Song #124 - "Come See About Me" - The Supremes

Recorded - July 13, 1964

Released - October 27, 1964

#1 for weeks of December 19, 1964 and January 16, 1965. 

     In just one year, The Supremes went from being Motown's no-hit wonders to having three number one hits by year's end. "Come See About Me" may have been recorded before their second #1 hit, ("Baby Love"), yet it sounds like the trio's true next step in their evolving sound. "Come See About Me" was #1 for two non-consecutive weeks, one being in January of 1965. I'll spoil you the suspense by saying right away that, yes, this song did deserve to hit #1. Here's why - 

     For one, we see The Supremes move away from the pure girl group sound of their previous two hits and progress to a song that is far more classic Motown and R&B sounding. There is still elements of their last two hits present such as the abundance of handclaps, and the romantic lyrics. However, this song sounds a lot more musically sophisticated, as if the showcase was not just on The Supremes but also the fantastic instrumental backing of The Funk Brothers. 

     Written once again by Holland-Dozier-Holland, "Come See About Me" features plenty of hooks such as the pre-chorus "Crying baby over you" lines. The actual title phrase of the song will also get stuck in your head. Besides singing the title line, the other two Supremes are a bit more subdued in this song. Diana Ross remains the dominant voice, and this is definitely one of her best early vocal performances. 

     The girl group sound started to decline in popularity the following year and by 1966, the genre was no longer a dominant force on the pop charts. The Supremes remained an exception, and would continue to have more number one hits throughout the rest of the 1960's. In fact, it won't be long till we return to them again on this blog. 

Final Verdict - With a very gender-neutral sound and plenty of hooks to keep the average listener satisfied, "Come See About Me" is another great Motown song guaranteed to get your toes tapping. 

                  Last up for 1964 - "I Feel Fine" by The Beatles. 

                 Until Next Time - Come see about me, Dr. Rock -