“Baby Love” and The Supremes in Amsterdam and London, October 1964, with slide show & galleries

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(above) Upon arrival in London on 6 October 1964, Berry Gordy and The Supremes are welcomed by members of the Tamla-Motown Appreciation Society — image from the Bentley Image Bank, Bentley Historical Library, at the University of Michigan Library Digital Collections website

Baby Love (Holland–Dozier–Holland)

The Supremes — “Baby Love” was originally released on the album Where Did Our Love Go, on 31 August 1964. On 17 September 1964, the single Motown M-1066* (Discogs.com, 45cat.com), b/w “Ask Any Girl” (Holland–Dozier–Holland) was issued. It became the second of five consecutive #1 Billboard Hot 100 singles by the Supremes, holding the top spot for four weeks, 25 October – 21 November 1964. “Baby Love” also topped the (US) Cash Box and Pop and R&B single charts**, and the UK pop chart. It was the first #1 hit in the UK by a Motown artist.

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(above) The Supremes at EMI House, and (below) Manchester Square and Christmas tree photo shoots, in pink dresses — October 1964

Supremes, October 1964, Manchester Square, London (6)

Supremes, October 1964, Manchester Square, London (1)

Supremes, October 1964, Manchester Square, London (2)--Posed group portrait L-R Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross (Photo by RB/Redferns)

Supremes, October 1964, Manchester Square, London (3)

Supremes, October 1964, Manchester Square, London (5)

Supremes, October 1964, Manchester Square, London (4a)

Supremes, October 1964, Manchester Square, London (4)

Supremes, Christmas in October, 1964 (col-1a)

Diana Ross crop-Supremes, Christmas in October, 1964

Evidence suggests that the group may have worn the same dresses for (see below) a TOTP appearance that was originally broadcast on 15 October, though possibly taped about a week earlier, and a performance at the Carré Theatre in Amsterdam on 14 October, as well as for the Manchester Square and Christmas tree photo shoots. I’ve no idea why they were photographed sitting beside a Christmas tree in October, but among the albums on display in those shots are the following:

The Chipmunks — The Chipmunks Sing The Beatles’ Hits, (UK) Liberty LBY 1218, released in 1964
Jack Teagarden — A Portrait of Mr. T, (UK) Columbia ‎ 33SX 1643, released in 1964 (released in 1963 on Roulette in the US)
Brian Hyland — Country Meets Folk, (UK) His Master’s Voice CLP1759, released in 1964

(below) The Supremes lip-sync to “Baby Love” on an episode of Top of the Pops, originally broadcast on 15 October 1964 (possibly taped 7-8 October). It’s the debut UK television appearance by the Supremes.

Performance filmed at the Koninklijk Theater Carré in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 14 October 1964, featuring the following three songs:

Baby Love — second of twelve #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits by the Supremes; first Motown UK #1 hit
When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes — first Supremes top 40 Hot 100 hit (#23), and first R&B top 10 hit (#2) for the group
Let Me Go the Right Way — second Supremes recording to make the Billboard Hot 100 (#90); second R&B top 40 hit (#26)

It’s not clear whether there was an audience. The restrained applause before the first song and after the second song sounds like it might be genuine, but in the latter case it is cut short after a couple of seconds, while the applause after the third song sounds like canned applause, sloppily overdubbed.