Today was Velvelettes Day and What a Treat!!!

[daviddesper]

I know I am weird, but I play my couple thousand CDs in rotation as I drive around during the workday and wherever else I might go. So today I had the pleasure of enjoying the Velvelettes' Anthology album, that great 2 CD package.

I continued to be amazed at how prolific Motown was in general and how they found the time to produce soooo many songs by sooooo many different artists. They must have found a way to put 36 hours in every day in that studio!

In the case of the Velvelettes, this collection is superb and just makes you wonder how Motown could have thought enough of them to record almost 50 songs, but yet never release an album. I have always enjoyed their singles [[Needle, Really Sayin Something, Bird in the Hand, Lonely Girl, etc.) but this collection contains a non-single that I just cannot get enough of and I probably played it eight times today.

It is called Something's Happening and it is a beautifully crafted slice of soul heaven! When they hit that perfectly harmonious note on the word "instantly", it is just awesome. Give it a listen if you haven't for a while!

[marv2]

David, can you tell me the name of the lady that performed with Cal Street and Annette McMillan for a while back around 1966 as the Velvelettes. I recall she was from Pittsburgh. She appears in some of the Where the Action Is clips with them. I cannot remember her name. Gail was her first name I believe.

[huntergettingcaptured]

I know I am weird, but I play my couple thousand CDs in rotation as I drive around during the workday and wherever else I might go. So today I had the pleasure of enjoying the Velvelettes' Anthology album, that great 2 CD package.

I continued to be amazed at how prolific Motown was in general and how they found the time to produce soooo many songs by sooooo many different artists. They must have found a way to put 36 hours in every day in that studio!

In the case of the Velvelettes, this collection is superb and just makes you wonder how Motown could have thought enough of them to record almost 50 songs, but yet never release an album. I have always enjoyed their singles [[Needle, Really Sayin Something, Bird in the Hand, Lonely Girl, etc.) but this collection contains a non-single that I just cannot get enough of and I probably played it eight times today.

It is called Something's Happening and it is a beautifully crafted slice of soul heaven! When they hit that perfectly harmonious note on the word "instantly", it is just awesome. Give it a listen if you haven't for a while!

David, I totally get what you do with your CDs, so you're not at all weird! And for you to single out "Something's Happening" made my day, for this song is one of those tunes that defies explanation as to how good it is.

While many of Motown's best tunes hit you with a hot dance beat, or a cool romantic mood piece, "Something's Happening" is something unique. It's a bit of both styles and yet, it isn't like any particular Motown style. It starts off with a rather slow, almost funeral-dirge-like BOOM BOOM BOOM bass drum. You don't know where it's going. Then that gives way to a curious sort of a Cha-Cha-Cha beat; but this ain't any corny Cha-Cha-Cha- it's being pounded out by a mighty bass and snare combo that provides the dance beat. [[Maybe Smokey was trying out a new grrrroove, because the same beat appears, speeded up, on the Miracles' "More, More, More of Your Love.) However, the speed of this thing throws you off; it's not a rocker, but it sure pounds out the beat like one.

So you got a fantastic floor-shaking beat, but at the same time, there is a sort of nonchalance to everything else that works at odds with the hot beat. It's a real mind-splitter, but it's so darn good.

Then, Cal and company do even more wonders with the song but not over-singing it but performing it with an almost detachment that makes her sound like these are the coolest chicks alive. I've been reading about singer Peggy Lee lately, and her strength was in the fact that she would sing so softly and intimately, you were forced to lean in and really give your attention. This is precisely what Cal is accomplishing here and again, it just adds another element to the song that keeps you a bit off balance. Is it a rocker? A ballad? Wait, it's BOTH.

I love this song to pieces and usually end up playing it several times in a row. It's one of those songs that isn't too hot, so as to wear thin quickly, but it's just ballistic enough that you want to keep playing it.

[masterblaster]

Always loved this double CD Anthology set, not a bad track on it. My favourite is 'I'm So Glad it's Twilight Time' , so cool and also the two versions of 'These Things Will Keep Me Loving You'. Never understood why two different versions with different lyrics were recorded so close together [[May and June 1966). Is there a story behind this?

[johnny_raven]

Gail Sonders

[144man]

Always loved this double CD Anthology set, not a bad track on it. My favourite is 'I'm So Glad it's Twilight Time' , so cool and also the two versions of 'These Things Will Keep Me Loving You'. Never understood why two different versions with different lyrics were recorded so close together [[May and June 1966). Is there a story behind this?

It's likely that the earlier version was just a work-in-progress. It's probable that it would never have surfaced if the wrong version hadn't been sent to the UK for inclusion in the vinyl issue of "Motown Chartbusters, v6". I believe the cassette format includes the later version.

[marv2]

Gail Sonders

Thank you Johnny!

[theboyfromxtown]

Please dont stop talking about the ladies. It makes a change for them to get some good reviews.

There's a lot of people that love Something's Happening. Midnight Johnny even did one of his extended versions

[theboyfromxtown]

Extended version by John Perrone

[TomatoTom123]

I love "Something's Happening" too! It's a great song. There are so many like it [[unreleased but fantastic) on The Velvelettes' Motown Anthology... like "Let Love Live [[A Little Bit Longer)"... "Love Is Good"... "Long Gone Lover"... "Stop Beating Around The Bush"... and more!!!

[daviddesper]

As I have said many times before, you guys never cease to amaze me with the depth of your knowledge and appreciation of great music! Hunter, thanks to you especially for such a detailed description of the song. You sailed right over my head with most of it but hopefully your in-depth analysis will cause a few new folks to discover it who might not have done so previously. [[Wonder if we could get it released as a single here in 2017???)

As for the extended version, again I say "I am amazed" that someone would have thought to do that. I could not play it but so loud here tonight, since it is midnight and my 93 year old mother is asleep downstairs! But rest assured that yesterday in the car, the original was given repeated listenings at an appropriate volume! I am known in my small town for playing my music as I run around.

[marv2]

Extended version by John Perrone

Now that is a sharp record! Cal sounded so smooth, the ladies were just right on the backup and the music track was pure Motown/Funk Brothers but understated which makes this one work for me. Thanks theboyfromxtown very much!

[masterblaster]

Extended version by John Perrone

Love this extended version, how about an extended version of "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You" using both vocal versions, that would be something.