Almanac Music: ‘You Keep Me Hangin On’ – Vanilla Fudge

 

 

If you are a baby boomer like myself, and at a party in the late 60s and early 70s, more than likely the Vanilla Fudge album would be  slipped onto the turntable, the volume cranked up to ear-splitting levels, and everyone would soon be  grooving to You Keep Me Hanging’ On. And, if the room wasn’t all ready rocking it soon was. Dance partners were grabbed, or dragged to the floor and everyone sang along, or in most cases yelled along, with the mesmerizing song.

 

I bought a copy of the album pictured above from Brashs’ Elizabeth Street store in Melbourne in 1968 costing me about $5.95 if my memory serves me well. The cover is now crinkled and worn at the edges, the LP itself has multiple scratches and beer stains on it but it’s still playable, though with a crackle adding an extra dimension of rawness to the sound.

 

There are multiple examples of Vanilla Fudge playing live on You Tube. It’s interesting to compare some the many performances of You Keep Me Hangin’ On over the years.

 

Formed in 1967, the band has gone through many breakups, replacements and reunions. They are still performing after nearly 55 years in the music business. Check out their website HERE.

 

 

 

 


Vanilla Fudge live on the Jimmy Fallon Show in 2011

 

 

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About Colin Ritchie

Retired teacher who enjoys following the Bombers, listening to music especially Bob Dylan, reading, and swimming.

Comments

  1. Ah, yes, Col, ‘You keep me hanging on’ is, IMHO, the best cover of an original ever! Whereas The Supremes version has a certain frantic urgency about it, Vanilla Fudge offer a more primeval scream of pain. As for the group itself, it seemed to be a case of ‘where did these guys come from with that sound’? Sadly, they flashed across the scene like a meteor and left us with a quite limited body of work. I think I’ll put the headphones on later today and give it a blast!

  2. As more of a Generation X music fan, I have just listened to all 3 versions of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” on You Tube and to me Kim Wilde’s version of the song wins, followed by Diana Ross and The Supremes. Of course, I’m biased because I had a bit of a crush on Kim Wilde, when she released “Kids in America” in 1981 and “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” in 1986, but in my opinion, Kim Wilde honestly sings “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” the best out of all of them. I guess it sometimes depends on which era you grew up listening to a particular sound of music.

  3. I just had a listen to the Kim Wilde version, Anon. Very 80s in that big hair, New Romantics synth pop style a la Duran Duran, A Flock of Seagulls, Spandau Ballet and Howard Jones (the Welsh one) to name but a few. The secondary school-aged kids I taught at the time were all over it. I agree that a lot about our music preferences is based on the combination of time, place and people context.

  4. Richard Griffiths says

    Awesome!!

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