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.
Get Ready
The Contours Lyrics
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(it's alright)
Whenever I'm asked who makes my dreams real
I say that you do
(you're outta sight)
So fee fi fo fum
Look out baby 'cause here I come
So get ready
I'm gonna try to make love to you so get ready
So get ready here I come
I'm on my way
If you wanna play hide and seek with love let me remind you
(it's alright)
The loving you're gonna miss and the time it takes to find you
(it's outta sight)
So fiddle-lee-dee fiddle-lee-dum
Look out baby 'cause here I come
And I'm bringing you a love that's true so get ready
So get ready
I'm gonna try to make love to you so get ready
So get ready here I come
I'm on my way
All my friends shouldn't want me to I understand it
(be alright)
I hope I'll get to you before they do the way I planned it
(be outta sight)
So twiddle-dee-dee twiddle dee dum
Look out baby 'cause here I come
And I'm bringing you a love that's true so get ready
So get ready
I'm gonna try to make love to you so get ready
So get ready here I come.
I'm on my way.
Get ready 'cause here I come, boy
Get ready 'cause here I come, boy
Get ready 'cause here I come, boy
The lyrics to The Contours's song "Get Ready" convey a sense of excitement and anticipation towards a romantic pursuit. The singer expresses his admiration and infatuation for a particular girl, emphasizing that she makes him feel a certain way that no one else does. He acknowledges her impact on his dreams and states that she is "outta sight," suggesting that she is truly special and extraordinary in his eyes. The use of playful language like "fee fi fo fum" and "fiddle-lee-dee fiddle-lee-dum" adds a whimsical and carefree tone to the song, reflecting the joy and thrill of newfound love.
The lyrics also hint at a sense of urgency and determination in the singer's pursuit of this girl. He confidently declares that he is "bringing you a love that's true" and that he is "gonna try to make love to you," indicating his sincere intentions and desire to build a genuine connection with her. The repetition of the phrase "get ready" throughout the song reinforces this sense of readiness and preparation for what is to come, suggesting a forthcoming romantic encounter that both parties are eagerly looking forward to.
There is a subtle hint of competition in the lyrics as well, with the singer acknowledging that his friends may also be interested in this girl. However, he remains confident in his own pursuit and hopes to reach her before anyone else does, emphasizing that he has a plan and is determined to make his romantic intentions known. The use of phrases like "twiddle-dee-dee twiddle dee dum" adds a sense of playfulness and light-heartedness to the song, underscoring the singer's upbeat and positive attitude towards the pursuit of love.
Overall, "Get Ready" is a lively and upbeat song that celebrates the thrill of falling in love and the excitement of pursuing a romantic interest. The singer's enthusiastic and hopeful tone, combined with the catchy melodies and energetic rhythm of the music, conveys a sense of joy and anticipation that is infectious and relatable to anyone who has experienced the exhilaration of new love.
Line by Line Meaning
I never met a girl who makes me feel the way that you do
I have never encountered someone who has such a profound impact on my emotions as you do
Whenever I'm asked who makes my dreams real
When questioned about who turns my aspirations into reality
So fee fi fo fum
Expressing excitement and anticipation for what is to come
Look out baby 'cause here I come
Prepare yourself because I am about to make my move
And I'm bringing you a love that's true so get ready
I am prepared to offer you genuine, sincere affection, so brace yourself
So get ready I'm gonna try to make love to you so get ready
Be ready for me to attempt to express my feelings for you through love
If you wanna play hide and seek with love let me remind you
If you wish to evade love, let me bring you back to reality
The loving you're gonna miss and the time it takes to find you
You may overlook the affection you will lose and the effort it will require to rediscover it
So fiddle-lee-dee fiddle-lee-dum
Indicating eagerness and readiness to pursue love
All my friends shouldn't want me to I understand it
I comprehend that my pursuit of you may cause discord among my peers
I hope I'll get to you before they do the way I planned it
I aim to reach you before others intervene, as I have strategized
So twiddle-dee-dee twiddle dee dum
Conveying enthusiasm and anticipation for my pursuit of you
Get ready 'cause here I come, boy
Prepare yourself, as I am about to make my presence known and my intentions clear
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: William Robinson Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind