Back in My Arms Again

{{For|the Kenny Chesney song|Me and You (Kenny Chesney album)}} {{Infobox song | name = Back in My Arms Again | cover = The-supremes-back-in-my-arms-again-1965-US-vinyl.jpg | alt = | border = yes | caption = US picture sleeve | type = single | artist = the Supremes | album = More Hits by The Supremes | B-side = Whisper You Love Me Boy | released = April 15, 1965 | recorded = February 24, 1965 | studio = Hitsville U.S.A., Detroit | venue = | genre = Pop, rhythm and blues | length = 2:52 | label = Motown | writer = Holland–Dozier–Holland | producer = {{hlist|Brian Holland|Lamont Dozier}} | prev_title = Stop! In the Name of Love | prev_year = 1965 | next_title = Nothing but Heartaches | next_year = 1965 | misc = {{Audio sample | type = single | file = | description = {{ffdc|1=|log=2024 June 14}} }} }}

"'''Back in My Arms Again'''" is a 1965 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label.

Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Back in My Arms Again" was the fifth consecutive and overall number-one song for the group on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop singles chart in the United States from June 6, 1965, through June 12, 1965,<ref>{{cite magazine |year=1965 |title=''Billboard'' Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard |volume=77 |issue=24 |page=24 |publisher=Nielsen Company |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qCgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24 |access-date=10 May 2011 }}</ref> also topping the soul chart for a week.

==History== Eddie Holland of the Holland–Dozier–Holland wrote the basis sketch for "Back in My Arms Again."<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web|title=Back in My Arms Again|author=Hogan, Ed|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/back-in-my-arms-again-mt0044845744|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=2022-02-08}}</ref>

"Back in My Arms Again" was the last of five Supremes songs in a row to go number one (the others are "Where Did Our Love Go", "Baby Love", "Come See About Me", and "Stop! In the Name of Love"). The song's middle eight is almost identical to a later Holland-Dozier-Holland hit, The Isley Brothers "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)".

On the album in which this single appeared, ''More Hits by the Supremes'', and on the official single, each member is pictured separately on the front cover, with her signature above it.

The Supremes performed the song on ''The Mike Douglas Show'', a syndicated daytime program, on May 5, 1965, and again on November 3.<ref>{{Cite episode|title= November 3, 1965| url= http://www.tv.com/the-mike-douglas-show/november-3-1965/episode/862579/summary.html|series= The Mike Douglas Show| credits= Guest co-host: Zsa Zsa Gabor|network= CBS |station= KYW-TV|location = Cleveland|airdate= 3 November 1965|season= 4| number= 43}}</ref> They performed the song nationally on the NBC variety program ''Hullabaloo!''<ref>{{Cite episode|title= Show #18|url= http://www.tv.com/show-18--host-frankie-avalon/episode/56936/summary.html|series= Hullabaloo|credits= Host: Frankie Avalon| network= NBC|station= KNBC|location= Burbank, California|airdate= 11 May 1965|season= 1|number= 18}}</ref> on Tuesday, May 11, 1965, peaking on the music charts in the following weeks.

''Billboard'' said that "Back in My Arms Again" has "a strong teen lyric and a powerful vocal performance pitted against a hard rock backing in full support."<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|title=Singles Reviews|date=April 24, 1964|accessdate=2022-02-08|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=whisper+you+love+me+boy&pg=PA43}}</ref> ''Cash Box'' described it as "a rollicking, pop-r&b romancer about a lucky lass who gets back with her boyfriend after quite a hiatus."<ref name=cb>{{cite magazine |title=CashBox Record Reviews |date=May 1, 1965 |page=8 |access-date=2022-01-12 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1965/CB-1965-05-01.pdf |magazine=Cash Box}}</ref> ''Record World'' chose it as one of their "Single Picks of the Week," stating that the Supremes are "unbeatable."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Single Picks of the Week|magazine=Record World|date=May 1, 1965|page=1|accessdate=2023-07-21|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/60s/65/RW-1965-05-01.pdf}}</ref> Allmusic critic Ed Hogan called the rhythm section provided by the Funk Brothers "tight," the saxophone played by Mike Terry "rollicking" and the vibraphone played by James Gitten "dreamy."<ref name=allmusic/>

==Personnel== * Lead vocals by Diana Ross * Background vocals by Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson * All instruments by the Funk Brothers<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w0xLAAAAYAAJ|title=The Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits|author1=Adam White|author2=Fred Bronson|publisher=Billboard Books|year=1993|isbn=9780823082858}}</ref> **Earl Van Dyke – piano **Joe Messina – guitar **James Jamerson – bass **Benny Benjamin – drums **James Gittens – vibraphone **Mike Terry – baritone saxophone

==Charts== {{col-begin|width=65%}} {{col-2}}

===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Chart (1965) !scope="col"|Peak<br>position |- !scope="row" {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|artist=The Supremes|song=Back in My Arms Again|chartid=5667}} |- !scope="row" {{single chart|Germany|34|artist=The Supremes|song=Stop! In the Name of Love|songid=24511}} |- !scope="row" | New Zealand (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YCkEAAAAMBAJ&q=billboard+1965&pg=PA35|title=Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD|magazine=Billboard|page=12|date=21 August 1965}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|12 |- !scope="row" {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|artistid=11282|40|artist=Supremes|song=Back in My Arms Again}} |- !scope="row" {{single chart|Billboardhot100|1|artist=The Supremes}} |- !scope="row"|US Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-supremes/chart-history/bsi/|title=The Supremes Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 30, 2021}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|1

|- !scope="row" |US ''Cashbox'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/19650605.html |title=CASH BOX Top 100 Singles|work=Cashbox|date=June 5, 1965|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|1 |- !scope="row" |US ''Cashbox'' R&B<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives-r/60s_files/19650605R.html |title=The CASH BOX Top 50 In R&B Locations|work=Cashbox|date=June 5, 1965|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|1 |} {{col-2}}

===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! Chart (1965) ! Rank |- !scope="row"| Japan Foreign Hits (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mSkEAAAAMBAJ&q=billboard+supremes+japan&pg=RA1-PA16|title=FOREIGN HITS IN JAPAN 1960-1969|magazine=Billboard|page=J-32|date=December 19, 1970|access-date=2016-09-27}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|1 |- !scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1965.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1965/Top 100 Songs of 1965 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |access-date=2016-09-29}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|37 |- !scope="row"| US Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1965/Billboard-1965-International-Record-&-Talent.pdf#page=40 |title=TOP R&B SINGLES OF 1965 (Ratings are based on chart action from Jan. 30 to Oct. 30.)|magazine=Billboard|page=40|access-date=January 14, 2022|via=worldradiohistory.com}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|23 |- !scope="row"| US ''Cashbox'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/1965YESP.html |title=Top 100 Year End Charts: 1965 |work=Cashbox Magazine |access-date=2016-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005101409/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/1965YESP.html |archive-date=2012-10-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|1 |- !scope="row"| US ''Cashbox'' R&B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives-r/60s_files/1965YESR.html|title=The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1965|work=Cashbox|access-date=31 December 2020|archive-date=16 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416085644/https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives-r/60s_files/1965YESR.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|1 |} {{col-end}}

==Certifications== {{certification Table Top}} {{certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Supremes|title=Back in My Arms Again|award=|relyear=|certyear=|nocert=yes|id=|salesamount=1,000,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite book|title=American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today |author=Jay Warner |isbn=0634099787 |publisher= Hal Leonard Corporation |date=2006 |access-date= 23 January 2020 |page=458 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mTM_9JTeoMIC&q=supremes+2+million&pg=PA458}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Joseph Murrells |title= Million Selling Records from the 1900s to the 1980s: An Illustrated Directory |isbn=9780713438437|publisher= B.T. Batsford |date= 1984 |access-date= 23 January 2020 |page=215 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5iIKAQAAMAAJ&q=Back%20in%20My%20Arms%20Again}}</ref>}} {{end}}

==Later versions== "Back in My Arms Again" returned to the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1978 with a remake by Genya Ravan on a single (taken from the singer's album ''Urban Desire'') which was Ravan's only Hot 100 entry, peaking at number 92.<ref>''Cashbox'' Vol 40 #12 (5 August 1978) "Singles Reviews" p.18</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/genya-ravan|title = Genya Ravan|magazine = Billboard}}</ref>

The song almost made the Hot 100 in 1983 via a remake on Motown's Gordy label by female vocal group High Inergy who released what would be their last album, ''Groove Patrol'', from which a near note-for-note remake of "Back in My Arms Again" was released as a single<ref>''Cashbox'' vol 65 #9 (30 July 1983) "Singles Reviews" p.8</ref> (the group's last) and reached number 105 on the ''Billboard'' Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart (without ranking on the magazine's R&B chart).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=Back+in+My+Arms+Again+by+High+Inergy&id=100279|title = Back in My Arms Again (Song by High Inergy) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{YouTube|OmSbQYNaaho|The Supremes - Back in My Arms Again}}

Category:1965 songs Category:1965 singles Category:The Supremes songs Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Category:Cashbox number-one singles Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles Category:Songs written by Holland–Dozier–Holland Category:Song recordings produced by Brian Holland Category:Song recordings produced by Lamont Dozier Category:Motown singles