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Tamla T 54112 (A), February 1965
b/w You’ve Been A Long Time Coming
(Written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore and Marv Tarplin)
Tamla Motown TMG 510 (A), April 1965
b/w You’ve Been A Long Time Coming
(Released in the UK under license through EMI / Tamla Motown)
The spectre of recentism stalks this blog, and with good reason: I wasn’t born until a long time after these records came out, and so it’s nigh-on impossible not to look at a single from a modern perspective. (Not that I’ve made much more than a token effort in that direction anyway; I wasn’t there, and I make no bones about it.)
Every now and again, a single comes along which throws that into stark relief, presenting modern tourists with an unbridgeable cultural gap that can’t easily be crossed. I’ll Be Doggone is a great example of that.
This is a really good record, possibly even a great one. Coming into 1965, Marvin Gaye was already a pop star, but his discography thus far is full of conflicting messages about what sort of pop star he was going to be, with raucous rockers like Baby Don’t You Do It and You’re A Wonderful One, sweaty R&B “secular gospel” freakouts like Stubborn Kind Of Fellow and Can I Get A Witness, and – most recently – jaunty MOR in the shape of How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You). Here, though, for what’s really the first time, Marvin puts it all together, properly grasps the template that would eventually make him a superstar.
With apologies to Stevie Wonder and Valerie Simpson, Marvin Gaye was Motown’s greatest all-rounder, and all of what would come to be seen as his best attributes, his trademark qualities, are here in spades: handsome and intelligent, sensitive and energetic, his brooding personality and beautiful but hard-edged voice matched to a driving beat and catchy tune, while the band excel themselves propelling him up the charts. Lo and behold: awkward preacher’s son and session drummer Marvin Pentz Gay Junior is become Marvin Gaye, brilliant, tortured, hip-shaking sex god. It sounds fantastic.
But I don’t like it.
Alright, saying “I don’t like it” is too strong. But I’ve got a problem with this, a serious, insurmountable problem which means I can’t ever love it, even if I’m inadvertently whistling along, even as I’m moving to the beat. It’s the same problem I have with a lot of otherwise excellent rap and dancehall records: the groove is amazing, the vocals superb, but the lyrics are indefensible.
I’LL BE MISOGYNIST, MORE LIKE
I’ll Be Doggone is, on the face of it, a song about a man who – echoing endless girl group tropes about infidelity – is pleading with his woman not to cheat on him. Or, well, that’s what it’s meant to be about, I guess.
In fact, this is a song about a man letting his woman know how good she’s got it, and how she’d better stay in line or he’s out of there. The narrator, I’m guessing, is probably meant to come across as a hero, a likeable guy we’re meant to sympathise with: he’s not the asshole from Stop! In The Name Of Love, but rather a man who doesn’t cheat on his woman, doesn’t drink, doesn’t gamble. He’s an everyman, a regular Joe who just works hard to earn his pay, buys his woman presents, pays the bills, and expects his woman to keep up her end of the bargain, to be “true” to him.
Did you notice how many times I said “his woman” in that paragraph? His woman. Throughout the entire song, though it’s never directly spoken, it’s there, in the background, on every beat, thudding and inescapable. His woman.
The narrator is the very essence of Fifties American Man, a guy who expects to come home from work and find his dinner on the table and the house spotless; he’s the dad from Pleasantville. I find him a scarier character than any number of shiftless Romeos who can’t keep it in their pants, because under the calm, reasonable exterior, there’s a threat of menace, of sudden and unpredictable violence.
(Especially with Marvin playing the role, someone who absolutely did have that exact same dark current running below the surface. At least his explicit threat here is to just up and leave, rather than to beat the shit out of her for smiling at another man or not ironing his shirt properly or something.)
Oh, I know, I’m overreacting – there’s nothing intentionally sinister meant by this record, I’m sure. Marvin’s character has a right to express his views on his relationship, and thus inadvertently show how insecure and filled with doubt he is – if you’re truly confident, you don’t need to make a chest-beating statement of how confident you are. Indeed, his threat to up and leave comes across as more petulant than serious.
It’s the product of another time – and the result of still another time, decades before it was recorded, really – when men were men, and women sat quietly in the corner. The sole Motown cover of this, which brings an actual woman into the mix (it’s a “duet” between Diana Ross, the Supremes and Temptations, but a duet in the Tom Jones sense, i.e. a song for a single narrator that’s been cack-handedly reworked for two lead singers by simply alternating verses and changing the odd pronoun where necessary) doesn’t make matters any clearer, and still contains lines like this:
“Well, every woman should try to be whatever her man wants her to be”
…It’s a line that, from my cosy liberal 21st Century British bubble, pulls me up short literally every time. What the hell, man?
Ah, you say, but this is just Marvin playing an unpalatable character, right? We’re surely not meant to empathise with the narrator here, right? Because this is Marvin acting the part of a sexist prig. And a well-written part it is too; like all villains, he’s believable because there’s an element of truth in what he says which makes the more outlandish claims and demands feel more reasonable. He does work hard and stay out of trouble, in contrast to a great many men portrayed in Motown songs sung by women. He would be angry to find out his partner is sleeping around, or carelessly wasting money living it up – anyone would be. And there are issues to be debated aplenty here – misogyny in American culture, misogyny in the Sixties, misogyny and the black experience.
But there’s a danger inherent in playing with dark forces in order to highlight, mock or despair: the danger that you’ll be taken at face value – just ask Laibach, or Sarah Silverman. (And anyway, I’m not convinced, at all, that he is playing.) It’s not encouraging that Arthur King saw fit to cover I’ll Be Doggone, straight-faced, on his I’ll Play The Blues For You LP, where it sits comfortably alongside the genuinely unpleasant likes of Return To The Laundromat Blues (sample lyrics: You better take my advice / I’d hate to see ya come up with a leg screwed off or a eye punched out, yeah). Someone who apparently responded well to I’ll Be Doggone, there; judge a man by the company he keeps, and all that.
Whatever Smokey and the Miracles, who wrote this song, thought about it, Marvin’s own comments on the song don’t really do much for the “satire” or “examining the issues” theories, though they are quite revealing in themselves:
“Smokey wrote something in I’ll Be Doggone that knocked me out. He said that a woman ought to be whatever a man wants. I believe that, though it’s a thought that’s caused me powerful grief. But I can’t blame that on Smokey.”
This is a Motown blog, and this is one of Motown’s better singles; I’d never put it right near the top of the pile, but as a musical summation of what Marvin Gaye had done up to this point, it’s superb. But if that means I’m expected to just brush the troubling lyrics for this under the carpet, or else lose scads of readers as a result of ruining a beloved record…?
I love Marvin Gaye. Love him. As you’ll see later, he’s probably my favourite Motown artist, and even his work to date – despite him not really having gotten properly started yet, just like Stevie Wonder – is just buckets of fun. But this – this beautiful, fantastic pop record – is wrong, and I’d be lying to myself – and undoing the entire purpose of this blog – if I didn’t call him and Smokey out for it. Bad show, people. Bad show.
BUT WHAT IF IT WAS IN PORTUGUESE?
With some minor amendments, this would be a great record. Sing a different lyric over the top of the exact same backing track, you’d be looking at a seven out of ten job, at the very least. Easy money. It’s a great performance, vocally and instrumentally, and it’s a ridiculously catchy melody.
If it reminds you of Shop Around, an early hit – the earliest hit, in fact – from Smokey’s repertoire, it’s with good reason; this is related to the old song in structure, tune and tone, born of another, very similar Marv Tarplin guitar riff that inspired Smokey to grab a pen and start writing (albeit with the guitarist actually being credited as a songwriter this time).
It’s a path which, by and large, Robinson and the Miracles had opted not to follow in later years – leaving aside outlying oddities from their canon like Come On Do The Jerk and You’re So Fine And Sweet, we haven’t really heard the Miracles rock out like this. But I’ll Be Doggone is a fair reflection of what life might be like in some alternate universe where they kept it up, and where Marvin Gaye fronted the Miracles.
Oh, elements of it are dated, sure – I’m not just talking about the echoes of Shop Around, but Marvin’s past too, as there’s more than a hint of Can I Get A Witness here – but it feels intentional, like a knowing wink from the band to the audience, a throwback. The band have moved on, and they’re tighter and slicker than ever before, while Smokey the producer throws in freewheeling fiddle parts, honky-tonk piano riffs and complex harmony beds to make sure we all know what year it is.
Marvin, too, is on superb vocal form – he’s both smouldering and energetic, electrifying the record with his sheer presence, a magnificent deployment of the beauty in his voice, the beauty behind even his raspiest, shoutiest vocals, the beauty that always underlined every great record he ever made.
All of which just makes me angry that the lyric ruins what should have been a minor masterpiece in Marvin’s canon. Maybe it’s my problem, as a 21st Century British liberal; maybe I’m overthinking it, as someone who’s been criticised for giving undue weight to lyrics in the past. And certainly I don’t want to stop anyone loving this record; love for music is a magical and fragile thing, and spoiling a favourite record is a mean-spirited thing to do. But calling out one of my heroes, for spouting and espousing what now sounds to me like patent bullshit, seems like the only honest thing to do, even if it opens me up to stinging criticism – and I’d be a liar and a hypocrite if I glossed right over it here.
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 “You’ve Been A Long Time Coming” |
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Well, if I wanted an easy life, I’d give everything eight out of ten and post lots more pretty pictures.
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I have the same problem with Under my thumb. Nice piece of music, despisable lyrics. As ever, your essay is fascinating and knowing Marvin Gaye (which is my favourite Motown singer too), maybe he’s playing a part but maybe not. But 5 is too severe. A 7.
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So, you’ve just hit on one of the HUGE problems with 60s music – rock, blues, pop, the works – how do you keep loving songs that you loved then (if you were there, which I certainly was) that are so blatantly sexist. Dusty Springfield’s Wishin’ and Hopin’ is a classic example from the woman’s point of view (wear your hair just for him – really???). And yet, good feminist that I am, I still love them all – although this particular song is not one of my favorites – and sing loudly along with them when they come on the radio, to the complete dismay of everyone around me!
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This just goes to show the mysterious effect and power that music has over us.
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Thoughtful analysis, as always, and your critique of the lyrics is well taken. You’re correct that they are a reflection of the era in which they were written. As a song
I’d knock off a bunch of points, too, but as a recording, it deserves an 8.
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I’m a music fan. To me, lyrics are VERY secondary, if meaningful at all. I like the sound. The words can be ridiculous, or non-existent, and I can still love a song. I may despise the lyrics of a song, and still love the song. I’m not a Christian, and I think that imagining that the being that controls The Universe made humans in it’s own image is ridiculously egotistical on humans’ part, and too silly to contemplate. Yet, I love the better-made Gospel/Spiritual music (because of its sound and energy). Half my family was killed by so-called Christians due to the centuries-old hatred of The Jews by Christians, And yet, I have Christian Gospel records numbering in the 1000s of 45s and hundreds of albums.
I hate the fact that there are phrases in “I’ll Be Doggone” that put down women. But, even if I were to blame Marvin for singing it, and the writers for writing it, I’d still like to listen to that song because of the way it sounds. Having already become an adult (or almost one) at the time of its release, I don’t believe any of those people involved were particularly sexist. They were just acting the way everyone did at that time. And, if I had been Marvin, I would have sung what my producers offered me, and what Berry Gordy wanted.
I’m not a big fan of Marvin Gaye’s work. But, I certainly wouldn’t have given this song a 5. It would get a minimum of 7, and on a particularly good day for my listening to Marvin, it might get an 8.
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I’m surprised that you don’t rate Marvin so highly, but otherwise, I mostly agree with you – if the lyrics didn’t bother me, or if I didn’t understand them, this would be a seven at the very least, probably an eight, maybe – possibly, if I was feeling super generous that day – a nine.
But the point of that whole recentism rant at the beginning was to say that I can’t just excuse this sort of thing because “Oh, everyone talked/felt/thought that way in 1965”, in exactly the same way that if someone were to unearth this blog in fifty years’ time, they would probably be appalled by some of the things I’m saying with no intent to offend; I wouldn’t demand they do their reading with an asterisk applied. I’m well aware this bothers me more than most, and I’m also aware it’s not going to be popular, but here we are.
We’ve been down this road before, and I don’t really want to go down it again, so instead, here’s an excellent primer on something which crosses my professional path quite often, and may explain why I’m hyper-sensitive to, um, dubious lyrical content:
http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall.htm
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I would despise lyrics stating “I’d Rather See You Dead than….”. I think it would be difficult for you to find anyone that despises violence and ill will from one person towards another (or even towards an animal or plant) than I. Yet, even THAT wouldn’t necessarily stop me from liking a song. The proof of that is that I bought “Baby Let’s Play House” by Arthur Gunter, new, in the mid ’50s, and never had a second thought about that line (“I’d rather see you dead, little girl….”). To me. it was only a figure of speech. When people want to make a point, they exaggerate. The jealous man is trying to exaggerate to make his point. He doesn’t really want to see her dead. It is not nice to put that line in a song, because (unfortunately) there ARE sick people who would kill someone under circumstances.
But, this shows how little I listen to the words of songs. As I stated above, I lost half my family to The Nazi’s insane policies of genocide. And I grew up living together with concentration camp refugees. Yet, I still enjoy Mel Brooks’ making fun of The Nazis in his film, “The Producers”, and can enjoy the song “Springtime For Hitler” in that film, amazingly, not just for its ironic comedy value, but because the song has a catchy tune.
I have many thousand records in my collection and many thousands of hours of recorded music in tapes and CDs, and have probably listened to several hundred thousand hours of music while searching for records.
Yet, I’ve only seriously listened to the words of maybe 1% of those songs (only a few come to mind: “A Change Is gonna Come”-Sam Cooke, “Where Have All The Flowers Gone”-Freddie Scott, “Nature Boy”-Nat King Cole, “Does Your Momma Know About Me?”-Bobby Taylor & Vancouvers, Janis Ian’s big hit (I must confess that I never listened to “Pop” stations. But the emotions of that song got to me.
I’ve listened to Arthur Gunter’s “Baby Let’s Play House” hundreds of times (maybe over a 1000 in all these 58 years). If someone came to me and told me that there was a line in that song saying “I’d rather see you dead…” I’d have been surprised. I would have had to “play” the song in my mind, starting from the beginning, to realise that that is so. Maybe it’s because I’m a male chauvainist pig (but I doubt that). It’s probably more that much of my life was lived before current politically correct speech existed, and I was just used to that.
I LOVE the sound of the Soviet Union’s national anthem. Not because of what it stands for, for, surely I hated the Soviet dictatorship, but exclusively for the sound and order of its particular notes. I guess I’d probably give “I’ll Be Doggone” a 7, even if it had a “murder line” in it, IF it were sung soulfully. If there would be a version using the same backing tracks, but sung by The Hornets or The Stylers, or The Messengers, it might drop to a 5 (but changing the lyrics wouldn’t affect my ratings).
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Fascinating stuff, and one of the reasons I love doing this blog. I knew if I was honest, it would bring out far more interesting comments than if I ignored the elephant in (my) room.
NINETIES BRITISH INDIE ROCK ASIDE
Mansun, a British indie rock group who were one of my favourite bands when I was a spotty teenager, were well-known for absolutely packing their lyrics with dense, bizarre imagery and obscure references; but they felt much the same way as you, that the music was the most important thing, even going so far as to explicitly tell people to ignore the words, releasing a song entitled “An Open Letter To The Lyrical Trainspotter”, with a singalong chorus that goes “The lyrics aren’t supposed to mean that much / They’re just the vehicle for a lovely voice…”
(It only seems to exist online in this Youtube video, which hilariously (a) prides itself on transcribing the lyrics, in complete contravention of the whole point of the song, and (b) gets most of them wrong.)
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Also, you are SO right about the Soviet anthem (the Russians actually re-adopted it a few years ago with different lyrics because the tune is so strong.) The words for almost every national anthem are profoundly dodgy, but here are my top five favourite only-hear-them-at-international-soccer-or-the-Olympics tunes, with no regard to the countries they’re attached to, in no particular order:
Brazil
Chile
Russia
France
Gabon
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The Germans have kept their national anthem, “Deutschland Über Alles”, despite going through the embarrassment of The Nazi regime, and now having a totally different identity attached to their government and its national and international policies. They have kept the song from Prussian regime of the early 1800s, through the unification of the country in 1866, through the loss in WWI and the Weimar Republic, through The Nazi dictatorship and through the split into West German Bundesrepublik and Soviet-dominated East Germany, and through the period of the re-united Germany. All they did was to change the wording at various times, to reflect their change in attitude and polices. I don’t hate the melody, despite what’s been done in its name.
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I love the Shades of Blue’s “Oh How Happy” (written by Edwin Starr), the tune of which is based on the German national anthem.
It’s a pity Britain didn’t choose “Rule Britannia” as the national anthem; now that’s what I call a great tune.
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Oh, don’t get me started on the British national anthem. There are any number of better pseudo-anthems already in existence (Rule Britannia, Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory), not to mention vast quantities of great British tunes that could be readily adapted… and instead, we end up with a tuneless dirge that doesn’t even scan. Most banana republics have better, more uplifting/inspiring tunes than we do.
But back to relevance – we’ll be meeting Edwin and Blinky’s version of “Oh How Happy” right here on Motown Junkies in a few years’ time!
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Great link Steve D!
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Hi Robb. I think you live in Canada but I will still wish you a happy Thankgiving! I was curious. Who are some of the gospel artists you like? Have you ever heard Inez Andrews? In the late 70’s I had one of her albums. It was great. Rolling Stone magazine even gave it a good review! I also listened to Andrae Crouch, Jessy Dixon & some others for a period. It is amazing how many soul/R&B records especially from the early 60s have the gospel sound. Did you ever see “Say Amen Somebody”? It was an excellent documentary about black gospel music. It came out in 1983 or so. I don’t think it has made it to DVD or anything. The minister of music at my church is really cool. He is white but he can sound like Ray Charles when he wants to. He also plays the Hammond b3 organ & upright bass. Anyway, take care my friend. I am really thankful for you & the many others on this site!
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Hi Landini,
I’m Canadian, Dutch AND American. I live in a small village in The Netherlands, and also in Los Angeles, California, and also in Munich, Germany. I split time in all 3 places every year (been doing that since 1984) , and was raised in Canada till age 14, and lived in Chicago from 14-20. I’ve lived in the Netherlands since 1972. I also spend 2 months at my Sister’s in Winnipeg, Canada, each year. We had our Canadian Thanksgiving in October. Happy Thanksgiving. I’m in Los Angeles now (spending US Thanksgiving with my other sister (who is Canadian, Dutch, American and Danish (having married a Dane). They will return to Denmark. My brother lives in Sweden. I work for Walt Disney publications in The Netherlands (Finnish/Dutch branch), Denmark (Danish/Swedish), Sweden and Germany. So, I need to work in The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark (The Swedish office is local to Copenhagen, Denmark, as it is just across a sea channel, in Malmö (20 minute train ride)). I will move to Winnipeg after this weekend.
Yes I’ve heard of Inez Andrews. I must admit that almost all my Gospel records and knowledge is related to the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. I like The Staples Singers, Swan Silvertones, The Harmonizing Four, Five Bind Boys from Alabama, Soul Stirrers, Radio Four, James Cleveland Singers, Violinaires, Swanee Quintet, Stars of Bethlehem, Pilgrim Travelers, Salem Travelers, Caravans, Highway QC’s, Ward Singers, Drinkard Singers, Gospelaires, Gospel Keynotes, Golden Gate Quartet, Brother Joe May, and many, many more. Interesting that Motown had two great gospel groups, The Pronouns and The Sons of Zion(with a young Wilson Pickett), and The Pronouns, (who recorded more than 2 albums worth). Too bad they were never released. I’ve been campaining for Ace/Kent (for whom I’m a consultant), and Harry Weinger, to release a Motown Gospel album.
No. I’ve never seen “Say Amen Somebody”. I’ll keep an eye opend for it. Yes, I am also thankful for the insightful comments from the posters on this site, and for Stephan doing the hard work to develop and operate this wonderful website. The Internet is an amazing tool that can bring people together, from all over The World.
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Not quite the full Pronouns release you’ve dreamed of, but still, WOW:
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A five shocks me, of course, but I’d be lying too if I said I never noticed the near-by threat in these lyrics. This is as pre-feminist as pre-70s records got. The same could be said of The Contours’ “First I Look At The Purse,” but by the time it came out, The Contours were established clowns, and I’ve never felt a sense of guilt laughing along with it. But “I’ll Be Doggone” is like “Purse’s” mindset but made no laughing matter. “You got that, woman?”
And, of course, whatever guilt Gaye and Robinson wear here, John Lennon, before a full year passes, is going to substantially raise the ante with “Run For Your Life.” “I’d rather see you dead, little girl, than to catch you with another man” … well, is it anything less than a murder warning?
Another song with the same problem I’ve grown dislike is Glen Campbell’s “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.” He goes through his litany of getting to this and that place, and what he’s sure ‘she’ll’ then be doing; calling him at work at lunchtime, speaking his name in her sleep, crying to think he’d really leave her.
I want to punch the guy right in the face. Or, at least, tell the arrogant prick, “No, man, she’s popping open champagne, so glad your conceited ass is out of her life, and she doesn’t have to deal with your ego or picking up after you one more day.”
I don’t hate “I’ll Be Doggone.” Marvin sings it with too much accrued confidence and the band percolates too perfectly to ever hate it. But message-wise, if nothing else, it proves Aretha wasn’t a day too quick when she arrived demanding respect
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“Run For Your Life” is another one that gives me the same feeling at first blush, but it’s largely excused because John wrote it as a direct response to /escalation of this Elvis record (which is where the out-of-character “I’d rather see you dead, little girl” line comes from, at 1:45 – it’s a direct quote):
But it’s another example of the dangers of spoofing idiots, lest people think you’re being serious and take you for an idiot yourself. Worse still when you then get actual idiots agreeing with you – I’ve seen actual racists forward Sarah Silverman jokes, and I’ve seen actual skinheads giving actual Sieg Heils at Laibach concerts.
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Ah, well, perhaps this is the reverse of recentism – I didn’t know that Lennon’s line was intended satirically, and ‘Run for Your LIfe’ bothered me from day one, whereas I never batted an eye at ‘I’ll be Doggone’ – until I played it over in my mind in anticipation of this blog, and remembered the lines you quite rightly object to. I think lyrics are important, but I also think that music and lyrics interact in important ways, and that they have to be interpreted in conjunction with each other. ‘Run for Your Life’ sounds aggressive and scary to me…a joke with a menacing edge to it – and ‘I’ll be Doggone’ sounds exuberant and innocent. Strangely, I always took ‘I’ll be long gone’ to mean – ‘I’ll be worse than dog-gone, I’ll be done for…’ rather than a threat to leave. The whole issue of a song’s rectitude is a painful one, and I do think some perspective is necessary. I can still listen to Bessie Smith singing ‘Safety Man’ which contains lines as disturbing as anything here: allow your man to get hooked on heroin so that you can keep him around! (‘You see a man/you really like/let him catch that monkey, brother/on his back)…- I think we have a different threshold of tolerance, but I have one: there’s a blues (I forget by whom) in which the singer is telling a concerned neighbour to mind his own business as regards how he treats ‘his woman’ – and that, for me, is unlistenable and unacceptable. I can’t let that voice into my imaginative universe. Not to be stomached.. Partly because he sounds like he means it. Bessie Smith (again) doesn’t worry me at all in Black Mountain Blues, when she sings: ‘I’m bound for Black Mountain/me and my razor and gun/I’m gonna cut him if he stands still/and shoot him if he runs.’ That’s disturbing, but it’s a dramatization of the situation of a desperate woman – it doesn’t excuse (or incite) violence. Anyway, even though I heartily disagree with your rating, your explanation is both lucid and brilliant.
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Hi John & all… okay I’ll step in & give my 3 cents. I understand people’s feelings about “Doggone’s” lyrics & certainly am NOT condoning treating anyone badly etc … HOWEVER… I never took “Doggone” too seriously lyricwise. I find it to be a playful, upbeat song. I always kind of saw the song as one of those goofy battle of the genders songs. I imagine that if Smokey himself sang it the song might come across differently. It is interesting that right after the infamous “Every woman should try to be…” line, there comes the line where Marvin/Smokey says what he really wants is that she be true to him. What I see is an insecure guy who is hiding his fears & vulnerability behind a macho veneer. I mean Gene Chandler asked his woman to “Just Be True” but of course he did it in a much more tender way. Who knows, maybe in a past relationship Marvin’s character got burned. Oh wow! I better stop. I bet Smokey would be laughing at how much we are dissecting his song. Oh and by the way, have you listened to “Ain’t That Peculiar” lately – another Smokey writes / Marvin sings combo. That song seems to be the other side of the coin to “Doggone” To be honest with you , as others have said, there are many hard rock songs out there that are very demeaning to women which make “Doggone” practically sound like “I am Woman”. Okay maybe not! Cheers all!
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Tell Glen Campbell off Dave!
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Interesting fact: “Respect” was written, and originally recorded by, Otis Redding. I’ve never heard Mr. Redding’s version, but I’m sure I’d prefer Ms. Franklin’s version.
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For starters Marvin is my favorite Motown artist going back to Witness. And Smokey would probably be number two (at least up until when he left the Miracles). When this record came out, to me it was just another great Marvin/Motown record. Didn’t really give the lyrics much thought. I was 13 and responded more to music anyway. Rarely responded to lyrics other than to know the words to sing along to them. (That’s probably why by the end of the decade I migrated towards jazz….didn’t have lyrics getting in the way and the music excited me.)
It probably wasn’t until the mid-70s during my first personal Motown revival (and the onset of post-teen maturity and political consciousness) that I keyed in on the lyrics of this song and thought “Hmmmmmm”. It’s always bothered me a bit since then. I mean Marvin and Smokey, my two favorite Motown artists, want their women to do their bidding and be a good wife? They sing and write the most astonishing paeans to her and sound so devestated if she’s leaving. They really want their woman to be whatever he wants her to be? I know in the record he just wants her to be true but where does it go from there? A gourmet chef in the kitchen, a whore in the bedroom and quiet at other times? Really?
But I still love the record and listen to it and don’t take the lyrical content too seriously. (Probably my cultural bad.) I’d rate it a bit higher than you, probably 7 or 8. But if we split between lyrical and musical content I’d probably go 3(L)/8(M).
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Which is pretty much exactly how I ended up at five.
The nature of her being “true” isn’t spelled out explicitly, but given that he gives examples such as her (hypothetically) “spending his money” or being unfaithful, coupled with that “a woman should be what a man wants her to be” comment, it all just makes me profoundly uneasy, and I’d not be doing this right if I didn’t express that unease, and just let it pass without comment or censure.
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the fact that you did not live through this period, a period riddled with sexism in lyrics, does not seem to help you listen to this music fairly. if you were to exclude songs like “i’ll be doggone”, you would have to dump half of pop music history. however, since you come to this music in the opposite direction, your review does make me see a difference that i had not notice – that smokey’s attitudes towards women are different than h/d/h. the top song writing trio did not write such sexist stuff. that’s interesting from a historical point of view. but still, even, and yet … this song is an 8!
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Great observation on the contrast of Smokey & HDH
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Though HDH weren’t quite immune. The lines “I’m tied to your apron strings/And there’s nothing that I can do” appear in their biggest hit for the Four Tops, perhaps proving that they were just as much a product of their time as was Smokey.
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well, that seems more like reverse sexism coming from the tops! h/d/h were all about heartbreak!
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And not many singers can convey yearning, melancholy, and heartbreak like Levi could. I just think the image of his woman in her apron casts a conventional pall over the emotion in the lyric.
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To me the lyrics are generally the least important element in a song, so I was never particularly perturbed by the sexism in “I’ll Be Doggone”. If I’d thought about it at the time, I might have come to the conclusion that anyone who used such a ridiculous rhyme as “doggone” with “long gone” was being a bit tongue-in-cheek. (Heaven knows what you’ll say about the lyrics of “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep”.)
In any case “I’ll Be Doggone” is the first in a quartet of stylistically similar records, the others being “Ain’t That Peculiar”, “One More Heartache”, and “Take This Heart of Mine”. I don’t think it can be taken in isolation. Marvin may sing in “Doggone” that he’d leave his girl if he ever found out that she was no good, but in “Peculiar” she’s done him wrong but he’s still crazy abut her. There’s even a nod back to the earlier song in the line “It’s a doggone shame my love for you makes all your lies seem true”. It’s the same person at different points in his life, and circumstances have forced him to change his attitude.
Leaving the lyrics aside, has anyone noticed the similarity of the riff and possibly the melody to “When My Little Girl Is Smiling”?
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Hi 144man, I just re-read your comments & realize you kind of beat me to it with your perspective – especially with the comparison between “Doggone” & “Peculiar”. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Best wishes, Landini, for a Happy Thanksgiving and an improvement in health.
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I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s comments on what many would consider to be a fairly innocuous pop record! It shows what a surprisingly deep (and controversial) reflection of social attitudes it can be, and the source of endless, fascinating debate. I, too, wince at the misogyny of “I’ll Be Doggone” from today’s perspective, just as I do at “Wishin and Hopin” (as Mary pointed out), and “Wives and Lovers.” And let’s not forget the Crystals’ “He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)” which, although not a hit, frighteningly reflects behavior that many considered okay at the time (and no doubt some still do). All that being said, “I’ll Be Doggone” is incredibly catchy, perfectly produced record, and fully deserving (in my book) of at least an “8” rating.
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Agreed. And then there’s Lesley Gore’s “That’s The Way Boys Are,” the immediate follow-up to “You Don’t Own Me,” preaching a ‘suffer in silence’ credo in the face of all manner of mistreatment, even a light suggestion of physical abuse, and thoroughly rescinding the glorious statement of feminine self-possession in the earlier, greater hit. Those mixed messages were only a year earlier than “Doggone.”
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Wow, you guys can write a gender book on 60s pop songs alone! Lmao
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I think it’s helpful to think of songs like this as character pieces, with the protagonist being less-than-admirable. Hence my favorite B.B. King song — “Don’t Answer the Door,” in which the protagonist is so paranoid and controlling that he doesn’t even want his wife to let her own mother in the house when he’s not around. I can enjoy a song like that in the same vein that I enjoy shows like “Sons of Anarchy” and “Breaking Bad,” whose protagonists become increasingly despicable in their actions, yet still fascinate. The current of anger in “I’ll Be Doggone” makes it easy for me to think of it in the same way, a portrait of a jealous, insecure husband, though it’s a bit more problematic than “Don’t Answer the Door” because that song is so dark and forbidding whereas Marvin’s song is so upbeat and danceable in a lot of ways. As a counter-example, I can’t stand the Ray Charles classic “I Got a Woman” because he’s so cheerful and nonchallant in saying that his woman’s job is to stay home 24/7 in case he should want to come over or need a favor from her, making it clear that’s how he really thinks of women, as opposed to his judgment being clouded by anger and insecurity. Different strokes, I guess.
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I’ve been trying to post a comment on this record, which isn’t one of my favorites of Marvin’s but is sure a great conversation starter. (Thanks, Matt, for putting it plainly!) Though I might not have seen this as a cautionary portrait of a misogynist at age 18, there’s a chance that subconsciously I may have thought “Hey…wait a minute here…” this guy is a jerk! If I’m honest, though, I probably took it as one more great-sounding record coming out of Detroit and simply looked forward to the next one. As in films and literature, the consumer has to judge whether to accept or reject a record’s message based on many emotional and intellectual impulses, usually at the time of first hearing.
Maybe that’s why I would rate this no more than a 6, but probably not because it reflects the standards of the time in which it was released. If I really loved it, though, and had the opportunity to reappraise it long after the fact, I would probably have to adjust my rating downward.
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Part of the problem is not only that the song is so easy to like – but that the most reprehensible lyrics are so beautifully, naturally and exuberantly set to music. But it comes down to a question of tone of voice – this song doesn’t come across as a manifesto. It doesn’t deserve to be classed with the reprehensible homophobia too often found in reggae (as indicated in Steve’s excellent link above). There, we’re being preached to, and the sermon is hateful. Here, there’s no preaching – just a nervous, exuberant guy giving voice to some dubious sentiments without pausing to reflect on their implications. This issue has come up in classical music as well – in opera some pretty reprehensible characters get to sing some glorious music, as we’re invited to sympathize with their dilemmas. Of course, for this to work there have to be some redeeming human qualities – and, I guess, we need to be fairly certain that the endearing qualities aren’t being employed to subvert us into approving their misdeeds. I can’t believe that this song ever succeeded in making anyone more misogynistic – whereas a song like ‘Neighbor, neighbor’ is a clear invitation for us to share the hostile antisocial psychopathic misogyny implied not only in every line of the song, but in the way the music unfolds as well.
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At least “I’ll be Doggone” wasn’t anywhere NEAR as sexist as this tune, which actually was a minor hit on US soul stations. Also, sometimes I can imagine “Doggone” being sung by the likes of one Howard Crockett…
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This is admittedly not my favorite Marvin song or Smokey composition. I’ve never given as close of a listen to the lyrics as you have. You make great points. In most instances, like Robb, the lyrics are secondary to me when it comes to Motown. “It’s what’s in the grooves that count.” lol! With that said, I think your 5 rating is harsh. It’s a solid 7 for me.
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Nixon, I have to strongly disagree with your summation on this one. There are hundreds of seriously sexist soul records of the sixties, but this isn’t one of them. Only half of one line supports your “sexist” argument, & the second part of the same line is the important part, which is consistant with the rest of the lyrics;
“Well, every woman should try to be whatever her man wants her to be, and I don’t want much, all I want from you is for you to be true to me”
You have dismissed the song unfairlly based on half a line, taken out of context. He’s not saying he wants to control her, he’s saying that ALL he wants is for her to be TRUE- as per the rest of the song!
The b- side should have been “Ain’t that Peculiar”, where clearly she DID spend his money all over town, etc despite his ultimatum & he’s still hanging about, dazed & confused! Great pair of tracks which I have always looked at as a kind of Smokey “dyptych” interlude before the Norman Whitfield era. This should be a 9.
When you write your Stax blog, surely your next project, I’d like to take issue with you over the Albert King track mentioned! Until then, keep ’em coming,
Terry
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This is the best comment thread so far, isn’t it?
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The andantes are the stars of this record
Me personally I feel this song is bland like something is missing…
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AGREE! AGREE!
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This is a Smokey well removed from the one that details the pain of love gone wrong, or pledging every manner of devotion to prove himself such as “Baby Don’t You Go,” “Would I Love You” and especially “My Girl,” “My Guy” and “I’ll Try Something New.”
I think what he’s stumblingly trying to communicate here comes out much better in a few months when we have The Temptations’ “You’ve Got To Earn It.” What Smokey Robinson and Eddie Kendricks came up with is one of the most agreeable assertions of male self-worth ever stated via musical form. It’s not arrogant, it’s not mean, it’s just Eddie’s character declaring his shrewd awareness that he’s a do-right guy and worthy of the best in return.
A key difference is that in “Earn” there is no already-established relationship and ‘laws’ are not being laid down. In fact, Eddie sounds very much like he’s filling out a personal columns ad -and in a charmingly playful manner- stating a wish list, revealing a fair amount of neediness, but before anybody gets hurt, letting the undevoted know they need not apply.
Perhaps, when we get to it, we might view “Earn” as something of a correction of “Doggone,” removing any unsavory aftertaste from the earlier try. …And -spoiler- Gordy 7043 is definitely a double-sided ’10’ with me 🙂
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Dave! Delighted to encounter (in advance) your praise of ‘You’ve Got to Earn It’ – sheer delight – and some of the most inventive and irresistible rhymes in Smokey’s career, perfectly embodied by the Tempts… I guess I should shut up and wait for the song to come along… as I see that my all-time favourite Motown song is on deck…
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This is one of those songs that I can’t figure out why it was such a big hit and people love it! Funny, I was watching an episode of the old night time soap Knots Landing and Michelle Phillips, from the Mamas and Papas was singing it with one of her long lost loves from the 60s (they were having a stroll down memory lane lol). Anyways, I couldn’t wait for the scene to be over because this song sucks!
I never even considered the lyrical content until Steve D. mentioned it above, but the lyrics are terribly sexist. What makes me dislike the song is that it is so boring. I hate the instrumentation because to me it is confused. Does it want to be country or Motown? Is it trying to be both? I also don’t like the chorus. IMO it’s not catchy at all. Doggone it! This song just isn’t one of my favorites. I’d rather listen to “How Sweet It Is” and give this song a 3/10.
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Too bad. I love this song as lyrically clever (certainly within the context that so many of the songs of the era were sexist) and I love all the music and production. It is one of my favorite Marvin songs and I love that I can enjoy it just as much as How Sweet it Is. In it’s day to rhyme I’ll Be Doggone with “I’ll be long gone” was very cute and catchy! LOVE IT!!!!!
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Whew! Lots of very interesting analysis of a song I experience as yet another great Smokey/Marvin song. What is funny is that after loving the song for so long as a teen, I found myself singing the line “Well, every woman should try to be whatever her man wants her to be” and winching. I didn’t like that line at all after struggling with the extent that all men are sexist. So…what was I to do? I changed the line in my mind and every time I hear the song, I hear it as “Well, every woman should try to be whatever the hell she wants to be” Works for me, though I realize it doesn’t work as well in the context of what the song is about…but it makes me smile every time I realize that I have rewritten a Smokey lyric! The song is at least a very strong 8 in my mind.
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If that had been the actual line, I’d like the song rather more! Genius.
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Nixon! You made my day by commenting on my post! I would say that I have finally made it!
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I like the line too Rupert! Great!
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Late to the party, but I agree that would have been an interesting line and would have made the narrator seem more likable. It may have allowed the listener to sympathize with what otherwise was a stern “don’t give me no flim flam, lady” type of message.
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Given how Marvin, as noted here, “properly grasps the template that would eventually make him a superstar,” and coupled with his other successful Smokey collaboration “Ain’t That Peculiar” later in the year, it should be noted that it was also here that Mr. Gaye began to absorb musical influences far closer to him within the walls of Motown (and thus more accessible than the influences that explained his MOR dalliances When I’m Alone I Cry and Hello Broadway) – The Temptations’ David Ruffin and the Four Tops’ Levi Stubbs, both of whose vocal stylings would rub off on Marvin in due time.
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That’s a fantastic point, WB, and one which I’ll be returning to in a few days the next time we meet Marvin.
Thanks to everyone for all the comments while I’m away (and all the kind words re: baby Martha) – I’m not getting a lot of chances to check in here but I’m reading all the comments via e-mail, some great discussions going on. Keep it up! 🙂
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I agree that a large part of what makes this song work has nothing to do with the lyrics. The vocals, melody and catchy riff (which sounds suspiciously like the one used by the Searchers on “Needles and Pins”) are high quality.
That said, I’ve never been offended by the words. I see where they sound sexist and misogynist, but really, the narrator comes across as having major problems (paranoia, insecurity and controlling behavior). This is actually part of the record’s appeal. The narrator is unstable and unreliable, like he’s been seriously hurt in past relationships. Philosophically, the words don’t hold much water, but every song needn’t be obligated to put forth a perfectly wholesome and upstanding image. If we’re to be truly honest, I’d bet many good men have felt this way at one time or another. Now, this is not what a decent guy would believe and regularly say to a woman, but relationships put partners though a whirlwind of emotions. These thoughts are realistic.
As another example, just think of all the horrible things couples, who are otherwise in love, can say to one another in an argument. As a listener, I equally enjoy “girl put-down” songs and “guy put-down” songs. There are many villains in movies, and songs should likewise be free to express the full gamut of human experience, as long as it is expressed well. The narrator is not likable here, but he is portrayed effectively. I’d give it a 7.5, comfortably above-average.
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Well spotted point about the riff sounding like the Searchers ‘Needles and Pins’. Every time I hear ‘I’ll be doggone’ I always think I’ve heard the riff before, but can never place where I’ve heard it. Thank you for solving that enigma for me. I somehow doubt whether it was a deliberate copy by the Motown arranger (whoever that was), but purely a coincidence. Who knows for sure?
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It’s actually one of the most copied riffs of mid 60’s music on the whole. It was recorded many times with slight variation, usually on tracks by folk-rock aligned groups, such as the Byrds’ “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better.” These guys probably had their ear to the ground for any good riffs, as everyone was influencing everyone in those days.
Interestingly, Gaye used the same riff on “It Takes Two” as well. When you get a chance, listen to “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” and then “It Takes Two” back to back. Gaye’s recording has the same riff, but played with orchestration instead of guitar.
I personally don’t consider the usage of these riffs in Gaye’s music to be plagiarism, though that can be a thin line to walk I suppose. I’m not quite sure why, but it’s not always a bad thing. Maybe because there are only 12 notes?
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The schizoid intro is an odd beast – first, a classic riff based motown intro, then that Beatles/Folk Rock figure. I think the track would be more effective with just the first idea.
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“Three cheers for Marv on this one which shows him at his very best. Penned by two of the Miracles and their guitarist, Marv gets right in the groove with a hypnotic, cleverly worded song that fits him like a glove. Warm and relaxed style. 4/5.
“Flip may please some. 2/5”
[Dave Godin, Hitsville USA 4,1965]
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