THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

148-The Supremes-You Can’t Hurry Love.

1966-Number 3 single.

Best Bit-At 0.01. The group were originally known as ‘The Primettes,’ but Motown owner Berry Gordy refused to sign them unless they changed their name. He gave Florence Ballard (1943-1976) a choice between ‘The Darleens,’ The Sweet P’s,’ ‘The Melodees,’ ‘The Royaltones,’ ‘The Jewelettes,’ or ‘The Supremes.’ On Ballard choosing ‘The Supremes’ (see also best songs 1001-411 and 212) Diana Ross expressed her disappointment saying ‘It felt too masculine.’

The core of the group who would become known as The Supremes were formed in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 1959, they remained active until 1977 when the final founding member Mary Wilson (1944-2021) left to pursue a solo career, and Motown decided to disband the group as there were no original members left. The discography of The Supremes consists of 29 studio Albums release between 1962-1976, and 66 singles issued between 1960-1979. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart they achieved 33 top 40 singles, with 12 of those making Number 1, while in the UK they have charted on 29 occasions, with ‘Baby Love’ being their only chart topper.

‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ was written by the legendary song writing team of ‘Holland-Dozier-Holland,’ (see also best songs 969-823-650-553-411 and 212) and was released as the second single from The Supremes ninth studio Album ‘The Supremes A’ Go-Go,’ from August 1966. Diana Ross (see also best songs 900-519-183 and 28) sang lead vocals on 11 of the 12 tracks, including ‘You Can’t Hurry Love,’ with all the instrumentation being played by The Funk Brothers (see also best songs 948-650-569-414-382-212 and 28.) The songs lyrics were written by Eddie Holland who was inspired by a 1950’s Gospel song called (‘You Can’t Hurry God) He’s Right on Time,’ written by Dorothy Love Coates, (1928-2002) the lyrics include the lines ‘You can’t hurry God, you just have to wait.Trust and give him time, no matter how long it takes.’ On the making of the song Lamont Dozier has said,’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.’ The song went on to give The Supremes their seventh Billboard Number 1 single.

In 1982 the song was even more successful in the UK when a cover version by Phil Collins (see also best songs 741) reached Number 1, in America it made Number 10. Collins had always been a big fan of Motown and wanted to replicate the Motown sound with 1980’s studio technology. In the songs video there are three Phil Collins singing and dancing at the same time, this was done to replicate and honour the three Supremes. Phil Collins version was also the very first track on the very first ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ compilation CD, first issued in 1983.

‘No, I can’t bear to live my life alone, I grow impatient for a love to call my own, but when I feel that I, I can’t go on, these precious words keeps me hanging on. I remember mama said.’