Song #174 - "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes

Recorded - June 30 & August 1, 1966

Released - October 12, 1966

#1 for weeks of November 19 and 26, 1966. 

     I already mentioned in my review of "Reach Out I'll Be There" that is my favorite Four Tops song. That's because it's a different and more mature sounding number compared to their earlier work. Well for much of those same reasons, The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On", is probably my favorite song of theirs. I've said it before and I'll say it again, 1966 was a great year for music. 

     If you're wondering if this is another Holland-Dozier-Holland composition, you only have to look at what album "You Keep Me Hangin' On" eventually appeared on in early 1967: The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland. Of course, this is hardly a bad thing. Since H-G-H composed the bulk of The Supremes and Four Tops' hits, you could almost put together a juke box musical based on their catalog. 

     "You Keep Me Hangin' On" gets you hooked from the first few seconds. That repeating Morse Code-sounding guitar part is one of the most clever hooks in Motown history. Equally as memorable is the song's vocal melody. I love how the choruses are arranged, with a brief pause before each line. There are also quite a few key changes, from major to minor. It's quite an exciting song, and when you compare it to their earlier singles, it makes them pale in comparison. 

     Not only was this song a pop and R&B smash, rock musicians loved it as well. In fact, The Vanilla Fudge, a psychedelic rock band from New York, covered the song in 1967. Two years later, their cover even reached #6 on the pop charts. Their version is quite heavier with a much slower tempo and numerous guitar solos. As much as I love the Vanilla Fudge version, the original Motown version is the one I remember most fondly. 

Final Verdict - One of my favorite Motown singles. Containing innumerable hooks, great vocals, and a beat you can't help but tap your feet to, "You Keep Me Hangin' On" was a deserved #1. I always look forward to hearing it.

    Coming Up Next - "Winchester Cathedral" by The New Vaudeville Band.

Until Next Time - I'm Dr. Rock, and I'm going to keep you hangin' on...until my next review -