The Main Ingredient is an American soul and R&B group best known for their … Read Full Bio ↴The Main Ingredient is an American soul and R&B group best known for their 1972 hit song "Everybody Plays the Fool".

The group was formed in Harlem, New York City in 1964 as a trio called the Poets, composed of lead singer Donald McPherson, Luther Simmons, Jr., and Panama-born Tony Silvester. They made their first recordings for Leiber & Stoller's Red Bird label, but soon changed their name to the Insiders and signed with RCA Records. In 1968, after a couple of singles, they changed their name once again, this time permanently, to the Main Ingredient. The name came from a Coke bottle.

They then teamed up with record producer/arranger Bert DeCoteaux. Under his direction, the Main Ingredient reached the R&B Top 30 for the first time in 1970 with "You've Been My Inspiration". A cover of The Impressions' "I'm So Proud" broke the Top 20, and "Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling in Love)" went into the Top 10. In 1971, they scored again, with the McPherson-penned black-power anthem "Black Seeds Keep on Growing," but tragedy struck that year. Don McPherson, who had suddenly taken ill with leukemia, died unexpectedly. Stunned, Tony Silvester and Luther Simmons re-grouped with new lead singer Cuba Gooding, Sr., who had served as a backing vocalist on some of their previous recordings and had filled in on tour during McPherson's brief illness.

The Gooding era began auspiciously with the million-selling smash "Everybody Plays the Fool", which hit number two R&B and number three pop to become the group's biggest hit. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in September 1972. The accompanying album, Bitter Sweet, became their first to hit the Top 10 on the R&B album chart; its follow-up, 1973's Afrodisiac, featured several songs written or co-written by Stevie Wonder, although it did not produce any huge successes on the singles charts. They peaked at number eight on the R&B chart in 1974 with "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely", which sold over a million copies,and also reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. The track peaked at number twenty-seven in the UK Singles Chart in July 1974, although it was their only chart presence in the UK. In 1975, the group recorded several songs co-written by Leon Ware, including the R&B Top Ten "Rolling Down a Mountainside". By this point, however, Tony Silvester was harboring other ambitions; he released a solo album called Magic Touch that year, and left the group to form a production team with DeCoteaux. The two of them scored a Top 10 Pop and R&B smash with their production of Ben E. King's hit "Supernatural Thing" in 1975.

Silvester was replaced by Carl Tompkins, and Gooding departed for a solo career on Motown in 1977, which produced two albums; Simmons, meanwhile, left the music industry to work as a stockbroker. Gooding, Silvester and Simmons reunited as the Main Ingredient in 1979, and recorded two more albums, 1980's Ready for Love and 1981's I Only Have Eyes for You (the latter featured a minor hit in "Evening of Love"). The trio reunited for a second time in 1986, but their Zakia single "Do Me Right" flopped, and Simmons returned to his day job. He was replaced by Jerome Jackson on the 1989 Polydor album I Just Wanna Love You. In the wake of Aaron Neville's Top Ten revival of "Everybody Plays the Fool", Gooding resumed his solo career and issued his third album in 1993. Silvester and Simmons re-formed the Main Ingredient in 1999 with new lead singer Carlton Blount; this line-up recorded Pure Magic in 2001.

Tony Silvester died after a six-year struggle with multiple myeloma on November 27, 2006, at the age of 65, and original member Luther Simmons retired shortly thereafter. Cuba Gooding Sr. was found dead in his car on April 20, 2017. The current line-up of the group consists of Jerome Jackson, and Stanley Alston.

You've Got To Take It
The Main Ingredient Lyrics

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Hey baby,
Come over here and sit down and let me? To you for a minute.

I don't want you to think I'm conceited or anything,
But I've been through quite a few changes.
So if you really want me,
You just got to take my love.

I've been in love before,
Before I met you.
So you know if you really, really, really want my love,
This is what you got to do:
Take it,
Take it,

Take it with kindness,
And sweet consideration.
Take it with true love.
'Cause I don't need another infatuation, baby.
No, I don't need another infatuation, baby, no!

And if you want it,
Come on give it to me.
If you want it,
Girl, you've got to take it from me.

If you want it,
You've just got to take my love.
Take it with kindness,
And sweet consideration.

Take it with true love,
'Cause I don't need another infatuation, baby.
No!
I don't want another... Aw baby!

If you want it, you know you got to take it,
Take another lovin', baby.
Oh darlin'!
I need your lovin' baby, baby, baby!

I don't want another infatuation.
Take my love, darlin', darlin', darlin'!
No, no, no!

Ohhh, baby!

You've got to take my lovin'!
Take it!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Main Ingredient's song "You've Got To Take It" convey a message about the singer's past experiences in love and their desire for a genuine connection. The singer acknowledges their own flaws and changes in life but asserts that if the listener truly wants their love, they have to accept it with kindness, consideration, and true love.

The opening lines suggest a conversation between the singer and the listener, where the singer wants to explain their perspective. They express their belief that they have been through various changes but do not want to come across as conceited. This implies that the singer has grown and developed through different relationships or life experiences.

The repetition of the phrase "Take it" throughout the song emphasizes the importance of the listener actively accepting the singer's love. The singer makes it clear that they have been in love before meeting the listener, indicating that they have learned from past relationships and want a more genuine connection.

The repeated mention of not wanting another infatuation suggests that the singer seeks a deeper and more meaningful love, rather than a superficial or fleeting attraction. They request that the listener take their love with kindness, consideration, and true love. The singer emphasizes that they don't want another infatuation, indicating a desire for a sincere and lasting relationship.

Ultimately, the lyrics of "You've Got To Take It" convey the singer's plea for the listener to accept their love on a deeper level, with genuine care and affection, rather than just a passing infatuation.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey baby, Come over here and sit down and let me? To you for a minute.
Hey darling, come closer and listen to what I have to say.

I don't want you to think I'm conceited or anything, But I've been through quite a few changes.
I don't want to seem arrogant, but I have experienced many transformations in my life.

So if you really want me, You just got to take my love.
If you truly desire me, you have to accept and embrace my love.

I've been in love before, Before I met you. So you know if you really, really, really want my love, This is what you got to do:
I have experienced love in the past, even before I met you. So, if you genuinely want my love, here is what you need to do:

Take it, Take it, Take it with kindness, And sweet consideration. Take it with true love. 'Cause I don't need another infatuation, baby.
Accept it, accept it, accept it with kindness and thoughtful care. Embrace it with genuine love. Because I don't want another fleeting infatuation, my dear.

And if you want it, Come on give it to me.
And if you desire it, come forward and show me.

If you want it, Girl, you've got to take it from me.
If you want it, my dear, you have to truly accept it from me.

If you want it, You've just got to take my love. Take it with kindness, And sweet consideration.
If you want it, you simply have to accept my love. Embrace it with kindness and tender regard.

Take it with true love, 'Cause I don't need another infatuation, baby. No!
Accept it with genuine love, because I don't desire another temporary infatuation, baby.

I don't want another... Aw baby!
I don't want another... Oh baby!

If you want it, you know you got to take it, Take another lovin', baby. Oh darlin'!
If you desire it, you know you have to accept it, receive another dose of love, baby. Oh darling!

I need your lovin' baby, baby, baby!
I crave your love, baby, baby, baby!

I don't want another infatuation. Take my love, darlin', darlin', darlin'! No, no, no!
I don't want another fleeting infatuation. Accept my love, my darling, my darling, my darling! No, no, no!

Ohhh, baby! You've got to take my lovin'! Take it!
Ohh, baby! You need to accept my love wholeheartedly! Embrace it!

Writer(s): Ed Townsend

Contributed by Asher I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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