The week of December 15, 1964, saw The Supremes atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Come See About Me.’ This was the third of five consecutive #1 hits the trio released between 1964 and 1965.
The song would lose its top position to The Beatles’ ‘I Feel Fine’ the following week, then win it back from the Fab Four in January of 1965.
Top Ten Songs of the Summer
#8 – The Supremes – ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ (1964)
Given that 1964 was the year of Beatlemania, I would have expected one of their massive hits to claim that year’s Song of the Summer throne. But the closest they got was ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ reaching #4 on the summer chart.
It’s all a matter of hitting a nerve between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the rest of the year be damned.
I’m bypassing a few of The Supremes’ other #1 hits — specifically, ‘Love is Here and Now You’re Gone,’ ‘Come See About Me’ and ‘The Happening’ — and finishing off the Motown series with today’s song, their final #1 single.
This is my 28th Motown song — 3 1/2 months’ worth. I hope you’ve enjoyed the exploration of some of the finest music America has ever produced. I know I have. I do like the idea of keeping a theme on the weekends, and I think I know what I’ll try next. Stay tuned.
Of all The Supremes’ #1 hits, this one strikes me as among the most interesting because of the way it reflects the changing dynamic in both the music industry and the band itself.
For one thing, note that the song is credited to Diana Ross & The Supremes, a name change that took place in 1967 and led to a growing rift within the group. Indeed, Florence Ballard left the band just a year later and was replaced by Cindy Birdsong. ‘Love Child’ was The Supremes’ first #1 single without Ballard, and the first under their new moniker.
This 1965 ditty was the fifth Supremes song in a row to hit #1 on the Billboard chart. I don’t know it as well as the others (which included ‘Baby Love,’ ‘Where Did Our Love Go?’ and ‘Stop! In the Name of Love’) but it’s a good one.
The lyrics name-drop Diana Ross’ fellow Supremes Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard, a cute touch.
Wilson, now 65, sang with The Supremes through all of the group’s incarnations and continues performing as a solo artist to this day. She is also one of the initiators of a bill that bans groups from performing under the names of famous bands.
Meet Me In Montauk 