Ain't That Peculiar
"Ain't That Peculiar" is a 1965 song recorded by American soul musician Marvin Gaye for the Tamla (Motown) label.
| "Ain't That Peculiar" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Marvin Gaye | ||||
| from the album Moods of Marvin Gaye | ||||
| B-side | "She's Got to Be Real" | |||
| Released | September 14, 1965 | |||
| Recorded | Hitsville, USA, Detroit, Michigan; May 5 & 12, 1965 | |||
| Genre | Soul, pop, R&B | |||
| Length | 2:50 | |||
| Label | Tamla | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Pete Moore, William "Smokey" Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Marv Tarplin | |||
| Producer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
| Marvin Gaye singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
The single was produced by Smokey Robinson, and written by Robinson, and fellow Miracles members Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin. "Ain't That Peculiar" features Gaye, with The Andantes on backing vocals, singing about the torment of a painful relationship.
Billboard said that "penetrating hard-drive dance beat backs another soulful, first-rate Gaye performance."[1] Cash Box described it as a "rollicking, rhythmic pop-blues romantic handclapper about a love-struck fella who can’t get along without his gal."[2]
Chart success
The single was Gaye's second U.S. million seller successfully duplicating its predecessor "I'll Be Doggone", from earlier in 1965 by topping Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart in the fall of 1965, peaking at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] It became one of Gaye's signature 1960s recordings, and was his best-known solo hit before 1968's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".
Diamond Reo version
| "Ain't That Peculiar" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Diamond Reo | |
| from the album Diamond Reo | |
| B-side | "(From Here To) Infinity" |
| Released | 1975 |
| Recorded | 1974 |
| Genre | hard rock, blues rock |
| Length | 2:43 |
| Label | Big Tree Records |
| Producer(s) | David Shaffer |
Hard rock band Diamond Reo from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania released their version of "Ain't That Peculiar" in early 1975. The single peaked at #44 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 8 of the same year, becoming their only hit.[4] Cover by Diamond Reo is considered one of the first recordings to use the talk box.
Other cover versions
- A cover by all-female rock band Fanny on their 1972 album Fanny Hill reached number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5]
- A live cover by Rufus (band) and Chaka Khan on their 1983 album Stompin' at the Savoy – Live
- A cover by R&B singer Stevie Woods reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles in 1984.[6]
- A cover by New Grass Revival peaked at number 53 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1986.[7]
- Mike and the Mechanics covered the song on Late Night with David Letterman, on April 6, 1989, alongside Paul Shaffer and The World's Most Dangerous Band. The recording of the performance appeared on the charity album, Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal.[8][9]
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Marvin Gaye
- Background vocals by the Andantes: Marlene Barrow, Jackie Hicks and Louvain Demps
- Drums by Uriel Jones[10]
- Guitar by Marv Tarplin
- Other instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
References
- ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. October 2, 1965. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 2, 1965. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 225.
- ^ "Diamond Reo Chart History; Billboard". Billboard.
- ^ . Billboard. Archived from the original on 2019-04-24. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ^ "Stevie Woods". Billboard.com. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Hot Country Songs 1944–2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-89820-203-8.
- ^ "Various - Nobody's Child - Romanian Angel Appeal". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- ^ "Nobody's Child - Romanian Angel Appeal". Groovierecords.com. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- ^ "Motown drummer Uriel Jones dies in Michigan". Reuters.com. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2022.