The Contours
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) Read Full BioThe 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.
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) Read Full BioThe 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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Do You Love Me
The Contours Lyrics
You broke my heart 'cause I couldn't dance,
You didn't even want me around
And now I'm back to let you know I can really shake 'em down
Do you love me? (I can really move)
Do you love me? (I'm in the groove)
Now do you love me?
(Do you love me now that I can dance?)
Watch me, now
(Work, work) ah, work it out baby
(Work, work) well, I'm gonna drive you crazy
(Work, work) ah, just a little bit of soul, now?
(Work)
Now I can mash potatoes (I can mash potatoes)
I can do the twist (I can do the twist)
Tell me, baby, do you like it like this?
Tell me (tell me) tell me
Do you love me?
Do you love me, baby?
Now do you love me?
(Do you love me now that I can dance?)
Watch me, now
(Work, work) ah, work it out baby
(Work, work) well, I'm gonna drive you crazy
(Work, work) you are getting kind of cold, now
(Work)
(Work, work) with just a little bit of soul, now ?
(Work, work) come on, come on now
(Work, work) I'm gonna drive you crazy
(Work)
I can mash potatoes
I can do the twist
Well now, tell me, baby, do you like it like this?
Tell me (tell me) tell me
Do you love me?
Do you love me, baby?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Now that I can dance
(Work, work) ah, work it out baby
(Work, work) well, I'm gonna drive you crazy
(Work, work) oh you are getting kind of cold, now
(Work)
(Work, work) with just a little bit of soul, now
(Work, work) now don't you get kinda bold, now?
(Work, work) oh, work it out, baby
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Berry Gordy Jr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Jose Merced
Do You Love Me Lyrics
You broke my heart
'Cause I couldn't dance
You didn't even want me around
And now I'm back
To let you know
I can really shake 'em down
Do you love me?
(I can really move)
Do you love me?
(I'm in the groove)
Now do you love me?
(Do you love me)
Now that I can dance
(Dance)
Watch me now, hey
(Work, work)
Ah, work it all baby
(Work, work)
Well, you're drivin' me crazy
(Work, work)
With a little bit of soul now
(Work)
I can mash-potato
(I can mash-potato)
And I can do the twist
(I can do the twist)
Now tell me baby
(Tell me baby)
Do you like it like this
(Do you like it like this)
Tell me
(Tell me)
Tell me
Do you love me?
(Do you love me)
Now, do you love me?
(Do you love me)
Now, do you love me?
(Do you love me)
Now that I can dance
(Dance)
Dance
Watch me now, hey
(Work, work)
Ah, shake it up, shake it
(Work, work)
Ah, shake 'em, shake 'em down
(Work, work)
Ah, little bit of soul now
(Work)
Ah, shake it, shake it baby
(Work, work)
Ah, you're driving me crazy
(Work, work)
Ah, don't get lazy
(Work)
I can mash-potato
(I can mash-potato)
I can do the twist
(I can do the twist)
Well now tell me baby
(Tell me baby)
Do you like it like this
(Do you like it like this)
Tell me
(Tell me)
Tell me
Do you love me?
(Do you love me?)
Do you love me?
(Do you love me?)
Do you love me?
(Do you love me?)
(Now, now, now)
I'm working hard baby
(Work, work)
Well, you're driving me crazy
(Work, work)
And don't you get lazy
(Work)
Ah, hey hey baby
(Work, work)
Well, you're driving me crazy
(Work, work)
Oh don't get lazy
(Work)
Adele Gavin
This is such a great song!
RodintheVille
I’m 66 and I played in a band with my friends in the 5th grade, around 1963-64 before the British Invasion. We were just learning our instruments and discovering our singing voices. We played this song, “Do You Love Me” at a classroom party. When we sang/said the line “watch me now”, the drummer hit the cymbal and it crashed down from his perch on a table! Point being, it shows how much we were influenced by the Motown sound. We were suburban white kids in 1963 listening to and copying what came from groups like The Contours. Good memories.
Luis Felipe Silva Sampaio
what you said shows that we don´t need "wokeness" in popular culture to respect!!! when is good, has quality, it comes naturally!!!!!
MsAppassionata
@Jaxee Jess Oh wow! I didn’t realize that Edwards started with this band. Thanks for the info.
Spencer
Yea but could you do the mashed potato?
wamu lume
Like a mashed potato... I can do the twist. Thanks for sharing your memory.
Jaxee Jess
Just looked it up...the lead...Billingslea...is still alive...but has had much heartbreak in his life...I hope he knows Jesus!
Nalenja
One of my absolutely favorite songs of all time!!!! TOP - your mood just HAS TO rise up immediately!
Leandro X
It's definitely timeless! 😃
Fran Labosco
You’re so right🎼🎼