Betty Everett – The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)

Betty really belts out this song. The song peaked at #6 in the Billboard 100 and #34 in the UK in 1964. I have heard this song most of my life but never knew who sang it.

This was written by Rudy Clark, whose credits include “Good Lovin'” and “Got My Mind Set On You.” Like “The Shoop Shoop Song,” the original artist didn’t fare very well on those, but cover versions were very successful “Good Lovin'” was first released by The Olympics in 1965, but it was The Young Rascals 1966 cover that went to #1. “Got My Mind Set On You” was originally by James Ray in 1962, but George Harrison’s 1987 cover was the hit, also going to #1.

Everett was reluctant to record this song at first and was urged by Calvin Carter, her producer to do so. She felt that the song would flop.

From Songfacts

How can you tell if a guy loves you? His eyes can deceive, and you certainly can’t trust what he says, so the only way to for sure is with his kiss, which acts as a kind of truth serum for love, according to this song.

Merry Clayton, a onetime Raelette who can be heard on the Rolling Stones song “Gimme Shelter,” was the first to release this song, issuing it in 1963. Ramona King from the doo-wop group The Fairlanes was the next to release it, but it wasn’t until Everett’s 1964 cover that the song finally hit.

The song has spanned decades with more successful cover versions. In 1975, Linda Lewis reached #107 US; James Taylor’s younger sister, Kate Taylor, hit #49 US in 1977; Cher took it to #33 US in 1991. Her version also hit #1 in the UK.

The song received its name on account of backup vocals that sing, “shoop shoop shoop…” These gibberish words are heard every time the line, “If you wanna know if he loves you so,” is sung.

Everett’s version stood out in large part because of the xylophone solo – something you don’t hear very often in a pop song.

This was Everett’s third single and her first Top 40 hit. Her first failed to chart and her second single (“You’re No Good,” later covered by Linda Ronstadt) climbed only to #51 on the Hot 100. Everett recorded for Vee Jay Records, a Motown competitor.

The backup vocals were provided by a local female group from Chicago called the Opals.

Cher recorded her version for the 1990 film Mermaids, which she starred in along with 
Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci. Both Cher’s version and Everett’s version are featured in the film, but Cher’s is the only version featured on the soundtrack. >>

Cher’s version was produced by Peter Asher, a longtime Beatles associate who produced most of James Taylor’s and Linda Ronstadt’s hits. In a Songfacts interview with Asher, he explained: “The song was already chosen. They were going to sing it in the movie anyway and they just wanted a proper record version for the end titles.

That one I cut without Cher’s input entirely. I just did it the way I thought she should do it. I had one conversation with Cher about the key, and that was it. And then she showed up and it was all done. She liked it, luckily.”

Salt-N-Pepa got their shoop on in 1993 for their song “Shoop.” In 1995, Whitney Houston appropriated the Shoop for her song “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” which was a massive hit from the movie Waiting To Exhale.

Linda Rondstadt sometimes performed this song, and sang it on an episode of The Muppets, with Kermit the Frog the object of her affection.

Betty Everett – The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)

Does he love me, I want to know
How can I tell if he loves me so

(is it in his eyes) Oh no, you’ll be deceived
(is it in his eyes) Oh no, he’ll make believe
If you want to know if he loves you so
It’s in his kiss (that’s where it is, oh yeah)

(or is it in his face) Oh no, it’s just his charm
(in his one embrace) Oh no, that’s just his arm
If you want to know if he loves you so
It’s in his kiss (that’s where it is)
Oh oh, it’s in his kiss (that’s where it is)

Oh oh oh, kiss him and squeeze him tight
And find out what you want to know
If it’s love, if it really is
It’s there in his kiss

(how ’bout the way he acts) Oh no, that’s not the way
And you’re not listenin’ to all I say
If you want to know if he loves you so
It’s in his kiss (that’s where it is)
Oh yeah, it’s in his kiss (that’s where it is)

Whoa oh oh, kiss him and squeeze him tight
And find out what you want to know
If it’s love, if it really is
It’s there in his kiss

(how ’bout the way he acts) Oh no, that’s not the way
And you’re not listenin’ to all I say
If you want to know if he loves you so
It’s in his kiss (that’s where it is)
Oh yeah, it’s in his kiss (that’s where it is)
Oh oh, it’s in his kiss (that’s where it is)