"Just a Little Misunderstanding"
Single by The Contours
B-side"Determination"
ReleasedApril 13, 1966
RecordedHitsville USA (Studio A); 1966
GenreSoul
Length2:29
LabelGordy
G7052
Songwriter(s)Stevie Wonder
Clarence Paul
Morris Broadnax
Producer(s)Clarence Paul
William "Mickey" Stevenson
The Contours singles chronology
"First I Look at the Purse"
(1965)		 "Just a Little Misunderstanding"
(1966)		 "It's So Hard Being a Loser" / "Your Love Grows More Precious Everyday"
(1967)

"Just a Little Misunderstanding" (G7052) is a 1966 song by Motown Records R&B group The Contours on the company's Gordy subsidiary label. It was composed by Stevie Wonder, along with Motown staff songwriters Clarence Paul and Morris Broadnax.[1] The song did not appear on any original Contours studio album. Paul and Motown A&R Director William "Mickey" Stevenson were the song's producers, and Wonder plays drums on the recording.[2]

Description

This song was not a big chart success, only reaching # 85 on the Billboard Hot 100. It did much better on the Billboard R&B chart, however, reaching the Top 20, peaking at #18. It was also a Top 40 hit in the UK in 1970, reaching # 31 on the UK Chart.[3] The first hit by the group that did not feature original lead singer Billy Gordon, "Just a Little Misunderstanding" featured lead vocals by his replacement, Joseph Stubbs, (brother of The Four Tops' lead singer, Levi Stubbs), who previously sang for the Detroit-based R&B group The Falcons.[4][5]

In this hard-driving, uptempo song, Stubbs, as the song's narrator, portrays a man trying to apologize to his wife for his bad behavior, only to find out that she is about to leave him.[6]

This was Stubbs' only lead on a Contours single. Shortly after this song was recorded, Stubbs left the Contours and Motown.[7] Stubbs' lead spot in the Contours was taken by future Temptation Dennis Edwards on the group's next single release,"It's So Hard Being a Loser" b/w "Your Love Grows More Precious Everyday".Stubbs went on to Holland-Dozier-Holland's Hot Wax label, and became lead singer of the group 100 Proof (Aged in Soul).

Albums and covers

Just a Little Misunderstanding has appeared on several Contours' "Greatest Hits" CD compilations on the Motown label,[8]

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Morris Broadnax Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  2. 1 2 "Contours". Soulfulkindamusic.net. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  3. ↑ "CONTOURS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  4. ↑ "Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks: The Falcons". Uncamarvy.com. 1959-03-16. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  5. ↑ "The Falcons Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  6. ↑ "The Contours: Just A Little Misunderstanding Lyrics". Justsomelyrics.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  7. ↑ "The Contours Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  8. ↑ "Just a Little Misunderstanding - The Contours". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
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