About The Song
According to Brian Holland, “Where Did Our Love Go” was originally crafted with the Supremes in mind. Despite later claims by Supremes member Mary Wilson that the song was initially intended for the Marvelettes, both Holland and the Marvelettes denied this assertion. Katherine Anderson-Schnaffer of the Marvelettes explained that the song didn’t suit their repertoire due to its slower beat, whereas their music typically leaned toward uptempo styles.
When the Supremes were eventually given the song, the group members were initially dissatisfied. Florence Ballard expressed a desire for a stronger single, akin to the Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman,” and cited the song’s “kiddie-ish” quality as another objection. Despite their reservations, they reluctantly prepared to record it, feeling they had no alternative.
Initially, there was disagreement among producers about who should sing the song since it had been cut in the same key as Mary Wilson’s voice. Ultimately, Diana Ross was assigned the lead vocal because of her distinctive and sensuous sound, even though she initially sang it in her usual high register. Following the producers’ request, Ross reluctantly sang the song in a lower register, adhering to the precise instructions of Holland/Dozier/Holland.
Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard played crucial roles in contributing a fresh yet smooth tone to the song’s overall sound while staying true to the backup arrangements set by Lamont Dozier.
After hearing the playback, an excited Diana Ross urged Berry Gordy to come to the studio and listen. Upon the song’s conclusion, a satisfied Gordy nodded, affirming that the song had the potential to become a top-ten hit.
“Where Did Our Love Go” is a 1964 song recorded by the American music group the Supremes for the Motown label. Crafted and produced by Motown’s primary production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the track marked a significant milestone as the first single by the Supremes to reach the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in the United States. It secured this top spot for two weeks, reigning from August 16 to August 29, 1964.
This achievement set the stage for a remarkable streak, as “Where Did Our Love Go” became the inaugural entry in a sequence of five consecutive Supremes songs to attain the number-one position. The subsequent hits in this extraordinary run included “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” and “Back in My Arms Again.” The song also achieved a No. 1 ranking on the Cash Box R&B singles chart.
The Supremes’ rendition of “Where Did Our Love Go” has earned enduring acclaim. It holds the 472nd position on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004, and it was ranked 475th in the 2010 update. Recognizing its cultural, historic, and artistic significance, the song was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2016. Billboard acknowledged its impact by naming it number 4 on the list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. Additionally, the BBC placed “Where Did Our Love Go” at number 59 on The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart, which ranks Motown releases based on their all-time UK downloads and streams.
Video
Lyrics
Baby, baby
Baby don’t leave me
Ooh, please don’t leave me
All by myselfI’ve got this burning, burning
Yearning feelin’ inside me
Ooh, deep inside me
And it hurts so badYou came into my heart
So tenderly
With a burning love
That stings like a beeNow that I surrender
So helplessly
You now wanna leave
Ooh, you wanna leave meOoh, baby, baby
Where did our love go?
Ooh, don’t you want me
Don’t you want me no more
Ooh, babyBaby, baby
Where did our love go
And all your promisses
Of a love forever moreI’ve got this burning, burning
Yearning feelin’ inside me
Ooh, deep inside me
And it hurts so badBefore you won my heart
You were a perfect guy
But now that you got me
You wanna leave me behind
(Baby, baby) ooh babyBaby, baby don’t leave me
Ooh, please don’t leave me
All by myselfOoh, baby, baby
Where did our love go?