Nathan Jones (song)
Encyclopedia
"Nathan Jones" is a hit single recorded by The Supremes
, released in spring 1971 (see 1971 in music
) on the Motown label. Produced by Frank Wilson and written by Leonard Caston - aka Leonard Caston, Jr.
- and Kathy Wakefield, "Nathan Jones" was one of eight Top 40 hits the Supremes recorded after its original frontwoman, Diana Ross
, left the group for a solo career.
, Mary Wilson
, and Cindy Birdsong
) sing the song's lead vocal in unison. Clydie King
was asked to sing along with the group to give the song a fuller vocal sound. While working on the song, producer Frank Wilson had in mind a rock music
style of phrasing for the song, resulting in the unison vocals. The unison vocals would repeatedly be dubbed to create a layered harmonic tone similar to that present in the prodcution of vocal group ABBA
. In addition, Wilson had his engineer, Cal Harris, use what can (now) be considered classic studio sensibilities to take The Funk Brothers
' backing tracks for "Nathan Jones" and give them a phase shifting
sound at various points during the song. This was accomplished by either using a second recorder (as the Beatles would have done) or (less likely) an outboard processor such as the blue faced MXR flanger.
Released as a single on April 15, 1971 with "Happy is a Bumpy Road" as the B-side, "Nathan Jones" peaked at number sixteen on the Billboard Pop Singles chart
, number-eight on the Billboard R&B chart
, and number-five on the UK Singles Chart
. "Nathan Jones" was the most successful single released from the Supremes' fourteenth regular studio album, Touch
.
by British girl group
Bananarama
. They first recorded it on their 1987 album Wow! with their original line-up. Some of the vocals were sampled
on their "I Heard a Rumour
" B-side song "Clean Cut Boy".
After Siobhan Fahey
was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan
, Bananarama re-recorded the song (with completely new vocal and instrumental arrangements) for the Rain Man
soundtrack
. This new version was also included on their Greatest Hits Collection
. It was then remix
ed and released as a single, peaking at number fifteen on the UK singles chart
with Keren Woodward
yet again playing bass guitar
on that track.
featured the girls performing the song with vogue
-style choreography with several male dancers dressed in British-style suits, hats, and umbrellas. Their performance is interspersed with shots of them strutting down a fashion runway in flowing dresses and oversized sun-hats.
Individual shots of the girls are accompanied by floating images of fruits and art objects, such as vases and statues.
The video was nominated for best music video at the BRIT Awards
, but lost to Michael Jackson
's "Smooth Criminal
".
UK CD single NANCD 18
UK 12-inch vinyl NANX 18
Japanese 3"-inch CD single P13L-37010
Other versions
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
, released in spring 1971 (see 1971 in music
1971 in music
-Events:*February 1 – after months of feuding in the press, Ginger Baker and Elvin Jones hold a "drum battle" at The Lyceum.*February 8 – Bob Dylan's hour-long documentary film, Eat the Document, is premièred at New York's Academy of Music...
) on the Motown label. Produced by Frank Wilson and written by Leonard Caston - aka Leonard Caston, Jr.
The Radiants
The Radiants were an American doo-wop and R&B group popular in the 1960s.The group formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1960, where its members met singing in the youth choir of Greater Harvest Baptist Church. They performed both gospel and secular tunes, the latter of which were written by leader...
- and Kathy Wakefield, "Nathan Jones" was one of eight Top 40 hits the Supremes recorded after its original frontwoman, Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, left the group for a solo career.
Overview
The song centers around a woman's longing for her former lover, a man named Nathan Jones, who left her nearly a year ago "to ease [his] mind." Suffering through the long separation ("Winter's past, spring, and fall") without any contact or communication between herself and Jones, the narrator is no longer in love with Jones, remarking that "Nathan Jones/you've been gone too long".Supremes Version
"Nathan Jones" is an unusual entry among the Supremes' singles repertoire for several reasons, the least of which is the fact that all three members of the group (Jean TerrellJean Terrell
Jean Terrell is an American R&B and jazz singer. She replaced Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes in January 1970.-Early life and career:...
, Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson (singer)
Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
, and Cindy Birdsong
Cindy Birdsong
Cynthia Ann "Cindy" Birdsong , better known by her stage name, Cindy Birdsong, is an American singer, most famous for singing with the legendary soul groups Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles and The Supremes.-Early life:...
) sing the song's lead vocal in unison. Clydie King
Clydie King
Clydie Crittendon is an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist....
was asked to sing along with the group to give the song a fuller vocal sound. While working on the song, producer Frank Wilson had in mind a rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
style of phrasing for the song, resulting in the unison vocals. The unison vocals would repeatedly be dubbed to create a layered harmonic tone similar to that present in the prodcution of vocal group ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
. In addition, Wilson had his engineer, Cal Harris, use what can (now) be considered classic studio sensibilities to take The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
' backing tracks for "Nathan Jones" and give them a phase shifting
Phaser (effect)
A phaser is an audio signal processing technique used to filter a signal by creating a series of peaks and troughs in the frequency spectrum. The position of the peaks and troughs is typically modulated so that they vary over time, creating a sweeping effect...
sound at various points during the song. This was accomplished by either using a second recorder (as the Beatles would have done) or (less likely) an outboard processor such as the blue faced MXR flanger.
Released as a single on April 15, 1971 with "Happy is a Bumpy Road" as the B-side, "Nathan Jones" peaked at number sixteen on the Billboard Pop Singles chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, number-eight on the Billboard R&B chart
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
, and number-five on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. "Nathan Jones" was the most successful single released from the Supremes' fourteenth regular studio album, Touch
Touch (Supremes album)
Touch is an album by The Supremes released in the summer of 1971 on the Motown label. It includes the singles "Nathan Jones" and "Touch", the first charting Supremes single to feature a lead by founding member Mary Wilson...
.
Personnel
- Lead and background vocals by Jean TerrellJean TerrellJean Terrell is an American R&B and jazz singer. She replaced Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes in January 1970.-Early life and career:...
, Mary WilsonMary Wilson (singer)Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
, Cindy BirdsongCindy BirdsongCynthia Ann "Cindy" Birdsong , better known by her stage name, Cindy Birdsong, is an American singer, most famous for singing with the legendary soul groups Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles and The Supremes.-Early life:... - Additional vocals by Clydie KingClydie KingClydie Crittendon is an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist....
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
- Arranged by Jerry Long and David Van De PitteDavid Van De PitteDavid J. Van De Pitte was an American music arranger and bass player. He is best known for his work at Motown Records during the 1960s and early 1970s, when he was responsible for arranging many of the best known and most successful of the company's records, including those by Marvin Gaye, The...
- Engineering by Cal Harris
- Mixed By Russ Terrana
Charts
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
16 |
| U.S. Billboard R&B Singles | 8 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
5 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... (RPM) |
15 |
Bananarama version
"Nathan Jones" was coveredCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by British girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
Bananarama
Bananarama
Bananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...
. They first recorded it on their 1987 album Wow! with their original line-up. Some of the vocals were sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
on their "I Heard a Rumour
I Heard a Rumour
"I Heard a Rumour" is a 1987 song recorded by English girl group Bananarama, featured on their Wow! album. It was also featured in the film Disorderlies and included on its soundtrack....
" B-side song "Clean Cut Boy".
After Siobhan Fahey
Siobhan Fahey
Siobhan Fahey is an Irish musician and founding member of the 1980s British girl group Bananarama, and later formed the BRIT Award and Ivor Novello award winning musical outfit Shakespears Sister.-Career:Fahey was born the eldest of three daughters to Helen and...
was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan
Jacquie O'Sullivan
Jacquie O'Sullivan is a singer and songwriter.-Early years:O'Sullivan was originally a member of the country/punk/rockabilly group Shillelagh Sisters. In 1978 she was one of three backing vocalists on Status Quo's album "If You Can't Stand the Heat". In 1982 O'Sullivan appeared in the videoclip of...
, Bananarama re-recorded the song (with completely new vocal and instrumental arrangements) for the Rain Man
Rain Man
Rain Man is a 1988 drama film written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass and directed by Barry Levinson. It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish yuppie, Charlie Babbitt, who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son,...
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
. This new version was also included on their Greatest Hits Collection
Greatest Hits Collection (Bananarama album)
The Greatest Hits Collection is a compilation album released by Bananarama which features their single releases and greatest hits. It was issued by London Records in 1988, shortly after the departure of group member Siobhan Fahey...
. It was then remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed and released as a single, peaking at number fifteen on the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
with Keren Woodward
Keren Woodward
Keren Woodward is an English pop singer and songwriter of British girl group Bananarama, co-founded by her long time school friend Sara Dallin and Siobhan Fahey....
yet again playing bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on that track.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
featured the girls performing the song with vogue
Vogue (dance)
Vogue or voguing is a highly stylized, modern house dance that evolved out of the Harlem ballroom scene in the 1960s. It gained mainstream exposure when it was featured in Madonna's song and video "Vogue" , and when showcased in the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning...
-style choreography with several male dancers dressed in British-style suits, hats, and umbrellas. Their performance is interspersed with shots of them strutting down a fashion runway in flowing dresses and oversized sun-hats.
Individual shots of the girls are accompanied by floating images of fruits and art objects, such as vases and statues.
The video was nominated for best music video at the BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
, but lost to Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's "Smooth Criminal
Smooth Criminal
"Smooth Criminal" is the seventh single from Michael Jackson's 1987 Bad album. The song contains a fast-paced beat intertwined with Jackson's lyrics about a woman named Annie, who has been attacked in her apartment by a "smooth" assailant. It was released as a single on October 24, 1988 and peaked...
".
Remixes
U.S. 12-inch single 886 481-1- "Nathan Jones" (Psycho Mix) - (6:27)
- "Nathan Jones" (Instrumental Dub Mix) - (3:19)
- "Nathan Jones" (Bass Tone Mix) - (5:33)
UK CD single NANCD 18
- "Nathan Jones" (Extended Version) - (5:12)
- "Venus" (Extended Version) - (7:23)
- "Once in a Lifetime" (Album Version) - (4:06)
UK 12-inch vinyl NANX 18
- "Nathan Jones" (Extended Version)
- "Nathan Jones" (Instrumental Dub Mix)
- "Once in a Lifetime" (Album Version)
Japanese 3"-inch CD single P13L-37010
- "Nathan Jones" (Psycho Mix) - (6:27)
- "I Want You Back" (Extended European Version) - (7:56)
- "Once in a Lifetime" (Album Version) - (4:06)
Other versions
- "Nathan Jones" (Single Version) - (3:19) Also available from the albums The Very Best of BananaramaThe Very Best of BananaramaThe Very Best of Bananarama is one of several greatest hits collections by English girl group Bananarama.Released by Warner Music Group, parent company of Bananarama's label London Records, this set is the "official" hits package released to celebrate the group's twentieth anniversary...
, Wow! - Remastered & Remixed and Greatest Hits and More More MoreGreatest Hits and More More MoreGreatest Hits and More More More is a compilation album by British girl group Bananarama, released on May 7, 2007, by Warner Bros. Records. Containing 22 of their hit singles, the album was released to mark the 25th anniversary of the group's first single....
. - "Nathan Jones" (12" Mix) (Previously Unreleased) - (5:12) Available on the CD album The Twelve Inches of BananaramaThe Twelve Inches of BananaramaThe Twelve Inches of Bananarama is a compilation album by English girl group Bananarama, released on October 2, 2006 by Warner Bros. Records. The collection contains twelve remixes of Bananarama songs, spanning the years 1982 to 1991, many of which are appearing on compact disc for the first time...
. - "Nathan Jones" (Canadian Greatest Hits Version) Available on the CD album Greatest Hits CollectionGreatest Hits Collection (Bananarama album)The Greatest Hits Collection is a compilation album released by Bananarama which features their single releases and greatest hits. It was issued by London Records in 1988, shortly after the departure of group member Siobhan Fahey...
(Canadian Edition). - "Nathan Jones" (Psycho 7-inch edit) - (3:03) Available on the CD albums Greatest Hits CollectionGreatest Hits Collection (Bananarama album)The Greatest Hits Collection is a compilation album released by Bananarama which features their single releases and greatest hits. It was issued by London Records in 1988, shortly after the departure of group member Siobhan Fahey...
and Wow! - Remastered & Remixed. - "Nathan Jones" (Alternate 7" Ending)
Personnel
- Sara DallinSara DallinSara Elizabeth Dallin is an English musician mostly noted for her membership of the group Bananarama, which she co-founded with her childhood friend Keren Woodward.Dallin was born in Bristol, England...
- Vocals - Jacquie O'SullivanJacquie O'SullivanJacquie O'Sullivan is a singer and songwriter.-Early years:O'Sullivan was originally a member of the country/punk/rockabilly group Shillelagh Sisters. In 1978 she was one of three backing vocalists on Status Quo's album "If You Can't Stand the Heat". In 1982 O'Sullivan appeared in the videoclip of...
- Vocals - Siobhan FaheySiobhan FaheySiobhan Fahey is an Irish musician and founding member of the 1980s British girl group Bananarama, and later formed the BRIT Award and Ivor Novello award winning musical outfit Shakespears Sister.-Career:Fahey was born the eldest of three daughters to Helen and...
- Vocals - Keren WoodwardKeren WoodwardKeren Woodward is an English pop singer and songwriter of British girl group Bananarama, co-founded by her long time school friend Sara Dallin and Siobhan Fahey....
- Vocals and bass guitar
Charts
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
15 |
| Australian Music Report singles | 61 |
| New Zealand singles | 22 |
| Dutch Singles chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
73 |