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Gordy G 7044 (A), June 1965
b/w Searching For A Girl
(Written by Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers)
Tamla Motown TMG 531 (A), September 1965
b/w Searching For A Girl
(Released in the UK under license through EMI / Tamla Motown)
The great Bobby Rogers of the Miracles has passed away since the last time we wrote about him – but while this isn’t a Miracles track, perhaps it’s nonetheless the best way to remember him, as not only did he co-write First I Look At The Purse with his Miracles bandmate Smokey Robinson, it’s actually Bobby’s giggly voice we hear at the start here, to open what is a giggly kind of record:
“What does every man look at first?”
This, the “Mark 2” Contours’ first single in seven months following a drastic line-up change which saw only Sylvester Potts and lead singer Billy Gordon remain from the previous version of the group, is an early example of a strategy Motown would later use as its go-to play: got a group struggling for direction? Pair them with Smokey, he’ll know what to do. And he does; he and Bobby turn in a palpably silly record that nonetheless plays to Gordon and the Contours’ unique strengths while having just enough of 1965 about it to stay relevant.
So, a new role beckons for a new Contours, in light of First I Look At The Purse and its predecessor Can You Jerk Like Me – they’re slowly, almost imperceptibly, transitioning from raucous, loutish novelty dance rockers to hard-edged mid-Sixties Motown R&B ambassadors, a Junior Walker-esque reminder that not everything coming out of Hitsville was a sweet pop-soul romp. Like Shorty Long, they’re charming enough to get away with eyebrow-raising things the clean-cut Temptations couldn’t risk yet.
This, for those who haven’t heard it, is in the same musical family as Smokey’s upcoming Going To A Go-Go, and the same lyrical family as Smokey’s prehistoric Shop Around: a sweltering blues-flavoured rock-out with a narrator giving us his, um, unconventional take on romance. For the narrator of First I Look At The Purse, his ideal woman has just one single make-or-break quality, and one alone:
“A woman can be as fine as can be
With kisses sweet as honey!
But that don’t mean a thing to me
If she ain’t got no money!”
Alert readers will be wondering why I’m not getting angry with this, when I blew a gasket over I’ll Be Doggone for spouting similarly sexist stuff. The answer, really, is because this is funny; the joke is on the narrator, not the woman, and (again like Shorty Long) the impression is of some louche reprobate boasting to his mates.
I don’t believe for one moment it’s meant to be taken remotely seriously, but even if it were, Billy Gordon delivers this with such a stupid grin that says he’s already fully accepted he might deservedly earn himself a slap in the face, plus whatever the 1965 equivalent was of a badmouthing on Facebook and Twitter (like a crudely-phrased warning written in lipstick on a diner bathroom mirror, or something). Perhaps the tone is still inexcusably sexist, but I think the misogyny is tempered by the absolute silliness of it all; this is a song about the narrator, and he’s a buffoon. An entertaining buffoon, certainly, of the type we’ve all come across – annoyingly, he’s exactly as funny as he thinks he is – but I’ve no need to worry about keeping him away from my daughter, because I trust she’s got enough sense to give an amused snort and keep right on walking.
Anyway, back to the record. Whenever Billy Gordon is given the chance to cut loose and let rip – when he wants to do it, not when he’s being forced to jump through hoops like some kind of performing monkey (metaphorical hoops, that is, as Gordon was well-versed in jumping through actual hoops as part of the Contours’ famously athletic stage act) – the results are always knockouts. Whole Lotta Woman, Do You Love Me, It Must Be Love… Gordon’s sandpaper voice makes classic work of them all. If he’d left the Contours, they’d have been sunk – but he stayed, and so that thread remained alive to be continued. Smokey Robinson, perhaps the most perceptive songwriter of all time when it came to sizing up who he was writing for, knew it well, and so here he gives Billy something to get stuck into, something he’d enjoy singing. The results are excellent.
However good Billy is here (I don’t care if she’s UNDERFED!), I get the feeling Smokey and Bobby had a blast writing this nonsense, like a busman’s holiday from Temptations songs full of exquisite pain and lovelorn beauty: this is just a load of silly semi-puns, Smokey Robinson sitting down and thinking, well, if I were some street-corner would-be lothario, what would I say?
…I don’t care if she waddles like a duck
And talks with a lisp
I still think I’m in good luck
If the dollar bills are crisp
It’s actually a list song, the narrator going through everything he can think of that men might usually prioritise (some fellas like the smiles they wear / Some fellas like the legs, that’s all) before explaining that actually, for him, all of that is irrelevant window dressing (Why waste time looking at the waistline?) compared to her bank balance. It’s so shameless, so over-the-top, that it’s impossible to get offended.
When it turns out to be excellently danceable – the exact musical midpoint, in fact, of the evolution from Can You Jerk Like Me? to Going To A Go-Go – you suddenly realise how the Contours, who seemed more irrevocably date-stamped by 1962 than any of their labelmates at the time, might still have a part to play in Motown’s ever-slicker musical future. Unexpectedly, it turns out Smokey, and Motown, needed the Contours to exist: not as a link to the past, but as an outlet for silly ideas, as an expression of physical energy, as a pressure valve. And this, daft as it is, is just buckets of fun.
MOTOWN JUNKIES VERDICT
(I’ve had MY say, now it’s your turn. Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment, or click the thumbs at the bottom there. Dissent is encouraged!)
You’re reading Motown Junkies, an attempt to review every Motown A- and B-side ever released. Click on the “previous” and “next” buttons below to go back and forth through the catalogue, or visit the Master Index for a full list of reviews so far.
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| Marvin Gaye “Now That You’ve Won Me” |
The Contours “Searching For A Girl” |
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Motown Junkies 
…And that’s six hundred.
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She can be covered with the rash,
long as she got some cash.
I want a big, fine car,
I don’t want just one suit
Oh, what would summer of ’65 have been without this! And how far in a very opposite direction was Smokey taking them now from the aching beautiful -and sincere- “That Day When She Needed Me.”
Aimed at the lowest knuckle-scrappers in the fraternity, this was a record that belonged in Animal House or to win fans from The Man Show, years before either was dreamed of. And that’s why it’s harmless and fun to listen to, the desperate, sinking pleas of an un-evolved male. It even cracked up your parents. Smokey had to know if he tried himself, or gave it to David, they’d be throwing tomatoes. But Billy was perfect, and surely blessed Smokey the rest of his life.
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I thought the line goes:
“I want a big, fine car,
And a one-button suit,
Like a movie star…..”
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This is one of the few songs in which the lyrics make a difference for me. Mostly, I just care about a tune. But, even after I’m totally senile, and have even no long-term memory left (and I’m already walking down that road), I will remember that oh-so-memorable line: “She can be covered with a rash….Long as she’s got some cash!” Beats Ernie K-Doe’s “Mother-in-Law” by a mile. I’ll remember that hilarious line until the day I die! Brilliant! (and Oh so true to life!)
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Actually , the line goes…
“I want a BIG FINE CAR….
and a ONE-BUTTON SUIT….
Like a HOLLYWOOD STAR…
I want PLENTY OF LOOT…
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This somehow slipped between the crevices of MIddlebury jukeboxes and summer car radio, so I never heard it when it was new – about a year later it unveiled itself on the particularly glorious ‘Motown Original Hits Vol. 5′ collection – which also revealed the Marvelettes’ ‘I’ll Keep Holding On’ – memorable discoveries both. Marvelous bit of pseudo-nihilistic absurdity, somewhere between Carl Orff and the Coasters (another group that could make the expression of Extremely Dubious Sentiments into cause for rejoicing…) . I’d go up to an 8 for this – I certainly wouldn’t want to change the tiniest detail. Excellent analysis, and triumphant defense.
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Yes 🙂 And as it happens both of those songs on “16 Big Hits Vol. 5” (Motown 651) can be had in atypical (for Motown), but quite good, true stereo versions. They were a most welcome surprise.
All these years later too, I think “Purse” wears way better than Motown’s other famous 60s ‘comedy’ single, Shorty’s one-joke, “Here Comes The Judge.” The exhaustive AM radio play the latter got made you not want to revisit it until a lot of years passed.
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Well, seeing Pigmeat Markham’s Chit’lin’ Circuit “Here Comes The Judge” routine many times, and Sammy Davis Jr. doing it on everyone’s variety show and Flip Wilson doing it over and over, didn’t help my being able to tolerate listening to Shorty’s version. And Pigmeat’s version released by Chess was played a LOT in Chicago, So, I’ve heard versions of that ’till I’m blue in the face. I don’t like novelty records in any case.
First I Look at The Purse has a decent sound to it, helping it, as well. But Smokey’s words make it.I don’t really like any of Billy Gordon’s Billy Hoggs’ or Sylvester Potts’ leads. Really, the only Contours’ records I really like are leads by Dennis Edwards and Joe Stubbs (other than being lukewarm towards “”Do You Love Me” and “Shake Sherry” and “First i Look At The Purse” (mainly for the clever wording).
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I’m not all that keen on silly records of this ilk but this one always connected. I thnk it’s basically well-written, well-performed, has a great backing track and lyrics meant to be funny, actually are.
Sadly Billy Gordon is no longer with us (I see he died in 1999). But basically I’m still chuckling over a mental image of your daughter in 18 years time walking into your home with a guy arm-in-arm with an 80 year old man saying “Dad, this is my new boyfriend, Billy. We’re going to get married.” You standing there, mouth agape and him hobbling up to you, slapping you on the back and saying “Hiya Pops! Oh, and by the way Dad, I need a car.”
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🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
I feel any further comment I make would be superfluous.
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Should we mention the J. Geils Band’s versions (two — studio and live)? That’s where I first heard the song.
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Definitely JB! That is where I first heard the song as well. They did a great version. I went through a J Geils phase (pre-Freeze Frame, etc). They were a good blue eye R&B group.
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Wait…the J Geils Band is considered a blue eye soul group??? The only song of theirs I’ve ever heard are ‘Centerfold’ and ‘Freeze Frame’ Maybe I should checkout there catalog.
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That was the later version of the band. The first on the first two or three albums was an incredibly overheated, muscular blues band that crossed over into harder ’50s &’60s r&b territory. Born in Boston, baptised in the fury of Detroit.
It’s fair to say that hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Americans heard this song first as done by the J. Geils Band.
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It’s a great tongue-in-cheek record.
Your review, Steve, is extremely complimentary, so where did it lose its marks?
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A good question, and a fair one. Essentially, it didn’t lose them, so much as they were never there to be had… it’s as good as it could have been, but it’s almost conceived as a throwaway, a silly jaunt: the tune isn’t great or even much in evidence, the lyrics – while fun and even quotable – are hardly immortal poetry. Personally, I couldn’t have rated it any higher.
Hang on, am I saying that silly dance records can’t be 9s…? Not really, but perhaps when it comes to silly dance records of this particular stripe, yes, I suppose I might be. It’s much the same as the Bobby Breen record a while back which Robb still hasn’t forgiven me for; by its own standards, it ticks every box, but it’s only aiming at the 7 level.
Or something like that, anyway. I like it as much as I’m ever going to like a record like this, is what I’m saying.
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I think I get it…a bit like marking gymnastics or diving where they’ve taken degree of difficulty into account.
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Something like that, yes! I wish I’d thought of that analogy. How fair it is, I’ll leave to others to decide; dissent is etc etc etc.
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Woo hoo! 600th! I believe I became a Junkie back when you were stuck in ’63.
Now on to this song, it’s not the best lyrically, vocally or instrumentally yet it is an entertaining, fun song that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I think I’ll listen to it a third time I like the ending were he says, “I don’t care if she has a rash as long as she got that cash” LMAO! Now I ain’t saying The Contours some gold diggers…lol
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Not my fave Contours record but i’ll take it on some occasions. It doesnt make you feel like dancing and the guitar line is a little lazy. Its a little like sipping ice water when you arent really thirsty. I guess a 7 is fair.
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I agree it’s hard to be offended by the lyrics – yes they are sexist by today’s standards, but it’s worth also remembering that there was a bit of a vogue in early & mid 60s pop for lyrics whereby the singer reflects that they are more interested in money than love, coming from both men and women, often in a slightly comical vein – Barbara McNair’s wonderful ‘big shot nothing bringer’ being just one example which springs to mind.
And, it’s also really a mirror image of Barratt Strong’s ‘Money’ (reversing “i don’t care how great you are, if you’re poor, we’re over”, with “i don’t care how awful you are, if you’re rich, we’re on”), so there were plenty of precedent songs.
And from a gender equality angle, I find it lyrically much more easy to listen to than songs like ‘i’ll be available’, where i recoil at Brenda/Mary’s low self esteem and resultant desperation, or Jr Walker’s ‘shut up, don’t interrupt me’, with those hideous ‘nagging wife’ sections.
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Wow! Has there ever been a wittier and more entertaining lyric ever written? True there are love songs with beautiful poetic lyrics, protest songs with meaningful lyrics, etc but on pure comical entertainment value, this song has never been surpassed in my opinion. The genius of Smokey’s lyrics never ceases to amaze me. There have been a lot of songs based on the idea that money is more important than looks, but none of the others that I’ve heard come close to this gem. I still love listening to the lyrics of this after nearly 50 years. Is this the only song that includes the word lisp? I certainly can’t think of another. Not only a great lyric but wonderfully delivered by the lead singer and set against a dynamic and exciting arrangement. Incredible sax break in the middle, and the ad lib on the fade out is too much. ‘She can be covered in a rash,long as she’s got some cash!’. I had a girl friend once who was ‘covered’ in a rash, but unfortunately she didn’t have any money’ oh well, that’s life. Thanks, Smokey for wonderful contribution to music and poetry. 9.5 out of 10 from me.
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The lyrics are hilarious on this one, not politically correct, but quite memorable. A 7 is pretty accurate in my book, I may even make it 7.5 or 8. In my mind, what keeps it from the top are the tune, which is nothing special, and also the vocals are buried in the mix – maybe if people heard the words it would have been more popular, or it may also have garnered a vociferous reaction, who knows? At least the protagonist isn’t focusing on women’s bodies, give them credit! lol 🙂
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Greetings. Motown Maven(s). This is my first post on this site, I am glad you say ‘dissent is encouraged’ because from me you’re sure gonna get it when warranted. To put it into perspective first, I believe that Motown is the absolute tops in being the most *overrated* record label in history. I say *Stax/Volt records (Soulsville USA), on the other hand, is *tops* for the heart of *real* soul music, and not (largely) blanched out pseudo-soul created to appeal as much to the pop market to make as much money as possible. But i digress on that point.
Still, even Motown’s catalog has it’s occasional gem, and you (mostly) downplayed one of the best ones here as being merely a silly dance song. This is one of the greatest exercises in song talent that Smokey ever was involved with, particularly lyrically (though the tight R&B groove of the music, though very Motown-Derivative as is often the case, is no slouch either). A few thoughts:
Firstly, from the standpoint of a lyric writer, the creativity expended to create these lyrics of this song is simply phenomenal. For them to create the rhymes of the first half of each lyric, then to take each rhyme from the first half and add a new couplet of rhymes *on top* of those rhymes for the second half of the verse, and *then* doing the more amazing feat of doubling up the first half of the second verse by making *two* rhymes for each line (smile-wear,legs-all, style-hair, waist-small) and then to have it *all* make perfect sense in the end, may not be ‘immortal poetry’ (but neither are the lyrics of a lot of Motown songs in my book), but it kicks ass in any other fashion imaginable. Also, it’s impossible to get angry at the narrator *not* because the joke is on him (because it’s not); it’s because he expresses his perspective on romance with such flair and finesse that you end up thinking that while you might not personally agree with his perspective, you gotta admit he considered that perspective with a lot of forethought, and that he certainly has a way with words.
Also, ‘Sexist’ is a term (like ‘racist’) that is occasionally used *way* too liberally (and incorrectly) merely for effect. It can annoy me when people play the racist card about some things that are actually merely ‘politically incorrect’. Same goes with ‘sexist’. I do generally agree with your take on Gaye’s misogynist (and dated in perspective) line in ‘Doggone’. However, the romantic perspective of the narrator in *this* song is *not* sexist. Materialistic? Certainly! But *not* sexist! For example, would you consider it sexist if a woman wants a *man* merely for his money? I doubt it. And if that’s the case, there’s a double standard in believing *these* lyrics are sexist. Actually, though I certainly agree that the narrator’s materialistic take on ‘romance’ is certainly hardly commendable in itself, I do appreciate the narrator’s perspective *specifically in the sense* that he’s basically telling the feminine golddiggers of the world that *two* can play at that game lol 😉
But really when you get down to it, his materialistic perspective on romance is *no different* than if gentlemen prefer blondes, thin ladies, virgins, Mormons, Asians, educated, uneducated, dominant, submissive, etc. etc. – It’s just another take on conditional love, the type of love most humans know more than any other. Really all human love is conditional; even if it’s merely the very sensible conditions of desiring a person who won’t end up cheating on you, or killing you in the middle of the night. 😉 So anyone who has never practiced that type of love can feel free to cast as many stones as they want. At least in this song *his* condition is practical, and not dependent at all on man’s all-too-often used conditions of physical attractiveness above most else. She can be nearly a freak of nature in *that* department, as far as *this* narrator is concerned. 😉 lol
So that’s that. I give it an 11/10 on songwriting skill it took to make it, 11/10 on the production and arrangement, and no finger wagging at all. Anyway Cheers and I may throw a post your way every once in a while. Have a good one until then. ^_^
-Stax is Max
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Well, despite all the subsidiary lyrics about money, I’ve always heard ‘purse’ as a euphemism, and I suspect I’m not the only one!
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