Tags
Gordy G 7012 (B), November 1962
B-side of Shake Sherrie
(Written by Berry Gordy)
Oriole CBA 1799 (B), February 1963
B-side of Shake Sherrie
(Released in the UK under license through Oriole Records)
As with the A-side, Shake Sherrie, this is a fairly brazen attempt by Motown boss Berry Gordy to recreate the success of the Contours’ previous single, their big-selling chart breakthrough hit Do You Love Me.
Listening to the two sides of this single, it seems plausible that Gordy had two different ideas on how to follow up the big hit, and wrote two “soundalike sequels”, each containing some, but not all, of the main ingredients – different ingredients – from Do You Love Me. Putting them both on the same single, he hedged his bets; if the DJs didn’t go for the A-side, maybe they’d flip the record over and make You Better Get In Line a hit instead.
They didn’t.
This side borrows a few features from Do You Love Me that the A-side had ditched (the spoken-word intro, the exact same tempo, the aaah-ahhh-ahhh harmonies) and adds an even more generous helping of Twist And Shout for good measure.
What Gordy added with one hand, though, he took away with the other: the urgency and fun of the big hit is almost completely absent here, as Billy Gordon fails to inject his would-be raucous shouted lead with any enthusiasm, and the other Contours simply go through the motions, sounding thoroughly bored. (I can totally picture them grimacing on-stage, forcing themselves to “have fun and go wild” with this song on the 18th straight night of a package tour). The shoehorned-in recitation of the names of six different dance crazes tacked on at the end is done without love or interest, as if this group wasn’t Motown’s most daring, electrifying live act, as if these guys really couldn’t dance. Check out the listless group shout of “Hully Gully!” at 2:38 – could they possibly sound any more fed up?
The result, while it’s not completely awful, is almost totally pointless. Thin, weak, bored-sounding “dance music” that – fatally – doesn’t ever make you want to get up and dance, this is both an artistic misfire and a commercial misjudgment.
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.
(Or maybe you’re only interested in The Contours? Click for more.)
 |
 |
| The Contours “Shake Sherrie” |
LaBrenda Ben & The Beljeans “Camel Walk” |
Motown Junkies 
Gordy openly referred to these guys as ‘hoodlums,’ and though he couldn’t keep Billy and Georgeanna (of the Marvelettes) from marrying, he’d warned all his girl singers to stay far away from the Contours. Marvin Gaye told David Ritz, Berry was scared to death of any of his female performers turning up pregnant without wedding rings, and Gordy all but put chastity belts on them. “The women bitched plenty about it, but didn’t dare defy B.G.”
Otis Williams, writing “The Temptations” book confirms the wildness of these guys, a couple of them ‘downright unsavory.’ Gordy liked anybody who could generate cash, these guys were not talentless, could make some fun records, but would remain one of Motown’s more undisciplined bunch. At least Gordy was shrewd enough to know he’d never put all his acts in supperclub attire singing “Old Man River” and “Hello Young Lovers.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Contours’ career is really interesting. They had all the ingredients of becoming a one-hit-wonder. They were good- not brilliant-but they were very enjoyable. Motown kept trying to follow up “Do You Love Me” and even when they recorded something as beguiling and wonderful as “That Day When She Needed Me”, Berry promptly put the kibosh on that sort of thing happening again. Effectively, the Contours were nearly turned into a one-trick pony and with this single, the pony’s trick was less and less entertaining.
I keep thinking how the same thing happened with Little Stevie Wonder to an extent. Thankfully, the same thing didn’t happen with the Marvelettes. Imagine if Motown had them cranking out a million variations of “Please Mr. Postman” only to have them end up like Liz Lands or La Brenda Ben (we couldn’t do anything with them so we had to let them go!)
I have to think it boiled down to nobody feeling there was much to the Contours outside of a few quick cash-ins. Perhaps the group had a strong enough fan base that they didn’t end up like other groups that were dropped by Motown. We know everything boils down to either you sell records or you’re out, so they must have been bringing in enough to warrant Motown keeping them as long as they did.
LikeLike