LADIES FIRST: "I'll Keep On Holding On!" - The Marvelettes > The Action

LADIES FIRST spotlights another classic that 'she did first'.

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Today's song is the Motown classic, "I'll Keep On Holding On".

Written by the prolific pens of stalwart writers Mickey Stevenson and Ivy Jo Hunter, The Marvelettes broke back into the charts with this hip-swaying hit. Wanda Young (later Wanda Rogers) swaggers the lead vocal:

THE MARVELETTES -"I'll Keep On Holding On" (1965)



The Mod scene in Swinging London of course adored Motown, Stax, and all directions Soul, so The Action did their equally-loved take on it.

(Fans of the NUGGETS II Box Set will recognize it along with their own "Shadows and Reflections".)

THE ACTION -"I'll Keep On Holding On" (1966)


Because of them, the song has become a Garage Rock standard.

THE CHORDS -"I'll Keep On Holding On" (1980)


THE DETROIT COBRAS -"I'll Keep On Holding On" (1998)



© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• LADIES FIRST: "Love's Gone Bad!" - Chris Clark > The Underdogs

• LADIES FIRST: "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)" - Kim Weston > The Doobie Brothers

• LADIES FIRST: "Piece Of My Heart" - Erma Franklin > Janis Joplin > Mondo Kozmo

• LADIES FIRST: "You're No Good" - Dee Dee Warwick > Betty Everett > Linda Ronstadt > The Plasticines

• LADIES FIRST: "What A Man" - Linda Lyndell > Laura Lee> Salt-N-Pepa


• The Real History of Rock and Soul!: The Music Player Checklist

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