Songwriter: Smokey Robinson Cornelius Grant
Producer: Smokey Robinson
[Intro: The Temptations]
Yeah, yeah, yeah
[Verse 1: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get stones from a rock, you've got to break it
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
To get bread from dough, you've got to bake it
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
[Verse 1: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get water from a faucet, you've got to turn it
And if you want my love, if you want my love
You've got to earn it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
[Verse 2: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get fire from a match, you've got to strike it
(Strike it, strike it, strike it, strike it)
To get the feeling from a kiss, you've got to like it
(Like it, like it, like it, like it)
[Chorus: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get ashes from wood, you've got to burn it
And if you want my love, if you want my love
You've got to earn it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
[Bridge: Eddie Kendricks]
You've got to treat me kind, all the time
Throw the other guys right out of your mind, yeah, yeah
[Verse 3: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
Now listen
To make broken things work, you've got to fix them
(Fix them, fix them, fix them, fix them)
To make two things one, you've got to mix them
(Mix them, mix them, mix them, mix them)
[Chorus: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get butter from milk, you've got to churn it
And if you want my love, if you want my love
You've got to earn it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
[Outro: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
If you deserve it you can get it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
I'll be glad to see you with it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
Just show me that you love me (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
And that you're thinking of me (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
You can get it in a hurry
Yeah, yeah, yeah
[Verse 1: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get stones from a rock, you've got to break it
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
To get bread from dough, you've got to bake it
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
[Verse 1: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get water from a faucet, you've got to turn it
And if you want my love, if you want my love
You've got to earn it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
[Verse 2: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get fire from a match, you've got to strike it
(Strike it, strike it, strike it, strike it)
To get the feeling from a kiss, you've got to like it
(Like it, like it, like it, like it)
[Chorus: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get ashes from wood, you've got to burn it
And if you want my love, if you want my love
You've got to earn it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
[Bridge: Eddie Kendricks]
You've got to treat me kind, all the time
Throw the other guys right out of your mind, yeah, yeah
[Verse 3: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
Now listen
To make broken things work, you've got to fix them
(Fix them, fix them, fix them, fix them)
To make two things one, you've got to mix them
(Mix them, mix them, mix them, mix them)
[Chorus: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
To get butter from milk, you've got to churn it
And if you want my love, if you want my love
You've got to earn it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
[Outro: Eddie Kendricks & (The Temptations)]
If you deserve it you can get it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
I'll be glad to see you with it (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
Just show me that you love me (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
And that you're thinking of me (Earn it, earn it, earn it)
You can get it in a hurry
The Complete Motown Singles | Vol. 5: 1965
- Anything You Wanna Do
- Purple Rain Drops
- Now That You’ve Won Me
- Since You Won My Heart
- I’ll Always Love You
- Kiss Me Baby
- Going To A Go-Go (Re-Recorded)
- Don’t Look Back (Mono) [Single Version]
- Funny (How Times Slips Away)
- Whisper You Love Me Boy
- My Baby (Second Version)
- When I’m Gone (Second Version)
- I’ll Be Doggone (Second Version)
- My Girl Has Gone (Second Version)
- Ain’t That Peculiar (Second Version)
- She’s Got To Be Real
- Things Are Changing
- Who’s Lovin’ You
- You’ve Changed Me
- Nothing But Heartaches (Second Version)
- Tomorrow May Never Come
- All That’s Good
- You’ve Got To Earn It
- Don’t Look Back
- It’s Growing
- Music Talk
- High Heel Sneakers
- Ooh Baby Baby
- My Girl Has Gone
- Choosey Beggar
- A Fork in the Road
- Ain’t That Peculiar
- I’ll Be Doggone
- Uptight (Everything’s Alright)
- What Love Has Joined Together
- Stop! In the Name of Love
- Mother Dear
- My Baby
- Operator
- I’ve Been Good to You
- When I’m Gone
- Since I Lost My Baby
- As Long as There Is L-O-V-E Love
- I’ll Be Available
- Don’t Mess With Bill (Stereo)
- First I Look at the Purse
- The Tracks of My Tears
- My Girl
- The Way You Do the Things You Do
- Get Ready
- Soul to Soul
- I Want A Love I Can See
- Since I Lost My Baby
- The Further You Look, the Less You See
- You Beat Me to the Punch
- You’ll Lose a Precious Love
- Christmas Everyday
- Ooo Baby Baby
- No More Water In The Well
- Born to Love You
- You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me
- Don’t Send Me Away
- I’ve Been Good to You
- Angel Doll
- Fading Away
- Now That You’ve Won Me
- Stay
- Who’s Lovin’ You
- (You Can) Depend on Me
- My Girl (A Cappella) [Mono]
- My Baby