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Come See About Me
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Come See About Me
| cover = The Supremes - Come See About Me.png
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = The Supremes
| album = Where Did Our Love Go
| B-side =
| released = October 27, 1964
| recorded = Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); July 13, 1964
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop, R&B
| length = 2:39
| label = Motown
M 1068
| writer = HollandDozierHolland
| producer =
| prev_title = "Baby Love
| prev_year = 1964
| next_title = Stop! In the Name of Love
| next_year = 1965
| misc =
}}
"'Come See About Me'" is a 1964 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label. The track opens with a fade-in, marking one of the first times the technique had been used on a studio recording.
The song became third of five consecutively released Supremes songs to top the 'Billboard' pop singles chart in the United States (the others are "Where Did Our Love Go", "Baby Love", "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again"). It topped the chart twice, non-consecutively, being toppled by and later replacing the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" in December 1964 and January 1965. The BBC ranked "Come See About Me" at #94 on 'The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart', which ranks Motown releases by their all time UK downloads and streams.
History
Overview
"Come See About Me" was written and produced by Motown's main production team HollandDozierHolland. It was recorded during a two week period in which the Supremes also recorded "Baby Love" after "Where Did Our Love Go" became their most successful single to date. It was the #1 song on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 singles chart for two separate weeks: December 13, 1964, to December 18, 1964, and January 10, 1965, to January 16, 1965, and reached the #3 position on the soul chart. 'Billboard' said that the song has a "pronounced Detroit beat, steady and exacting" and that the "Gals weave silky and controlled vocal through beat." 'Cash Box' described it as "a pulsating stomp-a-rhythmic...that the gals carve out in ultra-commercial manner" and in which the group was "in top-of-the-chart form."The Supremes were the first to record the song, but were not the first to issue it as a single. That distinction fell to Nella Dodds, and her version started selling, climbing to #74 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 singles chart, but Motown Records quickly released the Supremes' version as a single, which killed sales for Nella Dodds. 'Cash Box' described Dodds' version as "an exciting pop-r&b, choral-backed handclap-shuffler about a gal who pleads for her ex-boyfriend to return to her," saying that Dodds is "a new talent who promises to be an important wax name in the coming weeks."
The Supremes made their first of 17 appearances live on the popular CBS variety program 'The Ed Sullivan Show' performing this single on Sunday, December 27, 1964.
The group also recorded a German version of the song, entitled "Johnny und Joe".
Personnel
* Lead vocals by Diana Ross
* Background vocals by Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson
* All instruments by the Funk BrothersLiner notes. 'The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 4: 1964', Hip-O Select B0005946-02, USA, 24 Feb 2006
**Earl Van Dyke piano
**Joe Messina guitar
**James Jamerson bass
**Uriel Jones drums
**Jack Ashford vibraphone
**Hank Cosby tenor saxophone
**Andrew "Mike" Terry baritone saxophone
* Footstomps by Mike Valvano
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Other versions
* The Supremes recorded a German-language version of the song, titled "Jonny und Joe" as the b-side of the 1965 single "Thank You Darling" (also sung in German) in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.[https://www.discogs.com/master/view/238709 The Supremes - "Thank You Darling" / "Johnny und Joe" (1965) single releases & credits] at Discogs "Jonny und Joe" was later included on two various Motown artists compilation albums 'Motown Around the World' (1987, 1CD)[https://www.discogs.com/Various-Motown-Around-The-World/release/2097365 Various Artists - 'Motown Around the World: The Classic Singles' (2010) album releases & credits] at Discogs and 'Motown Around the World: The Classic Singles' (2010, 2CD)[https://www.allmusic.com/album/motown-around-the-world-the-classic-singles-mw0001974288 Various Artists - 'Motown Around the World: The Classic Singles' (2010) double CD review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, credits & releases] at AllMusic and also on Diana Ross & the Supremes compilation '50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection 19611969' (2011, 3CD).[https://www.allmusic.com/album/50th-anniversary-the-singles-collection-1961-1969-mw0002222807 Diana Ross & the Supremes compilation '50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection: 1961-1969' (2011) triple CD review by Steve Leggett, credits & releases] at AllMusic
* In 1967, the song was a repeat hit for Motown act Jr. Walker & the All Stars, whose version reached the top 10 on the R&B chart and the top 25 on the pop chart.[https://www.discogs.com/Junior-Walker-The-All-Stars-Come-See-About-Me-Sweet-Soul/master/141643 Jr. Walker & the All Stars - "Come See About Me" / "Sweet Soul" (1967) single releases & credits] at Discogs
* In 1987, Welsh rock and roll singer Shakin' Stevens covered it on his album 'Let's Boogie', making it a hit in the UK and Ireland. Shakin' Stevens version surpassed the Supremes' original #27 chart placing by reaching #24.
* In 2012, American musical dramedy 'Glee' featured a cover of this song for its fourth season's Thanksgiving episode. The cover was recorded by Dianna Agron as her character Quinn Fabray with Naya Rivera and Heather Morris providing backup vocals.
See also
* List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1964
* List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1965
References
Buy Come See About Me now from Amazon
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