Bonnie Pointer and June Pointer first formed a secular singing duo in the late '60s and began performing in clubs around the San Francisco Bay area; Anita Pointer and Ruth Pointer later joined them. The Pointer Sisters hooked up with David Rubinson who was a record producer affiliated with Bill Graham. They would perform onstage with the flamboyant Sylvester of The Cockettes, and they'd done some work as background singers on recordings by Elvin Bishop, Boz Scaggs, Cold Blood and other San Francisco Bay Area groups.
Their big breakthrough was a cover of an Allen Toussaint composition originally recorded in 1970 by Lee Dorsey, the song was "Yes We Can Can" released by The Pointer Sisters in March 1973. The girls' voices were added over funky backing tracks laid down with the help of Rubinson's contacts like Tower of Power guitarist Willie Fulton. They sang live around a single mic, with Anita handling lead, and upon release the record soon hit Number 11 on Billboard's pop chart and Number 12 on the R&B chart. In 1974 the group surprised white audiences when they broke the color barrier in at The Grand Ol' Opry when performing their Country Grammy award winning country song "Fairytale" in Nashville. "How Long (Betcha Got A Chick On The Side)" was a 1975 #1 R&B hit from their Steppin LP, with classic funky keys of Herbie Hancock on clavinet & wicked guitar stylings of Wah Wah Watson...
Bonnie Pointer left the group in 1977 for a solo career, and in 1978, the remaining sisters switched labels to Planet & production duties went to Richard Perry who modernized their sound away from a nostalgia based act into a more contemporary look & sound for the 1980's.
They produced the album Energy, with a classic country flavored updates of Sly Stone's "Everybody Is A Star", and a rendition of another Allen Toussaint song called "Happiness". The Perry streak included 1984's Break Out, which did exactly that going triple platinum and winning two Grammys for the singles Automatic and "Jump (for My Love)". This period in the early 80's ostensibly represents the group's commercial peak as a charting act. Their last big hit was Neutron Dance from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack.
As the '80s wound down, June Pointer recorded two solo albums, and later left the trio by 2001. Anita also did some solo project work, and had a minor hit with a song called, "Overnight Success."
Anita and Ruth still perform concerts under the group's name. Ruth's daughter, Issa Pointer, is the trio's newest member. June suffered a stroke on February 27, 2006. While hospitalized, she was diagnosed with cancer, which had metastasized in her breast, colon, liver and bones. She died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California on April 11, 2006 at the age of 52.
I Need You
The Pointer Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things aren't right
And it turns into a silly fight
You walk out
I get mad
And we both just end up feeling bad
Through the heat
And the trouble that we're going through
There's no harm
There's no danger
Because our love is really tried and true
And I want you here beside me (i need you)
'Cause nobody's going to love me (the way that you do)
Baby won't you come and hold me (hold me in your arms)
Didn't tell you that I need you
I need you
By my side (by my side)
And although we're going to fight sometimes
I need you
By my side
Please don't walk away and we'll be fine
Through the heat
Of the fire
And the trouble that we're going through
There's no harm
There's no danger
Because our love is really tried and true
And I want you here beside me (i need you)
'Cause nobody's going to love me (the way that you do)
Baby won't you come and hold me (hold me in your arms)
Didn't tell you that I need you
I need you, whoa oh
I need you
Yes I do
Through the heat (through the heat)
Of the fire (of the fire)
And the trouble that we're going through
There's no harm (no harm)
There's no danger (danger)
Because our love is really tried and true
I need you (i need you)
By my side (by my side)
And although we're going to fight sometimes
I need you (you know I need you)
By my side (you know I want you)
Please don't walk away and we'll be fine
You know I need you (i need you)
You know I want you
I've got to have you by my side
You know I need you (baby)
You know I want you (oh yeah)
I've got to have you by my side
You know I need you
You know I want you
I've got to have you by my side (oh)
You know I need you
You know I want you
I've got to have you by my side
You know I need you
You know I want you
I've got to have you by my side
The Pointer Sisters' song "I Need You" is a declaration of the singer's love for her partner. She acknowledges that there are misunderstandings and conflicts in their relationship, which can lead to fights, but she is aware that their love is "really tried and true." The singer admits that she needs her partner and wants them by her side because nobody else can love her the way they do. She pleads for her partner not to walk away from their relationship, assuring them that they will be fine if they stay together.
The lyrics convey a message of commitment and loyalty in relationships. Even though couples may go through rough patches, it is necessary to have someone by your side to weather through the storms, and that is what the singer is asking for. The song implies that true love, which is tested by fire, can transcend all obstacles and make a relationship stronger.
Overall, "I Need You" expresses a deep desire and appreciation for a partner, whose love is irreplaceable, and whose presence is essential. The song is a love song that communicates a need for companionship and the idea that through thick and thin, it takes two to make a relationship work.
Line by Line Meaning
Something's wrong
There's an issue in our relationship
Things aren't right
Our relationship is not in a good place
And it turns into a silly fight
Our disagreements aren't always serious and often escalate unnecessarily
You walk out
You leave the situation or argument
I get mad
I become angry with you
And we both just end up feeling bad
We both feel negatively about the outcome of our disagreements
Through the heat
Even when things get intense
Of the fire
During moments of difficulty or conflict
And the trouble that we're going through
During the problems that arise in our relationship
There's no harm
Nothing has the potential to harm us
There's no danger
There's no risk of losing one another or our relationship
Because our love is really tried and true
Our love has been tested and proven to be strong and consistent
And I want you here beside me (i need you)
I desire your physical presence by my side and feel emotionally reliant on you
'Cause nobody's going to love me (the way that you do)
No one else will love me in the same way that you do
Baby won't you come and hold me (hold me in your arms)
I want you to physically embrace and comfort me
Didn't tell you that I need you
I haven't expressed this level of dependence on you verbally
I need you
I require your presence and support
By my side (by my side)
Near me in proximity and emotionally
And although we're going to fight sometimes
Even though disagreements will arise in our relationship
Please don't walk away and we'll be fine
If you stay present in our disagreements, we can work through them and maintain our relationship
You know I need you (i need you)
I'm aware of my dependence on you
You know I want you
I desire your presence and attention
I've got to have you by my side
I require your physical and emotional presence near me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NAN O'BYRNE, RICHARD FELDMAN, JOHN BLACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind