This week we’re looking at songs that were hits for two or more different artists. Our first dual-artist classic song of the day is “Baby I Need Your Loving,” a huge hit for both the Four Tops and Johnny Rivers.
“Baby I Need Your Loving” was written and produced by the Motown team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, AKA Holland-Dozier-Holland, AKA H-D-H. They gave the tune to the Four Tops, with Levi Stubbs on those aching lead vocals, and it became that group’s first single on the Motown label—and their first huge hit. It went all the way to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song was recorded in the early morning hours of July 8, 1964, and rushed to stores and radio stations just two days later, on July 10. Musicians on the track included Earl Van Dyke on piano, Robert White on guitar, the legendary James Jamerson on bass, and the equally legendary Benny Benjamin on drums. As usual, the Andantes provided additional background vocals; members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra were brought in for the string parts.
Here’s what singer Levi Stubbs remembers about recording the song:
“We were in the 20 Grand Nightclub in Detroit watching the Temptations or Martha and the Vandellas performing—I’m not sure which—and Brian Holland and most of the people from the company were there. Brian said, ‘I think we’ve got a number-one record for you,’ and I said, ʻWell, yeah, we’d like to hear it!’ This was about one-thirty at night. We said, ʻWell, why don’t we wait until the show is over and go over there [to Motown’s Hitsville HQ] and have a listen,’ because the club closed at 2am. So we went down and stayed there until eight in the morning and cut it—and it was a smash.”
Three years later, in 1967, Johnny Rivers decided to a do a cover of the song. His more contemplative version of “Baby I Need Your Loving,” played at a considerably slower tempo, did even better on the charts than did the Four Tops’ original, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Musicians on Rivers’ track included Larry Knechtel on piano, Mike Deasy on guitar, Joe Osborn on bass, and the always-legendary Hal Blaine on drums. Marty Paich did the string arrangement, which was played by members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic; Darlene Love and the Blossoms provided background vocals.
I love both versions of this tune, although I’m naturally partial to the Four Tops’ Motown original. With that in mind, today’s daily bonus video of day presents Levi, Duke, Obie, and Lawrence lip-synching “Baby I Need Your Loving” on American Bandstand in April of 1965. Oh, to see these guys live in their heyday…
