Don't Mess with Bill

For the 1980 documentary film, see Don't Mess with Bill (film).

"Don't Mess with Bill"
Single by The Marvelettes
from the album The Marvelettes Greatest Hits
B-side	"Anything You Wanna Do"
Released	November 26, 1965
Recorded	Hitsville USA; June 1965
Genre	Soul, pop
Length	2:51
Label	Tamla T 54126
Songwriter(s)	Smokey Robinson
Producer(s)	Smokey Robinson
The Marvelettes singles chronology
"Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead" (1965) "Don't Mess with Bill" (1965) "You're the One" (1966)

"Don't Mess with Bill" is a song recorded by the Marvelettes for Motown Records' Tamla label.^[1] Written and produced by Smokey Robinson, "Don't Mess with Bill" features a lead vocal by Wanda Young. The single peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1966, and at number three on Billboard's R&B singles chart. "Don't Mess with Bill" was the Marvelettes' final top 10 single.^[2][3]

Background

The titular "Bill" referenced is not an allusion to the song's author, Bill "Smokey" Robinson.^[1] Robinson reports that he chose the name because it fit the lyrics, not because it was his.^{[citation needed]}

Cash Box described it as a "funky medium-paced pop-blues shuffler about love-struck gal who serves notice on one and all to leave her fella alone."^[4]

Personnel

• Lead vocals by Wanda Young Rogers
• Background vocals by the Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps
• Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers^[5]
  • Bass – James Jamerson
  • Congas – Eddie "Bongo" Brown
  • Drums – Benny Benjamin
  • Guitar – Robert White
  • Organ – Earl Van Dyke
  • Baritone saxophone – Andrew "Mike" Terry
  • Tenor saxophone solo – Norris Patterson
  • Trombone – Don White, Paul Riser
  • Trumpet – Floyd Jones, John Trudell
  • Vibraphone – Jack Ashford

Chart performance

Chart (1965-1966)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100	7
US Top Selling Rhythm & Blues Singles (Billboard)	3

Other versions

• It was included as part of the Spinners' "Superstar Medley", released on the 1975 Spinners Live! album.^[6]

References

1. The Complete Motown Singles Vol 5: 1965 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 379.
3. Don't Mess with Bill at Allmusic
4. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. December 18, 1965. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
5. Liner notes. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 5: 1965, Hip-O Select – B0006775-02, USA, 04 Aug 2006
6. The Spinners Live! LP