TOP 100 SONGS OF 1967 ― NUMBER 26

50 years ago this year these songs were released. I took the top 100 from Rolling Stone for 1967 and put them in the order in which I think they should have listed, since this was the decade of the music I grew up on. Enough of the formalities, here we go. Enjoy.  

I SECOND THAT EMOTION ― SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES

Genre ―  Soul



Video  

"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.

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.

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 #4 on the Billboard pop singles chart in December 1967. 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 the song's producers (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).

The song also topped the Billboard Black Singles Chart[5] and was a million-selling hit for The Miracles, their sixth overall. The song was also a top 30 hit in the UK in 1967, reaching #27.

Personnel

Lead vocals by Smokey Robinson
Background vocals by Claudette Rogers Robinson, Pete Moore, Ronnie White, and Bobby Rogers
Guitar by Marv Tarplin
Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations version ― 

The song was covered and released by a group duet of Motown labelmates Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations in 1969. This version peaked at #19 in the UK.

Personnel

Lead vocals by Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks
Background vocals by Mary Wilson, Cindy Birdsong, Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin
Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
Guitar by Marv Tarplin

From Wikipedia and Google (image)