Touch (The Supremes song)
| "Touch" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.png) 1971 German single | ||||
| Single by The Supremes | ||||
| from the album Touch | ||||
| B-side | "It's So Hard for Me to Say Good-bye" | |||
| Released | September 7, 1971 | |||
| Recorded | 1971 | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Pam Sawyer Frank Wilson | |||
| Producer(s) | Frank Wilson | |||
| The Supremes singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Touch track listing | ||||
10 tracks
| ||||
"Touch" is a soft ballad written by Pamela Sawyer and Frank Wilson, who also produced it as a single for Motown recording group The Supremes, who issued it as a single in 1971.
It was the title track of the group's fourteenth studio album of the same name. It was the first single in which sole original Supremes member Mary Wilson had a lead vocal on a released Supremes single. Cindy Birdsong also sings lead toward the end of the song.
The single, upon release, peaked at number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming the first post-Diana Ross Supremes song to miss the Top 40.[1] It was also the last single in which Frank Wilson would serve as producer.
This single would later be covered two years later by The Jackson 5 as the b-side to their single "Hallelujah Day", with almost no changes to the lyrics, lead singer Michael Jackson was only fourteen at the time he recorded the song for the Skywriter album. Fellow Motown group The Originals also cut a version for their 1975 album Communique.
Critical reception
Cashbox published 'Title track from group's latest LP presents an electrifying ballad surrounded by an outstanding musical showcase and all ready for its climb to the top of the r&b and pop charts. Song is the kind that will be recorded by many other artists in the future.'[2]
Personnel
The Supremes version
- Lead and background vocals by Jean Terrell, Mary Wilson, and Cindy Birdsong
- Additional background vocals by The Andantes
- Produced by Frank Wilson
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
Jackson 5 version
- Lead vocals by Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson
- Background vocals by Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson and Marlon Jackson
- Produced by Hal Davis
- Instrumentation by various Los Angeles session musicians
Charts
The Supremes version
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[3] | 71 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[4] | 71 |
| US Cashbox Top 100[5] | 53 |
| US Record World Singles[6] | 61 |
References
- ^ "US Charts > The Supremes". Allmusic. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
- ^ "cashbox / singles reviews: Picks of the Week" (PDF). Cashbox. September 18, 1971. p. 18. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7594." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "The Supremes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". Cashbox. October 23, 1971. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ "THE SINGLES CHART: Week of October 30, 1971" (PDF). Record World. worldradiohistory.com. October 30, 1971. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
| Singles on Steeltown Records |
|
|---|---|
| Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 (1969) | |
| ABC (1970) | |
| Third Album (1970) | |
| Jackson 5 Christmas Album (1970) | |
| Maybe Tomorrow (1971) | |
| Greatest Hits (1971) | |
| Lookin' Through the Windows (1972) | |
| Skywriter (1973) | |
| G.I.T.: Get It Together (1973) | |
| Dancing Machine (1974) | |
| Moving Violation (1975) | |
| The Jacksons (1976) | |
| Destiny (1978) | |
| Triumph (1980) | |
| Victory (1984) | |
| 2300 Jackson Street (1989) | |
| Notable collaborations and album tracks | |