I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)

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"I Can't Help Myself"
I Can't Help Myself label.jpeg
Single by Four Tops
from the album Four Tops Second Album
B-side "Sad Souvenirs"
Released April 23, 1965
Recorded Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); 1965
Genre Soul, pop
Length 2:46
Label Motown
Songwriter(s) Holland–Dozier–Holland
Producer(s) Brian Holland
Lamont Dozier
Eddie Holland
Script error: The function "ucfirst" does not exist. singles chronology
"Ask the Lonely"
(1965)
"I Can't Help Myself"
(1965)
"It's the Same Old Song"
(1965)

"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" is a 1965 hit song recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label.

Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "I Can't Help Myself" is one of the most well-known Motown recordings of the 1960s and among the decade's biggest hits. The single topped the Billboard's R&B chart for nine weeks (being named the biggest R&B single of the year by Billboard) and also peaked at number one on the Hot 100 for two non-consecutive weeks,[1] from June 12 to June 19 and from June 26 to July 3 in 1965. It replaced "Back in My Arms Again" by labelmates The Supremes. It was first unseated at number one by "Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds, then regained the top spot before being replaced by the Rolling Stones' blockbuster hit "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". Billboard ranked the record as the second biggest single of 1965. "I Can't Help Myself" was the Four Tops' first Top 40 single in the UK, peaking at 23 in the summer of 1965, then reaching 10 on its spring 1970 re-release.[2]

The song finds lead singer Levi Stubbs, assisted by the other three Tops and The Andantes, pleadingly professing his love to a woman: "Sugar pie, honey bunch/I'm weaker than a man should be!/Can't help myself/I'm a fool in love, you see." The melodic and chordal progressions are very similar to the Supremes' 1964 hit "Where Did Our Love Go," also written by Holland-Dozier-Holland. According to Allmusic critic Ed Hogan, the title "I Can't Help Myself" is an oblique acknowledgment by Dozier that he could not resist recycling his previous hit.[3] The bracketed title 'Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch' appears only on certain oldie reissues of the single.

Billboard described the song as a "spirited, fast -paced wailer performed in [the Four Tops'] unique style."[4]

Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #415 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It has been covered extensively since 1965, including versions done for several television commercials. In 2019, Applebee's used the song for one of their advertisements.[5]

Personnel

Chart performance

All-time charts

Chart (1958-2018) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 479

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United Kingdom (BPI)[9] Platinum 600,000

xunspecified figures based on certification alone
double-daggersales/streaming figures based on certification alone

Cover versions

The Supremes recorded a cover of this song between 1965 and 1966, released on their number-one album, The Supremes A' Go-Go. Their backing band, The Funk Brothers, was also the Four Tops' backing band at the time and was composed of most, if not all, of the same musicians as the original number-one single.[citation needed] In 1967, the Four Tops themselves recorded a special Italian language version, entitled Piangono gli uomini (The men cry).[10]

In the winter of 1969, Johnny Rivers covered the song. His rendition became a number-two hit in South Africa.[11]

Donnie Elbert hit number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 with his cover of this song,[12] which was a follow-up to his cover of the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go." In Canada, it reached number 37.[13]

In 1980, Bonnie Pointer had a disco crossover hit, with the song peaking at number 40 on the pop singles chart, number 42 on the soul singles chart,[14] and number four on the dance charts.[15][16] In Canada, it reached number 43 on the Top 100 Singles chart.[17] The song also peaked at number 52 in Australia.[18]

A cover by American country music group Billy Hill peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1989.[19] In 1992, Australian girl group Teen Queens released a version that peaked at number 28 on the Australian Singles Chart.[20]

The "Motorcity All-Stars" released a rerecorded version of song in 1989 on Ian Levine's Motown revival label Motorcity.[21] The ensemble group was put together from as many former Motown singers as producer Levine could assemble. Levi Stubbs' brother Joe called Levi over to record the song, and both brothers feature on the track, along with singers Sammy Ward, Cal Gill of The Velvelettes, Carolyn Crawford and C.P. Spencer of The Originals, all of whom had previously recorded at Motown. Many other former Motown associates can be seen in the background of the accompanying video, including Berry Gordy's ex-wife Raynoma Gordy Singleton and former head of artist development Maxine Powell.

La Toya Jackson version

"I Can't Help Myself"
File:Single Cover of "I Can't Help Myself" by La Toya Jackson, 1995.jpg
Single by La Toya Jackson
from the album Stop in the Name of Love
Released 1995
Genre Pop
Length 3:58 (single edit)
Label CMC Records, Koch International
Composer(s) Holland–Dozier–Holland
Lyricist(s) Holland–Dozier–Holland
Producer(s) Peter Holm
La Toya Jackson singles chronology
"Let's Rock the House"
(1992)
"I Can't Help Myself"
(1995)
"Don't Break My Heart"
(1998)

"I Can't Help Myself" is a 1995 single by American singer La Toya Jackson, taken from her album Stop in the Name of Love, released by KOCH International.[22] The single's B-side, a cover of the Supremes' "Baby Love", is also taken from the album.

Track list

No. Title Length
1. "I Can't Help Myself"   3:30
2. "Baby Love"   3:19

References

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  5. https://www.ispot.tv/ad/ZKCK/applebees-1299-all-you-can-eat-best-deal-song-by-the-four-tops Applebee's $12.99 All You Can Eat TV Commercial, 'Can’t Help Myself' Song by The Four Tops
  6. Liner notes. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 5: 1965, Hip-O Select – B0006775-02, USA, 04 Aug 2006
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External links