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What You Gave Me (song)
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Wikipedia article
'"What You Gave Me"' is a hit duet written and produced by Ashford & Simpson and issued as a single originally by the vocal duo of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1969 on the Tamla label.
Recorded in the final throes of the Gaye-Terrell duet recordings, the song became the second single from their album, 'Easy'. As with much of the album, there is debate over who sang with Gaye: Terrell, who was undergoing treatment for brain cancer, or the track's co-writer and co-producer, Valerie Simpson.
While Gaye later insisted that Simpson stood in for Terrell, Simpson has maintained that Terrell took part in the recordings. Whatever the case, the song gave the duo a modest charting, peaking at number forty-nine pop and number six R&B.
'Cash Box' described it as a "finely honed vocal collaboration."
Chart history
Weekly charts
;Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell;Diana Ross
Year-end charts
Later versions
David Ruffin also recorded the song for his 1969 album 'Feelin' Good'. It was revived years later as a club hit by Diana Ross in 1978. Her version peaked at #86 on the R&B charts.
Credits
*All vocals by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell/Valerie Simpson
*Produced by Ashford & Simpson
*Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
References
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