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.

Don't Let Her Be Your Baby
The Contours Lyrics

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Look, I'm telling you as a friend
Because I think you're so nice
I really think a lot of you
Now you can let her wear your pin
You can let her your friend
But remember, whatever you do

Don't you let her

Be your baby (no, no, no)
Don't you let her
Be your baby (no, no, no)
Don't let her be your baby
(No, no, no, no, no, no)

Don't you know she's gonna
Kiss you (gonna kiss you)
Hold you tight (hold you tight)
She's saying she'll miss you
(She'll miss you) day and night
(Day and night, night and day)

She'll tell you that she loves you
(Sounds so sweet)
Make your temperature rise
(Temperature rise)
She says gonna hug you
(Gonna hug you)
Tell you no lies (tell you no lies)

When she puts her arms around you
(Yeah, yeah, yeah) make you
Feel so fine, yeah

She'll be sugar and spice
(Sugar and spice)
Everything nice (everything nice)
And then, and then, and then
She's gonna break your heart
Like she did mine

Push, push, push, push

She'll put her arms around you
(Yeah, yeah, yeah) make you
Feel so fine, yeah

She's sugar and spice now
(Sugar and spice)
Everything nice now (everything nice)
And then, and then, and then
She's gonna break your heart
Like she did mine

Don't let her be your baby
(Please be smart)
Don't you let her be your baby
(Have a broken heart)
Don't you let her be your baby
(You agree, if you agree)

Send her back to me
Send her back to me

Don't let her be your baby (no, no, no)
Don't let her be your baby (no, no, no)

Don't let her be your baby (no, no, no)
Don't let her be

Overall Meaning

The Contours' song "Don't Let Her Be Your Baby" is a warning to a friend about a girl who will try to seduce him and ultimately break his heart. The lyrics advise the friend not to let this girl become his "baby" because she will only bring him heartbreak. The singer reminisces about his own experience with this girl, how she kissed him, held him tight, and said she loved him but ultimately ended up breaking his heart. He warns his friend not to fall for her charms and to send her back to him instead.

The lyrics are cautionary but the upbeat tempo and harmonies make it a catchy and fun song to dance to. The message is relatable as many people have experienced falling for someone who initially seems perfect but ultimately causes pain. The song also speaks to the idea of loyalty between friends- the singer is trying to protect his friend from the same pain that he himself experienced.

Don't Let Her Be Your BabyThe Contours Lyrics

Don't Let Her Be Your Baby
The Contours Lyrics