Use Your Head

Summary

"Use Your Head" is a soulful pop song written by Barrett Strong, Wade Flemons and The Dells' Chuck Barksdale and released as a single by former Motown singer Mary Wells on the 20th Century Fox label.[1]

"Use Your Head"
Single by Mary Wells
from the album Mary Wells
B-side"Everlovin' Boy"
Released1964
Recorded1964
GenreSoul/pop
Length2:08
Label20th Century Fox
555
Songwriter(s)Barrett Strong
Chuck Barksdale
Wade Flemons
Producer(s)Andre Williams
Riley Hampton
Mary Wells singles chronology
"Ain't It the Truth"
(1964)
"Use Your Head"
(1964)
"Stop Taking Me for Granted"
(1964)

Overview edit

Song information edit

The single showcases the narrator telling her lover to think before he made some costly decisions based on advice given to him by one of his best friends warning her lover to "use his head" before he ends up "losing the best love he ever had".

Release and reaction edit

The song was one of the few successful post-Motown singles Wells recorded. The song registered at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the R&B singles chart.[2][3]

Personnel edit

  • Lead vocal by Mary Wells
  • Background vocals by assorted singers
  • Instrumentation by assorted musicians

References edit

  1. ^ Use Your Head at Discogs
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications).
  3. ^ Allmusic review