Customer Reviews

The Essential Collection

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While so many other Motown stars of the sixties remain popular today, the Contours are largely forgotten. This is a pity but not really surprising as their biggest hit by far (Do you love me) became an even bigger hit when covered by others.

Originally featuring Billy Gordon (lead singer), Billy Hoggs, Joe Billingslea and Sylvester Potts, they were soon joined by Hubert Johnson, a cousin of Jackie Wilson. Jackie helped them to get a recording contract with Motown.

After a few unsuccessful singles, they hit big with Do you love me. It topped the R+B charts and made the top three in the American pop charts. In Britain, both the Dave Clark Five and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes covered the song. Brian's version topped the British charts (it was the high point of Brian's career, although his backing group eventually had greater success without him) while Dave's version topped the American pop charts.

Meanwhile, the Contours continued to record great music but they didn't quite fit in with Motown's image - they weren't as slick as the other acts. Nevertheless, they had some success in America with Shake Sherrie, Don't let her be your baby, Can you do it, Can you jerk like me, First I look at the purse, Just a little misunderstanding and It's so hard being a loser - this last track being their last new hit in 1967. They had just one (minor) British hit - Just a little misunderstanding, which briefly charted in 1970, four years after its original release in America.

During the sixties, the Contours underwent many line-up changes. Joe Stubbs (cousin of Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops) and Dennis Edwards (later of the Temptations) were the most notable names to join the group. The group continued for many years as a live act, performing on the oldies circuit at least until the nineties. Joe Billingslea and Sylvester Potts, two of the original members, appear to have stayed with the group through all the changes. Hubert Johnson committed suicide in 1981.

This compilation contains all their hits and several other great tracks. If Motown had had more faith in them, perhaps the Contours would have been more successful. Nevertheless, their music is well worth a listen.

I saw The Contours when they appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand (not to date myself...) and couldn't believe them. They had a really wild stage act, swinging guitars at each other, rubberleg dancing, you name it. And with Do You Love Me, they followed a pattern long established in American music: black group records hit, gets a little money, white group(s) cover hit and make REAL money, black group tries again. In this case it was the Dave Clark Five, but The Meatles had done the same before (and after) them, see Twist And Shout as an example.The other chapter in this book is "black group tries to stay in the game with novelty/dance records until they find another hit" by the way.

This is a disc of PARTY MUSIC. If it weren't for the fact that they mention different dates it sounds like they could have laid all these tracks down in just a few sessions. "Dance" songs(Shake Sherry, Can You Do It, Can You Jerk Like Me, Move Mr. Man), love gone wrong songs (Baby Hit And Run, It's So Hard Being A Loser, Your Love Grows More Precious Every Day)and even a Smokey Robinson tune (Berry Gordy call somebody, guys?), Determination. All performed in a rollicking, almost garage-band style with harmonies, whoops, hollers and everything you need for a good listening time. Put it on and really listen to it - these guys weren't given much to work with at Motown but used what they had to full effect. Think of them as a second generation Hank Ballard and the Midnighters (talented but hard to pigeonhole) and enjoy!

This is another example of neglect in regard to remastering. The people at Universal Music/Spectrum in the UK chose to include in this collection the MONO singles only. There are no stereo songs on this CD. If Motown or whomever is putting this stuff out, they should print the mono/stereo information on the cover so that the buyer can know what he/she is buying.

I've always been a big fan of The Contours and this CD is great to add to my "Old School" collections. I'm also going to order the other The Contours classics that you have listed as well.

The CONTOURS were another FANTASTIC MOTOWN group. If you can't cut the rug to their music, you ain't breathin!!!!!!!!

If you think the Supremes bordered on Muzak compared to most of the Motown acts, the Contours are for you. This is as raw a product as Motown let out, especially the cuts without the big production treatment. And that's what's so cool about it. Bass (presumably the great James Jamerson), drums, piano, and the beefiest, punchiest harmonies - the feel of a low-ceiling smokey scary little club. This is R&B at its rawest and purest, performed with just enough artistry and production to put across the BEAT, but not too perfect or too embroidered. And the unheralded jewel of this album is Move Mr. Man, an incredibly daring and imaginative arrangement that would be astonishing even today. The drummer uses only brushes, but this cut has a chugging locomotive beat carried almost totally by the vocals in a stunning counterpoint arrangement which only the Contours had the muscle to pull off. And wait until you get to the bridge - you've never heard syncopation used like this! If you like your whiskey straight and your R&B without frills, this is as plain as they made it. Just the funk, the beat, and the manliest vocals from the bad boys of the Motown stable.