‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ is a song written by Mike d'Abo and Tony Macaulay, and released by the Foundations in 1968 with Colin Young singing lead vocals. D'Abo was lead singer of Manfred Mann, and Macaulay was a successful songwriter who also wrote The Foundations hit "Baby Now That I've Found You" as well as songs by The Hollies, Andy Williams and The New Seekers. David Essex, who was unknown at the time but went on to success with ‘Rock On,’ was offered this song, but he turned it down as he didn't like the title.
Young had replaced Clem Curtis during 1968, and this was the first Foundations hit on which he sang. It hit No. 1 on the Cash Box Top 100 and No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1969. It was also a No. 2 hit in the United Kingdom, for two non-consecutive weeks, behind ‘Lily the Pink’ by the Scaffold. It was quickly certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over a million US copies.
The song describes being in love with someone who doesn't reciprocate the feelings. Any time the narrator feels that he is getting somewhere in the relationship, his girl lets him down again and again. No matter how hard he tries, the girl just isn't interested in him. When the singer says, “so build me up buttercup, don't break my heart”, he is asking her to love and compliment him implying he wants to be told nice thigs, even if they are not true or sincere. This suggests that he would rather be led on and teased, which produces more tension within the songs' meaning.
‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ is featured in the 1998 romantic comedy film There's Something About Mary and the episode "Art Imitates Art" from the fourth season of the CBS TV detective series Elementary. The track also features in the 2020 film The Kissing Booth 2, as well as in a series of 2020–21 Geico commercials.
Labels – Pye, Uni
Songwriters – Mike d'Abo, Tony Macaulay
Producer – Tony Macaulay
SONG LYRICS
[Chorus]Why do you build me up (Build me up)
Buttercup, baby
Just to let me down? (Let me down)
And mess me around
And then, worst of all (Worst of all)
You never call, baby
When you say you will (Say you will)
But I love you still
I need you (I need you)
More than anyone, darling
You know that I have from the start
So build me up (Build me up)
Buttercup, don't break my heart
[Verse 1]
"I'll be over at ten", you told me time and again
But you're late, I wait around and then (Ba-dah-dah)
I went to the door, I can't take any more
It's not you, you let me down again (Hey, hey, hey)
[Pre-Chorus]
Baby, baby, try to find (Hey, hey, hey)
A little time and I'll make you happy (Hey, hey, hey)
I'll be home, I'll be beside the phone waiting for you
Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh
[Chorus]
Why do you build me up (Build me up)
Buttercup, baby
Just to let me down? (Let me down)
And mess me around
And then, worst of all (Worst of all)
You never call, baby
When you say you will (Say you will)
But I love you still
I need you (I need you)
More than anyone, darling
You know that I have from the start
So build me up (Build me up)
Buttercup, don't break my heart
[Verse 2]
To you, I'm a toy, but I could be the boy you adore
If you'd just let me know (Ba-dah-dah)
Although you're untrue, I'm attracted to you all the more
Why do I need you so? (Hey, hey, hey)
[Pre-Chorus]
Baby, baby, try to find (Hey, hey, hey)
A little time and I'll make you happy (Hey, hey, hey)
I'll be home, I'll be beside the phone waiting for you
Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh
[Chorus]
Why do you build me up (Build me up)
Buttercup, baby
Just to let me down? (Let me down)
And mess me around
And then, worst of all (Worst of all)
You never call, baby
When you say you will (Say you will)
But I love you still
I need you (I need you)
More than anyone, darling
You know that I have from the start
So build me up (Build me up)
Buttercup, don't break my heart
[Outro]
I-I-I need you more than anyone, baby
You know that I have from the start
So build me up (Build me up)
Buttercup, don't break my heart