"Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" is a song recorded by the American quartet Four Tops for their third studio album, On Top (1966). It was released in February 1966 as a 7" vinyl single through Motown records. It was written and produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland. A gospel rock track, its lyrics detail a relationship that has ended. It has since been regarded as one of Four Tops' most successful singles ever. It charted moderately well in both the United States and Canada, and became the group's fifth consecutive entry to chart within the top five of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Four Tops has performed "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" on various occasions throughout their careers and have included it on several greatest hits albums, including on The Four Tops Greatest Hits (1967) and The Ultimate Collection (1997).
American musicians Barbra Streisand and Carol Lloyd also recorded covers of "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" and released them commercially in 1975 and 1979, respectively. Included on her seventeenth studio album, Lazy Afternoon (1975), Streisand's version was more of a disco song, as accomplished by producers Jeffrey Lesser and Rupert Holmes. Following the success of the song in a New York City club, Columbia Records decided to release the single which would later become a moderate success on two Billboard dance charts in that same year. Critically, it was highlighted on Lazy Afternoon as a standout track. Lloyd's version was recorded for her debut record Score in 1979; it received heavy airplay by disc jockeys and was positively received by Billboard critics.
Background and release
"Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" was released as the lead single from the group's third studio album, On Top (1966), in February 1966. The album was a combination of "current hits" and "crossover material" to attract a larger audience for Four Tops. The song was written and produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, who had collaborated with Four Tops on various occasions in the past. It is written in the key of C major with the quartet's vocals ranging from G4 to D6. Set in a gospel rock tempo, lead singer Levi Stubbs begins stating, "All through this long and sleepless night / I hear my neighbors talking"; after losing the love of someone else, he claims that these people are "Saying that, out of my life, into another's arms / You'll soon be walking," before entering the chorus. The American female group the Andantes provide background vocals for the track alongside the other three Tops.
Motown released "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" as a 7" vinyl single in February 1966. The standard edition commercial single features the B-side track "Just As Long As You Need Me". A promotional early version of the 7" single also exists, with both the stereo and mono versions of the song.
Reception
"Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" was favorably received by music critics. Cash Box described the single as a "hard-driving, rhythmic pop-blues heart-throbber about a guy who can’t adjust to losing his girl" that it considered "ultra-commercial." John Bush from AllMusic, in his album review of On Top, called the track one of "their biggest and best hits of all time". According to Bill Dahl, author of Motown: The Golden Years, 1966 was a successful year for Four Tops due to the success of "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" and their others singles "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" and "Reach Out I'll Be There". At the time, the single was extremely popular in Boston, where it reached #37 on the "Top Sellers in Top Markets" chart in the aforementioned city.
In the United States, it entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 86 on February 19, 1966. After climbing the chart in that country for several weeks, it reached its peak position at number 18 on March 26; overall, it spent nine consecutive weeks in the ranks of the Billboard Hot 100. It also entered the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (then called simply the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart) in the United States, where it peaked at number 5 and became the group's fifth consecutive top ten entry. On Canada's official singles chart, compiled by RPM, the single debuted at number 66 for the week ending March 21, 1966. The following week on March 28, the single peaked at number 52.