Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)

"Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)" is a song written by the premier Motown songwriting/production team of the 1960s Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was most popular in 1975 when it was recorded by the Doobie Brothers.

This article is about a Holland–Dozier–Holland song. For a similarly-titled 1991 song by Lil Suzy, see Take Me in Your Arms. For the film, see Take Me in Your Arms (film).
"Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me)"
Single by The Doobie Brothers
from the album Stampede
B-side"Slack Key Soquel Rag"
ReleasedApril 23, 1975
Recorded1974
StudioWarner Bros. Studios, North Hollywood
GenreRock, funk
Length3:42
LabelWarner Brothers
Songwriter(s)Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland
Producer(s)Ted Templeman
The Doobie Brothers singles chronology
"Black Water"
(1974)		 "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me)"
(1975)		 "Sweet Maxine"
(1975)

Motown versions

Eddie Holland of Holland-Dozier-Holland made the original recording of "Take Me in Your Arms" in 1964. This version was not released commercially until 2005. Holland-Dozier-Holland had Kim Weston record the song in 1965 and her version was released that September. Mike Terry is the baritone sax player.[1] It peaked at number 4 on the R&B chart in Billboard and at number 50 on the Hot 100.[2] In 1967, Holland-Dozier-Holland had the Isley Brothers remake the song. Their version released in March 1968 and reached number 121 in the U.S.[3] and 22 on the R&B chart.

Jermaine Jackson covered "Take Me in Your Arms" for his first solo album, Jermaine, released in 1972. The track, produced by Hal Davis, was the B-side for Jackson's record "Daddy's Home".

The Doobie Brothers

The Doobie Brothers remade "Take Me in Your Arms" for their 1975 Stampede album. Tom Johnston, who was then the Doobies' frontman, later recalled, "I had been a fan of that song since it came out somewhere in the '60s. I just loved that song. So somewhere around '72 I started lobbying to get the band to do a cover of that. And I didn't get anywhere until '75. Then finally in 1975 we actually did it."[4]

Doobies member Jeff Baxter said of their recording, "That song was like a dream come true for us. Every musician I've ever known has at some point wanted to achieve Motown's technically slick soul sound - it's so dynamic. We sat down to try to duplicate it, and to see if our version could emerge as a successful single." According to Doobies member Patrick Simmons, "At first the band sounded like the Grateful Dead doing the Four Tops, but gradually it came together quite accurately."[5] Motown veteran Paul Riser was enlisted to arrange the track.[6]

Released as the lead single of Stampede on April 23, 1975, "Take Me in Your Arms" reached a United States Hot 100 peak of number 11 that June. "Take Me in Your Arms" gave the Doobie Brothers their only chart hit in France, where it reached number 37. The track also charted in the UK at number 29,[7] matching the chart peak of the Doobie Brothers' only other original release Top 30 hit "Listen to the Music" (The Doobie Brothers reached number 7 in the UK in 1993 with a remixed version of their 1973 single "Long Train Runnin'") and in Australia at number 34.[8]

Chart performance
Doobie Brothers

Other notable versions

"Take Me in Your Arms" was also remade in 1975 by the Canadian singer Charity Brown whose version, produced by Harry Hinde, was arranged by the Motown veteran Tom Baird. The Charity Brown rendering reached number 5 in Canada in May 1975.[21] Brown's single was given a May 1975 release in the UK where it failed to chart. The track appeared on Brown's 1975 album Charity Brown.

References
  1. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/dec/01/mike-terry-obituary
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 618.
  3. Joel Whitburn's Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004
  4. "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)". Songfacts.com. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
  5. "Doobie Brother Add Jazz Flavor" The Robesonian December 11, 1975 p.6
  6. Toledo Blade, May 25, 1975 p.24
  7. "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 1975-06-07. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  10. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 618.
  11. Joel Whitburn's Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004
  12. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1975-07-05. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  13. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1975-05-31. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  14. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  15. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1975-07-05. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  16. NZ Top 40 Singles, August 25, 1975
  17. "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 1975-06-07. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  18. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002
  19. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, June 21, 1975
  20. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
  21. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1975-05-31. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
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