Yeah, we’re cool kids at Jalopnik. We’ll post techno and indie and the coolest of all music, progressive rock. But sometimes, you want to go back to the sweet succor of your childhood. There’s nothing like a little Motown to start your day, a music allegedly inspired by the steady beat of the automotive production line.
The actual story of the song “Jimmy Mack” is fairly heavy for such an upbeat song, involving death, war and a lawsuit from the best Beatle. Ronnie Mack, a song writer who penned “He’s So Fine” recorded by The Chiffons in 1963, died of Hodgkin’s lymphoma that same year. At an industry awards dinner in 1964 the mother of Ronnie Mack accepted an award in honor of her recently deceased son. “He’s So Fine,” was actually involved in a plagiarism dispute with none other than George Harrison for his song “My Sweet Lord.”
Songwriter Lamont Dozier was at the event and penned “Jimmy Mack” as as subtle homage to the late songwriter Ronnie Mack. Motown records actually shelved “Jimmy Mack,” cause they were worried it sounded too much like a Supremes song. Two years later in 1967, the song became a hit, partial because of the Vietnam War. Lots of women were missing their boyfriends and husbands who were overseas, and the chorus “Jimmy Mack, when are you coming back?” hit home with many of them.