"Do You Love Me"
Single by the Contours
from the album Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
B-side"Move, Mr. Man"
ReleasedJune 29, 1962 (June 29, 1962)
Recorded1962
StudioHitsville USA (Studio A), Detroit, Michigan
GenreRhythm and blues
Length2:54
LabelGordy
Songwriter(s)Berry Gordy Jr.
Producer(s)Berry Gordy Jr.
The Contours singles chronology
"The Stretch"
(1961)		 "Do You Love Me"
(1962)		 "Shake Sherry"
(1962)

"Do You Love Me" is a rhythm and blues song recorded by the Contours in 1962. Written and produced by Motown Records owner Berry Gordy Jr., it appeared twice on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching numbers three in 1962 and eleven in 1988.[1]

As with many American R&B songs of the 1960s, "Do You Love Me" was recorded by several British Invasion groups. A 1963 version by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes reached number one on the UK Singles Chart.[2] It also became a hit for the Dave Clark Five, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964.[1]

Background and recording

Berry Gordy wrote "Do You Love Me" and earmarked it for the Temptations, who had no top-40 hits to their name yet. However, when Gordy was looking for the group to record it, he could not find them; they had gone to church to see gospel groups the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Harmonizing Four and the Swan Silvertones.[3][4] Instead, the Contours, who had turned up to the studio to record their song "It Must Be Love", were asked by Gordy to try singing "Do You Love Me". After several attempts, they sang it exactly how Gordy wanted, and it was then recorded the following day.[5] Contours singer Joe Billingslea stated in an interview in 2009 that "The Temptations could never have sung that song because it wasn't suited to them but Berry had motivated us to sing it the way he wanted it".[5]

The Contours, who were in danger of being dropped from the label after their first two singles, "Whole Lotta' Woman" and "The Stretch", failed to chart, immediately accepted. Instrumental backing was provided by Joe Hunter on piano, James Jamerson on bass, and Benny Benjamin on drums (later known as the Funk Brothers).[6]

Gordy said that "getting the concept for the song was easy. I remembered the days when I could never get the girls I liked because I couldn't dance".[4] As such, the song references the 1960s dance moves the Mashed Potato and the Twist. The song includes a spoken recitation in the intro:

You broke my heart, 'cause I couldn't dance
You didn't even want me around
And now I'm back, to let you know
I can really shake 'em down

Release and reception

"Do You Love Me" became a successful dance record, built around lead singer Billy Gordon's screaming vocals. Selling over a million copies, "Do You Love Me" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks starting on October 20, 1962, and reached the top position on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.[7] The song was included on the 1962 album Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance).

In 1987 the Contours' recording was included in the film Dirty Dancing. Re-issued as a single from the More Dirty Dancing soundtrack album, "Do You Love Me" became a hit for the second time, peaking at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1988.[1] The Contours, by then composed of Joe Billingslea and three new members, joined Ronnie Spector and Bill Medley, among others, on a "Dirty Dancing Tour" resulting from the success of the film.

The Contours' recording was also included in the Tiny Toon Adventures episode "Toon TV" (aired in 1992) in which Buster Bunny lip syncs the song whilst attempting to show Babs Bunny his new dance moves.

According to music journalist Dave Marsh, "Do You Love Me" is representative of Gordy's talent as a musician, producer, arranger, and songwriter: "The result is not only classic rock and roll but a tribute to his stature as the greatest backstage talent in rock history."[8] Gordy viewed the song as an example of the musical overlap between rhythm and blues, pop, and rock and roll, telling Billboard in 1963, "It was recorded r. & b. but by the time it reached the half-million mark, it was considered pop. And if we hadn't recorded it with a Negro artist, it would have been considered rock and roll."[9]

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Brian Poole and the Tremeloes version

"Do You Love Me"
Single by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes
B-side"Why Can't You Love Me"
Released31 August 1963 (1963-08-31)[28]
Recorded14 August 1963 (1963-08-14)[29]
StudioDecca Studios, London
GenreBeat
Length2:26
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)Berry Gordy Jr.
Producer(s)Mike Smith
Brian Poole and the Tremeloes singles chronology
"Twist and Shout"
(1963)		 "Do You Love Me"
(1963)		 "I Can Dance"
(1963)

Background and release

Brian Poole and the Tremeloes first heard "Do You Love Me" on the Contours' album Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance). Other bands were also playing the Contours' songs and the group decided that "Do You Love Me" should be the follow-up single to their top-five hit version of "Twist and Shout". It was recorded in the same way as "Twist and Shout", with the group miking up a PA system in the studio in order to imitate their live sound.[30]

Brian Poole and the Tremeloes' version of "Do You Love Me" is noticeably different to the Contours' version, with writer and lecturer Andrew Flory describing it as "a refined version of a Motown rock song; instead of a raucous sound offered by the Contours, through pitch and rhythm normalization, instrumentation, and vocal timbre differences, the Tremeloes created a stereotypical Merseybeat interpretation".[31]

"Do You Love Me" was released as a single in late August 1963, with the B-side, "Why Can't You Love Me", written by Tremeloes guitarist Alan Blakley. The single had been intended for release in late September, but was rush-released on 31 August to capitalise on the success of "Twist and Shout" and to combat a version by fellow beat group the Dave Clark Five which was set for release on 6 September.[28] "Do You Love Me" topped the four main music paper charts in the UK and became the group's only number one before the departure of Brian Poole in 1966, after which they achieved a further number one with "Silence Is Golden" in 1967.[32] "Do You Love Me" sold over 250,000 copies and was awarded a silver disc by Disc.[33]

Reviewing for New Musical Express, Keith Fordyce described "Do You Love Me" as "raucous and a strain on the vocal chords, but it's bursting with excitement".[34] Don Nicholl for Disc described it as "a brash, noisy group working to produce a beat that is going to be just what the dancer ordered".[35]

Charts

Chart (1963) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[36] 19
Australia (Music Maker, Sydney)[37] 1
Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[38] 5
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[39] 12
Ireland (IRMA)[40] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[41] 5
Sweden (Tio i Topp)[42] 5
UK Disc Top 30[43] 1
UK Melody Maker Top 50[44] 1
UK New Musical Express Top 30[45] 1
UK Record Retailer Top 50[32] 1

The Dave Clark Five version

"Do You Love Me"
Single by the Dave Clark Five
B-side"Doo-Dah" (UK)
"Chiquita" (US)
Released6 September 1963 (1963-09-06)
Recorded1963
StudioLansdowne Studios, London
GenreBeat
Length2:44
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Berry Gordy Jr.
Producer(s)
The Dave Clark Five singles chronology
"The Mulberry Bush"
(1963)		 "Do You Love Me"
(1963)		 "Glad All Over"
(1963)

Background and release

Following the rush release of Brian Poole and the Tremeloes' version, the Dave Clark Five released their version of "Do You Love Me as a single. It was the band's fifth single and they had yet to have any charting success. "Do You Love You" would become their first charting single, though it only entered the charts in late September and/or early October 1963, and did not chart very highly in the UK.[46] Whilst it was something of a breakthrough for the band, it was irksome as previously they had not been allowed to release their version of "Twist and Shout" (which they had recorded prior to the Beatles' recording) as a single, which had become a hit for both the Beatles and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.[47] Following "Do You Love Me", the Dave Clark Five decided to release an original song as a single – "Glad All Over", released in November 1963, would go on to top the charts in the UK and become an international hit.[48]

Following the success of "Glad All Over" and the follow-up "Bits and Pieces" in North America, Epic and Capitol Records decided to issue "Do You Love Me" as a single in the US and Canada, respectively, in April 1964. Whilst the original UK release featured "Doo-Dah" (a cover/rewrite of "Camptown Races") as the B-side, the North American release featured an older UK B-side, "Chiquita".[49] The single performed well, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 on the Canadian RPM chart.[1][50] This helped total global sales of the single pass the one million mark.[7]

New Musical Express' Keith Fordyce described it as "a strong rival version to the Tremeloes, without being quite as good. But it's a near thing".[34] Cash Box described "Do You Love Me" as "a 'pull-out-all-the-stops' pounder already busting loose on the charts".[51]

Charts

Chart (1963–64) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[50] 8
UK Melody Maker Top 50[52] 29
UK New Musical Express Top 30[53] 24
UK Record Retailer Top 50[46] 30
US Billboard Hot 100[1] 11
US Cash Box Top 100[54] 8

Other cover versions

  • In 1984, a cover by British musician Andy Fraser (who was a former member of Free) peaked at number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100.
  • In 1995, a cover by Duke Baysee peaked at number 46 in the UK.[56]
  • In 2004, a cover by German pop girl group Preluders peaked at number 50 on the German charts.[57]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. pp. 190, 196.
  2. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 565. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ↑ Waller, Don (1985). The Motown Story. New York: C. Scribner. p. 109. ISBN 9780684182933.
  4. 1 2 "Berry Gordy" (PDF). Billboard. 5 November 1994. p. 77. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  5. 1 2 Songfacts. "Do You Love Me by The Contours - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  6. ↑ The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 2: 1962 [liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records
  7. 1 2 Coryton, Demitri; Murrells, Joseph (1990). Hits of the '60s: the million sellers. London: B.T. Batsford. pp. 57, 77. ISBN 0-7134-5851-8.
  8. ↑ Abbott, Kingsley (2001). Calling Out Around the World: A Motown Reader. Helter Skelter. p. 38. ISBN 1900924145.
  9. ↑ Biro, Nick (January 5, 1963). "R & B Roundup". Billboard. p. 16. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  10. ↑ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
  11. ↑ "The Contours – Do You Love Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. ↑ "The Contours – Do You Love Me" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  13. ↑ "C-Funtastic Fifty Week of November 24, 1962". 24 November 1962. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  14. ↑ "CHUM Hit Parade Week of October 29, 1962". 29 October 1962. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  15. 1 2 "The Contours – Do You Love Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  16. ↑ "Lever Hit Parade". flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  17. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 133.
  18. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 27, 1962". Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  19. ↑ "Cash Box Top 50 In R&B Locations – Week ending October 20, 1962". Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  20. ↑ "The Contours – Do You Love Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  21. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8585." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  22. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8640." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  23. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Contours" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  24. ↑ "Contours: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  25. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs (1961–2006). Record Research. p. 62. ISBN 9780898201697.
  26. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending August 6, 1988". Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  27. ↑ "British single certifications – Contours – Do You Love Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  28. 1 2 "Rush release on Brian Poole follow-up" (PDF). Disc. 31 August 1963. p. 7. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  29. ↑ Tracy, John (1991). Do You Love Me (CD). Europe: Deram. 820 980-2.
  30. ↑ "Continuing the story of our biggest hits, this time "Do You Love Me"". Brian Poole. 2013-07-20. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  31. ↑ Flory, Andrew (2014). "Tamla Motown in the UK: Transatlantic Reception of American Rhythm and Blues". In Lashua, Brett; Spracklen, Karl; Wagg, Stephen (eds.). Sounds and the City: Popular Music, Place and Globalization. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 116. ISBN 9781137283115.
  32. 1 2 "TREMELOES | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  33. ↑ "Brian (Silver Disc) Poole Joins Rydell Tour" (PDF). Disc. 19 October 1963. p. 6. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  34. 1 2 "Single Reviews" (PDF). New Musical Express. 6 September 1963. p. 4. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  35. ↑ "Disc Date" (PDF). Disc. 7 September 1963. p. 9. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  36. ↑ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
  37. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 21 December 1963. p. 20. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  38. ↑ "danskehitlister.dk". Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  39. ↑ Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit Tom - TUN". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  40. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Do You Love Me". Irish Singles Chart.
  41. ↑ "Brian Poole and the Tremeloes – Do You Love Me". VG-lista.
  42. ↑ Hallberg, Eric; Henningsson, Ulf (2012). Tio i Topp - med de utslagna "på försök" 1961–74 (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). Premium. p. 286. ISBN 978-91-89136-89-2.
  43. ↑ "Top 30" (PDF). Disc. 5 October 1963. p. 3. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  44. ↑ "Pop Fifty". Melody Maker. 12 October 1963.
  45. ↑ "NME Top Thirty". New Musical Express. 4 October 1963.
  46. 1 2 "DAVE CLARK FIVE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  47. ↑ "The Dave Clark Five" (PDF). Beat Instrumental. January 1969. p. 38. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  48. ↑ Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (2010-05-26). 1,000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press. p. 247. ISBN 978-0-85712-360-2.
  49. ↑ "The Dave Clark Five - Do You Love Me". 45cat. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  50. 1 2 "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4722." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  51. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. May 2, 1964. p. 16. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  52. ↑ "Pop Fifty". Melody Maker. 19 October 1963.
  53. ↑ "NME Top Thirty". New Musical Express. 18 October 1963.
  54. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending June 13, 1964". Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  55. ↑ "DEEP FEELING | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  56. ↑ "DUKE BAYSEE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  57. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
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