Going in Circles
"Going in Circles" is a soul ballad written by Jerry Peters and Anita Poree, first recorded and released by the American R&B vocal group The Friends of Distinction on their debut album Grazin' in April 1969.[1] Featuring lead vocals by Floyd Butler and backed by the group's signature four-part harmonies, the song explores themes of emotional turmoil and unrequited love through its poignant lyrics and smooth instrumentation.[2] It achieved significant commercial success, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 (charting for 20 weeks total) and number 3 on the Hot R&B Singles chart (charting for 16 weeks total), selling over one million copies and earning gold certification.[3][4][5] The track's enduring popularity is evidenced by its numerous covers across genres, including renditions by Isaac Hayes on his 1971 album Black Moses, Luther Vandross on his 1994 compilation Songs, and Earth, Wind & Fire featuring a guest vocal by Will Downing on their 2005 release Illumination.[6] These versions highlight the song's versatility and lasting influence in R&B and soul music, cementing its status as a classic of the late 1960s crossover era.[7]Background
Songwriters
Jerry Peters, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in Slidell, Louisiana, moved to Los Angeles at age 14, where he attended Dorsey High School and later Los Angeles City College.[8] As a pianist, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist, Peters established himself in the R&B and soul scenes, contributing arrangements and productions for Motown artists and other acts in the late 1960s.[9] He co-wrote "Love or Let Me Be Lonely," a hit single for The Friends of Distinction in 1970.[10] Anita Poree, born on September 14, 1939, in Chicago, Illinois, relocated with her family to Los Angeles during her youth, where she pursued ambitions in music as a singer-songwriter.[9] Her lyrical contributions, often infused with soulful introspection, helped shape the vocal and thematic styles of late-1960s R&B, particularly through collaborations that produced enduring tracks for groups like The Friends of Distinction.[11] Poree was a member of the soul ensemble Black Magic! and co-wrote songs with her brother, songwriter Greg Poree.[12] Poree died on July 11, 2018, at the age of 78.[9] Peters and Poree formed a creative partnership in the late 1960s, with Peters developing melodic ideas on piano and Poree crafting lyrics to complement them during studio sessions in Los Angeles.[9] This collaboration yielded "Going in Circles," initially recorded by The Friends of Distinction. Prior joint efforts included co-compositions such as "Love or Let Me Be Lonely" for the same group, as well as tracks for other R&B performers like Eddie Kendricks.[10]Composition and lyrics
"Going in Circles" is classified as an R&B and soul ballad incorporating pop elements, drawing influences from the mid-1960s Motown sound and emerging Philly soul styles prevalent in late-1960s recordings.[13] The song follows a standard verse-chorus structure, beginning with an introductory verse that sets the metaphorical scene, transitioning into a repeating chorus, and including a bridge for emotional escalation before returning to the chorus.[14] It is composed in the key of Eb major at a tempo of approximately 117 beats per minute, creating a mid-tempo groove suitable for its introspective mood.[15] The arrangement features a prominent piano introduction, subtle string swells for emotional depth, and layered vocal harmonies that emphasize the group's ensemble dynamic.[16] Harmonically, the song relies on a repeating sequence centered around vi-IV-I progressions in Eb major (Cm-Eb-Ab), with jazz-like modulations in the bridge introducing minor chords such as Abm for added tension and release.[17] The overall length is designed for a runtime of about 4 minutes and 12 seconds, incorporating vocal ad-libs in the outro to enhance expressiveness.[15] Lyrically, the song employs the metaphor of circular motion—such as a "rollin' wheel" or "spinning top"—to depict romantic obsession and the frustration of unrequited love, portraying the narrator as trapped in a cycle of longing despite attempts to escape.[14] Key lines like "I'm going in circles, oh what a feeling / It may be a temptation, but I can't stop myself" underscore this theme of inescapable emotional turmoil, culminating in a plea for help in the bridge: "Doctor please, help me 'cause I'm sick in love with you."[14] This thematic content reflects the songwriters' inspiration from personal experiences in relationships, as noted in their collaborative backgrounds.[18]Original recording
The Friends of Distinction version
The Friends of Distinction, a vocal harmony group formed in 1968 in Los Angeles by Harry Elston, Floyd Butler, Jessica Cleaves, and Barbara Jean Love, specialized in blending jazz, soul, and pop elements to create smooth, crossover appeal.[19] The quartet drew from their members' prior experiences in R&B ensembles, emphasizing intricate vocal layering over upbeat or introspective arrangements.[20] In their original 1969 recording of "Going in Circles," Floyd Butler delivered the lead vocals with a warm tenor that conveyed the song's themes of emotional entrapment, while the group provided lush harmonies.[21][1] Jessica Cleaves' distinctive alto enriched the backing vocals, adding layers of emotional depth to the repetitive "circles" motif and enhancing the track's introspective quality.[22] The arrangement highlighted the group's signature interplay, with Butler's straightforward delivery balanced by the collective's harmonious swells.[23] The recording featured understated instrumentation from session players, including Jim Gordon on drums, Al Casey and Arthur Wright on guitars, Jack Arnold on percussion, and subtle horns via clarinets played by Plas Johnson and Brad Bauder, creating a supportive backdrop that prioritized the vocals.[1] This approach underscored the song's melodic simplicity, allowing the vocal performances to shine.[24] As a follow-up to their debut hit "Grazing in the Grass," which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and established the group as rising stars in vocal soul, "Going in Circles" built on that momentum by showcasing their versatility in ballad territory.[25][19][26]Production details
The recording of "Going in Circles" took place at RCA's Music Center of the World studio in Los Angeles during late 1968.[27][28] The track was produced by John Florez for RCA Records, who oversaw the sessions for the group's debut album Grazin'.[27][29] Key personnel included arranger and conductor Ray Cork Jr. for the instrumental backing, with vocal arrangements handled by Clarence McDonald.[27][28] Recording engineers Hank McGill and Grover Helsley captured the performances, emphasizing a live band energy through minimal overdubs.[29][30] The production featured contributions from notable session musicians, such as guitarist David T. Walker, flutist and clarinetist Plas Johnson, and keyboardist Clarence McDonald, who also provided additional vocal arrangements.[30] Multi-track recording techniques were employed to layer the Friends of Distinction's harmonies, highlighting their vocal interplay over a soulful arrangement with horns, strings, and rhythm section.[29] Reverb was applied to the vocals to enhance the sense of emotional depth, while the track concludes with a gradual fade-out that echoes the song's theme of repetition.[1] The sessions were completed efficiently over a short period, reflecting RCA's approach to capturing the group's fresh sound on a modest budget typical of emerging acts in the era.[27]Release and promotion
Single release
"Going in Circles" was issued as a 7-inch 45 RPM single by RCA Victor in July 1969, with the catalog number 74-0204. Originally released with "Let Yourself Go" as the A-side and "Going in Circles" as the B-side, the latter received significant airplay and became the hit, serving as the second single from the group's debut album Grazin'.[31][32] Despite being the B-side, "Going in Circles" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1969 and achieved significant commercial traction, eventually earning RIAA gold certification for sales exceeding 1 million units.[33][34] RCA Victor, seeking to bolster its presence in the soul and R&B genres during the late 1960s, prioritized promotion for acts like The Friends of Distinction following their earlier success with "Grazing in the Grass".[35] The group toured the U.S. and territories including the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam in 1969 to promote their album and singles.[35]Album inclusion
"Going in Circles" is featured as the fifth track on The Friends of Distinction's debut studio album Grazin', released in 1969 on RCA Victor (catalog number LSP-4149) and produced by John Florez.[28][27] Positioned after the album's opening sequence of more energetic soul tracks—"Grazing in the Grass," "I've Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)," "I Really Hope You Do," and "(A) Sweet Young Thing Like You"—the song introduces a slower, introspective ballad that adds emotional depth and variety to the record's soul-jazz orientation.[36] This placement helped sustain the album's momentum as the second single from Grazin', following the lead promotion of the title track. The song's integration into the album contributed to Grazin'^'s commercial performance, with the record reaching number 35 on the Billboard 200 and number 10 on the R&B albums chart.[27] Later reissues, such as the 2007 CD combining Grazin' with Highly Distinct and the 2022 SACD edition featuring stereo and quadraphonic mixes, have included expanded content like alternate audio versions to appeal to collectors and audiophiles.[37][38] The original LP packaging included liner notes by Jim Brown, which emphasized the group's innovative vocal arrangements and the thematic balance across the tracks.[39]Commercial performance
Weekly charts
"Going in Circles" by The Friends of Distinction entered the Billboard Hot 100 on August 16, 1969, at number 93, gradually ascending through the fall to reach its peak position of number 15 for three weeks beginning the week of November 8, 1969, before descending and spending a total of 20 weeks on the chart.[40] This trajectory reflected steady radio airplay and retail sales momentum in the pop market. On the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart (then known as Best Selling Soul Singles), the song demonstrated stronger appeal to soul audiences, debuting in late summer 1969 and climbing to a peak of number 3 while charting for 19 weeks overall.[2] The song's chart performance was tracked using data from radio station playlists and point-of-sale reports phoned in weekly by retailers and programmers across the United States, a methodology employed by Billboard in 1969 to capture national trends in airplay and physical sales.[41] It also appeared on contemporaneous trade charts, peaking at number 23 on Cash Box's Top 100 and number 14 on Record World's singles survey.[16]| Chart (1969) | Peak Position | Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | 15 | 20 |
| Billboard Hot R&B Singles | 3 | 19 |
| Cash Box Top 100 | 23 | - |
| Record World | 14 | - |