Nathan Jones (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Nathan Jones"
"Nathan Jones" cover
Single by The Supremes
from the album Touch
Released April 15, 1971
Format 7" single
Recorded Hitsville USA (Studio A): December 17, 1970
Genre Soul/pop
Length 3:04
Label Motown
M 1182
Writer(s) Leonard Caston
Kathy Wakefield
Producer(s) Frank Wilson
Chart positions
The Supremes singles chronology
"River Deep - Mountain High" (with Four Tops)
(1970)
"Nathan Jones"
(1971)
"You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart" (with Four Tops)
(1971)

"Nathan Jones" is a hit single recorded by The Supremes, and released in spring 1971 (see 1971 in music) on the Motown label. Produced by Frank Wilson and written by Leonard Caston and Kathy Wakefield, "Nathan Jones" was one of six Top 40 hits the Supremes recorded after its original frontwoman, Diana Ross, left the act for a solo career.

Contents

[edit] Overview

[edit] Supremes version

The song centers around a woman's longing for her former lover, a man named Nathan Jones, who left her nearly a year ago "to ease [his] mind." Suffering through the long separation ("Winter's past, spring, and fall") without any contact or communication between herself and Jones, the narrator is no longer in love with Jones, remarking that "Nathan Jones/you've been gone too long".

"Nathan Jones" is an unusual entry among the Supremes' singles repertoire for several reasons, the least of which is the fact that all three members of the group (Jean Terrell, Mary Wilson, and Cindy Birdsong) sing the song's lead vocal in unison. While working on the song, producer Frank Wilson had in mind a rock music style of phrasing for the song, resulting in the unison vocals. In addition, Wilson had his engineer, Cal Harris, use a large analog synthesizer to take the Funk Brothers' backing tracks for "Nathan Jones" and give them a phase shifting sound at various points during the song.

Released as a single on April 15, 1971 with "Happy is a Bumpy Road" as the B-side, "Nathan Jones" peaked at number sixteen on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, number-eight on the Billboard R&B chart, and number-five on the UK Singles Chart. "Nathan Jones" was the most successful single released from the Supremes' fourteenth regular studio album, Touch.


[edit] Bananarama version

"Nathan Jones"
"Nathan Jones" cover
Single by Bananarama
from the album Wow!
Released November 1988
Format 7" single, 12" single, CD single
Recorded 1988
Genre Pop
Length 3:19
Label London
NANX 18
Writer(s) Leonard Caston
Kathy Wakefield
Producer(s) Stock Aitken Waterman
Chart positions
  • #15 (UK)
  • #61 (Australia)
  • #22 (New Zealand)
Bananarama singles chronology
"Love, Truth and Honesty"
(1988)
"Nathan Jones"
(1988)
"Help!"
(1989)

"Nathan Jones" was covered by British girl group Bananarama. They first recorded it on their 1987 album Wow! with their original line-up. Some of the vocals were sampled on their "I Heard a Rumour" B-side song "Clean Cut Boy".

After Siobhan Fahey was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan, Bananarama re-recorded the song for the Rain Man soundtrack. It was then remixed for their Greatest Hits Collection. They released this third version as a single, which peaked at number fifteen in the UK singles chart.

The music video featured the girls performing the song in large sun hats and dresses as they dance vogue-style with several male dancers dressed in British-style suits, hats, and umbrellas.

[edit] Credits

[edit] Supremes version

[edit] Charts

[edit] Supremes version

Chart (1971) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 16
US Billboard R&B singles 8
UK Singles chart 5

[edit] Bananarama version

Chart (1988) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 15
Australia ARIA singles 61
New Zealand singles 22
Bananarama
Sara Dallin | Keren Woodward
Siobhan Fahey | Jacquie O'Sullivan
Discography
Studio albums: Deep Sea Skiving | Bananarama | True Confessions | Wow! | Pop Life | Please Yourself | Ultra Violet / I Found Love | Exotica | Drama
Compilations: Greatest Hits Collection | Greatest Remixes Collection | Bunch of Hits | Master Series | The Essentials | The Very Best of Bananarama | Venus and Other Hits | Really Saying Something: The Platinum Collection | The Twelve Inches of Bananarama
Singles: Aie a Mwana | T'ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It) | Really Saying Something | Shy Boy | Cheers Then | He's Got Tact | Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye | Cruel Summer | Robert DeNiro's Waiting | Rough Justice | King of the Jungle | Hot Line to Heaven | The Wild Life | Do Not Disturb | Venus | More Than Physical | A Trick of the Night | Set on You | I Heard a Rumour | Love in the First Degree | I Can't Help It | I Want You Back | Love, Truth and Honesty | Nathan Jones | Help! | Cruel Summer '89 | Megarama '89 | Only Your Love | Preacher Man | Long Train Running | Tripping on Your Love | Movin' On | Last Thing on My Mind | More, More, More | I Found Love | Every Shade of Blue | Take Me to Your Heart | Careless Whisper | If | Really Saying Something (Solasso Remix) | Move in My Direction | Look on the Floor (Hypnotic Tango)
Related articles
Jolley & Swain | Stock Aitken Waterman