You're All I Need to Get By

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"You're All I Need to Get By"
You're All I Need to Get By label.jpg
Single by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
from the album You're All I Need
B-side"Two Can Have a Party"
ReleasedJuly 9, 1968
RecordedMarch 1968, Hitsville USA, Detroit, Michigan
GenreSoul
Length2:48
LabelTamla
T 54169
Songwriter(s)Nickolas Ashford
Valerie Simpson
Producer(s)Ashford & Simpson
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell singles chronology
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
(1968) 		"You're All I Need to Get By"
(1968) 		"Keep on Lovin' Me Honey"
(1968)

"You're All I Need to Get By" is a song recorded by the American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968. It was the basis for the 1995 single "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" from Method Man and Mary J. Blige.

Overview[]

Written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, it became one of the few Motown recordings of the 1960s that was not recorded with the familiar "Motown sound". Instead, "You're All I Need to Get By" had a more soulful and gospel-oriented theme surrounding it, that was influenced by the writers, who also sing background vocals on the recording, sharing vocals in a church choir in New York City. Marvin and Tammi recorded the song at Hitsville. Ashford & Simpson later stated how the session was hard as Terrell was recovering from surgery on the malignant brain tumor that ultimately caused her death less than three years after they recorded the song.[citation needed]

During moments in the recording, Gaye can be heard encouraging Terrell to sing her verses, ad-libbing come on Tammi several times. A year later, Gaye was performing this song with Stax vocalist Carla Thomas at the Apollo Theater, when Terrell, who was seated in the front row in her wheelchair, began singing along, prompting Gaye to leave the stage and sing the song with Terrell, who was offered a microphone. It was Terrell's final performance before her death in March 1970. The song was played during Terrell's funeral while Gaye gave a brief, tearful eulogy.

The original recording by Gaye and Terrell peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and number-one on Billboard's Hot R&B/Soul Singles chart for five weeks,[1] becoming one of the longest-running number one R&B hits of 1968 and the most successful duet recording of Marvin Gaye's career. It reached #19 on the British singles charts in late 1968, staying there for 19 weeks.

Billboard described the single as a "driving rhythm follow-up" to the duo's previous hit single "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" which "will hit hard and fast."[2]

Personnel[]

Chart history[]

Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams version[]

"You're All I Need to Get By"
You're All I Need to Get By - Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams.jpg
Single by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
from the album That's What Friends Are For
B-side"You're a Special Part of My Life"
ReleasedJuly 1978
GenrePop
LabelColumbia
Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams singles chronology
"Too Much, Too Little, Too Late"
(1978) 		"You're All I Need to Get By"
(1978) 		"Love Won't Let Me Wait"
(1984)

Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams recorded "You're All I Need to Get By" for their 1978 duet album That's What Friends Are For. It was the follow-up to their U.S. number-one hit, "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late".

Their version of "You're All I Need to Get By" peaked at #47 on the Billboard Hot 100, #10 on the Hot Soul Singles Chart, #16 on the Adult Contemporary chart,[7] and #45 on the UK Singles Chart. It did best on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart, where it reached #5.[8]

Chart history[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1978) Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles[9] 52
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[10] 5
UK Singles Chart (The Official Charts Company) 45
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 47
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles 10
US Billboard Adult Contemporary 16
US Cash Box Top 100 67

Notable cover versions[]

  • Aretha Franklin recorded the song as a single in 1971 (Atlantic 45-2787). The song was also included on her compilation album Aretha's Greatest Hits which was released later the same year. Her version peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It also features in a 2020 holiday advertisement for Walmart.[12]
  • Tony Orlando & Dawn's version became the third to reach the U.S. Top 40, peaking at #34 in 1975. They also reached #13 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[13]

References[]

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 225.
  2. ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. July 20, 1968. p. 66. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  3. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1968-09-30. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  4. ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 28, 1968
  5. ^ Musicoutfitters.com
  6. ^ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 28, 1968
  7. ^ Billboard Adult Contemporary, August 19, 1978
  8. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1978-10-07. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  9. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1978-09-09. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  10. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1978-10-07. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  11. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  12. ^ "Walmart TV Commercial, 'All You Need' Song by Aretha Franklin". iSpot.tv. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  13. ^ "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard. 1975-10-18. Retrieved 2016-10-02.

External links[]

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