Shake Sherry
Encyclopedia
Shake Sherry was a 1962 R&B song by Motown Records
group The Contours
, issued on its Gordy
subsidiary label.(Gordy 7012).it was the follow-up to the group's million-selling Top 5 hit single "Do You Love Me
", and was taken from their album of the same name
.
Not as successful as its predecessor, Shake Sherry missed the Billboard Pop Top 40, peaking at #43, and charted at # 21 on its R&B Chart. It was written by Motown Records' founder and first President Berry Gordy
, who had written the group's previous hit, and had been quite successful as a songwriter and producer before founding Motown Records , having written hit singles for Jackie Wilson
, Etta James
, Marv Johnson
, and others.
Unlike Do You Love Me, which had been originally intended for The Temptations
, Shake Sherry was written specifically for The Contours,one of several songs Gordy composed for the group.
A raucous,powerful rocker,tailor made for the Contours, Shake Sherry reinforces the group's reputation as a "dance music" group, featuring the screaming sandpaper voice of lead singer Billy Gordon, who, as the song's narrator, describes the story of his would-be-girlfriend Sherry,whom be begs to "dance for me ,before you go".
This song's relative chart failure ,compared to Do You Love Me, meant that The Contours' run as a headline act in the famed Motortown Revue
touring shows of the early sixties was relatively short- lived: although their dynamic live performances always made them a crowd favorite,history has unfairly branded them as "one hit wonders". The fact is that despite Motown's relative lack of promotion, The Contours actually charted several times for the label between 1962- 1967.
Other instruments: The Funk Brothers
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
group The Contours
The Contours
The Contours were one of the early African-American soul singing groups signed to Motown Records.The group is best known for its Billboard Top 10 hit, "Do You Love Me," a million-selling song that peaked twice in the Top 20....
, issued on its Gordy
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
subsidiary label.(Gordy 7012).it was the follow-up to the group's million-selling Top 5 hit single "Do You Love Me
Do You Love Me
"Do You Love Me" is a 1962 hit single recorded by The Contours for Motown's Gordy Records label. Written and produced by Motown CEO Berry Gordy, Jr., "Do You Love Me?" was the Contours' only Top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. Notably, the record achieved this feat...
", and was taken from their album of the same name
Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
Do You Love Me was the only LP issued by The Contours during their career at Motown Records. Issued on Motown's Gordy subsidiary in October 1962 , the album includes the hit title track and the number 21 R&B single "Shake Sherrie"...
.
Not as successful as its predecessor, Shake Sherry missed the Billboard Pop Top 40, peaking at #43, and charted at # 21 on its R&B Chart. It was written by Motown Records' founder and first President Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
, who had written the group's previous hit, and had been quite successful as a songwriter and producer before founding Motown Records , having written hit singles for Jackie Wilson
Jackie Wilson
Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history...
, Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
, Marv Johnson
Marv Johnson
Marv Johnson was an American R&B and soul singer, most notable for performing on the first record to be issued from what became Motown.-Biography:...
, and others.
Unlike Do You Love Me, which had been originally intended for The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, Shake Sherry was written specifically for The Contours,one of several songs Gordy composed for the group.
A raucous,powerful rocker,tailor made for the Contours, Shake Sherry reinforces the group's reputation as a "dance music" group, featuring the screaming sandpaper voice of lead singer Billy Gordon, who, as the song's narrator, describes the story of his would-be-girlfriend Sherry,whom be begs to "dance for me ,before you go".
This song's relative chart failure ,compared to Do You Love Me, meant that The Contours' run as a headline act in the famed Motortown Revue
Motortown Revue
The Motortown Revue was the name given to the package concert tours of Motown artists in the 1960s. Early tours featured Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Mary Wells, The Marvelettes, Barrett Strong, and The Contours as headlining acts, and gave then-second-tier acts such as Marvin Gaye, Martha & The...
touring shows of the early sixties was relatively short- lived: although their dynamic live performances always made them a crowd favorite,history has unfairly branded them as "one hit wonders". The fact is that despite Motown's relative lack of promotion, The Contours actually charted several times for the label between 1962- 1967.
Credits: The Contours
- Billy Gordon-lead
- Billy Hoggs -2nd lead
- Sylvester Potts- tenor/baritone
- Hubert Johnson-bass
- Joe Billingslea-baritone
- Huey Davis- guitar
Other instruments: The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...