Where Did Our Love Go is the 1964 single by The Supremes, written by Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Motown released it on June 17, 1964.
It was the group's first No. 1 in the US, with two weeks on top.
Table of Contents
The Story Behind Where Did Our Love Go
A Song Meant for the Marvelettes
Holland-Dozier-Holland first wrote the track with the Marvelettes in mind, according to Wikipedia.
Holland and Dozier said the Marvelettes turned it down.
The Marvelettes denied it, saying the slower beat did not suit them.
Lamont Dozier recalled that Gladys Horton called it "the worst thing I ever heard," as quoted by Songfacts.
The No-Hit Supremes
The group was then nicknamed the "No-Hit Supremes."
Ballard said the group wanted a stronger single.
Another objection was that the lyric sounded "kiddie-ish."
Berry Gordy pushed them to record it anyway.
Dozier said the idea came from a breakup.
Recording at Hitsville
The Session
The track was recorded on April 8, 1964, at Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit.
Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier produced it.
"He Means the World to Me" is on the B-side.
Dozier had cut the backing track in Horton's lower key, so Diana Ross had to sing lower and breathier than usual.
That restrained delivery became the signature of the record.
Dozier had planned intricate backing vocals, but the group refused to learn them, so he simplified them to the repeated chorus.
The Stomp
Songfacts reports the foot stomps were recorded on plywood sheets laid over the floor at Hitsville, picked up by several microphones.
The room's high ceilings added echo.
The Players
- James Jamerson on bass and Richard "Pistol" Allen on drums.
- Earl Van Dyke on piano, with Eddie Willis and Robert White on guitar.
- Mike Terry on baritone sax and Jack Ashford on vibraphone.
- Diana Ross on lead vocals, with Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson on backing vocals.
Sources differ on some session credits, so this list follows Wikipedia.
How It Charted
In the US
It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 77.
It reached No. 1 for two weeks, from August 16 to August 29, 1964, and spent nine weeks in the Top Ten.
It also topped the Hot R&B chart and finished 1964 at No. 10 on the year-end list.
It was the first of five straight Supremes No. 1s, followed by "Baby Love," "Come See About Me," "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again."
Around the World
The record reached No. 3 in the UK and No. 1 in Canada.
Cash Box called it "an infectious handclapping stomp'er."
| Measure | Detail | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | US pop peak, 1964 | No. 1 (2 weeks) |
| Hot R&B | US R&B peak, 1964 | No. 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | UK peak, 1964 | No. 3 |
| Canada (RPM) | Peak, 1964 | No. 1 |
| Rolling Stone | 500 Greatest Songs of All Time | No. 472 (2004), No. 475 (2010) |
| National Recording Registry | Library of Congress, 2016 | Selected |
Legacy and Covers
Beyond the Charts
In August 1965, the song was transmitted to astronauts Gordon Cooper and Pete Conrad aboard Gemini 5, according to Mary Wilson's Library of Congress interview.
Billboard ranks it No. 4 among the greatest girl group songs.
Covers
- Donnie Elbert took a 1971 version to No. 15 on the US pop chart.
- Soft Cell paired it with "Tainted Love" in a 1981 medley that hit No. 1 in the UK.
Where It Fits
It opens the Motown run of 1964.
You can find it on our list of the best 60s songs.
The full story of the trio is in our Supremes biography, and the label's wider sound is covered in the Motown, Soul & R&B hub.
Its follow-up is told in our Baby Love story.
FAQ
Who wrote this Supremes song?
Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote it: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland.
Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier produced it.
When did this Supremes song come out?
Motown released it on June 17, 1964.
It is the title track of The Supremes' 1964 album, and its B-side is He Means the World to Me.
Was this song written for the Marvelettes?
Holland-Dozier-Holland first offered it to the Marvelettes.
Holland and Dozier said the group turned it down, though the Marvelettes denied vetoing it.
Did this Supremes song hit No. 1?
Yes.
It spent two weeks at No.
1 on the Billboard Hot 100, from August 16 to August 29, 1964.
It peaked at No.
3 on the UK Singles Chart.
Who plays on this Supremes song?
The Funk Brothers played the track, including James Jamerson on bass and Earl Van Dyke on piano.
Diana Ross sang lead, with Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson on backing vocals.
A song the singers resisted became the one that made them stars.
Wikipedia's entry on the song covers its history and charts in more depth.
Press play above and hear why Where Did Our Love Go still sounds so cool.