Released April 15, 1965 (U.S.) Length 2:52 | Genre Pop, R&B | |
B-side "Whisper You Love Me Boy" Format Vinyl record (7" 45 RPM) Recorded Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A);
December 1, 1964 and February 24, 1965 | ||
"Back in My Arms Again" is a 1965 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.
Contents
Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Back in My Arms Again" was the fifth consecutive and overall number-one song for the group on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in the United States from June 6, 1965 through June 12, 1965, also topping the soul chart for a week.
Overview
It was also the last of five Supremes songs in a row to go number one (the others are "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," "Come See About Me," and "Stop! In the Name of Love"). The song's middle eight is almost identical to later Holland-Dozier-Holland hit, The Isley Brothers "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)."
The famous idea of using Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard's names on the single may have been partially due to Motown's marketing strategy of showcasing each individual Supreme, as opposed to other groups of the day, with the exception of The Beatles, which were known on a one-name collective basis. On the album in which this single appeared, More Hits by the Supremes, and on the cover of the official single, each member is pictured separately on the front, with her signature above it.
The Supremes performed the song on The Mike Douglas Show, a syndicated daytime program, on May 5, 1965 and again on November 3. They performed the song nationally on the NBC variety program Hullabaloo! on Tuesday, May 11, 1965, peaking on the music charts in the following weeks.
Personnel
Cover versions
The song was covered by Michael Bolton on his self-titled 1983 album and also by Canadian artist Colin James for the 1989 film American Boyfriends.