You've really got a hold on me

Recorded in 1962 by the Miracles, Smokey Robinson’s You've really got a hold on me was a huge hit in the winter of 1962. It peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Top 100 and number 1 on the R&B chart. Originally the B-side to the song Happy Landing, You've really got a hold on me was made into a hit by Deejays who flipped the record over. It was the Miracles second single to sell over a million copies.

This will be the second time the Beatles will be featured as a team. They recorded You've really got a hold on me on their second album, With the Beatles. They recorded it over 7 takes in 1963.

The Miracles:

The Beatles:

So Smokey’s version is pretty awesome. The Beatles’ version is pretty awesome too. Smokey’s vocals are great and hits all those wicked high notes. John does a really great vocal on this one too. And he does that thing on the second chorus when he says “hold… on me.” That’s super awesome. This one’s going to be really tight. (Ha. See what I did there?) Anyway, I'm giving this one to the Beatles. I know that you can totally find actual live footage of Smokey ripping this song to pieces on the internet. But I have this arbitrary rule that dictates that I only compare studio versions with other studio versions. Except for those times that I broke it.

Anyway, this is now the second time the Beatles have won, while covering someone else’s song. Now I don’t want to be rash and get too far ahead of myself, but this won’t be the last time the Beatles will be featured, and I have a feeling they’ll be going on a terror. And you’re probably saying, “But A.J. you write this stupid thing. You know who’s going to win before you even start.” That’s not true faithful reader. I admit I often have an idea who will win; I have listened to most of these songs before. However, I never make the final decision until I've listened to both versions back to back. Often it takes more than one listen before I can decide. Now, I will even admit one more thing to you. Sometimes my preconceived ideas of who I expect to win, combined with my utter disdain for ties, can slightly influence the outcomes. This is the result.