One morning in 1967, Robinson and Cleveland were shopping at Hudson's, a Detroit department store. Robinson found a set of pearls for his wife, Claudette. "They're beautiful." he said to the salesperson. "I sure hope she likes them." Cleveland then added "I second that emotion." Both songwriters laughed at Cleveland's malapropism; he had meant to say "I second that motion." The two were immediately inspired to write a song using the incorrect phrase.[2]
The Miracles' original version
The Miracles' original version of the song finds lead singer and co-writer Smokey Robinson courting a girl who, weary of the game of love, prefers to string her men along and not get romantically involved. Robinson "wants no part" in such a relationship, but promises that if the girl changes her mind, he'll be around ("If you feel like lovin' me/if you've got the notion/I second that emotion.")
This version peaked for three weeks in the United States at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1967.[3][4][5] It became the Miracles highest charting popular single since "Shop Around". In this song, guitarists Eddie Willis and Robert White came up with their own guitar licks and riffs for this song based on a chord chart that was given to them by Robinson (this is a classic example of the creativity the Funk Brothers brought to the table during the recording sessions they participated in at the Snake Pit). Regular Miracles guitarist Marv Tarplin was also present on the song.[6]
The song also topped the BillboardBest Selling R&B Singles chart[7][8] and was a million-selling hit for The Miracles, their sixth overall.[9] The song was also a top 30 hit in the UK in 1967, reaching No. 27.
Cash Box called it an "electrically sparkling slow-midspeed session" with "outstanding lead and the well worked team sound."[10]
"I Second That Emotion" was covered by British new wave band Japan, originally released as a single in 1980[21] without success. The single was re-released in 1982, on the back of the band's increased success in 1981, peaking at number 9 in the UK Singles Chart in July, making it their second most successful single after "Ghosts".[22]
Releases
The song was first released in March 1980 in the UK with a fade-out version of "Quiet Life" on the B-side. In Japan, "Quiet Life" had been released as a single in 1979, so "European Son" was released as the B-side instead. In 1982, the song was remixed by Steve Nye and released as a single, with the B-side "Halloween" originally released on the album Quiet Life. In Australia, the single was released with the B-side as the 1978 re-recorded version of "Adolescent Sex", originally from the band's debut album of the same name.[23]
The song was often performed by the Jerry Garcia Band. Between the years 1976 to 1994, the Jerry Garcia Band performed the song 156 times,[26] not including seven live performances by the Grateful Dead.[27]
In 1983, the song appeared on The Big Chill soundtrack Disc 1, Track 8.
In the 2005 film Madagascar, in the scene where the penguins arrive on the boat, the captain is listening to this song before one of the penguins hits him on the back of the head.
On June 18, 2012, American Songwriter named "I Second That Emotion" its "Lyric of The Week". The publication wrote: the song "marches to the beat of its own drum, thanks to three stanzas of crafty doo-wop poetry and one punny one-liner—a malapropism, if you want to get technical—that never really loses its novelty appeal".[28]
Chronology(The band's name history: The Primettes 1959–1961 / The Supremes 1961–1967 / Diana Ross & The Supremes 1967–1970 / The Supremes 1970 / Diana Ross & The Supremes 1970 / The Supremes 1970–)
