"Motown DEEP Cuts" "The Contours Somebody's Waiting For Me" "Men of Motown"

"Those Drums Tho! (1:36) One of the last things Billy Gordon recorded as a Contour, "Somebody's Waiting For Me" by Ivy Jo Hunter, Rodger Penzabene and Stephen Bowden. There has been some debate about whether Billy is the lead on this based on if he had been released by Motown by this time. One listen to those sandpaper tones and there could be no doubt this is Billy. "Somebody's Waiting For Me" opens with the same fuzz guitar-doubled by bass combo that fronts Ivy Jo's work with The Isley's on songs like "Why When Love Is Gone." This hints at the things Ivy could have accomplished with Billy Gordon had he remained with the group. Many saw Billy and The Contours as only singers of upbeat dance songs, but here, Ivy works Billy in more of a mainstream Soul/Motown frame. They storyline is great: jilted boyfriend bumps into his former girlfriend, the one who left him for another guy who told her he "loved her so." Turns out, he then jilted her for her friend, one that she only saw "now and then." The ultimate kiss off is that Billy's got to go because, as he can joyfully sing, "Somebody's Waiting For Me." Now let's talk about them drums- Benny Benjamin. I'm guessing, but I'd figure the drum work here is by Benny. The fills on this are just mind-blowing, and especially a really nasty explosion happens at 1:36. Benny, like the other Funk Brothers were primarily Jazz musicians who played popular music because it paid the bills, just like the West Coast's Wrecking Crew. Bless that Jazz training. Bless IT! Somebody's Waiting For Me (Ivy Jo Hunter-Rodger Penzabene-Stephen Bowden) published Jobete 01-Oct-66 alt title: I'm So Sad The Contours; recorded Hitsville, completed 28-Sep-66 ; produced by Ivy Jo Hunter 30-Aug-10; CD (M): Motown 882 4009 A Cellarful Of Motown! Volume 4 [UK]" #motown #motownrecords #thecontours #motowngreatesthits #soulmusic #oldies #menofmotown #doyouloveme

Added 27 Sept 2026