"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" | ||||
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Single by Four Tops | ||||
from the album Four Tops Second Album | ||||
B-side | "Sad Souvenirs" | |||
Released | April 23, 1965 | |||
Recorded | 1965 | |||
Studio | Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A), Detroit, Michigan | |||
Genre | Soul, pop | |||
Length | 2:46 | |||
Label | Motown | |||
Songwriter(s) | Holland–Dozier–Holland | |||
Producer(s) | ||||
Four Tops singles chronology | ||||
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"I Can't Help Myself" is a 1965 song recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label.
Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "I Can't Help Myself" is one of the most well-known Motown recordings of the 1960s and among the decade's biggest hits. The single topped the Billboard's R&B chart for nine weeks (being named the biggest R&B single of the year by Billboard) and also peaked at No.1 on the Hot 100 for two non-consecutive weeks, [1] from June 12 to June 19 and from June 26 to July 3 in 1965. It replaced "Back in My Arms Again" by label mates the Supremes. It was first unseated at No.1 by "Mr. Tambourine Man" by the Byrds, then regained the top spot before being replaced by the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". Billboard ranked the record as the second biggest single of 1965. "I Can't Help Myself" was the Four Tops' first top 40 single in the UK, peaking at No.23 at the end of 1965, then reaching No.10 in its early 1970 re-release. [2]
The song finds lead singer Levi Stubbs, assisted by the other three Tops and the Andantes, pleadingly professing his love to a woman: "Sugar pie, honey bunch/I'm weaker than a man should be!/Can't help myself/I'm a fool in love, you see." The melodic and chordal progressions are very similar to the Supremes' 1964 hit "Where Did Our Love Go", also written by Holland-Dozier-Holland. According to AllMusic critic Ed Hogan, the title "I Can't Help Myself" is an oblique acknowledgment by Dozier that he could not resist recycling his previous hit. [3] The bracketed title "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch" appears only on certain oldie reissues of the single.
Billboard described the song as a "spirited, fast-paced wailer performed in [the Four Tops'] unique style." [4] Cash Box described it as "a rollicking hand-clappin' thumper about a fella who is delighted 'cause he's head-over-heels with the gal of his dreams." [5] Record World said that the "Tops will be helping themselves right up the charts with this grinding number about love." [6]
Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song at No.483 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It has been covered extensively since 1965, including versions done for several television commercials. In 2019, Applebee's used the song for one of their advertisements. [7]
Chart (1965) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada CHUM Chart [11] | 4 |
UK Singles Chart [2] | 23 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [1] | 1 |
US Billboard R&B [1] | 1 |
Chart (1970) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles Chart [2] | 10 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [12] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
In 1980, Bonnie Pointer had a disco crossover hit in the United States, with the song peaking at No.40 on the pop singles chart, No.42 on the soul singles chart, [13] and No.4 on the dance chart. [14] [15] In Canada, it reached No.43 on the RPM Top 100 Singles chart. [16] The song also peaked at No.52 in Australia. [17]
"I Can't Help Myself" | ||||
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Single by La Toya Jackson | ||||
from the album Stop in the Name of Love | ||||
Released | April 25, 1995 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:58 (single edit) | |||
Label | CMC Records, Koch International | |||
Composer(s) | Holland–Dozier–Holland | |||
Lyricist(s) | Holland–Dozier–Holland | |||
Producer(s) | Peter Holm | |||
La Toya Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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"I Can't Help Myself" was recorded by American singer La Toya Jackson for her ninth studio album Stop in the Name of Love , which consists of Motown covers. [18] "I Can't Help Myself" was released as the album's only single in April 1995. The single's B-side, a cover of the Supremes' "Baby Love", is also from the album.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Can't Help Myself" | Holland–Dozier–Holland | 3:30 |
2. | "Baby Love" | Holland–Dozier–Holland | 3:19 |
The Supremes recorded a cover of this song between 1965 and 1966, released on their No.1 album, The Supremes A' Go-Go . Their backing band, the Funk Brothers, was also the Four Tops' backing band at the time and comprising most, if not all, of the same musicians as on the original chart-topping single.[ citation needed ] In 1967, the Four Tops themselves recorded a special Italian language version, entitled "Piangono gli uomini" ("The Men Cry"). [19]
In the winter of 1969, Johnny Rivers covered the song. His rendition became a No.2 hit in South Africa. [20]
Donnie Elbert hit No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 with his cover of this song, [21] which was a follow-up to his cover of the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go". In Canada, it reached No.37. [22]
A cover by American country music group Billy Hill peaked at No.58 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1989. [23]
The "Motorcity All-Stars" released a rerecorded version of song in 1989 on Ian Levine's Motown revival label Motorcity. [24] The ensemble group was put together from as many former Motown singers as producer Levine could assemble. Levi Stubbs's brother Joe called Levi over to record the song, and both brothers feature on the track, along with singers Sammy Ward, Cal Gill of the Velvelettes, and Carolyn Crawford and C.P. Spencer of the Originals, all of whom had previously recorded at Motown. Many other former Motown associates can be seen in the background of the accompanying video, including Berry Gordy's ex-wife Raynoma Gordy Singleton and former head of artist development Maxine Powell.
In 1992, Australian girl group Teen Queens released a version that peaked at No.28 on the Australian Singles Chart. [25]
American musician Kid Rock has performed the song in concert on his 2013 tour. He later included a cover of the song on his 2017 album Sweet Southern Sugar . [26] On the album it was titled "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch".
"Baby Love" is a song by American music group the Supremes from their second studio album, Where Did Our Love Go. It was written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland and was released on September 17, 1964.
"I Hear a Symphony" is a 1965 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label.
"You Can't Hurry Love" is a 1966 song originally recorded by the Supremes on the Motown label. It was released on July 25 of 1966 as the second single from their studio album The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966).
The Andantes were an American female session group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops, Jimmy Ruffin, Edwin Starr, the Supremes, the Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye and the Isley Brothers, among others. It is estimated they appeared on 20,000 recordings.
The Supremes A' Go-Go is the ninth studio album released by Motown singing group the Supremes. It was the first album by an all-female group to reach number-one on the Billboard 200 album charts in the United States.
Renaldo "Obie" Benson was an American soul and R&B singer and songwriter. He was best known as a founding member and the bass singer of Motown group the Four Tops, which he joined in 1953 and continued to perform with for over five decades, until April 8, 2005.
"Baby I Need Your Loving" is a 1964 hit single recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song was the group's first Motown single and their first pop Top 20 hit, making it to number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four in Canada in the fall of 1964. It was also their first million-selling hit single.
"It's the Same Old Song" was recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. It was released in 1965 as the second single from their second album. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is today one of The Tops' signatures, and was reportedly created—from initial concept to commercial release—in 24 hours. It reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Billboard R&B chart. It also reached #34 in the UK.
"Reach Out I'll Be There" (also formatted as "Reach Out (I'll Be There)") is a song recorded by American vocal quartet Four Tops from their fourth studio album, Reach Out (1967). Written and produced by Motown's main production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most widely-known Motown hits of the 1960s and is today considered the Four Tops' signature song.
"Come and Get These Memories" is an R&B song by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. Their second single released under Motown's Gordy Records subsidiary, "Memories" became the group's first hit single, reaching number 29 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, and number-six on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart.
"(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" is a 1966 hit single by Motown group The Miracles, released on Motown Records' Tamla label.
"When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" is a song written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and recorded in 1963 by Motown singing group The Supremes. It is notable as the Supremes' first Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 recording, following seven previous singles between January 1961 and September 1963 which failed to enter the Top 40. The single is also notable as the first Supremes single written and produced by Holland–Dozier–Holland, who had previously created hits for Martha and the Vandellas and Mary Wells.
"Nothing but Heartaches" is a 1965 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet from Detroit, Michigan. They were one of the most commercially successful American pop music groups of the 1960s and helped propel the Motown label to international fame. The group's repertoire has included aspects of soul, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes.
Four Tops Second Album is a 1965 R&B studio album by vocal quartet the Four Tops. The album, released on the Motown record label, reached No. 3 on Billboard's Black Albums chart and No. 20 on the Billboard Top LPs chart. The album contains three hit singles. "I Can't Help Myself " reached No. 1 on both the Black Singles and Pop Singles charts, while "It's the Same Old Song" reached No. 2 and No. 5 respectively, and "Something About You" reached No. 9 and No. 19. In 1990, Motown bundled the Four Tops' first two albums together in a release titled Four Tops/Four Tops Second Album.
The Ultimate Collection is a compact disc by The Four Tops, released on Motown Records, catalogue 314530825-2, in October 1997. It is a collection of singles comprising many of the group's greatest hits, with liner notes written by Stu Hackel.
"Without the One You Love (Life's Not Worth While)" is a song written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and released as a single in 1964 by the Motown singing group The Four Tops as the second single from their self-titled debut album, Four Tops. The group would later cover the song with The Supremes.
Joe Stubbs was an American R&B/soul singer who became the lead singer of four different groups throughout his recording career. He was the younger brother of The Four Tops' lead Levi Stubbs.
"Uptown Festival" is the debut single by the band Shalamar, released on Soul Train Records in 1977. The song is a medley of ten Motown classics sung over a 1970s disco beat. The radio edit, "Uptown Festival ", became a hit peaking at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 10 on the R&B chart and No. 2 on the Dance chart. It also charted internationally. After the success of the single, Dick Griffey, the booking agent for Soul Train, formed a vocal group, resulting in the first incarnation of Shalamar with Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniels and Gary Mumford.
Bonnie Pointer is the second self-titled studio album by Bonnie Pointer, released in 1979 on the Motown label. This was her second album and final album with Motown.