Working My Way Back to You

"Working My Way Back to You"
Single by The Four Seasons
from the album Working My Way Back to You
B-side "Too Many Memories"
Released January 1966
Format 7"
Genre Rock
Length 2:33
Label Philips
Writer(s) Denny Randell-Sandy Linzer
Producer(s) Bob Crewe
The Four Seasons singles chronology
"Little Boy (in Grown-Up Clothes)"
(1965)		 "Working My Way Back to You"
(1966)		 "Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me)"
(1966)

"Working My Way Back to You" is a song made popular by The Four Seasons in 1966 and The Spinners in 1979.

Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, the song was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in 1966, reaching number nine 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 song is about a man who cheated on his girlfriend and also emotionally abused her. 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!".

Charts

Chart (1966) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 9
UK 1

The Spinners version

"Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl"
Single by The Spinners
from the album Dancin' And Lovin'
B-side "Disco Ride"
Released December 14, 1979
Format 45 RPM
Recorded 1979
Genre R&B, soul, disco
Length 4:01 (single)
6:04 (album)
Label Atlantic
Producer(s) Michael Zager
The Spinners singles chronology
"Body Language"
(1979)		 "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl"
(1979)		 "Cupid"/"I've Loved You for a Long Time"
(1980)

In 1979 American soul and R&B group The Spinners sang a medley of "Working My Way Back to You" and Michael Zager's "Forgive Me Girl," topping the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in April 1980.[1] On the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, the medley (released the previous November in the U.S.) peaked at the number two position in March for two weeks, behind "Another Brick In The Wall" by Pink Floyd. The Spinners version also made it to number six on the Soul Singles chart[2] and number eight on the disco/dance chart.[3]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1979–80) Peak
position
Australia KMR 12
Canada RPM Top Singles 5
UK Singles Chart[1] 1
Irish Singles Chart 1
German Singles Chart [4] 12
Netherlands 2
New Zealand Singles Chart 3
Swiss Singles Chart [5] 8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 2
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles 6
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Disco 8
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 5

Year-end charts

Chart (1980) Rank
Australia [6] 50
Canada [7] 44
New Zealand [8] 37
UK [9] 9
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [10] 14

Preceded by
"Going Underground" by The Jam		 UK number one single
12 April 1980 - 25 April 1980 		Succeeded by
"Call Me" by Blondie

Boyzone version

"Working My Way Back to You"
Single by Boyzone
Released May 1994
Format CD single, Cassette
Recorded 1994
Genre Pop
Length 3:41
Label PolyGram
Writer(s) Sandy Linzer, Denny Randell
Producer(s) Ian Levine
Boyzone singles chronology
"Working My Way Back to You"
(1994)		 "Love Me for a Reason"
(1994)

The Irish boyband, Boyzone, released a cover version of "Working My Way Back to You" as their debut single in May 1994. The song reached #3 on the Irish Singles Chart. It is one of the few songs to feature Mikey Graham on lead vocals. The band recorded two versions of the song, one of which was a collaboration with Alliage. The track is credited as being a major turning point in the career of producer-songwriter Steve Mac.[11] 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.[11]

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 (1994) Peak
position
Irish Singles Chart 3
Chart (1997) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 129
France Singles Chart 3

Personnel

The Four Seasons' version

The (Detroit) Spinners' version

Boyzone version

References

  1. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 379. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 545.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 243.
  4. ↑ "Die ganze Musik im Internet". musicline.de. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  5. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Spinners - Working My Way Back To You". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  6. ↑ http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275
  7. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.0272&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062
  8. ↑ http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/?chart=3869
  9. ↑ "UK Singles of the Year" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications. December 27, 1980. p. 30. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  10. ↑ Musicoutfitters.com
  11. 1 2 "Interview With Steve Mac". HitQuarters. April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Boyzone Working My Way Back To You Ireland (republic of) 5" CD SINGLE (309437)". Eil.com. 2004-11-11. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
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