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.
Can You Do it
The Contours Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Other night, other night, other night.
The dance they was doin' there, it was out of sight.
Out-a-sight, out-a-sight, out-a-sight.
I knew right away, yeah, that there was nothing to it.
Nothin' to it, nothin' to it, nothin' to it.
I could tell right away, oh boy, even I could do it.
Even I could do it, I could do it, I could do it.
Well, first step: you got to move to the left.
Second step: you got to go for yourself.
Third step: well, you're doin' alright.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
Grab yourself a partner, then you start it movin' too.
To and fro, to and fro, to and fro.
The next thing you know, hey, you want to do it some more.
Do it some more, do it some more, do it some more.
I knew right away, yeah, that there was nothing to it.
Nothin' to it, nothin' to it, nothin' to it.
I could tell right away, oh boy, even I could do it.
Even I could do it, I could do it, I could do it.
Yeah, first step: you got to move to the left.
Second step: you got to go for yourself.
Third step: well, you're doin' alright.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
You grab yourself a partner, then you start it movin' too.
To and fro, to and fro, to and fro.
You get out on the floor and start doin' it some more.
Do it some more, do it some more, do it some more.
I knew right away, yeah, that there was nothing to it.
Nothin' to it, nothin' to it, nothin' to it.
I could tell right away, oh boy, even I could do it.
Even I could do it, I could do it, I could do it.
I went to a dance just the other night.
Other night, other night, other night.
The dance they was doin', yeah, it was out of sight.
Out-a-sight, out-a-sight, out-a-sight.
I knew right away, yeah, there was nothing to it.
Nothin' to it, nothin' to it, nothin' to it.
I could tell right away, oh boy, even I could do it.
Even I could do it, I could do it, I could do it.
I went to the dance.
I went to the dance.
The lyrics of The Contours' "Can You Do it" describe the band's experience at a dance where they witnessed an unusual dance move that they found impressive. The song opens with the band arriving at a dance and seeing the crowd doing a dance that was "out of sight," meaning that it was extraordinary. However, the band members quickly realized that the dance was simple to learn and execute, and they could do it themselves, proclaiming "even I could do it."
The chorus of the song provides instructions on how to do the dance, which involves three simple steps. The first step is to move to the left, the second is to go for yourself, and the third is to check that you're doing it alright. The songwriters cleverly created a dance that anyone could follow, further emphasizing the simplicity of the dance they witnessed.
The last verse of the song encourages the listener to find a partner and join in. The lyrics continue to stress the simplicity of the dance and how easy it is to do it. The song's upbeat tempo and catchy tune make it an excellent dance song that gets people moving.
Line by Line Meaning
I went to a dance, just the other night.
The singer attended a dance event recently.
The dance they was doin' there, it was out of sight.
The dance that was being performed there was excellent.
I knew right away, yeah, that there was nothing to it.
The singer felt that the dance was simple and easy to do.
Even I could do it, I could do it, I could do it.
The singer is confident that they can perform the dance as well.
First step: you got to move to the left.
The first move in the dance involves moving towards the left side.
Second step: you got to go for yourself.
The second move in the dance involves making a personal move or expression.
Third step: well, you're doin' alright.
By the third move, the singer assures that the performer is doing fine.
Grab yourself a partner, then you start it movin' too.
The dance involves grabbing a partner and dancing together.
The next thing you know, hey, you want to do it some more.
The dancer gets excited and wants to continue performing the dance.
You get out on the floor and start doin' it some more.
The singer encourages the performer to get on the dance floor and perform more.
I went to a dance just the other night.
The singer repeats the statement about attending a dance event.
The dance they was doin', yeah, it was out of sight.
The singer repeats the statement about the excellent dance performance.
I could tell right away, oh boy, even I could do it.
The singer reiterates their confidence in being able to perform the dance.
I went to the dance.
The singer once again repeats the statement about attending a dance event.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICHARD STREET, THELMA GORDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@arealmench
Figure these kids are about 16 years old in 1964 - I'm writing this and it's just about 2020 - many of them are now grandma and grandpa. The 60s really wasn't that long ago. Life sure does go by in the blink of an eye.
@elliothagen9874
Yes it dose. I was 8 or 9. Depending when this was filmed
@31847448
The ones alive are in their 70’s and 80’s now . Looks like their age range is about 17-19 to me
@gymshoe8862
They were all sober, drugs were not popular yet. A few got ahold of some beer maybe but that was about it.
@jerrygil1965
Look how everyone is ACTUALLY happy and having a good time
@innocenteventiorbetello
Ok Jerry. They were in tv show. Did they have to break down and cry?..
😉
@billie44
People were not so self absorbed then
But the south was still in Jim crow
@nuttybar9
@Daniele innocenteventi Do you have to be a smart ass?
@Brotherken1234
@Daniele innocenteventi SHUT UP Mr Cold Water!
@markheffernan6553
@Daniele innocenteventi qq+q++q+q+q+q+qqqqq¹¹