120 Hello The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go

Chart  entered : 3  September  1964

Chart  peak : 3

Number  of  hits : 29

Diane (not a misspell, she changed her forename later) Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wells had grown up in the same housing project of Detroit, and had come to Motown due to a connection with another local vocal group, the Primes, whom we will meet in time under a different name. Label boss Berry Gordy was in particular taken with Ross, which perhaps worked in the band's favour when their first eight singles failed to make any impact outside the Detroit area.

Gordy and Smokey Robinson had both tried in vain to write the song to push the trio into the top 40: in the end, they were hooked up with the genius writing and production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who come up with that elusive hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes". It was fronted by Ross, who then took on lead vocals for the vast majority of their future material.

Despite the nous of H-D-H, the Supremes were reluctant to record "Where Did Our Love Go?". On the surface, it's not difficult to see why: it appears at first very slight and simplistic. Lyrically, it's a tale of being pursued romantically by someone, who then loses interest once they have the object of their affections.

What H-D-H had in their armory to take such simple foundations into the stratosphere was the Funk Brothers: the house band at the label's studio, Hitsville USA. Veterans of the local scene, the large cast of characters were able to almost instantly learn material and record in rapid time. That said, the beat here is carried by stomping feet, a throwback to the days of blues singers like John Lee Hooker, who would use the technique in lieu of a drummer they couldn't afford to hire. Ross does a great job sounded wounded, while the other Supremes are essentially faded into the background, with little ease but to chant "baby, baby". 

After some persuasion, it was recorded and took off, becoming a number one in the States, and also kickstarting the first of what will be a fair few Motown acts to be included here.

 

D.C. Harrison