I was in the mood for something upbeat tonight, and the Supremes seemed like an answer to that, so I dug back through the archives but either I had already played them within the last 2 years, or they didn’t go over that well, so I decided to go with one I hadn’t yet played.  I’m surprised to find I hadn’t already played this one, so I double-checked the data, but nope … I haven’t!

Like so much of Motown music, this was written by the songwriting team Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland (Holland/Dozier/Holland). Dozier got the idea for the title after an argument with his girlfriend (she caught him cheating). In the heat of battle, he said, “Baby, please stop. In the name of love – before you break my heart.” He was trying to diffuse the situation, but it didn’t help – she was still going to break up with him. So, he asked her to “think it over.”

When the song rose to #1 in the U.S., The Supremes became the first act to land four consecutive singles at the top of the Hot 100. They made it five with their next one, Back in My Arms Again.

This song received a Grammy nomination in 1966 for Best Contemporary Performance – Group (Vocal Or Instrumental); it lost to the Statler Brothers’ hit Flowers on the Wall.

While the song reached #1 in the U.S., it peaked at #3 in Canada and Germany, and only #7 in the UK – still not too shabby, eh?

Stop!  In the Name of Love

The Supremes

Stop! In the name of love
Before you break my heart

Baby, baby I’m aware of where you go
Each time you leave my door
I watch you walk down the street
Knowing your other love you’ll meet
But this time before you run to her
Leaving me alone and hurt
(Think it over) After I’ve been good to you
(Think it over) After I’ve been sweet to you

Stop! In the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over

I’ve known of your
Your secluded nights
I’ve even seen her
Maybe once or twice
But is her sweet expression
Worth more than my love and affection
But this time before you leave my arms
And rush off to her charms
(Think it over) Haven’t I been good to you
(Think it over) Haven’t I been sweet to you

Stop! In the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over

I’ve tried so hard, hard to be patient
Hoping you’d stop this infatuation
But each time you are together
I’m so afraid I’ll be losing you forever

Stop! In the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love

Writer/s: Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Lamont Dozier
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind