Written by Holland/Dozier/Holland.
Released August 1967.
Carmine Appice – drums, vocals
Tim Bogert – bass, vocals
Vince Martell – guitar, vocals
Mark Stein – lead vocals, keyboards
In my opinion this “Motown” written song blasted the original one done by The Supreme’s right off the planet. And I can’t say that with a lot of covered Motown songs by other bands. Rare Earth was one that also had an amazing success with their version of “The Temptation’s – Get Ready”.
At the beginning of the psychedelic era Vanilla Fudge entered the music scene and produced their first self entitled album doing nothing but cover songs. But did it with such a dynamic force and a completely changed and different flavor of the music itself became a fast favorite of the Hippie Generation.
With Mark Stein’s trippy organ playing and excellent vocals on the song blended with as equally trippy guitar playing by Vince Martell, Carmine Appice’s exceptional drumming with a powerful bass line by Tim Bogert and the bands ability of great harmonizing they managed to hit number 6 on the same chart the same year as The Supreme’s number 1 spot. And that in itself speaks blasting volumes about this bands version and how well it was received.
Altogether this band put out 5 albums out in the late 60s, but in my mind nothing ever came as close again as in “You Keep Me Hanging On”.
This was their defining and signature song and even though the Supreme’s did the song first, Vanilla Fudge owned it.
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