Little Caesar and the Consuls: "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"

December 13, 1965 (1 week)

1965 was wrapping up which meant that a second year of Beatlemania was in the can. It wasn't quite as heady as a year earlier but it was still very much present. Though lacking the same unrelenting schedule of releases and re-releases, The Beatles still managed to have three number one hits in Canada with "Yesterday" only topping out at number four being their sole blemish. Some of the lesser lights who had found fame in their slipstream began giving way in favour of groups like The Rolling Stones but there was still no question who reigned. Such was the thirst for more material that the Ringo-sung "Boys" from all the way back in the first half of '63 found itself on the RPM charts for a brief stint. The public couldn't wait for more.

It is perhaps with this in mind that Toronto's Little Caesar and the Consuls returned to the hit parade with their cover of "You've Really Got a Hold on Me". Not originally a Beatles number, no, but one that was identifiable enough with the Fab Four, as many of their cover versions had become. It had languished on Beatlemania! with The Beatles, the re-named Canadian version of their second album, with no evidence that anyone, anywhere thought it merited being released as a single in its own right. (The Beatles had an embargo on putting out non-original 45's back in Britain but few cared about respecting their wishes abroad; nevertheless, covers such as "Twist and Shout", "Roller Over Beethoven", and "Rock and Roll Music" were more sought out for singles markets in various countries)

If Little Caesar and the Consuls weren't quite an established chart act in Canada then they were certainly on the rise. Their rendition of "(My Girl) Sloopy" made it all the way to number three in their homeland and even did respectably enough on the American Hot 100. While more and more groups were becoming self-sufficient with their material, the Consuls had to once again go the cover version route. While "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" is a great choice for a band looking to score a second Top 10 hit in the row, their version doesn't do much with the Smokey Robinson composition.

Singer/pianist Bruce Morshead tries some country and western style vocals but little else in the arrangement suggests much beyond a laid back wedding band discount Beatles. Slowing down the pace of an already mid-tempo number wasn't the best idea though it should be said that their "Sloopy" is surprisingly languid and it works fairly well. But here it just sounds like they're going through the motions of a song they know well and are clearly fond of. Maybe a little too fond of since reverence seldom results in inspiration.

I've heard people put forth the notion that a cover version ought to improve on the original but I'm not sure I'd expect that much from every single remake - and, indeed, it didn't behoove Little Caesar and the Consuls to have done so. What I would say though is that something new ought to be tried out on a cover. Give me a reason to listen to their "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" as an alternative to The Mircales or The Beatles and that's good enough. But they failed to do so which then begs the question: why bother?

Score: 4