out under Marie's now-established stage name. It scored Marie her first top-ten R&B hit, "I'm Just a Sucker for Your Love" (#8 Black Singles Chart), which was a duet with James. Neither the album sleeve nor other packaging showed a picture of Marie, apparently on the theory that black audiences might be reluctant to buy an album by a white artist. In fact, many radio programmers wrongly assumed Marie was African American during the earliest months of her career. This myth was dispelled when, in 1980, her sophomore album, Lady T, sported a picture of her on the cover.
Marie's second album is noted for having production from Richard Rudolph (husband of R&B singer Minnie Riperton who passed a year earlier). Marie had asked Berry Gordy to contact Rudolph and secure his input as Rick James was unavailable and she did not feel quite ready yet to be sole producer of her own material. Rudolph intended for the song he penned, "Now That I Have You", to be sung by his wife, but was later given to Marie. Rudolph also co-composed the single "Behind The Groove", which reached number 21 on the black singles chart. The song was also included on the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the Fever 105 station. Another notable track, "Too Many Colors," featured Rudolph and Riperton's then 7-year-old daughter, Maya Rudolph, who became Teena Marie's god-daughter.
Also in 1980, Marie released her third LP, Irons in The Fire, in which she handled all writing and production herself, including the horn and rhythm arrangements of her band and all backing vocals. The single "I Need Your Lovin'" (#37 Pop, #9 Black Singles) brought Teena her first top 40 hit. That same year, Teena Marie appeared on James' hugely successful album Street Songs with the steamy duet "Fire and Desire." The two would perform the single at the 2004 BET Awards, which would be the two's last TV appearance with one another as Rick James passed later that year.
Marie continued her success with Motown in 1981 with the release of It Must Be Magic (#2 Black Albums Chart), her first gold record, which included her then biggest hit on R&B, "Square Biz" (#3 Black Singles). Other notable tracks include "Portuguese Love" (featuring a brief, uncredited cameo by James, #54 Black Singles), the title track "It Must be Magic" (#30 Black Singles), and album only track "Yes Indeed" which Marie cites as a personal favorite.
In 1982, Marie got into a heated legal battle with Motown records over her contract and disagreements on releasing her new material. The shuffle resulted in "The Brockert Initiative", which makes it illegal for a record company to keep an artist under contract without releasing new material for that artist. The artist would then be able to sign and release with another label instead of being held back by an unsupportive one. Teena Marie commented on the law in an LA Times article, saying, "It wasn't something I set out to do. I just wanted to get away from Motown and have a good life. But it helped a lot of people, like Luther Vandross and the Mary Jane Girls and a lot of different artists, to be able to get out of their contracts".
1983-1991: Epic Records
After leaving Motown in 1982, Marie signed with Epic Records in 1983 and released the concept album Robbery, which featured the hit "Fix It" (#21 R&B), as well as "track artist=Teena Marie]Shadow Boxing" and "Casanova Brown." The latter was one of a number of tracks Marie would write over the years about her real-life romance with one-time mentor Rick James. The relationship had ended by that point, but the two would continue a sometimes tempestuous friendship until James's death. In 1984, Marie released her biggest-selling album, Starchild. It yielded the singles "Lovergirl" and "Out on a Limb," the former of which became Marie's highest-peaking single to date on the US pop charts, peaking at #4, while peaking at #9 on the R&B charts. "Out on a Limb" was not as successful as "Lovergirl" on the R&B Charts, however, peaking only at #56. Also in 1985, "14k" (R&B #87) was featured on the soundtrack of the film Goonies.
In 1986, Marie released a rock-music-influenced concept album titled Emerald City. It was controversial with her established fan base and not as successful as its predecessors. She also recorded another rock-influenced track, "Lead Me On", co-produced by Georgio Moroder, for the soundtrack of the box office hit film Top Gun that year. In 1988, however, she returned to her R&B and funk roots releasing the critically-acclaimed album Naked to the World. That album contained the hit "Ooo La La La," which reached the top of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and remains her only #1 single on that chart to date.
Marie released Ivory in the fall of 1990. Despite the success of the first two singles, "Here's Looking at You" (#11 R&B) and "If I Were a Bell" (#8 R&B), Epic Records was not totally pleased with sales of the album, so Marie and her label mutually agreed to go their separate ways.
Mid 90s Hiatus: Passion Play and Black Rain
During the 1990s, Marie's classic R&B, soul and funk records were either sampled by hip-hop artists or covered by R&B divas. Marie herself is regarded as something of a pioneer in helping to bring hip-hop to the mainstream by becoming one of the first and only artists of her time to rap one of her singles—the aforementioned "Square Biz." In the hip-hop portion of that song, she mentions some of her inspirations: Sarah Vaughn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Shakespeare, Maya Angelou, and Nikki Giovanni, "just to name a few," as she said. In 1996, The Fugees paid tribute to her by interpolating the chorus of her 1988 hit "Ooo, La, La, La" on their own "Fu-Gee-La," which was a huge hit.
In the fall of 1994, Marie released Passion Play on her own independent label, Sarai. Lacking the backing of a major label, this album sold less well than her earlier work, but was well received by fans.
Subsequently Marie devoted most of her time to raising her daughter Alia Rose (who has since adopted the name Rose Le Beau and is pursuing her own singing career). During the late 1990s, she made appearances (as herself) on the TV sitcoms The Steve Harvey Show and The Parkers. She also began work on a new album, entitled Black Rain. She was unable to secure a major label deal for this, and did not want to put it out on her own Sarai label in light of the modest sales of Passion Play. However, a version pressed for promotional purposes was widely bootlegged amongst fans. This contained the tracks: "The Mackin Game", "I'll Take the Pressure", "Baby I'm Your Fiend", "My Body's Hungry", "Ecstasy", "I'm On Fire", "Watcha Got 4 Me", "Black Rain", "1999", "Butterflies", "Spanish Harlem", "Blackberry Playa", "The Perfect Feeling" and "Rainbow Outro". Some of these tracks have resurfaced on the later albums La Doña, Sapphire and Congo Square, in some cases (e.g. "The Mackin Game") in significantly reworked versions. Although there have been rumours of other tracks recorded during the Black Rain sessions, including one called "Underneath the Covers" and another (allegedly a duet with Rick James) entitled "Pretty Tony", these would appear to be apocryphal.
2004-2006: La Doña and Sapphire
After a 14-year sabbatical from the national spotlight, Marie returned to her musical career by signing with the Classics sub-label of the successful hip-hop label Cash Money Records, and she released her comeback album, La Doña, in 2004, and follow up Sapphire, in 2006. La Doña became a gold-certified success (and the highest-charting album of her career, peaking at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart) on the basis of the Al Green-sampled "I'm Still In Love" (#23 R&B, #70 Pop) and a duet with the late Gerald Levert, "A Rose by Any Other Name." Marie was nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award for Best R&B Female Vocal Performance for "Still in Love." Marie quickly followed this success with the release of Sapphire in 2006. While sales were not as great this time around (the album peaked at #24 on the Pop Chart), the release did give Marie yet another R&B Top-40 hit, "Ooh Wee" (#32); it also reunited her (on "God Has Created" and "Cruise Control") with Smokey Robinson, the early Motown mentor whose style she had emulated on early hits such as "Young Love." Marie parted ways with Ca$h Money records after the release of Sapphire.
2009-present: Congo Square
On September 19, 2008, Teena performed in concert at BB King's restaurant in NYC. Marie took this time to play a couple of finished tracks from her upcoming album, Congo Square, and she received a positive response from the crowd. Congo Square was released on June 9, 2009 on the Stax Records/Concord Music label. She has described the album as "personal and spiritual" and indicated that it is more jazz-influenced than most of her previous work. "Can't Last a Day", a duet with Faith Evans, leaked to the internet in March 2009. Teena Marie says of Evans, "It was after I had recorded the song (Can't Last a Day) I got the idea to put Faith on it. I’ve always loved Faith and her vocal style. She reminds me of me. Her correlation with Biggie — having a career with him and without him — reminds me of me and Rick (Rick James). I feel like she’s a younger me. Of the younger ladies, she’s the one I love most.” The album proved another success, reaching the Top 20 on Billboard's Top 200, and giving Teena Marie yet another Top 10 R&B chart entry. In 2023 she posthumously received a Grammy award for a sample credit on Cuff It by Beyoncé, but for unknown reasons the credit was removed so her Grammy was revoked.
Give Me Your Love
Teena Marie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the lady max that’s hustling on my track say: give me your love, give me your love
All the lady max that’s hustling on my track say: give me your love, give me your love
All the lady max that’s hustling on my track say: give me your love, give me your love
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love
Give it to me good, give it to me good
Give it to me good, give it to me good
Give me you love, it’s good so good
Want you so bad, can’t even get mad at you
Well a thing you really swing, and I feel so good it’s true
You’re such a Kanye, make my lungs act
Breathing in the air
When I’m you I really notice ya
Just how much I care
[Chorus]
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love (give me your love, give me all your love)
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love (give me your love, give give it to me baby)
I need your love (uh baby)
I want your love (uh baby)
I need your love (uh baby)
I want your love (oh baby)
Settling a tingle all up and down my spine
Make every movement change
Make love all through the night
I want to be a part of you
Keep our thing up tight
Keep the faith in all you do ‘cause everything is alright
[Chorus]
Give it to me good, give it to me good
Give me you love, it’s good so good (it’s good so good)
Give it to me good, give it to me good (give me your love)
Give me you love, it’s good so good (it’s good so good)
Give it to me good, give it to me good
Give me you love, it’s good so good (it’s good so good)
Give it to me good, give it to me good (give me your love)
Give me you love, it’s good so good (it’s good, it’s good)
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love
Can’t for the more you do, but you have to do
I share the weight whatever fate has wing to you
To worry bout no attitude you just be yourself
‘Cause I can live with you in solitude
And need no one else
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love (give me your love, give me all your love)
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love (give me all your love, uh uh baby)
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love (give me your love, give me your love)
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love (give me your love, give give it to me baby)
I need your love (uh baby)
I want your love (uh baby)
I need your love (uh baby)
I want your love (uh baby)
I need your love (uh baby)
I want your love (uh baby)
I need your love (uh baby)
I want your love (uh baby)
I need your love (send a little tinkle)
I want your love (up and down my spine)
I need your love (make me wanna love you)
I want your love (you really blew my mind)
Teena Marie's song "Give Me Your Love" is an upbeat dance track that focuses on the need for love and affection from those around us. The song has a repetitive chorus that encourages listeners to give their love to the singer. In the verses, she speaks of the feeling of falling in love and the desire to be close to someone who makes her feel good.
The first verse talks about "lady max" who is hustling on her track. Lady Max is likely a reference to a female friend or associate who works in the music industry with the singer. She urges Lady Max and other listeners to give her their love repeatedly, emphasizing the importance of love and affection in her life. The second verse gets more personal, as Teena Marie shares her feelings of longing for someone special. The chorus repeats throughout the song, underscoring the song's central message of needing love and yearning for it from others.
All in all, the song is a joyful celebration of love and connection with others, with a beat that invites listeners to dance and sing along.
Line by Line Meaning
All the lady max that’s hustling on my track say: give me your love, give me your love
Female singers who work with the artist request for her love.
Give me your love, give me your love, give me your love
The artist pleads for love from the person she is addressing.
Give it to me good, give it to me good
The artist wants love offered in the best way possible.
Give me you love, it’s good so good
The artist is pleased with the love she is receiving.
Want you so bad, can’t even get mad at you
The artist craves the person she is addressing and cannot be angry with them.
Well a thing you really swing, and I feel so good it’s true
The person being addressed has a positive effect on the artist and they feel good about it.
You’re such a Kanye, make my lungs act
The person being addressed has a strong influence on the artist that affects her breathing.
Breathing in the air
The artist inhales the energy and atmosphere around the person she is addressing.
When I’m you I really notice ya
The artist becomes more aware of the person she is addressing when she is with them.
Just how much I care
The artist realizes how much she cares about the person she is addressing.
I need your love (uh baby)
The artist states that she requires love from the person she is addressing.
I want your love (uh baby)
The artist expresses her desire to receive love from the person she is addressing.
Settling a tingle all up and down my spine
The person being addressed causes the artist to feel a chill throughout her body.
Make every movement change
The person being addressed has the ability to influence the artist's actions and emotions.
Make love all through the night
The artist desires to be intimate with the person she is addressing for the entire duration of the night.
I want to be a part of you
The artist desires to be included in the life of the person she is addressing.
Keep our thing up tight
The artist desires a good and steady relationship with the person she is addressing.
Keep the faith in all you do ‘cause everything is alright
The artist encourages the person she is addressing to keep their faith and hope strong because everything will be okay.
Can’t for the more you do, but you have to do
The artist understands that the person she is addressing has responsibilities to take care of.
I share the weight whatever fate has wing to you
The artist is willing to support the person she is addressing through whatever destiny has in store for them.
To worry bout no attitude you just be yourself
The artist encourages the person she is addressing to be true to themselves and not worry about other people's opinions.
‘Cause I can live with you in solitude
The artist is capable of being comfortable and content in a quiet and isolated environment with the person she is addressing.
send a little tinkle
The artist feels a slight sensation in response to the person she is addressing.
up and down my spine
The artist feels a physical reaction in her body due to the person she is addressing.
make me wanna love you
The person being addressed ignites a desire to love and be loved by the artist.
you really blew my mind
The person being addressed has a huge impact on the artist's life, beyond what she had previously thought possible.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: QUEEN LATIFAH, CURTIS MAYFIELD, CARSTEN SHACK, MITCH HANSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sara
on I'm a Sucker for Your Love
Beautiful ❤️ just for you and me.