You Keep Me Hangin' On
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| "You Keep Me Hangin' On" | ||
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| Single by The Supremes | ||
| from the album The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland | ||
| Released | October 12, 1966 (U.S.) | |
| Format | Vinyl record (7" 45 RPM) | |
| Recorded | Hitsville USA (Studio A); June 30 and August 1, 1966 | |
| Genre | Soul/pop | |
| Length | 2:47 | |
| Label | Motown M 1101 |
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| Writer(s) | Holland-Dozier-Holland | |
| Producer(s) | Brian Holland Lamont Dozier |
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| Chart positions | ||
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| The Supremes singles chronology | ||
| "You Can't Hurry Love" (1966) |
"You Keep Me Hangin' On" (1966) |
"Love is Here and Now You're Gone" (1967) |
"You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a 1966 hit song originally recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland-Dozier-Holland,and was the number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks, from November 13 to November 26, 1966.
The song is one of the more oft-remade songs in the Supremes canon: Wilson Pickett, Rod Stewart, Madness, Melanie Safka, and Reba McEntire have all recorded versions of the song, but the two most successful remakes were recorded by the late-1960s rock band Vanilla Fudge and 1980s pop singer Kim Wilde.
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[edit] Original recording
While its immediate predecessor, "You Can't Hurry Love", showcased a gospel music feel, "You Keep Me Hangin' On" leans more towards a rock music feel. Songwriter Lamont Dozier got his inspiration for the song's Morse code-like guitar line from listening to the "news flash" signal over the radio, and he and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland integrated the idea into a song. The song's lyrics feature Diana Ross berating her lover for stringing her along, stating that "you don't really love me/you just keep me hangin' on."
Many of the elements of the song, including the guitars, the drums, and Ross's lead vocal, were multitracked (the parts were recorded multiple times and the takes layered over one another) to create a stronger, fuller sound than the previous Supremes records.
"You Keep Me Hangin' On" was the first single from the Supremes' 1967 album The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland.
[edit] Cover versions
| "You Keep Me Hangin' On" | ||
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| Single by Kim Wilde | ||
| from the album Another Step | ||
| B-side(s) | "Loving You" | |
| Released | 1986 (U.K.), 1987 (U.S.) |
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| Format | 7", 12" | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Label | MCA | |
| Writer(s) | Holland-Dozier-Holland | |
| Producer(s) | Ricki Wilde | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Kim Wilde singles chronology | ||
| Schoolgirl (1986) |
You Keep Me Hangin' On (1986) |
Say You Really Want Me (North American issue) (1986) |
Vanilla Fudge's 1967 psychedelic/hard rock remake of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" reached number six on the U.S. pop chart two years after the release of the Supremes' recording. While the version released on 45 RPM single was under three minutes long, the album version was extended to six minutes and forty-five seconds. This was Vanilla Fudge's first single, and it was recorded in one take. [1]
Studio One reggae recording artist Ken Boothe also released a cover of the song in 1974, which was recently re-released on the Studio One Soul compilation.
The Kim Wilde version of the song, recorded in 1986, reached number two in the United Kingdom and number one in the U.S. in 1987. Incidentally, since Wilde's recording was popular during the evolution of sample-based hip hop, a short drum break in her version has become one of the most sampled pieces of audio ever.[citation needed] In 2006, she performed a new version of the song with the German singer Nena.
The song was also covered by Madness for their cover album The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1.
[edit] Supremes version credits
- Lead vocals by Diana Ross
- Backing vocals by Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
- Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Edward Holland, Jr.
- Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier
[edit] Sample
- "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - Supremes version (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- 7" single version of "You Keep Me Hangin' On", performed by The Supremes.
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
[edit] Notes
- ^ "You Keep Me Hangin' On" Songfacts entry Retrieved March 18, 2007
| Preceded by "Poor Side of Town" by Johnny Rivers |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Supremes version) November 19, 1966 |
Succeeded by "Winchester Cathedral" by The New Vaudeville Band |
| Preceded by "With or Without You" by U2 |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Kim Wilde version) June 6, 1987 |
Succeeded by "Always" by Atlantic Starr |
