12 JANUARY 1966
The Supremes’ single ‘I Hear a Symphony’ reached its peak UK chart position of #39 on this day, a surprisingly low position since it had been their sixth #1 hit over on the US Hot 100 Billboard charts.
This song was a follow-up to ‘Nothing But Heartaches’ which had ‘only’ reached #11 in the US and prompted Motown boss Berry Gordy to circulate this memo to his staff:
‘We will release nothing less than Top Ten product on any artist; and because the Supremes' world-wide acceptance is greater than the other artists, on them we will only release number-one records.’
Judging by their subsequent successes, it looks like the memo worked. This song was nice enough, but probably slightly overproduced, as though Motown were trying just a bit too hard with the Supremes.
B-side: 'Who Could Ever Doubt My Love'
Recorded: Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); 22, 28-30 September 1965
Released: 6 October 1965
Released: 6 October 1965
Highest chart positions: #39 (UK), #11 (US)
Length: 2:40 (original), 3:55 (remastered)
Label: Motown, M 1083
Writers: Holland–Dozier–Holland
