I think I was maybe 16 when I got the Marvin & Kim album "Take Two." I recall distinctly having the feeling I was hearing a "New Motown Sound" hit [["It Takes Two") that had been tacked onto an album of "Old Motown Sound" material - and this was early on in my Motown journey. Does anyone else recall having the same feeling when they played the album?

As time went by, of course I started learning more here and there and two of the biggest helps were the sites DFMC and "Both Sides Now," where I learned that there was supposed to be an album released by Marin and Kim called "Side By Side" [TS 260], I'm guessing in '64. My guess is that Motown was hoping for a hit with "What Good Am I Without You" and the album would capitalize on it. When the record didn't become as big a hit as Motown maybe hoped for, the LP was shelved. Just by happenstance, when "It Takes Two" became a hit, Motown dusted off the shelved album and with a couple of substitutions of older album tracks, branded the new album "Take Two."

It's too bad that other, more-spirited tracks like "Baby [[Don't You Leave Me)", "That'll Be The Day", "Just Too Much To Hope For" and "Give A Little Love" weren't used on the album. Those tracks would have given the LP a more contemporary and exciting sound. Or maybe Motown was looking ahead to a second Marvin/Kim album, not knowing Kim would soon be leaving.

WELL, WELL, WELL

This is VERY interesting. I just found an old thread here on the board that discussed this album. Apparently there was talk about "Side By Side" being an album containing material by Marvin & Kim AND Marvin & Mary Wells AND Marvin and Oma Heard. Seems odd, but, well, read the thread and draw your own conclusions.

https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthrea...ot-Tamla-T-260