THE SUPREMES - COME SEE ABOUT ME

COME SEE ABOUT ME

THE SUPREMES

SONGWRITER: HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO

LABEL: MOTOWN

GENRE: POP

YEAR: 1964

 

           The Supremes were an American female singing group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful American vocal group, with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. At their peak in the mid-1960s, the Supremes rivaled the Beatles in worldwide popularity, and it is said that their breakthrough made it possible for future African American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success. Billboard ranked The Supremes as the 16th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time.

           Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, the original group, were all from the Brewster-Douglass public housing project in Detroit. They formed the Primettes as the sister act to the Primes (with Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks, who went on to form the Temptations). Barbara Martin replaced McGlown in 1960, and the group signed with Motown the following year as The Supremes. Martin left the act in early 1962, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio.

      During the mid-1960s, the Supremes achieved mainstream success with Ross as lead singer and Holland-Dozier-Holland as its songwriting and production team. In 1967, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. In 1970, Ross left to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Jean Terrell and the group reverted to being The Supremes again. During the mid-1970s, the lineup changed with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene joining until, after 18 years, the group disbanded in 1977.

          The song became third of five consecutively released Supremes songs to top the Billboard pop singles chart in the United States(the others are "Where Did Our Love Go", "Baby Love", "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again"). It topped the chart twice, non-consecutively, being toppled by and later replacing the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" in December 1964 and January 1965. The BBC ranked "Come See About Me" at number 94 on The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart, which ranks Motown releases by their all time UK downloads and streams. 

I've been crying

'Cause I'm lonely (for you)

Smiles have all turned to tears

But tears won't wash away the fears

That you're never ever gonna return

To ease the fire that within me burns

 

It keeps me crying baby for you

Keeps me sighin' baby for you

So won't you hurry

Come on boy, see about me

(Come see about me)

See about your baby

 

I've given up my friends just for you

My friends are gone

And you have too

No peace shall I find

Until you come back

And be mine

No matter what you do or say

I'm gonna love you anyway

 

Keep on crying baby for you

I'm gonna keep sighin' baby for you

So come on hurry

Come on and see about me

(Come see about me)

See about your baby

 

Sometime's up

Sometime's down

My life's so uncertain

With you not around

From my arms you maybe out of reach

But my heart says you're here to keep

 

Keeps me crying baby for you

Keep on, keep on crying baby for you

So won't you hurry

Come on boy, see about me (come see about me)

See about you baby (come see about me)

You know I'm so lonely (come see about me)

I love you only (come see about me)

See about your baby (come see about me)

Hurry, hurry.