The Four Tops: ‘Baby I Need Your Loving’

The Motown songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote this. After seeing The Four Tops perform at a club in Detroit, Brian Holland invited them to the Motown studios, where they spent the rest of the night recording the song.

This was the first of many Motown hits for the group, and the beginning of a fruitful collaboration with the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team. Lamont Dozier said in a 1976 interview with Blues & Soul: “We’ve all been together virtually since I was a kid in Detroit and we always had no problem working together. We used to just lock ourselves in the studios with some barbecue ribs and Cold Duck and come up with an album in a couple of days. I would say that they were probably the easiest guys to work with, always professional and polished.”

(source)

Lyrics to “Baby I Need Your Loving”

“Baby I Need Your Loving”

I need your lovin’

Baby, I need your lovin’

Although you’re never near

Your voice I often hear

Another day, another night

I long to hold you tight

‘Cause I’m so lonely

Baby, I need your lovin’

Got to have all your lovin’

Baby, I need your lovin’

Got to have all your lovin’

Some say it’s a sign of weakness

For a man to beg

Then weak I’d rather be

If it means havin’ you to keep

‘Cause lately I’ve been losin’ sleep

Baby, I need your lovin’

Got to have all your lovin’

Baby, I need your lovin’

Got to have all your lovin’

Empty nights echo your name

Whoa, sometimes I wonder

Will I ever be the same?

Oh yeah

When you see me smile, you know

Things have gotten worse

Any smile you might see

Has all been rehearsed

Darlin’, I can’t go on without you

This emptiness won’t let me live without you

This loneliness inside me, darlin’

Makes me feel half alive

Baby, I need your lovin’

Got to have all your lovin’

Baby, I need your lovin’

Got to have all your lovin’

Baby, I need your lovin’

Got to have all your lovin’

Baby, I need your lovin’

Got to have all your lovin’

Here are The Four Tops performing this tune in 1993

Here is a longer performance of them in ’96!

RELATED: The 4 Original Osmond Brothers Performed Together One Last Time