Don't Mess with Bill
"Don't Mess with Bill" | ||||
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Single by The Marvelettes | ||||
from the album The Marvelettes Greatest Hits | ||||
B-side | "Anything You Wanna Do" | |||
Released | November 26, 1965 | |||
Recorded | Hitsville USA; June 1965 | |||
Genre | Soul, pop | |||
Length | 2:51 | |||
Label | Tamla T 54126 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
Producer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
The Marvelettes singles chronology | ||||
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"Don't Mess with Bill" is a million-selling Gold-certified 1966 single recorded by The Marvelettes for Motown Records' Tamla label.[1] Written and produced by Smokey Robinson, "Don't Mess with Bill" features a lead vocal by Wanda Young. The single peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1966, and at number three on Billboard's R&B singles chart. "Don't Mess with Bill" was the Marvelettes' final Top 10 single.[2][3]
The titular "Bill" referenced is not an allusion to the song's author, Bill "Smokey" Robinson.[1] Robinson reports that he chose the name because it fit the lyrics, not because it was his.[citation needed] "Don't Mess with Bill" has also been recorded and released by . It was also included as part of The Spinners "Superstar Medley" and released on the 1975 "Spinners Live!" album.[4]
Personnel[]
- Lead vocals by Wanda Young Rogers
- Background vocals by The Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers[5]
- Bass – James Jamerson
- Congas – Eddie "Bongo" Brown
- Drums – Benny Benjamin
- Guitar – Robert White
- Organ – Earl Van Dyke
- Baritone Saxophone – Andrew "Mike" Terry
- Tenor Saxophone solo – Norris Patterson
- Trombone – Don White, Paul Riser
- Trumpet – Floyd Jones, John Trudell
- Vibraphone – Jack Ashford
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b The Complete Motown Singles Vol 5: 1965 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 379.
- ^ Don't Mess with Bill at Allmusic
- ^ The Spinners Live! LP
- ^ Liner notes. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 5: 1965, Hip-O Select – B0006775-02, USA, 04 Aug 2006
External links[]
- The Marvelettes songs
- 1965 songs
- 1966 singles
- Songs written by Smokey Robinson
- Motown singles
- Song recordings produced by Smokey Robinson
- 1960s rhythm and blues song stubs