Fantastic four goddess of love alt version

[MIKEW-UK]

Until today, I had only heard the "Goddess of Love" version on The Fantastic Four album issued by Motown in the late sixties. I was amazed to discover that the original version issued on Ric Tic was so vastly different in terms of orchestration and backing vocals. If you weren't aware of the original, take a listen. I think it far superior and wonder why Motown issued the stripped down version. The Fantastic Four album just has to be one of the all time greats, I still find it astonishing that the Fantastic Four were so greatly under appreciated .

[honest man]

[QUOTE=MIKEW-UK;277388]Until today, I had only heard the "Goddess of Love" version on The Fantastic Four album issued by Motown in the late sixties. I was amazed to discover that the original version issued on Ric Tic was so vastly different in terms of orchestration and backing vocals. If you weren't aware of the original, take a listen. I think it far superior and wonder why Motown issued the stripped down version. The Fantastic Four album just has to be one of the all time greats, I still find it astonishing that the Fantastic Four were so greatly under appreciated .
[video=youtube;28tU12yOuTI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28tU12yOuTI[/video WOW New to me thanks for pointer.cheers

[RossHolloway]

I'm not at all familiar with the Fantastic Four like I am with the other Motown male groups of the 60's. But what I do know is that the lead singer has a killer voice. I think when Ric Tic was bought out by Motown some groups/singers just fell thru the tracks or style wise were too similar to an already established Motown artist/group and so they were permanently placed on the back burner. I think an anthology release on the FF would be a welcomed project. I would imagine that they have quite a few unreleased track from this period. Does anyone know how long they stayed at Motown?

I think their sound competed too closely with the Four Tops, The Temptations and David Ruffin. Just like JJ Barnes sounded too much like Marvin Gaye.

[honest man]

67-71 maybe, it is a crime they have not had an Anthology out on them,one of my fave groups also some Unreleased on COM comps also IF this world were mine on Motown superstar sings. cd, you really have been missing out,they are FANTASTIC.Cheers

[soulwally]

Can't agree with you more on If This..., honest man. I've always wondered if there are two leads on this track, with James Epps coming in after the first couple of lines.

[soulwally]

Can't agree with you more on If This..., honest man. I've always wondered if there are two leads on this track, with James Epps coming in after the first couple of lines.

Bump. Any answers?

[MIKEW-UK]

Soul wally, I'm of the opinion it is solely James on lead vocals throughout.

I do however wonder if James is the lead vocal on Have A Little Mercy - it's falsetto. I don't know of any other falsetto leads on Fantastic Four recordings, so it is very different and I wondered if one of the other members stepped up on this one.

[heikki]

Hi!

On "Goddess of Love":
Ralph Pruitt: "We had to go to New York to get that big sound that Wingate wanted. Motown sound was just a little too funky for that type of music."

"Have A Little Mercy" was led By Cleveland Horne.
[[Soul Express: The Fantastic Four)

Best regards
Heikki

[woodward]

I have both of the Ric Tic 45's of Goddess of Love. RT 134 and RT 136 both indicate a recording time of 2:50. I have the Soul album Best of the Fantastic Four SS717 and the vinyl indicates the same recording time.

I also have the compact disc Best of the FF released in 1969 [[3746354642) and the CD indicates a recording time of 3:04 - an extra :14 seconds.

[MIKEW-UK]

Another great tune I just acquired on cdThe Westbound Sound: Detroit Soul 1969-1975

[robb_k]

Very nice! So, Motown moved West, and they had no promotion space for the group. So their contract wasn't re-upped, and they ended up with the main remaining Detroit Soul label, Armen Boladian's Westbound/Eastbound Records, using their same old producers and writers [[Al Kent/
Norma Toney, and their same Detroit musicians [[who hadn't moved to L.A.).

[MIKEW-UK]

Hi Robb, glad you like it!

Here's more - the flip...

[144man]

Weren't other tracks on the Motown album different from the RicTic versions?

[heikki]

Hi 144man,

yes, almost all the sweetenings had been taken off.

Best regards
Heikki