2. 'Deed I Do (2:58) - This song, somewhat faster than moderate, opens with a drum roll and an organ. The couple ask rhetorically if they want, need and love each other. The closest they sing to the title is "You can bet your life I do," though the backup singers do sing the title during the instrumental. A little later, another Motown singer, Chris Clark, sang a different song containing the lyrics "Do I love you? 'Deed I do."
3. Until I Met You (3:27) - This song is slow, with drums and a piano playing softly. Both partners used to feel lonely, not understanding love, not thinking they'd ever find love, until they met each other. But once they did, they felt as happy as royalty.
4. Together (2:47) - The tempo is moderate. A pair of erstwhile lovers look back on the times they used to share together, including their good cry together when their relationship didn't work. Though it didn't last, they'll always be together in memory.
5. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (2:34) - This song has a slow, 12/8 tempo. The guy hopes the girl believes him when he tells her he loves her. She, meanwhile, believes he (and no other guy) was meant for her, so she asks him to promise her they'll never part. I also have a version of this song by Sam Cooke.
6. The Late Late Show (2:40) - This song plays at a moderately fast speed; the highlight is when Marvin and Mary take turns saying the word "kiss" to illustrate the intimacy between the couple they portray. The couple feel very cozy and comfortable in the park when it's dark. They listen to the birds chirp and watch the moon shine, noting what great accompaniment those make for the couple's kissing. Once they reach her front porch, they resume their kissing show.
7. After The Lights Go Down Low (2:51) - This moderately slow song is nice for a loving couple to dance to. Here the couple apparently have friends over for a party to start with. Anyway, they look forward to when everyone else is gone, for once that happens, they can kiss and embrace tight, and she can give him the sweet talk she's been saving for him.
8. Squeeze Me (2:39) - The tempo is moderate. Instruments include a piano and horns; the latter play loud and clear during the instrumental interlude. From the moment I first heard this song, I've liked it enough to think of it as Marvin and Mary's best song together. The guy feels ecstatic, the gal sentimental, when they're together. So each tells the other, "Squeeze me, don't tease me."
9. What's The Matter With You Baby (2:27) - The tempo is moderate. This time, all Marvin and Mary sing simultaneously are the "wo wo wo's" at the beginning and the end. Marvin plays the man who has run around and now begs for forgiveness and a date; Mary plays the woman who has been hurt and now is reluctant to let him back into her heart, much less accept the date.
10. You Came A Long Way From St. Louis (2:49) - This song plays at a moderate speed. Marvin plays a guy who's wise to a Missouri woman's attempts to break his heart, as he just happens to be from Missouri also. Mary's character, on the other hand, won't let a Missouri playboy break her heart like he did the hearts of many other women. In any case, the conniver has a long way BACK to go, and had better do so on the double!
12. I Love You, Yes I Do (2:18) - This song is slow and smooth. The couple have loved and needed each other from minute one. Each can tell how the other feels just by the facial expressions.
13. Baby I Need Your Lovin' (3:08) - This version is somewhat faster than the original version by the Four Tops. The first verse is left out of here. Marvin and Kim take turns singing the verse about the rehearsed smile and feeling half alive; while one sings that verse, the other sings in the background such ad-libs as "Ooo baby" and "I need you baby."
14. It's Got To Be A Miracle (This Thing Called Love) (3:26) - Here's another nice and slow song. Just like millions of sand grains compose a mountain, a lot of tender moments make a strong, enduring love between the copule. Each partner used to be lonely and tossing in a rough sea. Then a miracle happened when they met each other.
15. Baby Say Yes (3:11) - The tempo is moderate. The girl asks the guy whether he'll still love her every next day; he says "Yes indeed." Then he asks her if she'll stand by him when his money runs out; she too says "Yes indeed."
16. What Good Am I Without You (2:50) - This song has a moderate, swing tempo. I like the low-pitched piano playing in the beginning. Kim sings the first verse, Marvin the second. Everywhere else, they either alternate lines or sing simultaneously. Just as a rose would be no good without rain, a phone would be no good without anyone to call, etc., neither lover would be any good without the other.
17. Till There Was You (2:23) - Drums and other instruments play softly and slowly while each partner tells the other how they were unaware of the bells, the birds and the love until the couple met each other. The Beatles sang this song previously; even before that, it was from the movie The Music Man.
18. Love Fell On Me (2:24) - The tempo is slightly faster than moderate. Marvin plays a guy who at first was used to being only with "Me, my shadow and I." Kim's character, meanwhile, used to laugh when her friends gave each other candy and kisses on Valentines Day. Then the couple met each other, and now they sing: "So tenderly, that's how love fell on me."
19. Secret Love (2:43) - This slow song begins with a violin solo approximately half a minute long. Since Kim sings first, I'll use a female narrator here. Her love for the guy was a secret at first, but then she felt a strong urge to tell a star in the sky, and then to shout from the hilltops that she loved him. Now her love for him is no longer a secret.
20. I Want You 'Round (2:22) - This version is slow, but a tiny bit faster than the original version by Smokey Robinson and Mary Wells. Except for ad-libs in the fadeout, Marvin and Kim sing every line together like Smokey and Mary did.
21. Heaven Sent You, I Know (3:00) - The opening strumming of the harp sounds as if it had been recorded from a warped record. Otherwise, this moderate-speed song is a good one. Kim sings the first verse, Marvin the second, and they sing the third verse together.
22. When We're Together (2:35) - The tempo is moderately slow. Whether they watch a movie, eat at a restaurant, or walk (or drive) in the country, the couple savor their moments together.
Baby (Don't You Leave Me) (2:25) - This moderate-tempoed song features horns and a tambourine. The duo sing most of the words simultaneously, though occasionally each sings a line or two alone. One lover in the story begs the other not to leave after having promised that nothing would ever come between them. Martha Reeves later sang a different song of the same title.
1. Ain't No Mountain High Enough * (2:27) - I also like the spoken version by Diana, but this one, somewhat faster than moderate, is the better of the two. Neither the highest mountain, nor the lowest valley, nor the widest river, can prevent either lover from reaching the other. Marvin and Tammi sing the chorus together, but she sings the last line alone just before the song starts fading.
2. You Got What It Takes (2:54) - This song has a moderate tempo and horns that play loud, as if to affirm that each partner has what it takes to satisfy the other. Listen to the opening and you'll catch a bit of how Tammi sounded when she spoke: "Come here, Marvin, let me tell you somethin'." Marvin plays a guy who is not an actor and doesn't have a fancy car or a high income, but he still ignites the soul of the Tammi character. The girl, meanwhile, doesn't have a pretty face, house or clothes, but she still satisfies the guy. Another nice thing about this song is the false ending, after which Marvin sings, "Tammi, Tammi, you got..." The real ending fades out. I also have a version of this song by the Dave Clark Five.
3. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You (2:21) - This upbeat song features horns. First Marvin sings a whole verse, then so does Tammi. In the next verse he sings two lines, she sings four, and he another two. In the fade-out sequence, he sings the title, then so does she, then together they sing "that would be all right, oh yeah." Each lover would plant flowers wherever the other walked; each would make the other's eyes the sun; each would make rain fall to wash away the other's troubles.
4. Somethin' Stupid (2:41) - The tempo is somewhat slower than moderate. For simplicity I'll use a male narrator. He's so smitten with the girl that he stands in line hoping to get an opportunity to dance with her. But just when he gets his chance to be alone with her, he ruins it by "sayin' somethin' stupid like 'I love you.' " Frank and Nancy Sinatra sang the hit version of this song.
5. Your Precious Love (3:03) - My favorite Marvin-Tammi duet has a slow tempo and, during the verses, finger-snapping. He sings all of the first verse, she sings all of the second verse; in the third verse, he sings the first two lines, she the other two lines. Together they sing the chorus. The lovers want to show each other how grateful they are for their love.
6. Hold Me Oh My Darling * (2:45) - In this version Marvin sings the second and third verses. In the ending sequence, when Tammi sings, "Hold me baby," Marvin answers "Yes I will, darlin'."
7. Two Can Have A Party * (2:13) - The fast tempo aptly matches the couple's party mood. They decide they don't need the noise, lights, and crowd of a dance hall; they need only to be in each other's arms in a living room with the lights turned low.
8. Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl (2:41) - The tempo is moderately slow. Tammi plays a "little ole girl lookin' for a little ole boy" while for Marvin's character the reverse is true. Now that they've met each other, he believes they might make a good couple; she in turn asks him for morning hugs and night kisses. After the instrumental, they switch the parts: she sings that they might be good together, while he asks for hugs and kisses every morning and night.
9. If This World Were Mine (2:41) - This song is slow, with soft drum-playing and bell-like instruments. A piano solo fills the first 4 seconds. Marvin sings the first verse, Tammi the second. In the next two verses, he sings the first few lines, she the other few lines. Finally, they sing simultaneously and the song fades out. The lovers would give each other the flowers, the birds, the bees, the moon, etc., if the world were theirs.
10. Sad Wedding (3:22) - This slow, 12/8 song opens with bells in the foreground. At first listen you might think, Why would the couple feel sad on their own wedding day? But catch the line "Here's what I heard somebody say," and you'll know it's a third party saying the wedding is sad. My best guess is that the third party is a former flame of either the bride or the groom, seeing the wedding as a reminder of a relationship that went wrong.
11. Give A Little Love (2:56) - This song also is slow and in 12/8 time; it opens with a slow piano roll. I'll use a male narrator here; he realizes he hasn't treated his lady the way he should. He pleads for "a little love, just a little love (or trust, or faith)" so that if he changes his ways, he can heal their relationship.
12. Oh How I'd Miss You (2:33) - This moderately slow, swing-tempoed song features various instruments, including horns, chimes and a harpsichord. Each partner would feel sad if the other went away. The girl's heart would shake more than the earth could, while the guy would suffer permanent wounds and cry often. Since the day they met, each has been the other's whole world. The backup singers sing in a mournful tone, especially at the words "baby, baby."
13. Ain't Nothin' Like The Real Thing (2:13) - This song is slow. Most of the time a tambourine plays with equal loudness on all four beats of each measure. Marvin and Tammi sing the chorus together; they also sing a few lines in the second verse together. The rest of the time each sings one to a few lines at a time. Each lover can look at the other's picture on the wall, they can read each other's letters, but their pleasure would not be complete unless they were actually together.
14. Keep On Lovin' Me Honey (2:29) - The tempo is moderately slow. The man tells the woman to continue loving him. She tells him she's satisfied with his tenderness. Each tells the other never to take the love away.
15. You're All I Need To Get By (2:49) - In addition to the duo, this slow song features a female backup group singing the title during the two verses. Also in each verse, he sings a few lines, then so does she, then each sings different lines simultaneously, and lastly they sing several lines together. In the fade-out sequence she sings her lines over his. I also have a version of this song by Aretha Franklin.
16. Baby Don'tcha Worry * (2:54) - In this version Marvin sings the second verse and much of the bridge. The horns are louder here than in Tammi's solo version.
17. You Ain't Livin' Till You're Lovin' * (2:46) - This moderately slow song is one of my favorites, to which I'd rock a special woman gently if I had one. The girl tells the guy that his fancy-free lifestyle is not what it's cracked up to be. She asks him to try loving her, hoping he'll later realize that a loving relationship brings more happiness than conquests and kingship. Marvin, for his part, plays a guy who wants to persuade a girl to commit rather than "kiss and run."
18. Give In, You Just Can't Win * (2:32) - The tempo is slightly faster than moderate. Instruments include horns and a tambourine. Tammi's character tells her ex-boyfriend that it's too late for him to try to win her back; if he walks all over town, he'll find only sadness. Marvin's character warns his ex-girlfriend never to call him again; she'll get either a busy signal or no answer.
19. When Love Comes Knocking At My Heart * (2:28) - This upbeat song opens with a piano. Tammi portrays a girl who envies her next-door neighbor because the latter has a boyfriend, whereas the narrator does not. Marvin's character is so depressed for lack of love that he's afraid to get out of bed. Each narrator will accept love the very second it knocks, if it ever does. When Marvin and Tammi sing the chorus the second time, after they exchange a couple of "oh darlin's," the key modulates from D to E and they exchange a couple more "oh darlin's."
20. Come On And See Me (2:24) - Though Tammi previously sang this song solo, this version was recorded from scratch and is slower than the original. I love how the pair sing "ba-ya-by, su-yu-gar, ho-yo-ney" here--so smooth. After they do that the first time, Tammi sings "I've got joy, love..." then Marvin sings "I've got a true love...it can be yours, Tammi, eternally." Tammi then responds, "It can be yours, Marvin, eternally."
21. I Can't Help But Love You (2:47) - The tempo is moderate. A tambourine plays on the second and fourth beats of each measure. Interestingly, Marvin and Tammi sing each other's names every now and then. The couple can't help but love each other even if one of them had to travel a million miles away.
22. That's How It Is (Since You've Been Gone) * (2:58) - For the first 10 seconds, the beat is kind of hard to follow, but it's moderate. The guy is tired of reading his former girlfriend's goodbye letter. Since her departure, he can neither eat nor sleep. Tammi, on the other hand, plays a girl who has been dumped. Her curtains are closed and her heart broken. Though her tears have rendered her ex's letter illegible, his final words still echo in her mind. After she used to grant his every wish, she can't understand how he could leave her; Tammi even sounds mournful when singing the line "How could such a mistake be made?"
23. I'll Never Stop Loving You Baby (3:19) - The tempo is slightly slower than moderate. In some parts, the crescendoes of backup singers drown out the voice of Marvin or Tammi. But each narrator tells the other, "I'll never stop lovin' you, baby, no no no no."
24. Memory Chest * (2:53) - This moderate-speed song includes horns and a tambourine. Neither lover takes the other's sweet talk, kisses, and caresses for granted. Instead, each keeps in mind the possibility that the other might find someone new someday.
26. Keep On Lovin' Me Honey (alternate vocal) (2:35) - This version has a tiny bit slower feel than the previously released version. In the fading sequence, the duo sing the line "Don't you take your love, don't take it away from me" with hardly any space between repeats.
27. We'll Be Satisfied (2:37) - This moderate-speed song was a leftover from the United sessions. A tambourine and horns are among the instruments. Despite the title, the duo always end verses with "I'LL be satisfied." The guy wants to give the gal the stars, fulfill all her needs, kiss her lips all night, and do many other things for her. She wants to show him love through actions instead of words, and to cry tears of joy instead of sadness, among other things. As the song nears its end, Tammi belts out, "Got to, got to have you!" The song ends not with a fadeout, but with a short laugh showing how much fun they had recording the song.
1. Good Lovin' Ain't Easy To Come By (2:27) - The tempo is moderately slow, sometimes with accented even-numbered beats, other times with all four beats played with equal volume. There's no definite duet pattern here, but the title is clearly true.
2. California Soul (2:48) - This song has a similar speed to the previous song. Tambourines play on every other beat. The duo describe how soul music permeates California from sunrise to sunset. People singing, lovers kissing...the listener can't resist dancing or feeling happy.
3. Love Woke Me Up This Morning (2:29) - This somewhat fast waltz tune describes the euphoria that new love can bring. Apparently it's the couple's first morning waking up next to each other. They tell each other how their heartaches and tears have gone away since they found each other. Instruments include chimes. Ironically, Valerie Simpson later sang this song herself on her early-1970s solo album Exposed.
4. This Poor Heart Of Mine (2:39) - This song too has a moderate tempo; it also features a tambourine. Only the love of the second person can save the narrator's heart. Now, don't confuse this song with "This Old Heart..."; different lyrics and music entirely.
5. I'm Your Puppet (2:57) - The tempo is moderate and slightly faster than the original version by James and Bobby Purify. Chimes ring merrily as each lover describes being the puppet of the other. Whenever she feels down, just one pull of his string signals him to cheer her up. Or when he wants her to kiss him or turn flips for him, he needs only to pull her string. These are just a few of the various things they'll do for each other at the pull of a string. All they ask in return is to be treated nice.
6. The Onion Song (2:56) - Most of this song is moderately fast, but it starts and ends very slow with the line describing Earth as a giant onion. Instruments include a tambourine. "Pain and fear are the spices that make you cry," and the only way to exorcise them is to "plant love seeds." Every citizen of the world, regardless of socioeconomic status, needs to hear this message of love. This song was released as a single four days after Tammi's death.
7. What You Gave Me (2:42) - This song, somewhat faster than moderate, has instruments including chimes, a piano and horns. For simplicity I'll use a female narrator. Her relationship with the guy is over, but she hardly sees reason to cry aloud. He kept her warm enough times that she won't be cold now. She won't sell his picture for all the money in the world. She even believes that it's only a matter of time before he finds his way back to her. All the love he gave her "is more than enough to last."
8. Baby I Need Your Loving (3:10) - Marvin had sung this song with Kim a few years before. This version is slightly slower than moderate, with tambourines sounding every other beat.
9. I Can't Believe You Love Me * (2:42) - The overdubbing is very obvious, with Marvin ad-libbing over Tammi's singing of the chorus. The first and second verses switch order in this version. Tammi's voice is left intact for "You don't kiss me..." while Marvin sings "Whenever we're together..."
10. How You Gonna Keep It (After You Get It) (2:50) - This song is nice and slow, with a tambourine playing on every other beat. This song melts me like ice cream and makes me feel like slow dancing. The guy's kisses and sweet talk are charming, but the lady wonders whether he will stay with her for the long haul. The "it" is her love. Likewise, he asks her whether or not she has commitment on her mind.
11. More More More * (2:27) - The tempo is moderate, with violins and plenty of background vocals. The girl has heard from her mother that men are likely to hurt her, but she can't help being in love with the guy she's singing to. Likewise, he is in love with her despite any advice HIS mother gave HIM. They want "more, more, more" of each other's kissin', huggin', squeezin', and teasin'!
12. Satisfied Feelin' (2:54) - This song has a similar tempo to the previous song. The duo sing most lines together. Now that the couple have found each other, they are happier than usual, and their friends notice it with curiosity. They would describe the feeling to their friends if they could, but they just can't find the words.
Tracks 13-25 are the Tammi solo versions of various duets. Now THAT gives ME a "satisfied feelin' "!
1. You Are Everything (3:07) - This slow song was previously a hit for the Stylistics. It opens with an instrument that sounds similar to the hooting of an owl. Just before they start singing, Marvin says, "Oh darlin', I wanted to be everything to you"; Diana, in reply, softly speaks the song's title. Diana portrays a woman who sees a man on the street. Thinking he's the man with whom she used to have a relationship, she calls that man's name, only to find that the man in the street is a totally different one. Marvin's character, for his part, can't banish memories of his former girlfriend; other girls just can't compare to her. Together Diana and Marvin sing, "You are everything, and everything is you."
2. Love Twins (3:27) - Here's another slow song, with a tambourine playing in the right speaker. After the first 35 seconds, to Marvin's "I love you baby," Diana answers, "I love you too, Marvin." Their characters, having been friends for a long time, want to take their relationship to a higher level, hence the title.
3. Don't Knock My Love (2:19) - This song has a moderate, funky tempo, with horns playing in the right speaker. It was previously sung by Wilson Pickett.
4. You're A Special Part Of Me (3:37) - Like most of this album's songs, this one is nice and slow. My favorite part comes just after the 1-minute mark, when Diana sings, "Can't you see what you mean to me?" Each lover means the world to the other.
5. Pledging My Love (3:33) - This song is a moderately slow waltz. Marvin and Diana take turns singing the verse that begins, "Forever, my darling, my love will be true." Each character vows never to part from the other, asking only for the other's love in return. I've also heard a version of this song by Emmylou Harris.
6. Just Say, Just Say (4:10) - The characters ask each other to "just say, just say" many things such as they'll forgive each other's faults, they'll stay close by, and they can't live without each other.
7. Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart (2:52) - In the first verse, Marvin's character asks a lady if being alone bothers her sometimes, and to analyze why she keeps falling in and out of love. The next verse is Diana's; her character assures a guy that there's no shame in opening up to a potential girlfriend. Both sing that it's never too late to do what the title says.
8. I'm Falling In Love With You (2:40) - The title says it all; each character is falling in love with the other. I like the brief chime solos that appear from time to time.
9. My Mistake (Was To Love You) (2:54) - The tempo is moderate. The featured instrument is a harmonica. Each narrator now believes that to love the other was a mistake. The male narrator acknowledges taking the woman for granted and letting her slip through his fingers. For her part, the woman now realizes that no amount of love could ever do a thing for the man. A mismatch right from the start, indeed!
10. Include Me In Your Life (3:07) - Despite the impression given by the first few measures, this is not a fast song. It's a moderately slow waltz. My favorite part here is repetition of the word "darlin'." Diana sings that "life is too short just to reminisce"; both narrators want to be a key part in each other's lives.
11. Alone (3:45) - Chimes play in the right speaker, a piano in both speakers. The narrators stress the difference between a house and a home. "Homes are made of more than bricks and stone," and if either character forsook the other, their house would not be a home.
12. The Things I Will Not Miss (2:59) - This track opens with the shout of someone counting. The tempo is a bit faster here than in most of the preceding songs. The instruments give the song a Christmasy feel. The narrators won't miss certain things, including "peace and quiet"; I like the couplet of "quiet" and "try it" that's used here. The characters won't miss rain, yet they won't miss "too much sunshine" either. The song could fit a retiring couple, for work is another item on the no-miss list. Oh well, "different people look at life from different points of view."
13. I've Come To Love You So Much (3:48) - The usual slow pace returns. Each narrator's love for the other "keeps growing with each touch." They have known each other a long time; their love has developed slowly but surely.
14. I'll Keep My Light In My Window (4:26) - The male narrator keeps his bedroom light on in case a lonely lady might need the love of someone like him. The female narrator, for her part, keeps her bedroom light on so that she might restore faith in love to a potential special guy.
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