I Second That Emotion

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"I Second That Emotion"
I second that emotion smokey robinson miracles US single variant A.png
One of side-A labels of the US single
Single by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
from the album Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
B-side "You Must Be Love"
ReleasedOctober 19, 1967 (1967-10-19)
RecordedSeptember 21, 1967
Studio Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A)
Genre Soul [1]
Length2:48
Label Motown T 54159
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles singles chronology
"More Love"
(1967)
"I Second That Emotion"
(1967)
"If You Can Want"
(1968)
Audio
"I Second That Emotion" on YouTube

"I Second That Emotion" is a 1967 song written by Smokey Robinson and Al Cleveland. First charting as a hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on the Tamla/Motown label in 1967, "I Second That Emotion" was later a hit single for the group duet Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations, also on the Motown label.

Contents

Song origin

One morning in 1967, Robinson and Cleveland were shopping at Hudson's, a Detroit department store. Robinson found a set of pearls for his wife, Claudette. "They're beautiful." he said to the salesperson. "I sure hope she likes them." Cleveland then added "I second that emotion." Both songwriters laughed at Cleveland's malapropism; he had meant to say "I second that motion." The two were immediately inspired to write a song using the incorrect phrase. [2]

The Miracles' original version

The Miracles' original version of the song finds lead singer and co-writer Smokey Robinson courting a girl who, weary of the game of love, prefers to string her men along and not get romantically involved. Robinson "wants no part" in such a relationship, but promises that if the girl changes her mind, he'll be around ("If you feel like lovin' me/if you've got the notion/I second that emotion.")

This version peaked for three weeks in the United States at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1967. [3] [4] [5] It became the Miracles highest charting popular single since "Shop Around". In this song, guitarists Eddie Willis and Robert White came up with their own guitar licks and riffs for this song based on a chord chart that was given to them by Robinson (this is a classic example of the creativity the Funk Brothers brought to the table during the recording sessions they participated in at the Snake Pit). Regular Miracles guitarist Marv Tarplin was also present on the song. [6]

The song also topped the Billboard Best Selling R&B Singles chart [7] [8] and was a million-selling hit for The Miracles, their sixth overall. [9] The song was also a top 30 hit in the UK in 1967, reaching No. 27.

Cash Box called it an "electrically sparkling slow-midspeed session" with "outstanding lead and the well worked team sound." [10]

Personnel

The Miracles

Charts

Chart (1967–1968)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [11] 98
Canada (CHUM) [12] 2
Canada Soul Survey (RPM) [13] 3
UK Singles (OCC) [14] 27
US Billboard Hot 100 [15] 4
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [16] 27
US Cash Box Top 100 [17] 3

Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations version

11 tracks
  1. Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 183. ISBN   0-452-26305-0.
  2. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 7: 1967, Motown/Hip-O Select B0008993-02, 2007, liner notes, p. 85.
  3. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Vol. 79, no. 50. 1967. p. 66. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  4. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Vol. 79, no. 51. 1967. p. 48. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  5. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Vol. 79, no. 52. 1967. p. 44. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  6. "Marv Tarplin: Miracles guitarist whose understated licks played a". The Independent. October 5, 2011. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 404.
  8. "Best Selling R&B Singles", Billboard , January 13, 1968. p. 31. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  9. Coryton, Demitri; Murrells, Joseph. Hits of the Sixties: The Million Sellers. p. 182.
  10. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. November 4, 1967. p. 22. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  11. "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1968". www.top100singles.net.
  12. "CHUM Hit Parade, week of December 18, 1967". December 18, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  13. Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  14. "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  15. "Smokey Robinson & the Miracles Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  16. "Smokey Robinson & the Miracles Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  17. "Cash Box Top 100 12/23/67". cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  18. 1 2 "Diana Ross and the Supremes and the Temptations: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  19. "Lesbók Morgunblaðsins - 41. tölublað (02.11.1969)". Lesbók Morgunblaðsins (in Icelandic). November 2, 1969. p. 15. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  20. "R&B SINGLES" (PDF). Record Mirror . October 25, 1969. p. 11. Retrieved January 26, 2022 via worldradiohistory.com.
  21. "Japan - Quiet Life/Second That Emotion". discogs.com. 1980. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  22. "Japan | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts . Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  23. "Japan Nightporter - History of Japan by Paul Rymer". www.nightporter.co.uk. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  24. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Second That Emotion". Irish Singles Chart.
  25. "Japan: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  26. "I Second That Emotion performed by Jerry Garcia Band". setlist.fm. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  27. "I Second That Emotion performed by Grateful Dead". setlist.fm. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  28. Leahey, Andrew (June 18, 2012). "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, 'I Second That Emotion'". American Songwriter . Retrieved June 18, 2012.

Further reading

"I Second That Emotion"
I second that emotion supremes temptations UK single solid centre.png
Solid center variant of the UK single
Single by Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations
from the album Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations
B-side "The Way You Do the Things You Do"
ReleasedSeptember 20, 1969 (1969-09-20)(UK)
Recorded1968
Studio Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A)
Genre
Length2:19
Label Motown TM 709
Songwriter(s)
  • Smokey Robinson
  • Al Cleveland
Producer(s) Frank Wilson
Diana Ross & the Supremes singles chronology
"No Matter What Sign You Are"
(1969)
"I Second That Emotion"
(1969)
"Someday We'll Be Together"
(1969)
The Temptations singles chronology
"I Can't Get Next to You"
(1969)
"I Second That Emotion"
(1969)
"Psychedelic Shack"
(1969)