"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.
Read more about If I Could Build My Whole World Around You: Personnel
Famous quotes containing the words build and/or world:
“By what a delicate and far-stretched contribution every island is made! What an enterprise of nature thus to lay the foundations of and to build up the future continent, of golden and silver sands and the ruins of forests, with ant-like industry.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“If all the world and love were young,
And truth in every shepherd’s tongue,
These pretty pleasures might me move
To live with thee and be thy Love.”
—Sir Walter Raleigh (1552?–1618)