From TEVIN CAMPBELL
Written by David Foster, Suzette Charles, Joey Diggs, Will Wheaton, Warren Wiebe & Nita Whitaker
Tevin Campbell’s music career developed under Quincy Jones’ protective wing. When he was only 12 years old, the singer appeared on Jones’ “Back To The Block” album singing the #1 Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Singles hit “Tomorrow (A Better You Better Me).”
The singer’s subsequent career was always overseen by Jones who was executive producer on all four of his albums. Through the nineties his records spawned hits like “Round And Round,” “Can We Talk” and “I’m Ready.” In 1999 Campbell released a self-titled album that had strong commercial appeal with an all star line-up of producers like Wyclef Jean, Daryl Simmons and Narada Michael Walden. The album showcases the young singer’s voice on good songs like “Never Again” that Campbell co-wrote with Jean, and the elegant “Another Way” that opens the album. One of the best moments is the Simmons’ produced ballad “Everything You Are.” Co-written by David Foster, this song was performed as a duet with R&B singer Coko of Sisters With Voices (SWV) fame.
“Everything You Are” has an interesting history. It was originally written to be part of a new project that Foster was developing in the mid-nineties with some of his favourite studio singers like the late Warren Wiebe and Nita Whitaker. The project was called “New Millennium” and in Foster’s vision was a modern version of the Fifth Dimension. The other talented vocalists of the group were Suzette Charles, Will Wheaton and Joey Diggs. A whole album was recorded in a Pop/R&B style but, unfortunately, it was shelved by the record company and remains probably the most wanted item for Foster fans. The only song to resurface from those sessions was Campbell’s take of “Everything You Are.” The arrangement and vocals are faithful to the original while Simmons’ production is along the lines of the R&B trends of the nineties.
Listen
[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/everything_you_are.mp3|titles=Everything you are|artists=Tevin Campbell]
Lead Vocals: Tevin Campbell & Coko
Keyboards, Percussion & Drum Programming: Daryl Simmons
Produced by Daryl Simmons.
Lyrics
Can I hold you forever in my arms and not let go
‘Cause I really wanna be with you
Say it’s so till the end of time your love is all I know
‘Cause I really wanna be with you
When I’m all alone
I surround myself with every thought of you
I love the things you do
Chorus:
Your love gently lays me down
Turns me all around
Makes me love you once again
One kiss, lips upon my face
Nothing could erase
Everything you are
All we have is love we share and that’s enough for me
‘Cause I really wanna be with you
In a thousand years
if I lost your love
I’d cry a thousand tears
I’d cry a thousand tears
Chorus
Just one look in you eyes makes me melt inside
And I know when you’re holding me close, it’s for real
You’re the love that I’ve wanted to stand the test of time
And I know in my heart, you will always be mine
Chorus