You Keep Me Hangin’ On – Vanilla Fudge | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#6); 1968
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
In 1967, the Pigeons – a blue-eyed soul band from Long Island – met producer Shadow Morton. Morton’s claims to fame were his melodramatic teen-angst anthems: most notably the remarkable Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand) by the Shangri-Las.
Morton set about working his magic on the Pigeons. Since the group’s forte was de- and then re-constructing the cover songs that comprised their set, Morton chose one to record.
In its original incarnation, You Keep Me Hangin’ On was a pounding R&B masterpiece from the Supremes. When Morton was finished with the Pigeons’ version, it was a seven minute-long, slowed-down slice of psychedlia.
No one in charge liked the group’s name so they adopted one suggested by a fan’s comment that they were like “white soul – like vanilla fudge.” Released in the summer of 1967, You Keep Me Hangin’ On went nowhere, however, Vanilla Fudge soldiered on.
When their album became a surprise Top 20 hit, Atco Records re-released Hangin’; giving the Fudge its only hit single.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Brian Holland
- Lamont Dozier
Lyrics Written by:
- Holland–Dozier–Holland
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).