I Can Only Give You Everything (Them)

24 FEBRUARY 1966


Taken from Them’s early-1996 uncharting album ‘Them Again’, ‘I Can Only Give You Everything’ is another one of their songs that deserved better.

This song was covered by countless unknown garage bands as well as acts such as MC5, Liverpool 5 and the Troggs. This version, in my opinion, remains the best, although MC5's recording comes a close second. The great driving fuzz-guitar riff from this was memorably sampled for Beck’s 1996 single ‘Devil’s Haircut’.

I Can Only Give You Everything (Them)

'I can't give you more than what I've got
I can't expect to give what I have not
I-I-I can only give ya lovin' 'till the sun goes down
And, until the leaves of summer turn to shades of brown

I try and I try
But baby, you know that I
Can only give you evra'thing

I can't argue with you to a-understand
'Cause afterall, I am just a man
A you-ooo-ooo are on my mind
When stars appear and shadows fall
And when ev'ra little flower close
And no birds call
I try and I try
But baby, you know that I
Can only give you evra'thing

I'll do anything you want me to do
'Cause I don't want to know there's life without you
Ooh, ooh, ooh,
Don't ever go and leave me in this world alone
I-I-I'd be like a little child if I was on my own

I try and I try
But baby you know that I
Can only give you evra'thing

Evra'thing, baby
A little bit of this, a little bit of that
And evra'thing
Ooh, ooh, ooh
FADES
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Whoa, ooh, ooh
Whoa, ooh, ooh
Yeah, yeah, yeah'