Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Don't Mess with Bill
open-in-new
<h2 id="background">Background</h2> <p>The titular "Bill" referenced is not an allusion to the song's author, Bill "Smokey" Robinson.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Robinson reports that he chose the name because it fit the lyrics, not because it was his. </p><p><i><a href="/facts/Cash_Box/8L7IspkS">Cash Box</a></i> described it as a "funky medium-paced pop-blues shuffler about love-struck gal who serves notice on one and all to leave her fella alone."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="personnel">Personnel</h2> <ul><li>Lead vocals by <a href="/facts/Wanda_Young/8jPMWuIM">Wanda Young Rogers</a></li> <li>Background vocals by <a href="/facts/The_Andantes/k7pPNjHK">the Andantes</a>: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps</li> <li>Instrumentation by <a href="/facts/The_Funk_Brothers/A6k5414E">the Funk Brothers</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> <ul><li>Bass – <a href="/facts/James_Jamerson/uVgXXWoo">James Jamerson</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Conga/5LEvJquE">Congas</a> – <a href="/facts/Eddie_%2522Bongo%2522_Brown/dwG3TVyz">Eddie "Bongo" Brown</a></li> <li>Drums – <a href="/facts/Benny_Benjamin/8YFo1s2u">Benny Benjamin</a></li> <li>Guitar – <a href="/facts/Robert_White_(guitarist)/PljSsJqT">Robert White</a></li> <li>Organ – <a href="/facts/Earl_Van_Dyke/tVGJDhb7">Earl Van Dyke</a></li> <li>Baritone saxophone – <a href="/facts/Andrew_%2522Mike%2522_Terry/y4TJClMY">Andrew "Mike" Terry</a></li> <li>Tenor saxophone solo – Norris Patterson</li> <li>Trombone – Don White, <a href="/facts/Paul_Riser/sr7hAf5j">Paul Riser</a></li> <li>Trumpet – Floyd Jones, <a href="/facts/Johnny_Trudell/CeyB6eBL">John Trudell</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Vibraphone/sXguIYEL">Vibraphone</a> – <a href="/facts/Jack_Ashford/Qg9KGSxz">Jack Ashford</a></li></ul></li></ul> <h2 id="chart-performance">Chart performance</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th>Chart (1965-1966)</th><th>Peakposition</th></tr><tr><td>US <a href="/facts/Billboard_Hot_100/gwKl8VL9"><i>Billboard</i> Hot 100</a></td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>US <a href="/facts/Hot_R%2526B%2fHip-Hop_Songs/830VoC96">Top Selling Rhythm & Blues Singles</a> (<i>Billboard</i>)</td><td>3</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="other-versions">Other versions</h2> <ul><li>It was included as part of <a href="/facts/The_Spinners_(American_group)/LbfhmwVp">the Spinners</a>' "Superstar Medley", released on the 1975 <i>Spinners Live!</i> album.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>The Complete Motown Singles Vol 5: 1965 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 379. <a href="/wiki/Joel_Whitburn" target="_blank">/wiki/Joel_Whitburn</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Don't Mess with Bill at Allmusic <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-marvelettes-mn0000376608/awards" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-marvelettes-mn0000376608/awards</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>The Complete Motown Singles Vol 5: 1965 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. December 18, 1965. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-01-12. <a href="https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1965/CB-1965-12-16.pdf" target="_blank">https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1965/CB-1965-12-16.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Liner notes. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 5: 1965, Hip-O Select – B0006775-02, USA, 04 Aug 2006 <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>The Spinners Live! LP <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spinners-Live/dp/B000009QJF/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1444525896&sr=1-1&keywords=spinners+live" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Spinners-Live/dp/B000009QJF/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1444525896&sr=1-1&keywords=spinners+live</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>