"He Was Really Sayin' Somethin" is a

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

song written by

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

songwriters

Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter, composer, and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s. allmusic Biography/ref> He has been credited as one of the creators ...

William "Mickey" Stevenson William "Mickey" Stevenson (born January 4, 1937) is an American former songwriter and record producer for the Motown group of labels from the early days of Berry Gordy's company until 1967. Life and career He was born William Stevenson and, a ...

, and Edward Holland, Jr. in

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

. The song is notable in both a 1964 version by American Motown girl group

the Velvelettes The Velvelettes were an American singing girl group, signed to Motown in the 1960s. Their biggest chart success occurred in 1964, when Norman Whitfield produced "Needle in a Haystack", which peaked at number 45 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, ...

, and a 1982 hit version (with the title altered to "Really Saying Something") by British girl group

Bananarama Bananarama is an English pop group formed in London in 1980. The group, originally a trio, consisted of friends Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward. Fahey left the group in 1988 and was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan until 1991, when ...

Background

Velvelettes version

The original version of the song was recorded by Motown group the Velvelettes in December 1964. An alternate version recorded in October/November had been discarded. Produced by Norman Whitfield, the Velvelettes' version was released on Motown's V.I.P. label on December 27, 1964, and was a minor hit for the group in early 1965. "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin peaked at number 64 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and at number 21 on the then recently reinstated ''Billboard'' R&B Singles chart. The single was the second most successful release for the Velvelettes, a minor Motown act which never released a full-length album. "Throw a Farewell Kiss", composed by Whitfield and Holland and produced by Whitfield, had been recorded in October 1962 and was issued as the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...

of "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin. Six years later, Whitfield had

the Temptations The Temptations is an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961 as The Elgins, known for their string of successful singles and albums with Motown from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield ...

record "Farewell Kiss" for their 1971 album '' Sky's the Limit''.

Bananarama version

In 1982, the British

girl group A girl group is a music act featuring two or more women in music, female singers who generally vocal harmony, harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female p ...

recorded a

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of the song and released it as the first single from their debut album '' Deep Sea Skiving''.

Fun Boy Three Fun Boy Three were an English new wave pop Fun Boy Three Allmusic bio/ref> band, active from 1981 to 1983 and formed by singers Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding after they left the Specials. They released two albums and had se ...

provided background vocals, having had a hit with Bananarama earlier in the year with another cover, "

T'ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It) "Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)" is a song written by jazz musicians Melvin "Sy" Oliver and James "Trummy" Young. It was first recorded in 1939 by Jimmie Lunceford, Harry James, and Ella Fitzgerald, and again the same year by Na ...

". The 1982 single became the second consecutive top-five hit for both Bananarama and Fun Boy Three, peaking at number five in the UK Singles Chart. It also received heavy play on the then-young

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

network in America. It became the group's third single to chart there, but only became a minor hit, peaking at #108. In Australia, "Really Saying Something" was both groups' second chart entry, peaking at number 74. The B-side, "Give Us Back Our Cheap Fares", was issued on CD for the first time on the 2007 UK reissue of '' Deep Sea Skiving'' as one of five bonus tracks. In 2004, a remixed version of "Really Saying Something" by Solasso was released as a

promotional single A promotional recording, promo, or plug copy is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as mu ...

. It was later included on Bananarama's album ''

Drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

''.

Track listing

*; UK 7″ single (NANA1) #"Really Saying Something" – 2:41 #"Give Us Back Our Cheap Fares" – 2:44 *; US 7″ single (LD201) #"Really Saying Something" (US version) – 3:44 #"Give Us Back Our Cheap Fares" – 2:44 *; UK 12″ vinyl (NANX1) #"Really Saying Something" (extended mix) – 5:40 #:Remixed by Fun Boy Three #"Give Us Back Our Cheap Fares" (extended version) – 4:25 *; UK 12″ vinyl – stickered limited edition (NANX1) #"Really Saying Something" (extended mix) – 5:40 #"Aie A Mwana" (extended version) – 5:46 *; US 12″ vinyl (LLD101) #"Really Saying Something" (extended US version) – 7:50 #"Aie A Mwana" (extended US version) – 6:46 #"Aie A Mwana" (dub mix) – 4:38 *; German 12″ vinyl (6400 606) #"Really Saying Something" (extended mix) – 5:40 #"Give Us Back Our Cheap Fares" (extended version) – 4:25 *; 2004 versions #"Really Saying Something" (Solasso mix) – 5:58 #"Really Saying Something" (Solasso radio edit) #"Really Saying Something" (Solasso dirty dub) – 5:58 #"Really Saying Something" (Hardino radio edit) #"Really Saying Something" (Hardino remix) – 6:20 #"Really Saying Something" (DJ Bomba & Soulseekerz remix) – 6:37 #"Really Saying Something" (Kenny Hayes Sunshine funk remix) – 5:34 #"Really Saying Something" (Giresse breakbeat remix) – 5:21 #"Really Saying Something" (Shanghai Surprise radio edit) – 3:21 #"Really Saying Something" (Shanghai Surprise club mix) – 6:44

Buffalo G version

The Irish

Buffalo G released a rap cover version of the song in 2000, reaching the top 20 in both the Irish and UK charts.

Shakespears Sister version

In late February 2011, Siobhan Fahey's current project,

Shakespears Sister Shakespears Sister are an alternative rock, alternative Pop rock, pop and rock musical duo that was formed in 1988 by Irish people, Irish singer-songwriter Siobhan Fahey, a former member of Bananarama. Shakespears Sister was initially a solo a ...

announced that they were releasing their own version of "Really Saying Something", as a special anniversary single, celebrating 30 years since Bananarama recorded their first single. The single was available exclusively on Shakespears Sister's website as a digital download and a limited edition

CD single A CD single is a single (music), music single in the form of a compact disc (CD). Originally the ''CD single'' standard (as defined in the Rainbow Books, Red Book) was an 8 cm (3-inch) "mini CD" (''CD3''); later on the term referred to any si ...

. Copies of the CD single are no longer in production, and it is now one of Shakespears Sister's rarest collectibles to date. Fahey produced the single with her designer Anthony Walton, in an attempt to promote her forthcoming live releases.

Track listing

*; CD single / digital download #"Really Saying Something" – 2:36 #"A Loaded Gun" – 4:15 *; 2013 digital download #"Really Saying Something" – 2:36 #"A Loaded Gun" – 4:15 #"A Loaded Gun" (early version)

Charts

Velvelettes version

Bananarama version

Buffalo G version

References

{{authority control 1964 songs 1965 singles 1982 singles Bananarama songs Fun Boy Three songs Motown singles London Records singles Songs written by Norman Whitfield Songs written by Eddie Holland Songs written by William "Mickey" Stevenson