Just a Little Misunderstanding

"Just a Little Misunderstanding"
Single by The Contours
B-side "Determination"
Released 1966
Format 7" single
Recorded Hitsville USA (Studio A); 1966
Genre Soul
Length 2:29
Label Gordy
G7052
Writer(s) Stevie Wonder
Clarence Paul
Morris Broadnax
Producer(s) Clarence Paul
William "Mickey" Stevenson
The Contours singles chronology
"First I Look at the Purse"
(1965)		 ""Just a Little Misunderstanding""
(1966)		 "It's So Hard Being a Loser"/"Your Love Grows More Precious Everyday"
(1967)

"Just a Little Misunderstanding" (G7052) is a 1966 song by Motown Records R&B group The Contours on the company's Gordy subsidiary label. It was composed by Stevie Wonder, along with Motown staff songwriters Clarence Paul and Morris Broadnax.[1] The song did not appear on any original Contours studio album. Paul and Motown A&R Director William "Mickey" Stevenson were the song's producers, and Wonder plays drums on the recording.[2]

Description

This song was not a big chart success, only reaching # 85 on the Billboard Hot 100. It did much better on the Billboard R&B chart, reaching the Top 20, peaking at #18. It was a Top 40 hit in England in 1970, reaching # 31 on the British UK Chart. The first hit by the group that did not feature original lead singer Billy Gordon, "Just a Little Misunderstanding" featured lead vocals by his replacement, Joseph Stubbs, who previously sang for the Detroit-based R&B group The Falcons.[3][4]

In this hard-driving, uptempo song, Stubbs, as the song's narrator, portrays a man trying to apologize to his wife for his bad behavior, only to find out that she is about to leave him.[5]

This was Stubbs' only lead on a Contours single. Shortly after this song was recorded, Stubbs left the Contours and Motown.[6] Stubbs' lead spot in the Contours was taken by future Temptation Dennis Edwards on the group's next single release,"It's So Hard Being a Loser" b/w "Your Love Grows More Precious Everyday".

Albums and covers

Just a Little Misunderstanding has appeared on several Contours' "Greatest Hits" CD compilations on the Motown label,[7] including the 1999 CD release, "The Very Best of The Contours",[8] along with the 2003 CD release "The Best of The Contours-The Millennium Collection",[9] and has inspired cover versions and samples by The Supremes, and Hip-Hop artist Cam'ron, as part of his song "My Job".[10] It was recorded by The Jackson Five during the sessions for their LP Third Album, but was unreleased.[11]

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Morris Broadnax Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Contours". Soulfulkindamusic.net. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  3. ↑ "Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks: The Falcons". Uncamarvy.com. 1959-03-16. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  4. ↑ "The Falcons Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  5. ↑ "The Contours: Just A Little Misunderstanding Lyrics". Justsomelyrics.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  6. ↑ "The Contours Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  7. ↑ "Just a Little Misunderstanding - The Contours". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  8. ↑ "The Very Best of The Contours: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  9. ↑ "20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  10. ↑ "Diana Ross and The Supremes's Just a Little Misunderstanding cover of The Contours's Just a Little Misunderstanding". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  11. ↑ "jackson 5 - just a little misunderstanding". YouTube. 1971-04-29. Retrieved 2013-12-04.