You

Album

Forty Licks

Label

Tamla

Genre

Soul

Composer(s)

Jack A. Goga;Jeffrey Bowen;Ivory Joe Hunter

Entered Chart

Jan 13, 1968

Peak Date

Feb 17, 1968

Released

December 21, 1967

Recorded

April 14; May 23; June 23 & 26; September 11, 1967

Catalog #

Tamla 54160

B-Side

Change What You Can

Released on August 26, 1968, You marked a transition from soulful ballads to impassioned lover’s pleas for Marvin Gaye as well as a showcasing of his ability to sing in higher keys than his audiences were used to at the time. You is the opening track on I Heard it Through the Grapevine, the album many point to as Gaye’s commercial breakthrough as a solo recording artist.

[Verse 1]
Ooh, you, you I see
In my mirror in the morning, 'stead of seeing me
I see you, I see your face
(You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you)
And inside me is a growing need for your embrace

[Pre-Chorus]
In the light of day, though our faces meet
Someone there might see, so we never speak
'Til the dark of night, while the moon is new
When we whisper words of love in our secret rendezvous

[Chorus]
Though it's wrong, I know
Girl, I love you so
Yes, I need you (You know, you know, you know)
I need you, baby (I need you, babe)

[Verse 2]
Oh you, my sweetest joy
You can afford the best of life
I'm just a hard-working boy
Oh, you've given your love to me (You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you)
Girl, I can't let you hurt yourself by being seen with me
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[Pre-Chorus]
We're worlds apart, so close yet worlds apart
So we must hide the love we're feeling in our hearts
We meet in shadows (We meet in shadows)
Your friends must never know (Your friends must never know)
That we are lovers, darling (That we are lovers)
Although it hurts me so (Although it hurts me so)

[Chorus]
For your sake no one must see
The precious love you're giving me
But you know (You know, you know, you know)
I need you, baby (I need you, babe)

[Bridge]
(You, you, you, you, you, you)
(You, you, you, you, you, you)

[Verse 3]
Oh, one day I'll make the grade, my lucky star will shine
I can tell the world that you are mine, all mine
'Til then we must go on ('Til then we must go on)
The way we have before (The way we have before)
And never let it show (And never let it show)
We love each other so (We love each other so)
[Chorus]
Our love's a one-way track
And there's no turning back
Oh (You know, you know, you know)
I need you, baby (I need you, babe)

[Outro]
You (You, you, you)
You I see (You, you, you)
Oh, in my mirror in the morning (You, you, you)
'Stead of seeing me (You, you, you)
I see you (You, you, you)
Seeing your face (You, you, you)