I Hear a Symphony

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We will release nothing less than Top Ten product on any artist; and because the Supremes' world-wide acceptance is greater than the other artists, on them we will only release number-one records.

Holland-Dozier-Holland therefore set about breaking their formula and trying something new. The result was "I Hear a Symphony," a song with a more complex musical structure than previous Supremes releases. "Symphony" was released as a single in place of another Holland-Dozier-Holland Supremes song, "Mother Dear", which had been recorded in the same style as their earlier hits.

In a 1968 interview, [3] Diana Ross said that this was one of her favorite songs to perform, even though its key register posed some challenges. [4]

Billboard called the song a "blockbuster" as well as a "well-written rhythm ballad with pulsating beat and top vocal work." [5] Cash Box described it as a "rhythmic, medium-paced romancer about a lucky gal who’s head-over-heels in love with the special guy of her dreams." [6] Record World said that "The Supremes will hear a symphony of coin for 'I Hear a Symphony.'" [7]

"I Hear a Symphony", later issued on an album of the same name, became the Supremes' sixth number-one hit in the United States. After the number-five hit "My World Is Empty Without You" and the number-nine hit "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart," the Supremes began a run of four more number-one hits: "You Can't Hurry Love," "You Keep Me Hangin' On," "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone," and "The Happening." The group performed the hit song on The Mike Douglas Show on November 3, 1965. [8]

Personnel

"I Hear a Symphony"
I Hear a Symphony 1966.png
Single by the Supremes
from the album I Hear a Symphony
B-side "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love"
ReleasedOctober 6, 1965
RecordedSeptember 22, 28–30, 1965
Studio Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A)
Genre Pop, R&B
Length2:38
Label Motown
M 1083
Songwriter(s) Holland–Dozier–Holland
Producer(s)
The Supremes singles chronology
"Nothing but Heartaches"
(1965)		"I Hear a Symphony"
(1965)		"My World Is Empty Without You"
(1965)
Audio sample
"I Hear a Symphony"
"I Hear a Symphony"
Single by Jackson 5
from the album ABC
B-side "Love Gone Bad"
ReleasedOctober 6, 1965
RecordedSeptember 22, 28–30, 1965
Studio Motown Recording Studio
(Los Angeles, California)
Genre Pop, R&B
Length2:38
Label Motown
M 1083
Songwriter(s) Holland–Dozier–Holland

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States—1,000,000 [23] [24] [25]
Summaries
Worldwide—2,000,000 [26]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Vol. 77, no. 47. Nielsen Company. 1965. p. 22. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
  2. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Vol. 77, no. 48. Nielsen Company. 1965. p. 20. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
  3. ↑ Gilliland, John (1969). "O-S interview index" (audio). Pop Chronicles . University of North Texas Libraries.
  4. ↑ Diana Ross interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
  5. ↑ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. October 23, 1965. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  6. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 23, 1965. p. 14. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  7. ↑ "Single Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. October 23, 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  8. ↑ Guest co-host: Zsa Zsa Gabor (3 November 1965). "November 3, 1965". The Mike Douglas Show . Season 4. Episode 43. Cleveland. CBS. KYW-TV.
  9. ↑ Liner notes. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 5: 1965, Hip-O Select – B0006775-02, USA, 04 Aug 2006
  10. ↑ "Every Unique AMR Top 100 Single of the 1965". Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  11. ↑ "Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD". Billboard . 4 December 1965. p. 30.
  12. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5581." RPM . Library and Archives Canada.
  13. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Supremes The" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  14. ↑ "flavour of new zealand - search lever". Flavour of New Zealand.
  15. ↑ "Supremes: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  16. ↑ "The Supremes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  17. ↑ "The Supremes Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  18. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". Cashbox . November 1, 1965. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  19. ↑ "The CASH BOX Top 50 In R&B Locations". Cashbox . November 27, 1965. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  20. ↑ "100 TOP POPS: Week of November 27, 1965" (PDF). Record World . worldradiohistory.com. November 27, 1965. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  21. ↑ "TOP 40 R&B: Week of December 11, 1965" (PDF). Record World . worldradiohistory.com. December 11, 1965. p. 20. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  22. ↑ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1966". Cashbox . Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  23. ↑ Joseph Murrells (1984). Million Selling Records from the 1900s to the 1980s: An Illustrated Directory. B.T. Batsford. p. 215. ISBN   9780713438437 . Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  24. ↑ Barry Lazell, ed. (1989). Rock Movers & Shakers. Billboard Publications, Incorporated. p. 495. ISBN   9780874366617 . Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  25. ↑ UNKNOWN MILLIONAIRES continued. Vol. 35. Johnson Publishing Company. April 1980. p. 136. ISSN   0012-9011 . Retrieved 24 January 2020.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  26. ↑ Joseph Murrells (1984). Million Selling Records from the 1900s to the 1980s: An Illustrated Directory. London: B.T. Batsford. p. 215. ISBN   0-7134-3843-6.
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