Working My Way Back to You explained

Working My Way Back to You
Type:single
Artist:the Four Seasons
Album:Working My Way Back To You And More Great New Hits
B-Side:Too Many Memories
Released:January 1966
Genre:
  • Pop-soul[1]
  • blue-eyed soul[2]
Length:2:33
Label:Philips
Producer:Bob Crewe
Prev Title:Little Boy (in Grown-Up Clothes)
Prev Year:1965
Next Title:Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me)
Next Year:1966

"Working My Way Back to You" is a song made popular by the Four Seasons in 1966 and the Spinners in 1980.

Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, the song was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in 1966, reaching No. 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. In the UK Top 50 chart it spent three weeks – all at No. 50. It is the only hit to feature the group's arranger Charles Calello in the temporary role of bassist/bass vocalist, having replaced original member Nick Massi.

The lyrics tell about a man who cheated on his girlfriend. When she leaves, he realizes that he did love her and is very remorseful about his past actions. He vows to win her love back. It is in some ways a re-casting of the melody from their previous hit, "Let's Hang On!".

Cash Box described it as a "raunchy, blues-drenched ode about a love-sick fella who hopes to be re-united with his ex-gal," and said that it has "money-in-the-bank-sound."[3]

Charts

Chart (1966)Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles[4] 26
U.S. Billboard Hot 1009
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[5] 10
UK50

The Spinners version

Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl
Type:single
Artist:the Spinners
Album:Dancin' and Lovin'
B-Side:Disco Ride
Released:December 1979 (U.S.)
Recorded:1979
Studio:Blue Rock, New York City
Genre:R&B, soul, disco
Length:4:02 (single)
6:03 (album version)
Label:Atlantic
Producer:Michael Zager
Prev Title:Body Language
Prev Year:1979
Next Title:Cupid
Next Title2:I've Loved You for a Long Time
Next Year:1980

In 1979, American soul and R&B group the Spinners recorded "Working My Way Back to You" and added a new bridge composed by Michael Zager. Billed as a medley as "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl", this version was No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in April 1980. On the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, the medley (released in December 1979 in the U.S.) peaked at the No. 2 position in March and April 1980 for two weeks, behind "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd. The Spinners' version also made it to No. 6 on the Soul Singles chart[6] and No. 8 on the disco/dance chart.[7] The version of the Spinners was taken up in French by the Canadian singer Jean Nichol under the title "Je voudrais te retrouver" (I want to find you).[8]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1979–1980)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report[9] 12
Canada RPM Top Singles 5
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[10] 7
UK Singles Chart[11] 1
Irish Singles Chart1
German Singles Chart [12] 12
2
New Zealand Singles Chart3
Swiss Singles Chart [13] 8
U.S. Billboard Hot 1002[14]
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles6
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Disco8
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary5

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report[15] 50
Canada [16] 44
New Zealand [17] 37
UK [18] 8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [19] 14

Boyzone version

Working My Way Back to You
Cover:WorkingMyWayBack.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Boyzone
Released:May 1994
Recorded:1994
Genre:Pop
Length:3:41
Label:PolyGram
Producer:Ian Levine
Next Title:Love Me for a Reason
Next Year:1994

Irish boy band Boyzone released a cover version of "Working My Way Back to You" as their debut single in May 1994. The song reached No. 3 on the Irish Singles Chart. It is the only single of the group to feature Mikey Graham on lead vocals.

The band later recorded a French version in collaboration with Alliage. This French version of the track is credited as being a major turning point in the career of producer-songwriter Steve Mac. A lack of interest from the "usual producers" led to Polydor phoning up Mac and asking him to take on the role, and by doing he effectively made a decisive progression from his early dance-pop singles to the mature balladry he has since made a very successful career out of.[20]

Track listing

  1. "Working My Way Back to You" – 4:12
  2. "Working My Way Back to You" (POD 12" Mix) – 8:13
  3. "Father and Son" – 2:49
  1. "Te Garder Près De Moi" (featuring Alliage) – 4:41
  2. "Te Garder Près De Moi" (Instrumental) – 4:41

Charts

Chart (1998)Peak
position
UK Singles Chart90[22]
France Singles Chart3

Personnel

The Four Seasons' version

The (Detroit) Spinners' version

Boyzone version

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Allmusic. "Working My Way Back to You" song review. Donald. A. Guarisco. 11 November 2022.
  2. Book: Stanley, Bob . Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. 1966: The London Look. 13 September 2013. Faber & Faber. 978-0-571-28198-5. 200.
  3. CashBox Record Reviews . January 22, 1966 . 12 . 2022-01-12 . Cash Box.
  4. Web site: Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 1966-03-14 . 2019-02-23.
  5. http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19660226.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 26, 1966
  6. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 545.
  7. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 243.
  8. Web site: Jean Nichol – Je Voudrais Te Retrouver (1979, Vinyl). . 1979 .
  9. Web site: National Top 100 Singles for 1980. . 341 . . January 5, 1981 . January 17, 2022 .
  10. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=294& RPM Adult Contemporary, April 26, 1980
  11. Book: Roberts , David . 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited . London. 1-904994-10-5. 379.
  12. Web site: Die ganze Musik im Internet . musicline.de . 2014-03-29.
  13. Web site: Steffen. Hung . Spinners – Working My Way Back To You . hitparade.ch . 2014-03-29.
  14. Web site: The Spinners – Dancin' and Lovin . Wynn . Ron . . en-US . 2023-02-06.
  15. Web site: Australian-charts.com - Forum - Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts) . 2014-06-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006134948/http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275 . 2014-10-06 .
  16. Web site: Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada. www.collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  17. Web site: The Official New Zealand Music Chart. THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART.
  18. . UK Singles of the Year . . London . Spotlight Publications . 30 . December 27, 1980 . June 13, 2016 .
  19. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1980/Top 100 Songs of 1980. www.musicoutfitters.com.
  20. Web site: Interview With Steve Mac . HitQuarters. April 12, 2010 . April 13, 2010.
  21. Web site: Boyzone Working My Way Back To You Ireland (republic of) 5" CD SINGLE (309437) . Eil.com . 2004-11-11 . 2012-01-12.
  22. Web site: te garder pres de moi full Official Chart History Official Charts Company. www.officialcharts.com. en. 2020-04-10.