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"Where Did Our Love Go" is a 1964 song recorded by American music group
the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...
for the
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 ...
label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Where Did Our Love Go" was the first single by the Supremes to go to the number one position on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop singles chart in the United States, a spot it held for two weeks, from August 16 to August 29, 1964. It was also the first of five Supremes songs in a row to reach number one (the others being " Baby Love", " Come See About Me", "
Stop! In the Name of Love "Stop! In the Name of Love" is a 1965 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Stop! In the Name of Love" held the number 1 position on the Billboard ...
", and " Back in My Arms Again"). It also reached No. 1 on the ''
Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
'' R&B singles chart. The Supremes' version is ranked number 472 on ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
''s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004 and number 475 in 2010 and was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2016 due to its "cultural, historic, or artistic significance." ''Billboard'' named the song number 4 on its list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. The
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
ranked "Where Did Our Love Go" at number 59 on ''The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart'', which ranks
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 ...
releases by their all time UK downloads and streams.


History


Overview

According to Brian Holland, "Where Did Our Love Go" was written with
the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...
in mind.''Unsung: The Marvelettes'', TV One, 2012 Though Supremes member Mary Wilson later wrote that the song had been originally given to
the Marvelettes The Marvelettes were an American girl group formed in Inkster, Michigan, Inkster, Michigan in 1960, consisting of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who was ...
, Holland denied that claim, as did the Marvelettes themselves. Marvelettes member Katherine Anderson-Schnaffer later said that the song did not fit her group's repertoire because it was produced with a slower beat, whereas their music was more uptempo. When the Supremes were eventually given the song, the group members were not pleased with the song. Supremes member Florence Ballard later stated that they had wanted a stronger single, similar to the Marvelettes' " Please Mr. Postman".''Unsung: Florence Ballard'', TV One, 2010 Another objection from the group was that it sounded too "kiddie-ish." Although the group felt the song did not have the
hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...
needed to make it successful, they decided that they had no choice and prepared to record it. Initially, the producers argued over who should sing the song, because it had been cut in the same key as Mary Wilson's voice. The lead vocal was ultimately assigned to
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
because, according to
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's Ed Hogan, "she had a unique, sensuous sound." She sang it in her usual high register in the recording studio on April 8. As a result, Ross was told to sing the song in a lower register and begrudgingly complied with Holland/Dozier/Holland's "to the letter" formula. Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard's vocal contribution was significant in bringing a fresh yet smooth tone to the overall sound of the song, while remaining true to the backup arrangements that Lamont Dozier had set down. After hearing the song's playback, an excited Ross rushed to Gordy's office and told him to come to the studio to listen. At the end of the playback, a satisfied Gordy nodded, telling the producers and the group that the song had the potential to be a top ten hit.


Release and reaction

"Where Did Our Love Go" was released as a single on June 17, 1964, and entered the Hot 100 at number 77. Six weeks later, while the Supremes were on tour as part of
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
's "''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...
Caravan of Stars''", the song made it to number one for two weeks, spending a total of nine weeks in the ''Billboard'' Top Ten. The girls began the tour at the bottom of the bill; by the conclusion of the tour, they were at the top. They performed the song on the NBC variety program, '' Hullabaloo!'' on Tuesday, January 26, 1965. The song became the focal point and title track of the group's second album, '' Where Did Our Love Go'', released later that year. A
German language German (, ) is a West Germanic language in the Indo-European language family, mainly spoken in Western Europe, Western and Central Europe. It is the majority and Official language, official (or co-official) language in Germany, Austria, Switze ...
version of it titled "Baby, Baby, wo ist unsere Liebe" was recorded by the Supremes for German-speaking markets overseas and released as the b-side to their German recording of "Moonlight and Kisses" in April 1965. The song struck a chord in the United States, with a group which would become the most successful chart-topping American popular music group of the 1960s. '' Billboard'' described the song as having an "unbeatable beat" and a "true rockin'-blues groove." ''
Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
'' described it as "an infectious handclapping stomp'er...that the femmes and their instrumental support put over with telling teen effect." The first of their American chart toppers, the song peaked just weeks after the passage of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 () is a landmark civil rights and United States labor law, labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on Race (human categorization), race, Person of color, color, religion, sex, and nationa ...
, critically remarked as capturing the spirit of an America reeling from the
assassination of John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Kennedy was in the vehicle with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onas ...
, racial tension, and a harbinger of the end of the early optimism of the 1960s. The song was transmitted to astronauts orbiting Earth in August 1965 during the Gemini 5 mission.


Personnel

* Lead vocals by
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
* Background vocals by Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson * All instruments by
the Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...
**Bass by
James Jamerson James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983) was an American bassist. He was the uncredited bassist on most of the Motown Records hits in the 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases un ...
**Drums by Richard "Pistol" Allen **Guitar by Eddie Willis, Robert White **Piano by Earl Van Dyke **Baritone saxophone solo by Andrew "Mike" Terry **
Vibraphone The vibraphone (also called the vibraharp) is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using Percussion mallet, mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone ...
by Jack Ashford **Percussion (foot stomping) by Mike Valvano


Cover versions

* In August 1964, British group Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers released their version (Piccadilly single A-side) * In 1971, this song was covered by Donnie Elbert on his album ''Where Did Our Love Go'', and charted at number 15 with it. On the R&B chart, it peaked at number 6. In Canada, it reached number 55. * In 1976, The J. Geils Band covered the song on their live 1976 album '' Blow Your Face Out'', and also charted with a studio version as a standalone single at number 68. * In 1978, it was included as the 11th track on the album Pastiche by The Manhattan Transfer, which reached number 10 in the UK Album charts and no 40 in the Singles chart. * In 1981, Soft Cell covered the song in a medley with " Tainted Love" on the 12 inch single, and as the AA side to the Tainted Love 7 inch single. It charted at number one in the UK Singles Chart. *In 1993 Sinitta released ''The Supreme EP'' which featured the song along with two other Supremes hits and the 1970 Diana Ross single " Remember Me". It charted at number 49 in the UK.


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


All-time charts


Certifications


See also

* List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1964 (U.S.)


Bibliography

* Benjaminson, Peter (2008). "The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard". Chicago: Lawrence Hill Books. . * Chin, Brian and Nathan, David (2000). Reflections Of...The Supremes D box set New York: Motown Record Co./Universal Music. * Posner, Gerald (2002). "Motown : Music, Money, Sex, and Power". New York: Random House. . * Wilson, Mary and Romanowski, Patricia (1986, 1990, 2000). " Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme". New York: Cooper Square Publishers. .


References


External links


List of cover versions of "Where Did Our Love Go"
at SecondHandSongs.com * {{Authority control 1964 singles The Supremes songs Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Cashbox number-one singles Songs written by Holland–Dozier–Holland Soft Cell songs The J. Geils Band songs Number-one singles in New Zealand RPM Top Singles number-one singles Motown singles 1964 songs Song recordings produced by Brian Holland Song recordings produced by Lamont Dozier United States National Recording Registry recordings Music videos shot in France