2+2 - The Supremes

In 1977 EMI released 50 EP's under the series title 2+2. It was an easy way to pick up four hits from a certain artist. Obviously the tracks were from the previous decade, otherwise the price tag would have been too steep probably. 

In the case of the Supremes, you got a brilliant set of songs, all written by the trio Holland, Dozier & Holland. I don't think I've ever seen an EP from this series before, but I guess I will have to look out for some of them. After all, who could resist tracks by the Jackson 5, the Beach Boys or the Beatles?

My collection: 7" single no. 8453
Found: Reformdrogist de Regenboog, Rijswijk, 3 October 2026
Tracks: 'Baby love', 'Stop! In the name of love' / 'My world is empty without you', 'You can't hurry love' 

Where did our love go - The Supremes

Holland–Dozier–Holland originally composed 'Where did our love go' and prepared the instrumental track for The Marvelettes to record it. They rejected the song, after which the songw as offered to the Supremes. They had only had one top 40 hit and eight flops to their name. Although they were hesitant to record the song, they finally felt they didn't really have a choice other than to do it.

When the song was released, it shot to number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 3 in the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, where the Dutch Top 40 did not exist yet, it did reach some magazine charts, peaking at number 8 in October 1964.

My collection: 7" single no. 1060
Found: London, October 18, 1989
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Where did our love go' / 'He means the world to me'

You keep me hangin' on - The Supremes

'You keep me hangin' on' was written by the famous Holland-Dozier-Holland writing team. It was recorded by The Supremes in 1966. Many elements of the recording, including the guitars, the drums, and Diana Ross's lead vocal, were multitracked (the parts were recorded multiple times and the takes layered over one another). This was done to create a fuller sound than the previous Supremes records. The song was recorded nine different times with the Supremes and session band The Funk Brothers before the producers got the version they were finally satisfied with.

'You keep me hangin' on' was the first single from the Supremes' 1967 album 'The Supremes sing Holland-Dozier-Holland'. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks in November 1966. In the Netherlands, it reached number 26.

My collection: 7" single no. 2979
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, April 4, 1998
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'You keep me hangin' on' / 'Hang on Sloopy'