The Contours
The Contours are an American rhythm & blues singing group. One of the early… Read Full Bio ↴The Contours are an American rhythm & blues singing group. One of the early soul singing groups signed to Motown Records, the group is best known for its classic chart-topping 1962 hit, "Do You Love Me," a million-selling single that became a major hit all over again in 1988.

Billy Gordon, Billy Hoggs, Joe Billingslea and Billy Rollins founded a singing group called The Blenders in their native Detroit, Michigan in 1959. The group soon added Leroy Fair (in place of Billy Rollins), bass singer Hubert Johnson, and guitarist Huey Davis, and auditioned for Berry Gordy's Motown Records. Gordy turned the act down, prompting Johnson to call his cousin, R&B star and Gordy associate Jackie Wilson. Wilson in turn got The Contours a second audition with Gordy, at which they sang the same songs they had at the first audition, the same way, and were signed to the company.

The group's first singles, "Whole Lotta Woman" and "The Stretch", were unsuccessful, and the group was in danger of being let go. Also at this time, Leroy Fair was replaced with Sylvester Potts. In early 1962, Gordy had the Contours record "Do You Love Me", a composition originally meant for The Temptations. The resulting record, with its shouted lead vocals from Billy Gordon, became a number-two hit 1962.

In 1964, Billy Hoggs, Joe Billingslea, Hubert Johnson, and Sylvester Potts all quit the group. Berry Gordy hired Council Gay, Jerry Green and Alvin English to back Billy Gordon, making the Contours a quartet. Within a year, Sylvester Potts returned to the group (replacing Alvin English), but Billy Gordon departed at about the same time. Gordon was replaced by Joe Stubbs, brother of Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs. Stubbs soon quit the act and was replaced by Dennis Edwards.

During the mid-1960s, The Contours recorded several records which received R&B radio play (notably "First I Look At The Purse" and "Just a Little Misunderstanding"), but were considered secondary to Motown's major male vocal groups: The Temptations, the Four Tops, and The Miracles. The group's contract with Motown expired in 1967, and the Contours disbanded. Lead singer Dennis Edwards was recruited to replace the departed David Ruffin as lead singer of The Temptations. Edwards later became a solo hitsmaker as well.

After the group's demise, Joe Billingslea has reformed the Contours several times. Billingslea first resurrected the group in 1971, with himself, Council Gay, Arthur Hinson, Martin Upshire and C. Autry Hatcher as its members. By 1987, the lineup included Billingslea, Hinson, Darell Nunlee, Charles Davis, and Motown-era Contour Sylvester Potts. The same year, "Do You Love Me" was prominently featured in the film Dirty Dancing, which led to a revival of both the recording and the Contours touring career.

The Contours were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. The group is today a quartet led by Joe Billingslea, with fellow members Al Chisholm, Charles Davis, and Gary Grier. Former member Hubert Johnson committed suicide on July 11, 1981, and Huey Davis died February 23, 2000. Sylvester Potts died in January 2017.
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The Contours Lyrics


Ain't It The Truth Mmm, okay, my dick is itchy but no it's not…
Ain't That Peculiar Honey you do me wrong but still I'm crazy about…
Be My Baby Look, I'm telling you as a friend Because I think you're…
Can You Do it I went to a dance, just the other night. Other night,…
Can You Do It? I went to a dance, just the other night. Other night,…
Can You Jerk Like Me (Oh, yeah) come on, children (Oh, yeah) hey Can you do the…
Can You Jerk Like Me? (Oh, yeah) come on, children (Oh, yeah) hey Can you do t…
Claudia Claudia, come back to daddy Claudia, come back to daddy Clau…
Do I Do You broke my heart 'Cause I couldn't dance You didn't even w…
Do I Love You You broke my heart 'cause I couldn't dance, You didn't even…
Do It Baby I went to a dance, just the other night. Other night,…
Do You Love Me You broke my heart 'Cause I couldn't dance You didn't even w…
Do You Love Me ) You broke my heart 'cause I couldn't dance, You didn't even…


Do You Love Me - Single Version (Mono) You broke my heart 'Cause I couldn't dance You didn't even w…
Do You Love Me? You broke my heart 'cause I couldn't dance, You didn't even…
Don't Be a Cry Baby Look, I'm telling you as a friend Because I think you're…
First I Look At The Purse Some fellas look at the eyes Some fellas look at the…
Funny (Funny, though it may seem) (By the way, you look at…
Get Ready I never met a girl who makes me feel the…
I Know I hope you know That one day you'll stand For all your…
It Must Be Love I can't sleep at night, I wake up baby in…
It's My Time Now I've had the time of my life No, I never…
It's So Hard Being A Loser Loser, loser [Chorus] It's so hard being a loser Always try…
Just A Little Misunderstanding Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah It's a cold man to hurt his…
Love You broke my heart 'cause I couldn't dance, You didn't even…
Mercy Mercy Me What's in the way? Sat on the tongue Just like a prayer Don'…
Misunderstanding Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah It's a cold man to hurt his…
Move Mr Man Bom bom bom Bom-bom-bom boom Bom bom-bom bom-bom (Whoa shoob…
Revenge Don't you worry Cause we'll have our own revenge It used…
Rock Your Baby Look, I'm telling you as a friend Because I think you're…
Shake Sherrie Shake, Sherry, shake (Shake, Sherry, woo) Shake, Sherry, sha…
Shake Sherry Shake, Sherry, shake (Shake, Sherry, woo) Shake, Sherry, s…
Shop Around When I became of age my mother called me to…
So Grateful For making me happy Every night and day For being so kind…
Strange I Know I hope you know That one day you'll stand For all your…
The Love You Save (Spoken) You broke my heart, 'Cause I couldn't da…
The Man In You You are the queen of the floor An I loved you…
The Old Miner There was an old miner With a mule named Diner His name…
The Stretch Stretch! We got a new one Crazy new one We got a some…
The track of my tears People say I'm the life of the party Because I tell…
The Way You Do The Things You Do You broke my heart 'cause I couldn't dance, You didn't even…
This Old Heart Of Mine This old heart of mine been broke a thousand times. Each…
Time After Time Now I've had the time of my life No, I never…
Tracks Of My Tears People say I'm the life of the party Because I tell…
Under Love's Control I've gotta fever I'm getting weaker It's taking over (Under …
What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted As I walk this land with broken dreams I have visions…
What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted As I walk this land with broken dreams I have visions…
Whole Lotta Woman Well, you're my baby with the pretty eyes With a pretty…
You Better Get in Line You are the queen of the floor An I loved you…
You Can Count On Me (Oh, yeah) come on, children (Oh, yeah) hey Can you do the…
You Do Something to Me You broke my heart 'cause I couldn't dance, You didn't even…
You Get Ugly You are the queen of the floor An I loved you…
You're A Wonderful One I hope you know That one day you'll stand For all your…
You're Just Like You (Oh, yeah) come on, children (Oh, yeah) hey Can you do the…
You've Got To Love Me (Spoken) You broke my heart, 'Cause I couldn't da…
Your Baby's Back Look, I'm telling you as a friend Because I think you're…


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