I Second That Emotion

"I Second That Emotion" is a 1967 song written by Smokey Robinson and Al Cleveland. First charting as a hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on the Tamla/Motown label in 1967, "I Second That Emotion" was later a hit single for the group duet Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations, also on the Motown label.

For the Futurama episode, see I Second That Emotion (Futurama).
"I Second That Emotion"
Single by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
from the album Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
B-side"You Must Be Love"
ReleasedOctober 19, 1967
RecordedHitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); September 21, 1967
GenreSoul
Length2:48
LabelMotown
T 54159
Songwriter(s)Smokey Robinson
Al Cleveland
Producer(s)Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles singles chronology
"More Love"
(1967)		 "I Second That Emotion"
(1967)		 "If You Can Want"
(1968)
Audio sample
"I Second That Emotion"
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"I Second That Emotion"
Single by Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations
from the album Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations
B-side"The Way You Do the Things You Do"
ReleasedSeptember 20, 1969 (U.K.)
RecordedHitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); 1968
GenreSoul, pop
Length2:19
LabelMotown
TM 709
Songwriter(s)Smokey Robinson
Al Cleveland
Producer(s)Frank Wilson
Diana Ross & the Supremes singles chronology
"The Weight"
(1969)		 "I Second That Emotion"
(1969)		 "Someday We'll Be Together"
(1969)
The Temptations singles chronology
"I Can't Get Next to You"
(1969)		 "I Second That Emotion"
(1969)		 "The Weight"
(1969)
Audio sample
"I Second That Emotion"
  • file
  • help
Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations track listing
11 tracks
Side one
  1. "Try It Baby"
  2. "I Second That Emotion"
  3. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
  4. "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
  5. "This Guy's in Love with You"
  6. "Funky Broadway"
Side two
  1. "I'll Try Something New"
  2. "A Place in the Sun"
  3. "Sweet Inspiration"
  4. "Then"
  5. "The Impossible Dream"

Song origin

One morning in 1967, Robinson and Cleveland were shopping at Hudson's, a Detroit department store. Robinson found a set of pearls for his wife, Claudette. "They're beautiful." he said to the salesperson. "I sure hope she likes them." Cleveland then added "I second that emotion." Both songwriters laughed at Cleveland's malapropism; he had meant to say "I second that motion." The two were immediately inspired to write a song using the incorrect phrase.[1]

The Miracles' original version

The Miracles' original version of the song finds lead singer and co-writer Smokey Robinson courting a girl who, weary of the game of love, prefers to string her men along and not get romantically involved. Robinson "wants no part" in such a relationship, but promises that if the girl changes her mind, he'll be around ("If you feel like lovin' me/if you've got the notion/I second that emotion.")

This version peaked for three weeks in the United States at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1967.[2][3][4] It became the Miracles highest charting popular single since "Shop Around". In this song, guitarists Eddie Willis and Robert White came up with their own guitar licks and riffs for this song based on a chord chart that was given to them by Robinson (this is a classic example of the creativity the Funk Brothers brought to the table during the recording sessions they participated in at the Snake Pit). Regular Miracles guitarist Marv Tarplin was also present on the song.[5]

The song also topped the Billboard Best Selling R&B Singles chart[6][7] and was a million-selling hit for The Miracles, their sixth overall.[8] The song was also a top 30 hit in the UK in 1967, reaching No. 27.

Personnel

The Miracles


Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations version

The song was covered and released by a group duet of Motown labelmates Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations in 1969. This version peaked at No. 19 in the UK.

Personnel

Track listing
  • 7" single (1969) (United Kingdom)
  1. "I Second That Emotion" – 2:55
  2. "The Way You Do the Things You Do" – 1:39

Japan version
"I Second That Emotion"
Single by Japan
A-side"I Second That Emotion"
B-side"Halloween"
Released
1980, 1982 (1980, 1982)
GenreNew wave
LabelHansa
Songwriter(s)Smokey Robinson
Al Cleveland
Japan singles chronology
"Life in Tokyo"
(1979)		 "I Second That Emotion"
(1980)		 "Gentlemen Take Polaroids"
(1980)

"I Second That Emotion" was covered by British new wave band Japan, originally released as a single in 1980[9] without success. The single was re-released in 1982, on the back of the band's increased success in 1981, peaking at number 9 in the UK Singles Chart in July, making it their second most successful single after "Ghosts".[10]

In 1983, the song appeared on The Big Chill soundtrack Disc 1, Track 8.

On June 18, 2012, American Songwriter named "I Second That Emotion" its "Lyric of The Week". The publication wrote: the song "marches to the beat of its own drum, thanks to three stanzas of crafty doo-wop poetry and one punny one-liner—a malapropism, if you want to get technical—that never really loses its novelty appeal".[11]

The song was often performed by The Jerry Garcia Band. Between the years 1976 to 1994, The Jerry Garcia Band performed the song 154 times, not including seven live performances by The Grateful Dead.


References
Notes
  1. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 7: 1967, Motown/Hip-O Select B0008993-02, 2007, liner notes, p. 85.
  2. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 79 no. 50. 1967. p. 66. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  3. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 79 no. 51. 1967. p. 48. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  4. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 79 no. 52. 1967. p. 44. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  5. "Marv Tarplin: Miracles guitarist whose understated licks played a". The Independent. October 5, 2011. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 404.
  7. "Best Selling R&B Singles", Billboard, January 13, 1968. p. 31. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  8. Coryton, Demitri; Murrells, Joseph. Hits of the Sixties: The Million Sellers. p. 182.
  9. "Japan - Quiet Life/Second That Emotion". discogs.com. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  10. "Japan | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  11. Leahey, Andrew (June 18, 2012). "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, 'I Second That Emotion'". American Songwriter. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
Bibliography
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