You Can't Hurry Love

by

The Supremes

Album: The Supremes A' Go-Go     Released: 1966

US Chart: 1      UK Chart: 3

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This was written by the prolific songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. It was based on a Gospel song entitled "You Can't Hurry God," which was sung by Dorothy Love Coates and the Gospel Harmonettes, a Gospel group based in Birmingham, Alabama. (thanks, Jerro - New Alexandria, PA)

Eddie Holland came up with the title to Brian Holland's melody for this song. Lamont Dozier recalled in 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh: "We were trying to reconstruct 'Come See About Me' and somehow it turned into 'You Can't Hurry Love.' It was basically a gospel feel we were after." (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)

This was the first of a second row of consecutive #1 American hits the Supremes had. The first row had 5; the second had 4.

A cover by Phil Collins reached US #10 and UK #1 in late 1982. His version was used as the main theme for the 1988 film of the same name, and inspired Andy Rourke's bass in The Smiths' "This Charming Man." Such was his love for the label, that Phil inscribed "Motown, we salute you" on the sleeve of the album Hello, I Must Be Going, which included "You Can't Hurry Love." In addition, his black and white video showing 3 Phil Collins standing in a line was a homage to The Supremes. (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)

The Dixie Chicks covered this for the soundtrack of the 1999 movie Runaway Bride.

The working title for this song was "This Is Where I Came In." (thanks, Jerro - New Alexandria, PA)

Phil Collins explained to Mojo magazine February 2009 that he covered this track: as "a tribute to Motown." He added: "We needed to get everything right on it, but we didn't really succeed. There were no naff strings on the original to start with. Motown is where I lived musically when I was growing up. I was a regular at the Marquee Club in Wardour Street (London) in the '60s. I always went to see The Action and The Who, and they both did great Motown covers. The Motown tracks were always an inspiration. The opening chords and groove of 'Heatwave' always sounded like sun had come out to me. It was so uplifting and positive. Even the names - The Supremes, the Four Tops, The Marvelettes, The Miracles - sound like their glasses are half full! The musicians on all the Motown tracks, they didn't play like the other Pop session guys. Benny Benjamin, James Jamerson - all of them were really Jazz musicians. And every day they would go to work and know they'd be playing on a huge hit record and it would be classic material; it must have been wonderful."

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Comments:

This record was such a strong #1 song, it prevented the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" from reaching the top of the Hot 100 in 1966.
- Kristin , Bessemer, AL

This record was such a strong #1 song, it prevented the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" from reaching the top of the Hot 100 in 1966.
- Kristin , Bessemer, AL

This record was such a strong #1 song, it prevented the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" from reaching the top of the Hot 100 in 1966.
- Kristin , Bessemer, AL

At the time when a lot of teens carried around transistor radios, Motown and H/D/H wanted to capture a sound that would get all the teens to know what the song was- the "boom-boom-boom, boom-boom, boom-boom" really drove the point home.
- Kristin , Bessemer, AL

According to Holland/Dozier/Holland this song was derived from a gospel song, You can't hurry God by Dorothy Coates. "HDH" borrowed much of their material from thier church background.
- Tony , Charleston, SC

Perhaps the most perfect expression of The Motown Sound of the 1960s. Holland/Dozier/Holland were at the peak of their form, and The Supremes never had a better song. 40 years later it sounds just as fresh and vibrant.
- Brian , Sheffield, England

I like how the music stops except I think for the drums and bass and then the other layers get added back in one at a time, including two different rhythm guitars, one of which gets strummed through and the other, which has a sharp, bright sound, gets played in a staccato fashion on the upbeat, very typical of soul pop music of the day, but I wonder how they got that bright yet punchy sound!
- fyodor , Denver, CO

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