You Keep Me Hangin' On

"You Keep Me Hangin' On"
Single by The Supremes
from the album The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland
B-side	"Remove This Doubt"
Released	October 12, 1966 (U.S.)
Format	Vinyl record (7" 45 RPM)
Recorded	Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); June 30 and August 1, 1966
Genre	Soul, pop
Length	2:47 (original release) 3:15 (remastered)
Label	Motown M 1101
Writer(s)	Holland–Dozier–Holland
Producer(s)	Brian Holland Lamont Dozier
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) The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland track listing 12 tracks Side one "You Keep Me Hangin' On" "You're Gone, But Always in My Heart" "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" "Mother You, Smother You" "I Guess I'll Always Love You" "I'll Turn to Stone" Side two "It's the Same Old Song" "Going Down for the Third Time" "Love is in Our Hearts" "Remove This Doubt" "There's No Stopping Us Now" "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave"
Music sample "You Keep Me Hangin' On" Alternative cover

"You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a 1966 song written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and originally recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. The song became the group's eighth number-one single when it topped the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart for two weeks in the United States from November 13, 1966 through November 27, 1966.^[1][2]

Over the years, the song has been covered by various artists including Rod Stewart, Vanilla Fudge, the Box Tops, Colourbox, Reba McEntire, Madness and a chart-topping rendition by Kim Wilde.

History

Original recording

The single is rooted in proto-funk and rhythm and blues, compared to the Supremes' previous single, "You Can't Hurry Love," which uses the call and response elements akin to gospel. The song's signature guitar part is said to have originated from a Morse code-like radio sound effect, typically used before a news announcement, heard by Lamont Dozier. Dozier collaborated with Brian and Eddie Holland to integrate the idea into a single.^[3]

Many elements of the recording, including the guitars, the drums, and Diana Ross and Florence Ballard's vocals, were multitracked, a production technique which was established and popularized concurrently by H-D-H and other premier producers of the 1960s such as Phil Spector (see Wall of Sound) and George Martin. H-D-H recorded the song in eight sessions with The Supremes and session band The Funk Brothers before settling on a version deemed suitable for the final release.^[3]

The track is one of the more oft-covered songs in the Supremes canon. They performed the song on the ABC variety program The Hollywood Palace on Saturday, October 29, 1966.^[4]

"You Keep Me Hangin' On" was the first single from the Supremes' 1967 album The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland. The original version was #339 on Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.^[5]

Recording personnel

• Lead vocals by Diana Ross
• Backing vocals by Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Chart history

Chart (1966-1967)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	1
U.S. Billboard R&B Singles Chart	1
U.S. Cash Box Pop Singles Chart	1
Australian Singles Chart	11
UK Singles Chart	8

Preceded by "Poor Side of Town" by Johnny Rivers	Billboard Hot 100 number-one single (Supremes version) November 19, 1966 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "Winchester Cathedral" by The New Vaudeville Band
Preceded by "Knock on Wood" by Freddie Jackson	Billboard Hot R&B Singles number-one single (The Supremes version) November 26, 1966 – December 17, 1966 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "(I Know) I'm Losing You" by The Temptations

Vanilla Fudge version

"You Keep Me Hangin' On"
Single by Vanilla Fudge
from the album Vanilla Fudge
B-side	"Come By Day, Come By Night"
Released	1967 (U.S.)
Format	Vinyl record (7" 45 RPM)
Recorded	1967
Genre	Psychedelic rock, acid rock, hard rock
Length	2:50 (single edit) 7:20 (album version)
Label	Atco 6590
Writer(s)	Holland-Dozier-Holland
Producer(s)	Shadow Morton
Vanilla Fudge singles chronology
"You Keep Me Hangin' On" (1967) "Eleanor Rigby" (1967)

Vanilla Fudge's 1967 psychedelic/hard rock remake of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" reached #6 on the Hot 100 chart two years after the release of the Supremes' recording. While the edited version released on the 45 RPM single was under three minutes long, the album version was seven minutes and twenty seconds long. ^[6] The recording, done in one take, was Vanilla Fudge's first single.^[7]

Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice talked about the band's decision to cover the song in a 2014 interview: ^[8]

That was Mark and Timmy. We used to slow songs down and listen to the lyrics and try to emulate what the lyrics were dictating. That one was a hurtin’ song; it had a lot of emotion in it. “People Get Ready” was like a Gospel thing. “Eleanor Rigby” was sort of eerie and church-like …like a horror movie kind of thing. If you listen to “Hangin’ On” fast… by The Supremes, it sounds very happy, but the lyrics aren’t happy at all. If you lived through that situation, the lyrics are definitely not happy.

Chart history (Vanilla Fudge version)

Chart (1967-1968)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	6

Kim Wilde version

"You Keep Me Hangin' On"
Single by Kim Wilde
from the album Another Step
B-side	"Loving You"
Released	October 13, 1986[9]
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	1986
Genre	Hi-NRG[10][11]
Length	4:15
Label	MCA
Writer(s)	Holland-Dozier-Holland
Producer(s)	Ricky Wilde
Kim Wilde singles chronology
"Schoolgirl" (1986) "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (1986) "Say You Really Want Me" (North American issue) (1986)

"You Keep Me Hangin' On" was covered in an updated version by British singer Kim Wilde in 1986. It was released as the second single from Wilde's Another Step album (although "You Keep Me Hangin' On" was the LP's first worldwide single, as the first single had been released only in selected countries).

Wilde's version was a total re-working of the original, completely transforming the Supremes' Motown Sound into a 1980s power pop/hi-NRG song.^[12] She and her brother, producer Ricky Wilde, had not heard "You Keep Me Hangin' On" for several years when they decided to record it.

The song was not a track they knew well, so they treated it as a new song, even slightly changing the original lyrics. It became the biggest hit of Wilde's career, reaching #2 in her home country as well as hitting the top spot in Europe and Australia. It also became Wilde's second and last top 40 hit in the US following "Kids in America" and is also, to date, her most successful song in that country, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week in June 1987. It later ranked as the 34th biggest hit of 1987 on Billboard's Hot 100 year-end chart that year.

In 2006, she performed a new version of the song with the German singer Nena for her Never Say Never album.

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single.^[13]

Chart performance

Chart (1986–88)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[14]	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15]	20
Canada (RPM)	1
Denmark (Tracklisten)[16]	3
France (SNEP)[17]	19
Germany (Media Control Charts)[18]	8
Ireland (IRMA)	2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19]	17
Norway (VG-lista)[20]	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21]	2
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[22]	2
US Billboard Hot 100	1

Preceded by "With or Without You" by U2	Billboard Hot 100 number-one single (Kim Wilde version) June 6, 1987 (1 week)	Succeeded by "Always" by Atlantic Starr

Reba McEntire version

"You Keep Me Hangin' On"
Single by Reba McEntire
from the album Starting Over
Released	1996
Format	CD single, maxi single
Genre	Country
Length	3:22
Label	MCA Nashville
Writer(s)	Holland-Dozier-Holland
Producer(s)	Tony Brown, Michael Omartian, Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire singles chronology
"Starting Over Again" (1996) "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (1996) "The Fear of Being Alone" (1996)

Country music singer Reba McEntire covered the song on her 1996 album Starting Over. Although not released to country radio, McEntire's rendition was her only dance hit, reaching #2 on Hot Dance Club Play.^[23]

Chart (1996-1997)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	2

References

See also

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1966 (U.S.)
• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1987 (U.S.)

The Supremes The Supremes Diana Ross Florence Ballard Mary Wilson Barbara Martin Cindy Birdsong Jean Terrell Lynda Laurence Scherrie Payne Susaye Greene Betty McGlown Studio albums Meet The Supremes (1962) Where Did Our Love Go (1964) More Hits by The Supremes (1965) I Hear a Symphony (1966) The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966) The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland (1967) Reflections (1968) Love Child (1968) Let the Sunshine In (1969) Cream of the Crop (1969) Right On (1970) New Ways but Love Stays (1970) Touch (1971) Floy Joy (1972) The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb (1972) The Supremes (1975) High Energy (1976) Mary, Scherrie & Susaye (1976) Duet albums Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations (1968) Together (1969) The Magnificent 7 (1970) The Return of the Magnificent Seven (1971) Dynamite (1971) Live albums The Supremes at the Copa (1965) Live at London's Talk of the Town (1968) TCB (1968) On Broadway (1969) Farewell (1970) The Supremes Live! In Japan (1973) Other albums A Bit of Liverpool (1964) The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop (1965) We Remember Sam Cooke (1965) Merry Christmas (1965) The Supremes Sing Rodgers & Hart (1967) Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny Girl" (1968) Singles (US/UK Top Ten singles) "Where Did Our Love Go" "Baby Love" "Come See About Me" "Stop! In the Name of Love" "Back in My Arms Again" "I Hear a Symphony" "My World Is Empty Without You" "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" "You Can't Hurry Love" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" "The Happening" "Reflections" "In and Out of Love" "Love Child" "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" "I'm Livin' in Shame" "Someday We'll Be Together" "Up the Ladder to the Roof" "Stoned Love" "River Deep – Mountain High" "Nathan Jones" "Floy Joy" "Automatically Sunshine" Videography T.A.M.I. Show Greatest Hits: Live in Amsterdam Reflections: The Definitive Performances (1964–1969) Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever Inspired works Sparkle (1976 film) Dreamgirls (musical) Dreamgirls (film) Sparkle (2012 film) Related topics Discography Timeline Chronology Members Berry Gordy Holland–Dozier–Holland FLOS Book Category Portal Template WikiProject The Supremes singles discography 1960s: (Motown) 1960 "Tears of Sorrow" (as The Primettes) 1961 "I Want a Guy" "Buttered Popcorn" 1962 "Your Heart Belongs to Me" "Let Me Go the Right Way" 1963 "My Heart Can't Take It No More" "A Breathtaking Guy" "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" 1964 "Run, Run, Run" "Where Did Our Love Go" "Baby Love" "Come See About Me" 1965 "Stop! In the Name of Love" "Back in My Arms Again" "The Only Time I'm Happy" "Nothing but Heartaches" "Things Are Changing" "I Hear a Symphony" "Children's Christmas Song" "My World Is Empty Without You" 1966 "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" "You Can't Hurry Love" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" 1967 "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" "The Happening" "Reflections" "In and Out of Love" 1968 "Forever Came Today" "Some Things You Never Get Used To" "Love Child" "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" 1969 "I'm Livin' in Shame" "I'll Try Something New" "The Composer" "No Matter What Sign You Are" "The Weight" "I Second That Emotion" "Someday We'll Be Together" 1970 "Why (Must We Fall in Love)" 1970s: (Motown) 1970 "Up the Ladder to the Roof" "Everybody's Got the Right to Love" "Stoned Love" "River Deep – Mountain High" 1971 "Nathan Jones" "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart" "Touch" "Floy Joy" 1972 "Automatically Sunshine" "Without the One You Love" "Your Wonderful, Sweet Sweet Love" "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" 1973 "Bad Weather" "Tossin' and Turnin'" 1974 "Baby Love" (UK re-issue) "Where Did Our Love Go" (UK re-issue) 1975 "He's My Man" "Where Do I Go from Here" "Early Morning Love" 1976 "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" "High Energy" "You're My Driving Wheel" 1977 "Let Yourself Go" "Love, I Never Knew You Could Feel So Good" Book Category Portal Template WikiProject

Vanilla Fudge Mark Stein Vince Martell Carmine Appice Pete Bremy Tim Bogert Joey Brennan Sal D'Nofrio Jimmy Galluzi Ron Mancuso Paul Hanson Lanny Cordola Derek St. Holmes Martin Gerschwitz Tom Croucier Bill Pascali T.M. Stevens Teddy Rondinelli Mark Dolfen Jimmyjack Tamburo Steve Argy John Aunel Studio albums Vanilla Fudge The Beat Goes On Renaissance Near the Beginning Rock & Roll Mystery The Return Out Through the In Door Live albums The Best of Vanilla Fudge – Live The Return – Live in Germany Part 1 The Real Deal – Vanilla Fudge Live Rocks the Universe – Live in Germany Part 2 Good Good Rockin' – Live at Rockpalast Orchestral Fudge Compilations Best of Vanilla Fudge Psychedelic Sundae – The Best of Vanilla Fudge When Two Worlds Collide Singles "You Keep Me Hangin' On" "Where Is My Mind" "Take Me for a Little While" "Season of the Witch" "Shotgun" "Some Velvet Morning" "Need Love" "Windmills of Your Mind" "Mystery" Related artists Cactus Beck, Bogert & Appice Blue Murder King Kobra

Kim Wilde Studio albums Kim Wilde Select Catch as Catch Can Teases & Dares Another Step Close Love Moves Love Is Now & Forever Never Say Never Come Out and Play Snapshots Wilde Winter Songbook Remix albums The Remix Collection Compilations The Very Best of Kim Wilde (1984) The Singles Collection 1981–1993 The Very Best of Kim Wilde (2001) The Hits Collection Singles "Kids in America" "Chequered Love" "Water on Glass" "Cambodia" "View from a Bridge" "Child Come Away" "Love Blonde" "Dancing in the Dark" "House of Salome" "The Second Time" "The Touch" "Rage to Love" "Schoolgirl" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" "Another Step (Closer to You)" "Say You Really Want Me" "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" "Hey Mister Heartache" "You Came" "Never Trust a Stranger" "Four Letter Word" "Love in the Natural Way" "It's Here" "Time" "Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love)" "World in Perfect Harmony" "I Can't Say Goodbye" "Love Is Holy" "Heart over Mind" "Who Do You Think You Are" "Million Miles Away" "If I Can't Have You" "In My Life" "Kids in America 1994" "Breakin' Away" "This I Swear" "Shame" "Loved" "Born to Be Wild" "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" "You Came 2006" "Perfect Girl" "Together We Belong" "Baby Obey Me" "Run to You" "Lights Down Low" "Real Life" "It's Alright" "Sleeping Satellite" "To France" "Ever Fallen in Love" Related articles Discography Marty Wilde Ricky Wilde Book:Kim Wilde

Reba McEntire 1990s singles Sweet Sixteen "Walk On" Rumor Has It "You Lie" "Rumor Has It" "Fancy" "Fallin' Out of Love" For My Broken Heart "For My Broken Heart" "Is There Life Out There" "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" "The Greatest Man I Never Knew" It's Your Call "Take It Back" "The Heart Won't Lie" (with Vince Gill) "It's Your Call" Greatest Hits Volume Two "Does He Love You" (with Linda Davis) "They Asked About You" Read My Mind "Why Haven't I Heard from You" "She Thinks His Name Was John" "Till You Love Me" "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" "And Still" Starting Over "On My Own" "Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands" "Starting Over Again" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" What If It's You "The Fear of Being Alone" "How Was I to Know" "I'd Rather Ride Around with You" "What If It's You" If You See Him "If You See Him/If You See Her" (with Brooks & Dunn) "Forever Love" "Wrong Night" "Lonely Alone" "One Honest Heart" So Good Together "What Do You Say" Other songs "If I Had Only Known" "What If" Guest singles "Oklahoma Swing" (with Vince Gill) "Let's Open Up Our Hearts"

Holland–Dozier–Holland Brian Holland Lamont Dozier Eddie Holland Songs 1962 "Dearest One" "Old Love (Let's Try It Again)" "Darling, I Hum Our Song" 1963 "Leaving Here" "Locking Up My Heart" "What Goes Up Must Come Down" / "Come on Home" "Tie a String Around Your Finger" "Come and Get These Memories" / "Jealous Lover" "You Lost the Sweetest Boy" "Heat Wave" / "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" "(He Won't Be True) Little Girl Blue" "Mickey's Monkey" "Too Hurt to Cry, Too Much in Love to Say Goodbye" / "Come on Home" "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" / "Standing at the Crossroads of Love" "I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying" "Quicksand" / "Darling I Hum Our Song" "Live Wire" / "Old Love (Let's Try It Again)" "Run, Run, Run" / "I'm Giving You Your Freedom" "Can I Get a Witness" 1964 "A Tear from a Woman's Eyes" "My Lady Bug Stay Away from That Beatle" "Like a Nightmare" / "If You Were Mine" "In My Lonely Room" "Just Ain't Enough Love" "Where Did Our Love Go" "Baby Don't You Do It" "Guarantee for a Lifetime" "Baby I Need Your Loving" / "Call on Me" "Candy to Me" / "If You Don't Want My Love" "Whisper You Love Me Boy" "Baby Love" / "Ask Any Girl" "Come See About Me" / (You're Gone But) Always in My Heart" "Without the One You Love (Life's Not Worth While)" / "Love has Gone" "You're a Wonderful One" "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" 1965 "Where Did You Go" "Stop! In the Name of Love" / "I'm in Love Again" "You've Been a Long Time Coming" "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" "Nowhere to Run" "Back in My Arms Again" / "Whisper You Love Me Boy" "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" "The Only Time I'm Happy" "Mother Dear" / "He Holds His Own" "Nothing but Heartaches" / "He Holds His Own" "Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)" "It's the Same Old Song" / "Your Love Is Amazing" "Mother Dear" / "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" "I Hear a Symphony" / "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" "Something About You" "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)" "Darling Baby" "There's a Ghost in My House" 1966 "(I'm a) Roadrunner" "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" "Ask any Man" "My World Is Empty Without You" "Put Yourself in My Place" "There's No Love Left" "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" / "Just as Long as You Need Me" "Helpless" / "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" "Call on Me" "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" / "He's All I Got" "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" "I Like Everything About You" "I Guess I'll Always Love You" "Nothing but Soul" "Love's Gone Bad" / "Put Yourself in My Place" "You Can't Hurry Love" / "Put Yourself in My Place" "Little Darling (I Need You)" "Reach Out I'll Be There" / "Until You Love Someone" "Stay in My Lonely Arms" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" / "I Wanna Mother You, Smother You With Love" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" / "Remove This Doubt" "Standing in the Shadows of Love" / Since You've Been Gone" "I'm Ready for Love" "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" "Heaven Must Have Sent You" 1967 "Just One Last Look" "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" / There's No Stopping Us Now" "Your Love Is Amazing" "Jimmy Mack" / "Third Finger, Left Hand" "Bernadette" / "I Got a Feeling" "My World Is Empty Without You" "The Happening" / "All I Know About You" "Just Ain't Enough Love" "7-Rooms of Gloom" / "I'll Turn to Stone" "I Understand My Man" "Your Unchanging Love" / "I'll Take Care of You" "Reflections" / "Going Down for the Third Time" "One Way Out" "You Keep Me Running Away" / "If You Don't Want My Love" "I Got a Feeling" "In and Out of Love" / "I Guess I'll Always Love You" 1968 "Whisper You Love Me Boy" "Forever Came Today" "I'm in a Different World" 1969 "We've Got a Way Out Love" "Crumbs off the Table" 1970 "Give Me Just a Little More Time" "(You've Got Me) Dangling on a String" "Everything's Tuesday" "Band of Gold" "Westbound #9" 1972 "The Day I Found Myself" "Don't Leave Me Starvin' for Your Love" "Why Can't We Be Lovers" 1973 "You're Gonna Need Me" 1975 "We're Almost There" "Just a Little Bit of You" "Early Morning Love" "Where Do I Go from Here" 1976 "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" "High Energy" "Let Yourself Go" 1982 "We Can Never Light That Old Flame Again" Related topics Motown Hot Wax Records Invictus Records List of songs written by Holland, Dozier and Holland

Colourbox Steven Young Martyn Young Ian Robbins Lorita Grahame Debian Curry Studio albums Colourbox (mini-album) Colourbox (full length album) Colourbox MAD 509 (mini-album) Compilation album Lonely Is an Eyesore Singles "Pump Up the Volume" (collaboration with A.R. Kane as MARRS) Songs "You Keep Me Hangin On" (cover of Holland–Dozier–Holland song)