THE SUPREMES - WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO / BABY LOVE 

WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO

Publicació: 17 de juny de 1964

Llistes: Regne Unit: #3    EUA: #1 (2 setmanes)

Aquest va ser el primer número 1 de The Supremes i la seva primera cançó a les llistes al Regne Unit. The Supremes van tenir més èxits número 1 als Estats Units als anys 60 que qualsevol altre artista, però no van ser fabricants d'èxits instantanis. Després de vuit senzills que no havien aconseguit res, The Supremes es van guanyar el sobrenom de "No-Hit Supremes" a les oficines de Motown. El grup no es va impressionar quan se'ls va oferir una cançó per gravar que The Marvelettes, el millor grup de noies de Motown en aquell moment, ja havien rebutjat, però el cap de la discogràfica Berry Gordy va insistir que la gravessin. The Supremes van pensar que "Where Did Our Love Go" era infantil, i després de gravar-la no els va agradar com va quedar, sense saber que seria el seu primer gran èxit.

The Supremes odiaven la cançó però no estaven en condicions de rebutjar-la en aquell moment, així que la van haver de gravar. Mary Wilson va recordar a la revista Billboard en una entrevista del 2014: "Estàvem una mica enfadades. No era com una cançó de Martha & the Vandellas. Li vam dir a Holland-Dozier-Holland que ens fessin un èxit. Si no teníem una cançó d’èxit els nostres pares ens volien fer anar a la universitat. Vaig anar a l'Eddie i vaig plorar. Li vaig dir: "No ho entens, hem d'aconseguir un èxit ara mateix". Va dir: "No us preocupeu, confieu en nosaltres, això serà una bomba. Una de les coses que no ens va agradar va ser que Flo i jo només havíem de cantar: 'Baby, baby'. Estàvem acostumades a fer patrons harmònics complexos, però en aquesta cançó no vam fer res".

Diana Ross canta la paraula "baby" 14 vegades com a veu principal, però la paraula es repeteix amb molta freqüència a les veus de suport, que arriben a la cinquena frase, "You came into my heart so tendrely", i es mantenen durant tota la cançó, repetint "baby" un total de 54 vegades, per a un total de 68 en els 2:32 que dura la cançó. Són molts babys, sobretot quan aquesta paraula no surt al títol. L'equip Holland-Dozier-Holland va prendre nota: la següent cançó que van escriure per a The Supremes va ser "Baby love", un altre èxit que va arribar al número 1.

Segons Lamont Dozier, una de les seves ruptures va inspirar la lletra. Es va separar d'una noia que "volia més de mi que una aventura casual", i no estava preparat per assumir el compromís. Tocant al piano, va trobar la frase "Where Did Our Love Go” (on va anar el nostre amor). Dozier va dir: "Em va sorprendre pensar en com una cosa tan forta com l'amor podia ser tan fràgil i marxar així.. puf!. És com, on va anar el nostre amor?"

El grup britànic Soft Cell va fer una versió d’aquesta cançó i la va publicar com a cara B del seu senzill "Tainted Love". La versió maxisingle era una barreja de les dues cançons que va tenir un gran èxit internacional.

BABY LOVE

Publicació: 17 de setembre de 1964

Llistes: Regne Unit: #1 (2 setmanes)  EUA: #1 (4 setmanes)

"Baby Love" es va llançar mentre "Where Did Our Love Go" encara estava a les llistes. Els seus tres senzills següents, "Come See About Me", "Stop! In the Name of Love" i "Back in My Arms Again" van arribar al primer lloc a Estats Units. Les cinc cançons van ser escrites per l'equip Holland-Dozier-Holland. Segons Lamont Dozier, aquesta cançó parlava de "el meu primer amor que mai no vaig superar". Dozier diu que moltes de les cançons que va escriure amb Motown es van inspirar en ella.

La percussió stomping realment era forta, igual com també es va fer a "Where Did Our Love Go". Combinada amb aplaudiments i ressò, es va convertir en el so característic dels primers enregistraments de The Supremes.

Motown va donar una gran empenta a aquesta cançó al Regne Unit, on The Supremes van ser enviades de gira a partir del 7 d'octubre de 1964. El 15 d'octubre van interpretar la cançó al popular programa Top Of The Pops, i prop del final de la gira van fer una aparició amb Paul McCartney i Ringo Starr. El 25 de novembre, la cançó va assolir el número 1 a les llistes del Regne Unit, convertint The Supremes en el primer grup de Motown i el primer grup de noies a arribar al número 1 en aquest territori. Va ser el seu únic número 1 del Regne Unit, ja que la resta de la seva carrera es va centrar a Amèrica. Aleshores, el segon artista de Motown que va aconseguir el número 1 al Regne Unit van ser The Four Tops amb "Reach out I'll be there" el 1966.

The Supremes es va convertir en el primer grup de Motown que va tenir més d'un single número u a Estats Units i, a finals de la dècada, tindrien més singles que arribarien al primer lloc que qualsevol altre grup de Motown o grup de música pop nord-americà, amb 12, un rècord que segueixen mantenint.

THE SUPREMES - WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO

Released : June 17, 1964

Charted:  UK: #3    US: #1 (2 weeks)

This was the first #1 hit for The Supremes and their first song to chart in the UK. The Supremes had more US #1 hits in the '60s than any other artist, but they weren't instant hitmakers. After eight singles that hadn't achieved much, The Supremes earned the nickname "No-Hit Supremes" at the Motown offices. The group was not impressed when they were offered a song to record that The Marvelettes, the top girl group at Motown at that point, had already rejected, but label head Berry Gordy insisted they record it. The Supremes thought "Where Did Our Love Go" was childish, and after recording it they didn't like the way it turned out, little knowing it was going to be their first big hit.

The Supremes hated the song but were in no position at that time to turn it down, so they had to record it. Mary Wilson recalled to Billboard magazine in a 2014 interview: "We were a little pissed. It wasn't like a Martha & the Vandellas song. We told Holland-Dozier-Holland to bring on the hits. If we didn't get a hit, our parents were going to make us go to college. I went to Eddie and I cried. I told him, 'You don't understand, we've got to get a hit record right now.' He said, 'Don't worry, trust us, this is going to be a smash. One of the things we didn't like about it was that Flo and I just had to sing, 'Baby, baby.' We were used to doing intricate harmonic patterns but on this song we didn't do anything."

Diana Ross sings the word "baby" 14 times in her lead vocal, but that word is repeated far often in the backing vocals. The backing vocals come in on the fifth line, "You came into my heart so tenderly," and stay throughout the song, repeating the word "baby" a total of 54 times, for a total of 68 in the 2:32 run time. That's a lot of babys, especially since that word isn't in the title. The Holland-Dozier-Holland team took note - the next song they wrote for The Supremes was “Baby love”, another #1 hit.

According to Lamont Dozier, one of his breakups inspired the lyric. He split from a girl who "wanted more from me than a casual fling," and he wasn't ready to make the commitment. Playing on the piano, he found the phrase "where did our love go." Said Dozier: "It hit me thinking about how something so strong as love could be so fragile and then go poof, just like that. It's like, where did our love go?"

British group Soft Cell covered this song, publishing it as the B-side of their single “Tainted Love”. The 12” version was a mashup of the two songs which was a great international success. 

THE SUPREMES - BABY LOVE

Released : September 17, 1964

Charted:  UK: #1 (2 weeks)   US: #1 (4 weeks)

"Baby Love" was released while "Where Did Our Love Go" was still on the charts. Their next three singles, "Come See About Me", "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again" all reached the top spot. All five songs were written by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team. According to Lamont Dozier, this song was about ‘my first love who I never really got over’. Dozier says many of the songs he wrote with Motown were inspired by her.

The stomping percussion really did involve stomping, which was also done on "Where Did Our Love Go". Combined with hand claps and echo, it became a signature sound of early Supremes recordings.

Motown gave this song a big push in the UK, where The Supremes were sent to tour starting on October 7, 1964. On October 15, they performed the song on the popular program Top Of The Pops, and near the end of the tour made an appearance with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. On November 25, the song hit #1 on the UK chart, making The Supremes the first Motown group and the first girl group to reach #1 in that territory. It was their only UK #1, as the rest of their career was focused on America. Then second Motown act to hit #1 in the UK was The Four Tops with “Reach out I’ll be there" in 1966.

The Supremes became the first Motown act to have more than one American number-one single, and by the end of the decade, would have more singles hitting the top slot than any other Motown act, or American pop music group, with 12, a record they continue to hold.

 

BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND - OLD TIME ROCK & ROLL

Publicació: març de 1979

Llistes: EUA: #28

"Old Time Rock and Roll" és una cançó escrita per George Jackson i Thomas E. Jones III, amb lletra sense acreditar de Bob Seger. Va ser gravada per Seger per al seu desè àlbum d'estudi "Stranger in Town". Es va utilitzar a la pel·lícula de 1983 “Risky Business” en una famosa escena on Tom Cruise balla la cançó amb roba interior. A Seger li està bé que la seva cançó estigui estretament associada amb un Cruise vestit en roba interior perquè és bo pel negoci.

Aquesta és una de les poques cançons que Seger va gravar que no va escriure ell. Els compositors George Jackson i Thomas Jones van treballar per a Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, on es va gravar la cançó. Tot i que Seger va treballar en la lletra, no va prendre cap crèdit com a compositor. Això vol dir que Seger no té els drets de publicació de la cançó i Jackson i Jones controlen quan s'utilitza en pel·lícules i anuncis. Segons Seger, es va sentir generós aquell dia i diu que no voler crèdit com a compositor va ser "la cosa més estúpida que vaig fer". Seger afirma que va canviar tota la lletra original excepte la part del "old time rock and roll".

Seger ho va gravar amb la Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, un famós grup de músics d'estudi que posseïa el seu propi estudi de gravació a Alabama. Van donar a moltes cançons una sensació d'autenticitat, cosa que va ser important per a Seger perquè el seu disc anterior, "Night Moves", va tenir molt d'èxit i no volia que anès a parar a la ràdio pop.

Jerry Masters, que era enginyer de gravació a Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, va explicar la història: "Vam fer una demo de l'autor de la cançó, George Jackson, a l'estudi quan no teníem res més a fer. Va ser una gran maqueta, juntament amb algunes altres que vam treballar aquell dia. A Seger li va agradar tant la cançó que va intentar editar-la ell mateix, però després de nombrosos intents, amb els Swampers i amb la seva banda, finalment es va rendir. Ell i el manager de Seger, Punch Andrews van decidir comprar-nos el tema de la maqueta i posar-hi la seva veu, i va acabar en el disc. Així que el clàssic 'Old Time' va ser en realitat una maqueta que vam editar a l'escriptor un parell d'anys abans”.

El guitarrista solista de "Old Time Rock And Roll" no era un músic de Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Va ser Forrest McDonald, un jove que passava per allà i que aquell dia es va aturar a l'estudi. Va entrar a l'aparcament una tarda i Jimmy era al porxo del darrere. I el noi li va dir: "Bé, sóc guitarrista i tinc ganes d'aprendre a tocar en les sessions de gravació, i crec que sóc bo.” Jimmy va dir: "Bé, tens la teva guitarra amb tu?" Ell diu: "Sí". Jimmy diu: "Bé, entra". I el van gravar a la cançó. La seva mare i el seu pare ni tan sols van baixar del cotxe. Es van quedar al cotxe a l'aparcament amb l'aire condicionat en marxa. El van gravar tocant la guitarra i està al disc, ho va fer prou bé per mantenir-lo allà." McDonald no va ser acreditat per la seva part a la cançó, però sí que li van pagar la sessió.

"Old Time Rock and Roll" és un himne nostàlgic sobre el poder i l'atractiu perdurables de la música rock clàssica. Les lletres giren al voltant de la preferència del cantant pel rock and roll antic per sobre de les tendències de la música contemporània. La cançó expressa un anhel pel passat, on la música tenia una ànima i una energia diferents que el cantant considera que falten a la música actual. Les primeres frases, "Just take those old records off the shelf, I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself," (Només treu aquests discos vells de la prestatgeria, m'asseuré a escoltar-los jo sol), impliquen un desig de solitud, destacant la connexió personal que el cantant sent amb la música. La lletra també subratlla la resistència del cantant a les tendències de la música moderna, rebutjant les invitacions a discoteques i balls de saló en favor del blues i la música soul. Això reforça la idea que el cantant anhela uns temps més simples quan el rock and roll era el gènere dominant.

BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND - OLD TIME ROCK & ROLL

Released: March 1979

Charted:  US: #28 

"Old Time Rock and Roll" is a song written by George Jackson and Thomas E. Jones III, with uncredited lyrics by Bob Seger. It was recorded by Seger for his tenth studio album “Stranger in Town”. This was used in the 1983 movie Risky Business in a famous scene where Tom Cruise dances to the song in his underwear. 

Seger is OK with having his song closely associated with an underwear-clad Cruise - he says he gets a kick out of it.

This is one of the few songs Seger recorded that he didn't write. Songwriters George Jackson and Thomas Jones worked for Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, where the song was recorded. Although Seger worked on the lyrics, he didn't take any songwriting credit. This means that Seger doesn't own the publishing rights to the song, and Jackson and Jones control when it is used in movies and commercials. According to Seger, he was feeling generous that day, and says not seeking composer credit was "the dumbest thing I ever did." Seger claims he changed all the original lyrics except for the "old time rock and roll" part.

Seger recorded this with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, a famous group of studio musicians who owned their own recording studio in Alabama. They gave many songs a feeling of authenticity, which was important to Seger because his previous album, “Night Moves”, was very successful and he didn't want to be perceived as selling out to pop radio.

Jerry Masters, who was a recording engineer at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, told the story: "We cut a demo on the writer of the song, George Jackson, there at the studio when we didn't have anything else to do. It was a great demo, along with some others we cut that day. Seger liked the song so much he tried to cut it himself, but after numerous tries, with the Swampers and with his band, he finally gave up. He and Seger's manager Punch Andrews decided to buy the demo track from us and put his vocal on it, and that ended up being the record. So the classic 'Old Time' was in reality a demo we cut on the writer a couple of years earlier”.

The lead guitar player on "Old Time Rock And Roll" was not a Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section player. It was Forrest McDonald, a young man just passing through who happened to stop in the studio that day. He came into the parking lot one afternoon and Jimmy was out on the back porch. And he says, 'Well, I'm a guitar player and I'm wanting to learn how to play on recording sessions. And I think I'm good.' He says, 'Well, got your guitar with you?' He says, 'Yeah.' Jimmy says, 'Well, come on in.' And they put him on the track. His mother and daddy never even got out of the car. They sat in the car in the parking lot with the air conditioning running. And they put him on the track playing guitar and it's on the record, it stayed on there. It was a good enough part that they kept it on there." McDonald wasn't credited for his part on the song, but he did get paid.

"Old Time Rock and Roll" is a nostalgic anthem about the enduring power and appeal of classic rock music. The lyrics revolve around the singer's preference for old-fashioned rock and roll over contemporary music trends. The song expresses a longing for the past, where music had a distinct soul and energy that the singer feels is lacking in today's music. The opening lines, "Just take those old records off the shelf, I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself," imply a desire for solitude, highlighting the personal connection the singer feels to the music. The lyrics also emphasize the singer's resistance to modern music trends, rejecting invitations to discos and tango dances in favor of blues and soul music. This reinforces the idea that the singer yearns for a simpler time when rock and roll was the dominant genre.

 

CHICAGO - 25 OR 6 TO 4

Released: June 1970

Charted:  UK: #7    US: #4 

"25 or 6 to 4" is a song written by American musician Robert Lamm, one of the founding members of the band Chicago. It was recorded in 1969 for their second album, with Peter Cetera on lead vocals. This song was a huge hit Peaking #4 in the US And #7 in the UK.

Lamm said the song is about trying to write a song in the middle of the night. The song's title is the time at which the song is set: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 AM (twenty-five or [twenty-]six [minutes] to four [o’clock]), i.e. 03:34 or 03:35. Lamm explained on The Chris Isaak Hour: "I was living with a bunch of hippies up above Sunset Strip. One of the advantages of this particular house was that it was in the Hollywood Hills and I could look out over the city late at night. I wanted to try to describe the process of writing the song that I was writing. So, 'waiting for the break of day, searching for something to say, flashing lights against the sky' - there was a neon sign across the city. That song came from the fact that it was 25 or 6 to 4 a.m. in the morning when I looked at my watch - I was looking for a line to finish the chorus.

Although Lamm told Chris Isaak he glanced at his watch for the time while he was writing the song, he told Mix magazine in 2019 he looked at an antique clock that was on the wall of the 1920s bungalow, which explains his confusion about the precise minute. "I couldn't quite tell where the hands of the clock were pointing. It was 25 or 26 minutes before 4 a.m. I didn't expect to keep those words. I expected to replace them with some actual lyrics. But it ended up working out okay," he said.

However there are a lot of unsubstantiated rumors regarding the meaning behind this song's lyrics. A popular rumor is that "6 to 4" was a nickname for LSD, because if you dropped acid at 6 p.m., the effects of the drug would wear off by 4 a.m., 10 hours later.

Recently it can be heard in a scene from the movie “The Flash”.

 

CLOUT - SUBSTITUTE

Released : November 1977 (SA)  August 1978 (US)

Charted:  UK: #2   US: #67 

"Substitute" is a song by Willie H. Wilson, recorded first by The Righteous Brothers and released as a single from their album The Sons of Mrs. Righteous in 1975. A 1978 version by the South African all-female band Clout was a global hit. Clout was brand new, and Beggs had them record this song as their first single - sort of. He had the girls sing on it, but used a band called Circus to play the instruments. The song became a surprise hit, going to #1 in South Africa, New Zealand and parts of Europe. It also made #2 in the UK (behind "You're The One That I Want" by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John).

"Substitute" is a song about unrequited love and the desire to be someone's substitute for the person they are pining over. The protagonist of the song, named Sam, has been waiting patiently for a loved one who has not returned. The lyrics convey Sam's dedication, loyalty, and faithfulness throughout their time together.

However, the speaker realizes that they have been neglected and left alone while Sam continues to wait for the person who is not coming back. They express a longing for the same kind of devotion and promise to provide everything they can if they were given that same level of commitment. The singer offers to be Sam's substitute, to fill the void left by the person they are waiting for, whenever Sam wants or needs them. The chorus emphasizes the singer's willingness to be there for Sam, acting as a substitute for the person he is longing for. They assure Sam that they will be available whenever desired or needed. The repetition of the chorus underscores their dedication and the willingness to fill the emotional void. In the bridge, the singer observes how Sam waits hopefully at the window, yearning to see the face of the person they are waiting for. The speaker suggests that Sam should forget about this person and find someone else who can take their place. This insight implies their intention to be that replacement, to be the one who can fulfill Sam's emotional needs and desires.

The disco diva Gloria Gaynor recorded this song in 1978 at the behest of her record label. At the same session, she recorded a song called "I Will Survive," which was released as the B-side of her "Substitute" single. This single stalled at #107 in the US, but many DJs flipped it and played the B-side, so it was released with the sides reversed and "I Will Survive" shot to #1. Gaynor's version uses the same lyrics as Clout's - it's likely that someone in her camp heard the Clout version and thought Gaynor could make it a hit in America.

Fun fact: It was very common when a song was very successful to hear people in pubs singing it out loud. It was also very common to hear the lyrics of many popular songs being changed. Therefore, it was very common to hear how the lyrics were transformed into: "I'll be your prostitute whenever you want me".

 

TYLA - WATER

Publicació: 28 de juliol de 2023

Llistes: Regne Unit: #4 EUA: #21

"Water" és una cançó de la cantant sud-africana Tyla, publicada a través de Fax i Epic Records com a senzill principal del seu proper EP debut. Tyla i Sammy Soso han co-escrit la cançó amb Tricky Stewart, un productor i compositor nord-americà que ha treballat amb alguns dels noms més importants de la música, com Beyoncé, Rihanna i Mariah Carey. Els altres compositors són Ari PenSmith, Mocha Bands, Jack LoMastro, Olmo Zucca, Rayo i Believve. La cançó ha convertit Tyla en la primera solista sud-africana a entrar al Billboard Hot 100 dels EUA en 55 anys des que la llegenda del jazz Hugh Masekela va assolir el número 1 amb "Grazing In The Grass" el 1968.

"Water" és una cançó afrobeats sensual i seductora amb elements de pop i R&B. El productor Sammy Soso uneix forces amb Tyla per crear un paisatge sonor seductor. La cançó explora temes de desig, passió i la intensitat d'una connexió física. La lletra transmet l'anhel de ser portat a noves cotes de sensació i plaer, tal com ho indiquen frases com "Make me sweat" i "Make me hotter". La repetició de la frase "Make me water" al llarg de la cançó suggereix el desig de ser completament consumida per aquesta experiència intensa, de tornar-se fluid i restar immersa en les emocions aclaparadores. "L'aigua" es pot interpretar com una invitació apassionada i atrevida a explorar les profunditats del desig i a lliurar-se plenament a sensacions i emocions intenses, celebrant el poder transformador d'una connexió profundament satisfactòria.

Tyla ha gravat música durant més de dos anys des que va signar amb Epic, però encara no havia fet una cançó de ball d'estiu. Va dir a Billboard: "Vaig sentir que trobava a faltar un èxit, vaig dir-me: D'acord, necessito que soni així. Necessito que tingui influència africana. Ha de sonar com popiano, afrobeats, amapiano, R&B tot en un. Necessito que soni als clubs. Necessito una cançó bomba. Tan bon punt vaig acabar i escoltar "Water" vaig saber que havia trobat la cançó de ball d'estiu que cercava. "Literalment vaig dir: "S'ha acabat. S'ha acabat per a tothom!" Me n'acabo d'enamorar", va dir. "La vaig posar per a tothom que podia, i tothom se'n va enamorar. Així que sabia dins la meva ànima que era aquesta".

TYLA - WATER

Released: July 28, 2023

Charted: UK: #4 US: #21 

"Water" is a song by South African singer Tyla, released through Fax and Epic Records as the lead single from her upcoming debut EP. Tyla and Sammy Soso co-wrote the song with Tricky Stewart, an American producer and songwriter who has worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Mariah Carey. The other songwriters are Ari PenSmith, Mocha Bands, Jack LoMastro, Olmo Zucca, Rayo and Believve. The song made Tyla the first South African soloist in 55 years to enter the US Billboard Hot 100 since jazz legend Hugh Masekela hit #1 with "Grazing In The Grass" in 1968.

"Water" is a sensual and seductive Afrobeats song with elements of pop and R&B. Producer Sammy Soso joins forces with Tyla to craft a seductive soundscape. The song explores themes of desire, passion, and the intensity of a physical connection. The lyrics convey a longing to be taken to new heights of sensation and pleasure, as indicated by lines such as "Make me sweat" and "Make me hotter." The repetition of the phrase "Make me water" throughout the song suggests the desire to be completely consumed by this intense experience, to become fluid and immersed in the overwhelming emotions. "Water" can be interpreted as a passionate and daring invitation to explore the depths of desire and to fully surrender oneself to intense sensations and emotions. It celebrates the transformative power of a deeply fulfilling connection.

Tyla had been recording music for over two years since signing to Epic, but hadn't yet done a summer dance song. She told Billboard: "I felt like I was missing that, I said, 'OK, I need it to sound like this. I need it to have African influence. It needs to sound like 'popiano,' Afrobeats, amapiano, R&B all in one. It needs to live in the clubs. It needs to be a banger.'" As soon as she heard "Water," Tyla knew she'd found that summer dance song. "I was literally like, 'It's over. It's over for everybody!' I just fell in love with it," she said. "I played it for everybody I could, and everyone fell in love with it. So I just knew in my soul that this was the one."