Make It With You by Bread

Album: On The Waters (1970)

Charted: 5 1

Get the Sheet Music License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

This soft rock classic is a little saucy. Written by lead singer David Gates, it finds him propositioning a girl with his dulcet tones:

And if you're wondering what this song is leading to
I want to make it with you

It's pretty clear what he means by "make it," although it's certainly ambiguous enough to clear the censors.
Released on their second album, this was the first hit for Bread, although David Gates had some previous success as a songwriter, including the #3 US "Popsicles And Icicles" in 1964 for the female trio The Murmaids. They followed it up by rereleasing a song from the previous year, "It Don't Matter To Me," which reached #10. Their most successful songs were more light favorites: "If" and "Baby I'm-A Want You."
When group leader David Gates returned home to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where his mother was throwing a big reception party to celebrate the return of the young chart-conquering hero, the newspaper, television and radio press turned up, hoping to play up the whole "local boy does good" PR angle. In a widely circulated interview, Mrs. Gates proudly told the world just how pleased as punch she was with her son's recent success. She then also told them - in complete candor - that she just couldn't understand why he had to call his new hit record, "Naked With You." (Thanks to Kent at Forgotten Hits.)
Other artists to record this song include Earth, Wind & Fire, Aretha Franklin and Teddy Pendergrass.

Comments: 11

Susan from AustraliaWhat does he whisper at 1:42 and 1:51 in the song- any one else notice?
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1971 {July 11th} Ralfi Pagan's covered version of "Make It With You" peaked at #32 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart and it spent eleven weeks on the chart...
"Make It With You" reached #104 on Billboard's Bubbling Under The Top 100 chart...
He had one Top 100 record, a duet with Sylvia Robinson, "Soul Je T'Aime", it stayed on the chart for two weeks in September of 1973 at position #99 for both those weeks...
Sadly, Mr. Pagan passed away in 1978 in Colombia, South America, a victim of an unsolved murder...
May he R.I.P.
Seventhmist from 7th HeavenMaking it, drugs, and rock-n-roll...
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1977 {September 10th} the Whispers performed their covered version of "Make It With You" on the nationally syndicated television program, 'Soul Train'...
At the time the song was at position #17 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart, three weeks earlier it had peaked at #10 {for 1 week} and it spent seventeen weeks on the chart...
It reached #94 on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
Between 1969 and 1997 the Los Angeles group had forty records on the Hot R&B Singles chart, fifteen made the Top 10 with two* reaching #1, "And The Beats Goes On" for 5 weeks in 1980 and "Rock Steady" for 1 week in 1987...
Original member Nicholas Caldwell passed away at the age of 71 on January 5th, 2016...
May he and Don Cornelius {1936 - 2012} R.I.P.
* They just missed having a third #1 record when their "It's A Love Thing" peaked at #2 for 3 weeks in 1981, the first week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Don't Stop The Music" by Yarbrough and Peoples, for it's 2nd and 3rd week at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "Being With You" by Smokey Robinson...
Eric from The MidwestThis song was played when Eric and Donna at the end of the "Van Stock" episode of "That '70's Show"
Joel from Kenosha, WiHate to admit this, I've been saying that a lot for some reason, but I like this song. I never really listened to A.M. radio that much but now I tend to listen to it a lot especially when I'm alone in the car or spending some quality romantic time with my girlfriend. Guess I'm kinda stuck in the seventies.
Guy from Woodinville, WaJust classic sweet soft rock as only Bread could deliver. I would like to hear the Earth Wind & Fire cover. I'm going to see them in concert tnight--it would be cool if they performed it, but they never have yet.
Les from Joplin, MoThe odd lyrics, "Hey have you ever tried really reaching out for the other side..." kinda seems to imply the gay thing.
Joe from Laredo, TxThis was the first Bread song I had ever heard. I just fell so in love with this song. Especially the guitar intro followed by the bass. The album cover to "On the Waters" was great photography. The flip side to that 45 was "Why do you keep me waiting". I thought that was a pretty good song too. This album is really a signature album of the (early) seventies with maybe a pinch of late 60's. I have heard the song "I AM that I AM" from the same album on christian radio. That surprised me.
Dave from Cardiff, WalesGreat song - one for speeding down the highway with all the windows down at full blast on a midsummer's day!
Kerry G. from Detroit Rock City, MiThis and "Baby I'm A Want You" are THEE best love songs ever made.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

American PieDon McLean

Don McLean's "American Pie" starts in mono and gradually goes to stereo. It isn't full stereo until the end of the song, which is over 8 minutes long.

This LoveMaroon 5

Adam Levine of Maroon 5 made it obvious who their song "This Love" was about when he named the album "Songs About Jane."

Rock And Roll All NiteKiss

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of Kiss wrote "Rock And Roll All Nite" as a "rallying cry for all of our fans." In later years, members of Kiss wrote songs separately.

Sweetest ThingU2

Bono wrote "Sweetest Thing" for his wife to make up for working on her birthday.

Beck's BoleroJeff Beck

Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Keith Moon and John Paul Jones recorded "Beck's Bolero" and almost formed a band. They couldn't find a lead singer, so Page and Jones formed Led Zeppelin.