The Contours

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The Contours was an American singing group formed in Detroit in 1958 .

The group, which started out as a quartet, was recommended by Jackie Wilson , manager of the Motown music label . In 1961 the band got a record deal there. The first published single Whole Lotta Woman was a flop.

Then Berry Gordy Jr. , the founder and manager of Motown, wrote the song Do You Love Me for the formation - it became a million seller . In 1963 the English band Brian Poole & the Tremeloes also recorded this track, making it a number one hit in the UK .

Do You Love Me remained the only major success for The Contours. The song was later included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 's "List of the 500 Songs That Made Rock and Roll Most Marked" . He was also part of the 1987 soundtrack for Dirty Dancing .

Members

  • Billy Gordon
  • Billy Hoggs
  • Joe Hoggs
  • Joe Billingslea
  • Sylvester Potts
  • Hubert Johnson
  • Huey Davis

Discography

Albums

  • 1962: Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
  • 1990: Flashback

Compilations

  • 1981: Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
  • 1989: Motown Vintage Gold
  • 1996: The Best of the Contours
  • 1999: The Very Best of the Contours
  • 2000: Essential Collection (released February 28)
  • 2003: All the Hits and Much More
  • 2011: Dance with the Contours (release: March 28th)
  • 2014: Just a Little Misunderstanding: Rare and Unissued Motown 1965-68 ( split album with Dennis Edwards )

Singles

year Title
music label 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US R&B R&B
1962 Do you love me?
Gordy 7005 		- US3 (34 weeks)
US 		R&B1 (17 weeks)
R&B
First published: June 29, 1962
Non-certified million-seller
Author: Berry Gordy
Shake Sherry
Gordy 7012 		- US43 (9 weeks)
US 		R&B21 (4 weeks)
R&B
First published: November 15, 1962
Author: Berry Gordy
1963 Don't Let Her Be Your Baby
Gordy 7016 		- US64 (6 weeks)
US 		-
First published: March 8, 1963
Author: Berry Gordy
1964 Can You Do It
Gordy 7029 		- US41 (6 weeks)
US 		R&B16 (9 weeks)
R&B
First published: February 28, 1964
Authors: Berry Gordy, Richard Street
Can You Jerk Like Me
Gordy 7037 		- US47 (7 weeks)
US 		R&B15 (10 weeks)
R&B
First published: November 16, 1964
Authors: Ivy Jo Hunter, William Stevenson
That Day When She Needed Me
Gordy 7037 		- - R&B37 (1 week)
R&B
B-side of Can You Jerk Like Me
Author: Smokey Robinson
1965 First I Look at the Purse
Gordy 7044 		- US57 (8 weeks)
US 		R&B12 (11 weeks)
R&B
First published: June 23, 1965
Authors: Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers
1966 Just a Little Misunderstanding
Gordy 7052 		UK31 (6 weeks)
UK 		US85 (2 weeks)
US 		R&B18 (6 weeks)
R&B
First published: April 18, 1966
Chart entry in UK only in January 1970
Authors: Stevie Wonder , Clarence Paul, Morris Broadnax
1967 It's So Hard Being a Loser
Gordy 7059 		- US79 (3 weeks)
US 		R&B35 (7 weeks)
R&B
First published: March 9, 1967
Authors: James Dean, William Weatherspoon, Stanley McMullen
1988 Do you love me? / Money (That's What I Want)
Tamla Motown 41903 		UK76 (3 weeks)
UK 		- -
First released: May 30, 1988
split single , B-side: Barrett Strong

more publishments

  • 1961: Whole Lotta Woman (released February 20)
  • 1961: The Stretch (released August 22)
  • 1963: Pa I Need a Car (release: June 11th)
  • 1980: I'm a Winner (release: February)
  • 1989: Face Up to the Fact
  • 1991: Running in Circles
  • 1992: Look Out for the Stop Sign
  • 2012: Claudia

swell

  1. ↑ Chart sources: UK Billboard Hot 100
  2. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .

Web links