Tevin Campbell

Released: October 26, 1993

Songwriter: Sally Jo Dakota Narada Michael Walden Johnny Gill

Producer: Narada Michael Walden

[Verse 1]
Girl, we've been the best of friends
And I never want that feeling to end
But you've gotta now what's been on my mind
'Cause I've been holding back, baby, for the longest time

[Pre-Chorus]
And every night, I lie alone in my bed
Pictures of me lovin' you runnin' 'round my head
Now, baby, it's time to let you know
That I want you, and I need you
And I never want to let you go

[Chorus]
What do I say?
What do I do?
Tell me, baby, just to get next to you
What do I say?
What do I do?
Tell me, baby, just to be next to you
Oh, what do I say?

[Verse 2]
Maybe you'll turn and walk away
That's a chance that I've got to take
Said I got to know do you want me too
'Cause I won't ever be free, baby, 'til I know the truth

[Pre-Chorus]
We always talk about the good times that we've had
But girl, tonight, let's talk about what lies ahead
'Cause baby, when look into your eyes
I wanna touch you, I wanna hold you
I wanna love you for the rest of my life, baby

[Chorus]
What do I say?
What do I do?
Tell me, baby, just to get next to you
I wanna know, what do I say?
What do I do, girl?
Tell me, baby, just to be next to you
What do I say?

[Pre-Chorus]
And every night, I lie alone in my bed
Pictures of me lovin' you
Runnin' 'round and around and around my head
And baby, when I look into your eyes
I want to touch ya, I want to hold you
I want to love you for the rest of my life

[Chorus]
What do I say?
What do I do, baby?
Tell me, baby, tell me, baby, just to get next to you, yeah
Oh, now what do I say?
What do I do?
Tell me, baby, just to be next to you
Oh, baby, what do I say?
Ooh, ooh, ooh, oh baby, what do I say?

Tevin Campbell is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter that got his career started with two big names in music—first working with Quincy Jones in 1989 on “Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)” from the album Back on the Block and then working with Prince on “Round and Round” from the Graffiti Bridge soundtrack in 1990.

His debut album T.E.V.I.N. was released on November 19, 1991 and features the #1 R&B hits “Tell Me What You Want Me To Do” and “Alone With You,” which helped the album go platinum and earn Tevin a Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. His next album I’m Ready was released on October 26, 1993 and featured the Babyface-produced hits “Can We Talk” and “I’m Ready.” This album went double platinum and led to three more Grammy nominations for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Can We Talk,” Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “I’m Ready,” and Best R&B Album.

Tevin’s third album Back to the World was released on June 25, 1996 and he followed that up with the release of a self-titled album on February 23, 1999. He appeared in the Broadway musical Hairspray in 2005 and after some guest appearances on various shows throughout the years, he released the song “Safer on the Ground” in 2016.

more tracks from the album

I’m Ready

From the album

I’m Ready (1993)

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