Don't Bring Back These Memories

[jsmith]

What's the timeline / story on the Four Tops cutting the old Raynoma written song ...
"Don't Bring Back Memories" ?

[Motown Eddie]

According to The Complete Motown Singles 1969 collection, "Don't Bring Back Memories" was written by Raynoma's then new husband Eddie Singleton and recorded back in 1963 by his protégé Tommy Knight. Eddie was also working with [and romancing] Berry Gordy's ex-wife Raynoma at the time. Mr. Singleton then gave the songwriting credit to Raynoma in case Berry Gordy had an aversion to putting out a record with Eddie's name on it. Four Tops would release "Don't Bring Back Memories" as the b-side of "What Is A Man" in April 1969 and on the Four Tops Now! LP in May 1969.

[jsmith]

Thanks. It was obviously an old song when the Tops cut it. I wondered why they'd go all that way back & not cut a more recent effort ?

[jsmith]

Quite a different version ... were the Tops struggling to find writers as HDH had cleared off ?

[jboy88]

Yes! They and the Vandellas struggled to find consistency when HDH left the company! Even though Frank Wilson eventually filled the void, they still never regained the same level of success until they themselves left Motown in late 72.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Thanks. It was obviously an old song when the Tops cut it. I wondered why they'd go all that way back & not cut a more recent effort ?

In Raynoma's book she talks about this record. My memory isn't precise but I DO recall that she and Eddie intended this to be an A side, not a flip side or album track. I also remember being struck by her noting that this record was to be produced precisely with the intent of restoring the Tops' stature on the charts after the departure of HDH. What you hear on the record is NOT what Eddie and Raynoma had in mind; they intended to produce it with a rah-rah, 4/4 marching beat, in classic HDH style in the mold of "I Can't Help Myself." I can't remember why but the production duties were not given to Eddie and the resulting record was a fairly sizable disappointment to Eddie and Raynoma. Plus, heap on some extra pain that it wasn't the A side.

[danman869]

In Raynoma's book she talks about this record. My memory isn't precise but I DO recall that she and Eddie intended this to be an A side, not a flip side or album track. I also remember being struck by her noting that this record was to be produced precisely with the intent of restoring the Tops' stature on the charts after the departure of HDH. What you hear on the record is NOT what Eddie and Raynoma had in mind; they intended to produce it with a rah-rah, 4/4 marching beat, in classic HDH style in the mold of "I Can't Help Myself." I can't remember why but the production duties were not given to Eddie and the resulting record was a fairly sizable disappointment to Eddie and Raynoma. Plus, heap on some extra pain that it wasn't the A side.

I've always kind of liked this tune. It's upbeat and has some funk to it. It's definitely not HDH-style Motown. Here's the production info:

Produced by Harvey Fuqua and Gwen Gordy Fuqua. Track recorded July 27, 1968; background vocals August 3, 1968; lead vocal August 30, 1968; strings at Golden World, September 3, 1968.

It not bad, it's just different. Very much "post-HDH Motown" when all the producers were adjusting away from that 1966-67 strongly identifiable Motown Sound. This song also didn't get released for 8-9 months after recording. While not as jarring as a 1963 song being released as a "new" record in 1969, for example, it's still very different from the Tops' HDH-style Motown. Anyway, the Tops are all up front, there's no Andantes [[which seemed to be tried out more often post-HDH), and it's a pretty funky track. I think I would've preferred it as the A-side over "What Is A Man."

[jsmith]

There's isn't a more HDH version of the song by the Four Tops in the vaults is there ?

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I've always kind of liked this tune. It's upbeat and has some funk to it. It's definitely not HDH-style Motown. Here's the production info:

Produced by Harvey Fuqua and Gwen Gordy Fuqua. Track recorded July 27, 1968; background vocals August 3, 1968; lead vocal August 30, 1968; strings at Golden World, September 3, 1968.

It not bad, it's just different. Very much "post-HDH Motown" when all the producers were adjusting away from that 1966-67 strongly identifiable Motown Sound. This song also didn't get released for 8-9 months after recording. While not as jarring as a 1963 song being released as a "new" record in 1969, for example, it's still very different from the Tops' HDH-style Motown. Anyway, the Tops are all up front, there's no Andantes [[which seemed to be tried out more often post-HDH), and it's a pretty funky track. I think I would've preferred it as the A-side over "What Is A Man."

Honestly, it puzzles me that the public wasn't open to these newer sounds from the Four Tops. I heard this in the 80s and was immediately taken by it. There's not a thing wrong with this. Like you said, this has such an uncharacteristically funky groove to it and the energy just keeps building. I know Eddie Singleton had in mind a more typical Motown beat, but hey, what Harvey and Gwen did sounds very exciting to me.

In a different set of circumstances, it would have been the A side and been appreciated by the public. But for some reason, the listeners of the day seemed unable to get beyond the "last gasp" trilogy of "Reach Out," "Shadows of Love" and "Bernadette."

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

There's isn't a more HDH version of the song by the Four Tops in the vaults is there ?

If there is, I've never heard about it and the site DFTMC doesn't list any other versions.

[snakepit]

HDH had sounding version...that would be good but i doubt it was recorded.

[paul_nixon]

HDH had sounding version...that would be good but i doubt it was recorded.

There is no paper trail to support any other version being recorded unfortunately

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

HDH had sounding version...that would be good but i doubt it was recorded.

I don't think there would have been a version by HDH because this song was brought to the group after HDH had left Motown, unless I'm wrong on that point. And it was brought to the Tops because HDH had left and Eddie Singleton was hoping to get the group back on top.