If I Could Build My Whole World Around You
Encyclopedia
"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" is a popular song recorded by Marvin Gaye
and Tammi Terrell
in 1967 and released in December 1967. Written by Harvey Fuqua
, Johnny Bristol
, and Vernon Bullock, the single was Gaye & Terrell's third single together and the second to go Top Ten on both the Pop and R&B charts of Billboard
, peaking at number ten and number two, respectively.
The duo's vocals go back and forth as they described what could be if either was able to "build a world" around their loved one. It was one of few songs that set the duo apart from other R&B duos of the time. In time, this song among other legendary duets by the two soul icons would become the landmark for R&B duets to this day. The song was also one of the few songs that was written by someone other than Ashford & Simpson
, who had written several hit songs for the duo.
Marc Broussard
covered
this song for his 2007 album SOS: Save Our Soul.
Swedish Pop Idol winner Agnes Carlsson
covered this song with Erik Hassle
in 2009 for her UK debut album Dance Love Pop
.
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell
Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed...
in 1967 and released in December 1967. Written by Harvey Fuqua
Harvey Fuqua
Harvey Fuqua, was an African-American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive.Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s...
, Johnny Bristol
Johnny Bristol
Johnny Bristol , was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, and Vernon Bullock, the single was Gaye & Terrell's third single together and the second to go Top Ten on both the Pop and R&B charts of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
, peaking at number ten and number two, respectively.
The duo's vocals go back and forth as they described what could be if either was able to "build a world" around their loved one. It was one of few songs that set the duo apart from other R&B duos of the time. In time, this song among other legendary duets by the two soul icons would become the landmark for R&B duets to this day. The song was also one of the few songs that was written by someone other than Ashford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson
Nickolas Ashford , and Valerie Simpson , were a husband and wife songwriting/production team and recording artists....
, who had written several hit songs for the duo.
Marc Broussard
Marc Broussard
Marc Broussard is an American singer/songwriter. His style is best described as "Bayou Soul," a mix of funk, blues, R&B, rock, and pop, matched with distinct Southern roots...
covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
this song for his 2007 album SOS: Save Our Soul.
Swedish Pop Idol winner Agnes Carlsson
Agnes Carlsson
Agnes Emilia Carlsson, also known mononymously as Agnes , is a Swedish recording artist. She rose to fame as the winner of Idol 2005, the second season of the Swedish Idol series...
covered this song with Erik Hassle
Erik Hassle
Erik Hassle is a Swedish pop singer-songwriter.-Biography:Hassle was raised in a rural village two hours south of Stockholm and originally aspired to be a professional footballer. He grew up listening to soul music and realised his love of music early after listening to Wilson Pickett...
in 2009 for her UK debut album Dance Love Pop
Dance Love Pop
Dance Love Pop is the third studio album by Swedish recording artist Agnes, released originally on October 29, 2008 in Sweden. This was Agnes' first studio album since 2006 and her comeback to the music stage. The album is written and produced by Swedish song-writer Anders Hansson and geared...
.
Personnel
- All vocals by Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and Tammi TerrellTammi TerrellThomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed... - Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...