ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

‘He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’’: The Velvelettes Say Somethin’ Soulful

The late 1964 single was nothing like the big hit it deserved to be, but it became a much-loved Hitsville highlight.

Published on

Velvelettes - Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

One of the landmark songs among Motown’s great girl groups arrived in record stores in the US on December 28, 1964. Even if the Velvelettes’ original of “He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’” was nothing like as a big a hit as it deserved to be, it became a much-loved Hitsville highlight and inspired several covers.

uDiscover Rewards Program
uDiscover Rewards Program
uDiscover Rewards Program
He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'

Click to load video

The song came from a triumvirate of the label’s finest writing talents, with the young Norman Whitfield joining forces for its smart lyric and superior melody with “Mickey” Stevenson and Eddie Holland. Whitfield, 24 years old and an emerging talent at Motown, produced, and the Velvelettes were happy to see the company release the single as the follow-up to their moderate hit “Needle In A Haystack.”

The first version of the song, recorded in November 1964, was discarded, but another pass at it a month later provided the final take. The 45, on Motown’s V.I.P. label, was backed with “Throw A Farewell Kiss,” a song written by Whitfield and Eddie Holland that had originally been assigned to Freddie Gorman. The track was recorded fully two years earlier, before the Velvelettes were dubbed onto it for their single flipside.

Sayin’ somethin’ sophisticated

The Detroit songbirds never did quite fulfilled their promise in commercial terms, and “Sayin’ Somethin’” proved perhaps a little too sophisticated for some tastes, peaking at No.21 R&B and No.64 on the Hot 100. Towards the end of 1965, it was anglicised by The Herd, as “She Was Really Sayin’ Somethin,’” but their version misssed the UK chart, no doubt to the relief of Motown purists.

Listen to the 60s Motown playlist.

Back on that label, the Marvelettes cut the song for their self-titled 1967 album, but it didn’t become a top ten hit until British girl trio Bananarama remade it as “Really Saying Something” in 1982. Featuring fellow chart act the Fun Boy Three, their version climbed to No.5 in the UK. But it was the Velvelettes who were really sayin’ somethin’ all along.

Buy or stream “He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’” on The Very Best of the Velvelettes.

Click to comment
Comments are temporarily disabled and will return shortly.
Paul McCartney & Wings - Venus and Mars (50th Anniversary Half-Speed Master) LP
Paul McCartney & Wings
Venus and Mars (50th Anniversary Half-Speed Master) LP
ORDER NOW
Rush - 50th Super Deluxe Edition Box Set
Rush
50th Super Deluxe Edition Box Set
ORDER NOW
Sex Pistols - Live In The U.S.A 1978, Atlanta 5th Jan, 1978 Atlanta, South East Music Hall, USA Limited Edition Red LP
Sex Pistols
Live In The U.S.A 1978, Atlanta 5th Jan, South East Music Hall, Limited Edition Red LP
ORDER NOW
Queen I Collector’s Edition
Queen
Queen I (Collector’s Edition Box Set)
ORDER NOW
Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet Picture Disc (Limited Edition)
Bon Jovi
Slippery When Wet Picture Disc
(Limited Edition)
ORDER NOW
The Beatles US Albums In Mono
The Beatles
The US Albums In Mono (Vinyl Box Set)
ORDER NOW
uDiscover Music - Back To Top
uDiscover Music - Back To Top