"You Can't Hurry Love" is a number-one single originally
recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label, released during
the summer of 1966. Sixteen years later, the song again became
a number-one hit when Phil Collins rerecorded the song, which
reached number-one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks
beginning in January 1983.
The song itself, a memory of a mother's words of
encouragement ("My mama said 'you can't hurry love/No you just
have to wait'") telling her daughter that with patience she
will find that special someone one day, is an example of the
strong influence of gospel music present in much of R&B and
soul music. "You Can't Hurry Love" also showcases the
developing sound of The Supremes, who were progressing from
their earlier teen-pop into more mature themes and musical
arrangements. This song and "You Keep Me Hangin' On" were
finished together; when it came time to choose which single
would be issued first, Motown's Quality Control department
chose "You Can't Hurry Love".
Written and produced by Motown's main production team,
Holland–Dozier–Holland, "You Can't Hurry Love" is one of the
signature Supremes songs, and also one of Motown's signature
releases. The single became The Supremes' seventh number-one
hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks,
from September 4, 1966 to September 17, 1966, and reaching
number one on the soul chart for two weeks. The girl group
performed the song on the CBS variety program
The Ed Sullivan Showon Sunday, September 25, 1966.
"You Can't Hurry Love" was the second single from the
Supremes' album
The Supremes A' Go-Go. It reached the #1 position on the
Hot 100 pop chart in the United States, and #3 in the United
Kingdom. The Supremes' version of the song is honored by
inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's permanent
collection of 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
Unlike many of the earlier Supremes records, "You Can't
Hurry Love" has inspired significant cover versions. The most
notable of these was released in late 1982 as a single by Phil
Collins from his second solo album,
Hello, I Must Be Going!Collins' version reached
number-one on the UK Singles Chart (becoming his first
number-one solo hit in the UK and peaking two positions higher
than the original song did in that country), and reached number
10 in the United States. Although Collins had previously done
covers as album tracks (of Genesis' "Behind the Lines" and The
Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" on Face Value), "You Can't
Hurry Love" was the first cover he released as a single.
Collins' version was the first track on the very first
Now That's What I Call MusicCD. On the second repeat of
the chorus, he replaces "How Much More Can I Take" with "How
Much More Must I Take."
Other notable recordings of "You Can't Hurry Love" include
versions by Stray Cats, who released their cover as the
flipside of their Rock This Town single and the Dixie Chicks
(on the soundtrack of the film
Runaway Bride). Konami's GuitarFreaks/DrumMania Bemani
music video game series also includes a cover, sung by Paula
Terry. In the popular sitcom
Sister, Sister, Tia Mowry, her sister Tamera Mowry, and
Alexis Fields cover the song. Carmen Rasmusen on Season 2 of
American Idol, Brandon Rogers on Season 6, and Scott MacIntyre
on Season 8 performed live covers of "You Can't Hurry
Love".
The song was also sung by Whoopi Goldberg's character in the
1986 film Jumpin' Jack Flash, when she attempts to infiltrate a
party at the British Embassy in New York, disguised as the
evening's entertainment.
The song is covered by the company Wavegroup for the game
Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore.
During a weekend getaway on an episode of
A Different World, Ron, Dwayne, Kim, Freddie and Ernest
sing "You Can't Hurry Love," with Whitley imitating deena Ross'
stage persona.
In 2008, Toni Gonzaga and Vhong Navarro did a duet version
of the song. It was used as the soundtrack for their movie My
Only U.
In 2009, MySpace/DGC recording artist Meiko recorded a
remake of the song for use in an ABC Family made-for-TV film
titled My Fake Fiance.
Meet The Supremes(1962)
·
Where Did Our Love Go(1964)
·
More Hits by The Supremes(1965)
·
I Hear a Symphony(1966)
·
Merry Christmas(1965)
·
The Supremes A' Go-Go(1966)
·
The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland(1967)
·
Reflections(1968)
·
Love Child(1968)
·
Let the Sunshine In(1969)
·
Cream of the Crop(1969)
·
Right On(1970)
·
New Ways but Love Stays(1970)
·
Touch(1971)
·
Floy Joy(1972)
·
The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb(1972)
·
The Supremes(1975)
·
High Energy(1976)
·
Mary, Scherrie & Susaye(1976)
Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations(1968)
·
Together(1969)
·
The Magnificent 7(1970)
·
The Return of the Magnificent 7(1971)
·
Dynamite!(1971)
The Supremes at the Copa(1965)
·
Live at London's Talk of the Town(1968)
·
TCB(1968)
·
On Broadway(1969)
·
Farewell(1970)
·
The Supremes Live! In Japan(1973)
A Bit of Liverpool(1964)
·
The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop(1965)
·
We Remember Sam Cooke(1965)
·
The Supremes Sing Rodgers & Hart(1967)
·
Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny
Girl"(1968)
"Where Did Our Love Go"
·"Baby Love"
·"Come See About
Me"
·"Stop! In the
Name of Love"
·"Back in My Arms
Again"
·"I Hear a
Symphony"
·"My World Is
Empty Without You"
·"Love Is Like an
Itching in My Heart"
·"
You Can't Hurry Love
"
·"You Keep Me
Hangin' On"
·"Love Is Here and
Now You're Gone"
·"The Happening"
·"Reflections"
·"In and out of
Love"
·"Love Child"
·"I'm Gonna Make
You Love Me"
·"I'm Livin' in
Shame"
·"Someday We'll Be
Together"
·"Up the Ladder to
the Roof"
·"Stoned Love"
·"River Deep –
Mountain High"
·"Nathan Jones"
·"Floy Joy"
·"Automatically
Sunshine"
The T.A.M.I. Show
·
Greatest Hits: Live in Amsterdam
·
Reflections: The Definitive Performances (1964–1969)
·
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever
Discography
·Timeline
·Chronology
·Members
·(Broadway
musical)
·(film)
·Berry Gordy
·Holland–Dozier–Holland
·FLOS