Released: August 28, 1989
Songwriter: Janet Jackson Terry Lewis Jimmy Jam
Producer: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
[Verse 1]
As a child I missed a lot of love I never had
And daddy he was distant
Never there to hold my hand
Never bought the things he'd always promise to give me
Mother made up for him always watching over me
Days would go by and we would never see his face
In my mind I'd wonder "Does he have another place?"
If and when he'd come in he would always be upset
All the kids were scared his next syndrome would be a fret
[Chorus]
Now that you are older and you begin to see
Family's important to be there if you need
Father never taught us these things mom said to me
Now the table's turned so tell me
You need me
[Post-Chorus]
Tell me
Just admit
You need me
[Verse 2]
Daddy daddy dearest, what is it you want from me
(Tell me)
I won't turn my back on you the way you did with me
Now you try to give, I'm always reaching out to grab
I'll give you what I can but I can't give what I don't have
[Chorus]
Mother lends a shoulder, to cry on if you need
But are you there for mother when she needs your company?
Father never taught us, these things mom said to me
Now the table's turned so tell me
You need me
[Breakdown]
Tell me
Tell me
Tell me
Tell me
Say
You need me
[Bridge]
If you realize we need each other, we will be a closer family
I need you, yeah
I need you
And you know that
Say
(Tell me)
You need me
[Chorus]
Now that you are older and you begin to see
Family's important to be there if you need
Father never taught us, no no never taught us
Just to me
You need me
[Breakdown]
Tell me that you need me
Tell me that you love me
Tell me that you need me
Just to me
Say
You need me
[Chorus]
Now that you are older and you begin to see
Family's important to be there if you need
Father never taught us these things mom said to me
Now the table's turned so tell me you need me
Mother lends a shoulder to cry on if you need
But are you there for mother when she needs your company?
Are you there for mother?
Are you there for mother?
Are you there for mother?
Father never taught us these things mom said to me
Just to me
You need me
As a child I missed a lot of love I never had
And daddy he was distant
Never there to hold my hand
Never bought the things he'd always promise to give me
Mother made up for him always watching over me
Days would go by and we would never see his face
In my mind I'd wonder "Does he have another place?"
If and when he'd come in he would always be upset
All the kids were scared his next syndrome would be a fret
[Chorus]
Now that you are older and you begin to see
Family's important to be there if you need
Father never taught us these things mom said to me
Now the table's turned so tell me
You need me
[Post-Chorus]
Tell me
Just admit
You need me
[Verse 2]
Daddy daddy dearest, what is it you want from me
(Tell me)
I won't turn my back on you the way you did with me
Now you try to give, I'm always reaching out to grab
I'll give you what I can but I can't give what I don't have
[Chorus]
Mother lends a shoulder, to cry on if you need
But are you there for mother when she needs your company?
Father never taught us, these things mom said to me
Now the table's turned so tell me
You need me
[Breakdown]
Tell me
Tell me
Tell me
Tell me
Say
You need me
[Bridge]
If you realize we need each other, we will be a closer family
I need you, yeah
I need you
And you know that
Say
(Tell me)
You need me
[Chorus]
Now that you are older and you begin to see
Family's important to be there if you need
Father never taught us, no no never taught us
Just to me
You need me
[Breakdown]
Tell me that you need me
Tell me that you love me
Tell me that you need me
Just to me
Say
You need me
[Chorus]
Now that you are older and you begin to see
Family's important to be there if you need
Father never taught us these things mom said to me
Now the table's turned so tell me you need me
Mother lends a shoulder to cry on if you need
But are you there for mother when she needs your company?
Are you there for mother?
Are you there for mother?
Are you there for mother?
Father never taught us these things mom said to me
Just to me
You need me
Love Will Never Do (Without You): The Remixes
- You Need Me
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (The Love 7")
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (U.K. Funky 7")
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Work It Out 7" With Intro)
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Single Version)
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Acapella)
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Shep’s Original 7")
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (The Love Dub)
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (The Work It Out Dub)
- The 1814 Megamix
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Shep’s Work It Out Mix)
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Shep’s Love Mix)
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (UK Funky Mix)
- Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Work It Out 7")
- No Sleeep
- If
- Nasty
- Would You Mind
- All for You
- Together Again
- BURNITUP!
- Got ’Til It’s Gone
- Any Time, Any Place
- That’s the Way Love Goes
- Dammn Baby
- I Get Lonely
- Doesn’t Really Matter
- Black Cat
- Control
- Again
- No Sleeep (Single Version)
- Unbreakable
- Rhythm Nation
- What About
- Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)
- Feedback
- Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)
- Call on Me