The Contours - Did You Like Them at All?

[marv2]

I ask this question because after being a member here for over 12 years, I never see anything much relating to the group discussed. Did you like them? Their music? Their stage act?

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Well, Marv, since the Contours' biggest hits [["Do.You Love Me", "Shake Sherry", "Can You Jerk Like Me") came before Motown developed its sound in mid-1964, I was never a fan of their early material. The lead singer's vocals were too gruff and growly for my 13-year-old, pop-oriented, white-boy musical taste. However, by 1965, I loved their later material like "Just A Little Misunderstanding" and Smokey's hilariously-worded "First I Look At The Purse". Their Dennis Edwards-lead "It's So Hard Being A Loser" in 1966 was gorgeous -- a Dean & Weatherspoon masterpiece. If Motown had invested in a further Contours album or two, I would have grown to love them as much as I love the other male Motown artists, I'm sure.

[kenneth]

I think my buddy Gary couldn't have said it better. Gary, I think I agree with you completely on this one. The early Contours were more like novelty act along the lines of the Coasters. I love the "Dance With the Contours" CD, it's great, but back when I was in love with "the sound of Young America," their music seemed too raw and unpolished for me.

I also really love the Dennis Edwards-Joe Stubs era material. Ace's second volume in the series is just fantastic!

[marv2]

Philles/Motown Gary, thanks for your response because I am really interested in hearing others opinions of this particular group. "Just A Little Misunderstanding" was one of my favorites of theirs as well. There sound was a bit rough. Their stage act was exciting to me. They kept your attention without having a lot of props or explosions or whatever. I think when people look back at the Contours during their heyday, they see a group frozen somewhere between the 1950s and 60s in their style and approach. I don't think the original grouping was together long enough for it's style to evolve with the changing tastes in music. I understand that Berry Gordy also felt that they did not fit the "image" he was working hard to obtain for his label.

[marv2]

I think my buddy Gary couldn't have said it better. Gary, I think I agree with you completely on this one. The early Contours were more like novelty act along the lines of the Coasters. I love the "Dance With the Contours" CD, it's great, but back when I was in love with "the sound of Young America," their music seemed too raw and unpolished for me.



I also really love the Dennis Edwards-Joe Stubs era material. Ace's second volume in the series is just fantastic!

Ken you literally beat me to it! That goes along exactly with what I was thinking. Still, I wonder if there are some cuts that could have kept them afloat as a viable "then current" act that we have just not heard? I will admit that I have had limited exposure to the Contours outside of their most known material that Gary mentioned. I have the original "Do You Love Me" album from '63 but never really listened to it.

[kenneth]

Ken you literally beat me to it! That goes along exactly with what I was thinking. Still, I wonder if there are some cuts that could have kept them afloat as a viable "then current" act that we have just not heard? I will admit that I have had limited exposure to the Contours outside of their most known material that Gary mentioned. I have the original "Do You Love Me" album from '63 but never really listened to it.

I first bought "Do You Love Me" at our local Arlan's store for 88 cents in a cut out bin. Later, I got rid of it along with many other albums. Then - much later - I bought it again, but this time for $35!

That was probably the last Motown album I ever got rid of!

[marv2]

Just A Little Misunderstanding has glimpses of what the Motown Sound was heading......


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEUsuPGBo-c

[marv2]

I first bought "Do You Love Me" at our local Arlan's store for 88 cents in a cut out bin. Later, I got rid of it along with many other albums. Then - much later - I bought it again, but this time for $35!

That was probably the last Motown album I ever got rid of!

Arlen's ? Stop it! LOL! Anytime you mention that store I go right back to the mid sixties and shopping there with my parents LOL! My copy of that album is stored away with the other 2,500 albums. I am sure it is worth more than $35 now. Remember how popular "Do You Love Me" became from "Dirty Dancing" in the 80s?

[kenneth]

I have a feeling this is not the original lead singer because didn't they come and go quite a bit in this group? I do see Sylvester Potts and of course Dennis Edwards in the background. I imagine that this later singer is just lip syncing to the earlier singer's vocal.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azKPeIWdE6I

[kenneth]

Arlen's ? Stop it! LOL! Anytime you mention that store I go right back to the mid sixties and shopping there with my parents LOL! My copy of that album is stored away with the other 2,500 albums. I am sure it is worth more than $35 now. Remember how popular "Do You Love Me" became from "Dirty Dancing" in the 80s?

I bought most of my vintage collection there while I was still in high school. In fact once I found out their cut out bins had all the early Motown albums for 88 cents, I went to every Arlans [[Arlens?) all over the Detroit area. I got all the early Marvelettes, Mary Wells, Miracles, everything that had already been out of print for a long time. I always wonder which titles I left behind. Oh, to go back in time!

[marv2]

I nearly forgot another favorite of mine by the Contours......."Shake Sherry"!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcNVmc2phrM

[marv2]

I have a feeling this is not the original lead singer because didn't they come and go quite a bit in this group? I do see Sylvester Potts and of course Dennis Edwards in the background. I imagine that this later singer is just lip syncing to the earlier singer's vocal.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azKPeIWdE6I

You are right, that is not the original lead singer who was Billy Gordon . In this clip I believe that is Jerry Green. There is only one original member from the original 5 Contours in this clip and that is Sylvester Potts.

[marv2]

Here are the original Contours. Their sound was rough, but their stage act was very energetic LOL!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZoV2bIkbHI

[marv2]

I guess we should keep in mind that the Contours did not have the advantage of being groomed by Motown's Artist Development Dept. which came a few years later, after they hit. The ironic part of all of that is groups like the Contours, the Marvelettes etc. helped to finance things like the Artist Development Dept. from having early in Motown's history.

[marv2]

A bit of odd trivia. There were more individual Contours [[25) than there were Temptations [[22).

[kenneth]

Here are the original Contours. Their sound was rough, but their stage act was very energetic LOL!

Wow, what a great clip! This must be the same show the Marvelettes clip is from. Yes, their stage act is dynamite! I love when they all do the splits!

Interesting though, Sylvester Potts is not in that clip, is he? If he is, he slimmed down a lot! I can't imagine he's in there although the video is pretty fuzzy.

[kenneth]

A bit of odd trivia. There were more individual Contours [[25) than there were Temptations [[22).

And in a much shorter span of time, I imagine.

[marv2]

I bought most of my vintage collection there while I was still in high school. In fact once I found out their cut out bins had all the early Motown albums for 88 cents, I went to every Arlans [[Arlens?) all over the Detroit area. I got all the early Marvelettes, Mary Wells, Miracles, everything that had already been out of print for a long time. I always wonder which titles I left behind. Oh, to go back in time!


It's Arlen's with an "e" but that's not important. I did something similar except it was at Woolco in the far North end of Toledo! I would ride my bike all the way up there and come back with an arm load of great cut out albums, mostly Motown.

[kenneth]

It's Arlen's with an "e" but that's not important. I did something similar except it was at Woolco in the far North end of Toledo! I would ride my bike all the way up there and come back with an arm load of great cut out albums, mostly Motown.

I think I was right about the spelling. Take a look at these great ads!

http://mallsofamerica.blogspot.com/2005/10/arlans-department-store-ads.html

[marv2]

Wow, what a great clip! This must be the same show the Marvelettes clip is from. Yes, their stage act is dynamite! I love when they all do the splits!

Interesting though, Sylvester Potts is not in that clip, is he? If he is, he slimmed down a lot! I can't imagine he's in there although the video is pretty fuzzy.

He's there. Sylvester's in that clip, so is Huey Davis. It's not the best clip of that performance at the Apollo.

[marv2]

I think I was right about the spelling. Take a look at these great ads!

http://mallsofamerica.blogspot.com/2005/10/arlans-department-store-ads.html

You are right. The site of our Arlan's is now a part of the University of Toledo's campus. Those ads bring back memories for sure.

You

[Bluebrock]

Well, Marv, since the Contours' biggest hits [["Do.You Love Me", "Shake Sherry", "Can You Jerk Like Me") came before Motown developed its sound in mid-1964, I was never a fan of their early material. The lead singer's vocals were too gruff and growly for my 13-year-old, pop-oriented, white-boy musical taste. However, by 1965, I loved their later material like "Just A Little Misunderstanding" and Smokey's hilariously-worded "First I Look At The Purse". Their Dennis Edwards-lead "It's So Hard Being A Loser" in 1966 was gorgeous -- a Dean & Weatherspoon masterpiece. If Motown had invested in a further Contours album or two, I would have grown to love them as much as I love the other male Motown artists, I'm sure.

Well I couldn't have put it better myself. Agree with just about everything you say there my dear Motown friend. Splendid response, and credit to Marv for starting an excellent new thread.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Hey, Kenny! Good to hear from you! Still on vacation for another couple of weeks. Sorry I haven't written, but promise to get my butt in gear soon.

Kenny and Marv -- Your bargain-bin memories have conjured up some pretty fond memories of my own. In Spring of 1965, the Family Bargain Center in Geneva, NY, had some pretty spectacular early Motown album titles in their close-out bin. Mary Wells' "Bye Bye Baby", "The One Who Really Loves You", and "Two Lovers", The Marvelettes' first two albums, Stevie Wonders "Jazz Soul Of...", "Fingertips", "Tribute To Uncle Ray", and even "Stevie At The Beach". I even found some super-rare Motown LP's like the Ralph Sharon album on Gordy, Amos Milburn's "Blues Boss", the Gospel Stars on Tamla, and even Chocker Campbell's album on Motown proper -- all for less than a buck each! The Family Bargain Center's 45 cut-out bins were just as thrilling and impressive -- Eddie Holland's "Just Ain't Enough Love" and "Candy To Me", Brenda Holloway's "Together 'Til The End Of.Time", "You Can Cry On My Shoulder", and "I'll Be Available", The Hit Pack "Never Say No To Your Baby" on Soul, The Velvelettes "He Was Really Saying Something", two of Tony Martin's Motown singles, and Jimmy Ruffin's "As Long As There Is L-O-V-E Love". Those days are long gone. Those records may have struck out on the charts, but to us Motown collectors, it was like striking gold!

[motony]

The original Contours were great. I loved Billy Gordons voice.I remember "Shake Sherry" being huge on Miami Pop radio. I thought "Can You Jerk Like Me" was gonna be a monster hit, the way it was played down here. "Do You Love Me" is one of the greatest rock n roll records of all time.

[mysterysinger]

It's a good question and I think Philles Motown Gary's original post answered for me too. I think they were better live than on record andI don't really enjoy listening to much of their earlier output. Loser is great. I do think they did the best version of "Do You Love Me" though. Some good stuff indeed on the second of their Ace compilations.

[marv2]

Well I couldn't have put it better myself. Agree with just about everything you say there my dear Motown friend. Splendid response, and credit to Marv for starting an excellent new thread.

You are very welcome.

[lockhartgary]

I am a big Coasters fan and I never even considered how much the Contours style was so similar to the Coasters!
I like the Contours in small doses though. However, I believe that "Do You Love Me" was a perfectly done song that was done at the perfect time. Imagine if the Temptations DID record it. I believe if they had then Paul would have done the lead.

[arr&bee]

Whoa,slow ya rolls...the contours were very polished by the mid-sixties i saw them at the howard and they were sharp,no they weren't big stars but they were cool.

[kenneth]

Whoa,slow ya rolls...the contours were very polished by the mid-sixties i saw them at the howard and they were sharp,no they weren't big stars but they were cool.

I'd love to know if there's any live stuff on them in the vaults, from any point in their career. Would be great to hear.

[motony]

The Contours are on the first Motortown Revue LIVE LP[[Apollo) doin Whole Lotta Woman & Do You Love Me.

[kenneth]

The Contours are on the first Motortown Revue LIVE LP[[Apollo) doin Whole Lotta Woman & Do You Love Me.

I forgot that, thanks.

[Sharpmoves]

The Contours are on the first Motortown Revue LIVE LP[[Apollo) doin Whole Lotta Woman & Do You Love Me.

Do You Love Me? Is track 1 on side 2 of my Motown Memories album - the one with the vintage cars on the cover. That was the first Contours track I ever heard, and I loved it's raw energy, and dynamism. I am sure the many acts they influenced included The Beatles, on their very early recordings. And so the Contours probably played a role in shaping the Mersey Sound. They deserve better acclamation than the get, I'm sure.

[Sharpmoves]

The Contours are on the first Motortown Revue LIVE LP[[Apollo) doin Whole Lotta Woman & Do You Love Me.

Do You Love Me? Is track 1 on side 2 of my Motown Memories album - the one with the vintage cars on the cover. That was the first Contours track I ever heard, and I loved its raw energy, and dynamism. I am sure the many acts they influenced included The Beatles, on their very early recordings. And so the Contours probably played a role in shaping the Mersey Sound. They deserve better acclamation than the get, I'm sure.

[phil]

The Contours are on the first Motortown Revue LIVE LP[[Apollo) doin Whole Lotta Woman & Do You Love Me.

And they stole the show big time, along with the Marvelettes.

[robb_k]

9604
The Contours were one of my least favourite Motown acts. But, I liked the way they danced, -their stage act. I didn't like Billy Gordon's scratchy voice, neither that of Billy Hoggs, Sylvester Potts, and most of them. But, I loved their sound with Dennis Edwards and Joe Stubbs on lead. I liked "Shake Sherry", "That Day When She Needed Me", "First I Look At The Purse", "It's So Hard Being A Loser", "Just A Little Misunderstanding" and "Baby, Hit and Run" [[Dennis Edwards and William Weatherspoon leads).