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I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)

I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)

"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" is a 1965 hit song recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label.

Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "I Can't Help Myself" is one of the most well-known Motown recordings of the 1960s and among the decade's biggest hits. The single reached number one on *Billboard'*s R&B chart and also peaked at number one on the Hot 100 for two non-consecutive weeks,[1] from June 12 to June 19 and from June 26 to July 3 in 1965. It replaced "Back in My Arms Again" by labelmates The Supremes. It was first unseated at number one by "Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds, then regained the top spot before being replaced by the Rolling Stones' blockbuster hit "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". Billboard ranked the record as the second biggest single of 1965. "I Can't Help Myself" was the Four Tops' first Top 40 single in the UK, peaking at 23 in the summer of 1965, then reaching 10 on its spring 1970 re-release.[2]

The song finds lead singer Levi Stubbs, assisted by the other three Tops and The Andantes, pleadingly professing his love to a woman: "Sugar pie, honey bunch/I'm weaker than a man should be!/Can't help myself/I'm a fool in love, you see." The melodic and chordal progressions are very similar to the Supremes' 1964 hit "Where Did Our Love Go," also written by Holland-Dozier-Holland. According to Allmusic critic Ed Hogan, the title "I Can't Help Myself" is an oblique acknowledgment by Dozier that he could not resist recycling his previous hit.[3] The bracketed title 'Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch' appears only on certain oldie reissues of the single.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #415 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It has been covered extensively since 1965, including versions done for several television commercials.

"I Can't Help Myself
(Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)"
Single by Four Tops
from the album Four Tops Second Album
B-side"Sad Souvenirs"
ReleasedApril 23, 1965
Format7" single
RecordedHitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); 1965
GenreSoul, pop
Length2:46
LabelMotown
Songwriter(s)Holland–Dozier–Holland
Producer(s)Brian Holland
Lamont Dozier
Four Tops singles chronology
"Ask the Lonely"
(1965)
"**I Can't Help Myself
(Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)**"
(1965)
"It's the Same Old Song"
(1965)

Personnel

  • Lead vocals by Levi Stubbs

  • Background Vocals by Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Lawrence Payton, and The Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps

  • Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (strings) Bass by James Jamerson[4] Baritone saxophone by Mike Terry[5]

  • Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Edward Holland, Jr.

  • Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier

Cover versions

The Supremes recorded a cover of this song between 1965 and 1966, released on their #1 album, The Supremes A' Go-Go. Their backing band, The Funk Brothers, was also the Four Tops' backing band at the time and was composed of most, if not all, of the same musicians as the original #1 single. In 1967, the Four Tops themselves recorded a special Italian language version, entitled Piangono gli uomini (The men cry).[6]

In the winter of 1969, Johnny Rivers covered the song. His rendition became a #2 hit in South Africa.[7]

Donnie Elbert hit #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 with his cover of this song,[8] which was a follow-up to his cover of the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go."

In 1980, Bonnie Pointer had a disco crossover hit, with the song peaking at #40 on the pop singles chart, #42 on the soul singles chart,[9] and #4 on the dance charts.[10][11]

A cover by American country music group Billy Hill peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1989.[12]

The "Motorcity All-Stars" released a rerecorded version of song in 1989 on Ian Levine's Motown revival label Motorcity.[13] The ensemble group was put together from as many former Motown singers as producer Levine could assemble. Levi Stubbs' brother Joe called Levi over to record the song, and both brothers feature on the track, along with singers Sammy Ward, Cal Gill of The Velvelettes, Carolyn Crawford and C.P. Spencer of The Originals, all of whom had previously recorded at Motown. Many other former Motown associates can be seen in the background of the accompanying video, including Berry Gordy's ex-wife Raynoma Gordy Singleton and former head of artist development Maxine Powell.

References

[1]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgWhitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 212.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[2]
Citation Linkwww.officialcharts.com"Four Tops charts". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[3]
Citation Linkwww.allmusic.comHogan, E. "I Can't Help Myself". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[4]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgLiner notes. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 5: 1965, Hip-O Select – B0006775-02, USA, 04 Aug 2006
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[5]
Citation Linkwww.theguardian.comhttps://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/dec/01/mike-terry-obituary
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[6]
Citation Linkwww.discogs.com"Four Tops – Piangono Gli Uomini / Bernadette (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-11-28.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[7]
Citation Linkwww.rock.co.za"SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[8]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgWhitburn, Joel (2010). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard Books. p. 212.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[9]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgWhitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 464.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[10]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgWhitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 205.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[11]
Citation Linkwww.discogs.com"Bonnie Pointer – I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[12]
Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgWhitburn, Joel (2013). Hot Country Songs 1944–2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-89820-203-8.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[13]
Citation Linkwww.discogs.com"The Motorcity All-Stars* - I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[14]
Citation Linkwww.metrolyrics.comLyrics of this song
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[15]
Citation Linkwww.officialcharts.com"Four Tops charts"
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[16]
Citation Linkwww.allmusic.com"I Can't Help Myself"
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[17]
Citation Linkwww.theguardian.comhttps://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/dec/01/mike-terry-obituary
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[18]
Citation Linkwww.discogs.com"Four Tops – Piangono Gli Uomini / Bernadette (Vinyl)"
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[19]
Citation Linkwww.rock.co.za"SA Charts 1965–March 1989"
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM
[20]
Citation Linkwww.discogs.com"Bonnie Pointer – I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)"
Sep 28, 2019, 5:58 PM