Captain & Tennille

Songwriter: Bruce Johnston

Producer: Daryl Dragon

I've been alive forever
And I wrote the very first song
I put the words and the melodies together
I am music
And I write the songs

I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special thing s
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs

My home lies deep within you
And Ive got my own place in your sole
Now, when I look out through your eyes
I'm young again, even though I'm very old

I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special thing s
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs

Oh my music makes you dance
And gives your spirit to take a chance
And I wrote some rock n roll so you can move
Music fills your heart
Well, that's a real fine place to start
Its from me it's for you
Its from you, it's from me
Its a world wide symphony

I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special thing s
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs
I am music, and I write the songs

In 1972, Toni Tennille was a co-writer of the musical Mother Earth. Daryl “Captain Keyboard” Dragon, who got his nickname while touring with the Beach Boys from his signature skipper’s cap, took a job as the keyboardist for Mother Earth and the two hit it off romantically and musically, forming a nightclub act that charged $70 a night.

When two radio DJs urged the duo to record their cover of the Beach Boys song “Disney Girls” in 1974, they also recorded an original song “The Way I Want to Touch You” which attracted interest from several record labels. A&M Records, home to the platinum-selling male/female duo The Carpenters who had scored ten top 5 hits in the US from 1970-1974, signed them.

Captain & Tennille’s 1975 debut album featured seven originals, three Beach Boys covers and – at the suggestion of A&M’s A&R man – a cover of Neil Sedaka’s “Love Will Keep Us Together”. The latter was released as their first single and found massive success in North America. It reached #1 in the US & Canada, won a Grammy for Record Of The Year, and was the biggest song of of the year in the US. Even their Spanish version of the song “Por Amor Viviremos” reached #49 in the US. A&M followed it up with “The Way I Want to Touch You” and it reached #4 in both the US and Canada. Both songs also found success in New Zealand and the UK. The two married in November 1975.

more tracks from the album

Love Will Keep Us Together

From the album

Love Will Keep Us Together (1975)

Captain & Tennille popular songs

I Write The SongsCaptain & Tennille

Captain & Tennille

Love Will Keep Us Together