Teenage blues guitarist Bobby Parker composed and recorded "Blues Get Off My Shoulder" and the B side "You Got What It Takes" with the Paul Hucklebuck Band in 1957 and it failed to chart. Through the years others credited with the composition were: Billy Davis, Tyran Carlo, Berry Gordy, Gwen Fuqua (Gordy), Roquel Davis and even Marv Johnson.

Detroit's Marv Johnson was the first act signed to Tamla records but the label wasn't large enough to distribute "You Got What It Takes" so when it hit the top ten in 1960 it was on United Artists Records.