[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)

[Post-Chorus: The Temptations]
(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