MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS' "Leave It In The Hands Of Love"

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Is it just me, or does anybody out there agree that Motown should have released Martha & The Vandellas' "Leave It In The Hands Of Love" from their Ridin' High album as a single? Everything about that track is powerful -- Martha's vocals, The Vandellas/Andantes' back-up vocals, the lyrics, the melody, the musical arrangement, and, as always, Motown's stellar production. Every time I play that CD, I can't seem to get past "Leave It In The Hands Of Love" -- something makes me play that track over and over and over. It's easy to imagine AM radio giving it the same air-time attention back in 1967. Am I alone in my thinking, or can I get a witness?

[Ryon6]

I agree totally.

[144man]

I too have always thought that LIITHOL should have been a single.

[BayouMotownMan]

Mr Skurow can address this but isn't there a version of this song recorded by Ross? Or maybe intended for her and given to Martha?

It's a good track but I don't see it as a single. Background is insufficient.

[soulwally]

Here it is...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skRfupOFHvQ
Not a single for me, I'm afraid.

[BigAl]

It's a great song and I played the hell out of it when I got the album, but if it were released as a single [[and it definitely could have been) it would have to be started from scratch again, or, at the very least, remastered. Martha's vocals seem half-hearted and I suspect she was aware it would only be used as filler. In 1967, Motown was still using different takes for radio/mono releases and stereo versions for albums. For instance, I loved the airplay version of "I Promise to Wait, My Love," but disliked the version used on the Ridin' High album. Still, LIITHOL did have untapped potential. A stronger, less shrill lead vocal and better production values could easily have made it a hit.

The most pronounced example of this is "Jimmy Mack." The airplay/mono version was so good, but the stereo version was not only a different take but a different arrangement altogether, and, to my sensibilities, was far inferior. In essence, it was almost an entirely different song, and nowhere near as good as the version most of us are familiar with.

[longtimefan]

It's a great song and I played the hell out of it when I got the album, but if it were released as a single [[and it definitely could have been) it would have to be started from scratch again, or, at the very least, remastered. Martha's vocals seem half-hearted and I suspect she was aware it would only be used as filler. In 1967, Motown was still using different takes for radio/mono releases and stereo versions for albums. For instance, I loved the airplay version of "I Promise to Wait, My Love," but disliked the version used on the Ridin' High album. Still, LIITHOL did have untapped potential. A stronger, less shrill lead vocal and better production values could easily have made it a hit.

The most pronounced example of this is "Jimmy Mack." The airplay/mono version was so good, but the stereo version was not only a different take but a different arrangement altogether, and, to my sensibilities, was far inferior. In essence, it was almost an entirely different song, and nowhere near as good as the version most of us are familiar with.

Hi BigAl,

i enjoyed your commentary [[above). Can you tell me on which CDs I can find these two differing "Jimmy Mack" tracks? I enjoy learning as much as I can.

Thank you in advance.

[marybrewster]

I'm curious; are there any Vandellas on this track? This was the only H-D-H cut from "Ridin' High": I suspect that if there are Vandellas, it's more likely that Betty is on it, than Lois?

Surprisingly, "Ridin' High" had several single releases, but nothing really seemed to connect. Much like the Supremes suffered when H-D-H left, the Vandellas obviously did too. The album itself is a bit of a hodgepodge. It's too bad the group couldn't have worked with one producer, like the latter-day Supremes did with Frank Wilson. Perhaps consistency would have helped.

[BigAl]

Hi BigAl,

i enjoyed your commentary [[above). Can you tell me on which CDs I can find these two differing "Jimmy Mack" tracks? I enjoy learning as much as I can.

Thank you in advance.

I wish I could help you but the only place I've ever heard that alternate arrangement of "Jimmy Mack" is on the stereo vinyl copy of Watchout. The mono album contained the airplay version and I believe all reissues contain stereo versions of that same airplay version. The opening of the alternate version was very different: no percussion and handclaps, and instead some kind of woodwind accompaniment, and a prominent piano riff going throughout the song. It didn't have a catchy backbeat and sort of plodded along. I once mentioned it to Martha and she said she was equally fond of both versions but agreed that they almost might as well have been different songs.

[blackguy69]

Go on YouTube. There is a big difference with the 64 version which I think is on the watchout album and the 1967 45 version which is the hit version

[RossHolloway]

It's an ok song, I don't really hear an A-side release for the song, much less a top 40 hit.

[blackguy69]

It sounds to me like im ready for love meets 7 rooms of gloom

[bradsupremes]

HDH did cut the track for the Supremes. I don't believe the group recorded their vocals for the track though. Somewhere along the way HDH reassigned the track to the Vandellas.

I love this track. The Funk Brothers really tear into it. It could have been a single, but I don't think it would have reached the top of the charts like "Jimmy Mack" or "I'm Ready For Love." The track is fast and maybe a bit too fast for the dance floors.

[BigAl]

Go on YouTube. There is a big difference with the 64 version which I think is on the watchout album and the 1967 45 version which is the hit version

The only version of that other arrangement I could find on YouTube is this Spanish one, which uses the same backing track as the one I was referring to.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqumxtC6M_g

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Can you tell me on which CDs I can find these two differing "Jimmy Mack" tracks? I enjoy learning as much as I can.

Thank you in advance.

Longtimefan, to my knowledge, there are 3 versions available of Martha & The Vandellas' "Jimmy Mack":

1) The slower, earlier 1964 version was issued on Stereo versions of Martha's 1967 "Watchout!" album. [[Mono copies of "Watchout!"contained the newer, uptempo, hit-45 version). Here's a link for the recent download and a sample listen of the slower 1964 stereo version [[although I'm suddenly hearing handclaps that never used to be there):
http://www.amazon.com/Watchout-Martha-Vandellas/dp/B00D8KPX7E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411162163&sr=8-1&keywords=martha+%26+the+vandellas+watch+out


2) The later, up-tempo, Mono, 1967 hit-45 version which can be found on:

The Various-Artists boxed set "The Complete Motown Singles [[Vol. 7) [[1967)" [[A sample listen is provided);
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Motown-Singles-7-1967/dp/B000SFYZBM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411164264&sr=8-1&keywords=complete+motown+singles+vol.+7

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas' "50th Anniversary Singles Collection [[1962-1972)";
http://www.amazon.com/50th-Anniversary-Singles-Collection-1962-1972/dp/B00AU15IHY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411164219&sr=8-1&keywords=martha+reeves+and+the+vandellas+50th+anni versary

The Various-Artists boxed set "Hitsville, USA - Vol. 1 [[1959-1971)"
http://www.amazon.com/Hitsville-Motown-Singles-Collection-1959-1971/dp/B000006NUW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411164171&sr=8-1&keywords=various+artists+hitsville+usa+vol.+1

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas' "Live Wire: The Singles [[1962-1972)
http://www.amazon.com/Live-Wire-The-Singles-1962-1972/dp/B000001AKE/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411164124&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=martha+and+the+vandellasl+live+wire+the+s ingles

The uptempo, hit-45 Mono version is also available on a number of other Martha Reeves & The Vandellas' greatest-hits CD compilations. The above are the ones that I have in my personal collection.


3) The Stereo 45 Version [[a stereo version of the uptempo hit-45 version), which is also available on Martha Reeves & The Vandellas' 50th Anniversary Singles Collection [[1962-1972) [[shown above under #2). Here's a YouTube link to give a listen, courtesy of Music Mike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiyP8sgINNo

Hope this helps. - Gary