The Contours - Baby Hit & Run - Northern Soul Top 500 #62

"Baby Hit & Run" by The Contours
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The Contours started off as The Blenders in Detroit when Billy Gordon and Joe Billingslea formed the group. They added four more members, some of which replied to a newspaper ad for a singing group, and changed their name to The Contours. They then walked into Motown Studios to audition for Berry Gordy. They were turned down, but Gordy prompted them to pay a visit to the group's bass' singer's cousin, Jackie Wilson. After talking to Wilson, they returned to Gordy and performed the same songs in the same style and received a seven year contract with Motown. The groups first two singles failed to chart but in 1962, Gordy offered them "Do You Love Me". The group struggled with the song at first and it was almost given to The Temptations, but after practicing Gordy finally approved and they recorded it. With Billy Gordon shouting the vocals, the song was an instant success, hitting #1 on the charts, selling over one million copies and receiving a gold disc. The Contours never reached that level of success again, but they did hit the charts three more times in the following years. Several departures and line-up changes turned the group into a quartet, and while they did keep recording and putting out singles via Motown, they were seen as secondary to other acts on the label like The Temptations, The Four Tops and The Miracles. In 1967, their contract with Motown expired and the group disbanded. They reformed in 1970 under Billingslea and began playing local shows around Detroit, gaining popularity again and performing across the U.S. throughout the 1970s and 1980s. "Do You Love Me" was featured in the movie "Dirty Dancing" in 1988 and the song was on the charts again for 8 weeks as a result. Famous Northern Soul D.J. Ian Levine signed the group to his Motorcity Records and they released another album through the label. The group still performs today with various members. This Northern Soul classic sits at #62 on the Top 500 list and was released via Tamla Motown in 1974.
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