Written and produced by Motown Records owner Berry Gordy Jr., it appeared twice on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching numbers three in 1962 and eleven in 1988.
[7] Contours singer Joe Billingslea stated in an interview in 2009 that "The Temptations could never have sung that song because it wasn't suited to them but Berry had motivated us to sing it the way he wanted it".
Instrumental backing was provided by Joe Hunter on piano, James Jamerson on bass, and Benny Benjamin on drums (later known as the Funk Brothers).
The song includes a spoken recitation in the intro: You broke my heart, 'cause I couldn't dance You didn't even want me around And now I'm back, to let you know I can really shake 'em down The Contours version features a false fade during the line "Now that I can Dance", omitting the spoken yell "Watch Me Now", before reverting back to the same volume for the "Work Work" portion, which repeats before the song's fade.
Re-issued as a single from the More Dirty Dancing soundtrack album, "Do You Love Me" became a hit for the second time, peaking at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1988.
[3] The Contours, by then composed of Joe Billingslea and three new members, joined Ronnie Spector and Bill Medley, among others, on a "Dirty Dancing Tour" resulting from the success of the film.
In 2002 artist Bootsy Collins performed the song live, backed by the Funk Brothers, in the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown, shot in Detroit, Michigan.
Other bands were also playing the Contours' songs and the group decided that "Do You Love Me" should be the follow-up single to their top-five hit version of "Twist and Shout".
[35] Reviewing for New Musical Express, Keith Fordyce described "Do You Love Me" as "raucous and a strain on the vocal chords, but it's bursting with excitement".
[50] Following the success of "Glad All Over" and the follow-up "Bits and Pieces" in North America, Epic and Capitol Records decided to issue "Do You Love Me" as a single in the US and Canada, respectively, in April 1964.