Pamela Sawyer talks about her time with Motown

[theboyfromxtown]

http://www.mixcloud.com/goldsoul/behind-the-hits-with-motown-songwriter-pam-sawyer/

Pamela Sawyer was from England - Harold Hill to be exact which is a place near Romford.

I found it very interesting.

Here is a list of her songs

http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25&querytype=WriterID&keyid=304498&keyname=SAWYER+PAMELA&CAE=27760185&Affiliation=ASCAP

[stephanie]

Great interview! Leave it to the Brits I like when she said we hunted down Berry Gordy! I admire Brits they take care of the artists and appreciate the music. Most of all they will search up and down for the original masters and things that are rare.

[MIKEW-UK]

Tbfx, thanks for posting. I've always wondered how an English girl from Romford ended up at Motown and how she created such a remarkable catogue of compositions which became huge hits. I've never seen any interviews with her, there is really nothing out there, so to hear her talk through her journey to and at Motown was hugely interesting. Great post!

[jobeterob]

Interesting; all good words about Miss Ross too!

[theboyfromxtown]

Interesting; all good words about Miss Ross too!

I thought you'd like that bit! LOL

[jobeterob]

Had to listen all the way to the end to hear it too!

[greg jones]

Great Interview! Also loved that he played many of her songs.

Though I would have loved to hear her talk more about Love Child and Love Hangover.

[captainjames]

I could not catch exactly what she said about "Love Child" .....The song came right in while she was still talking.

[theboyfromxtown]

I agree James...the editing was a bit suspect at times.

[captainjames]

BUT I LOVED IT.....
It seem honest, fresh and open

[snakepit]

Very interesting. Pam Sawyer was interviewed about 40 years ago in Blues and Soul.
It came about, as I recall, because a Motown fan was in the queue in a Chemist shop in Romford. The lady in front confirmed her name to th3 Chemist as "Sawyer".
As he knew of the Motown/Sawyer connection he asked her if she was related.I think it was Pam's mother.
Perhaps an old UK collector can confirm this?

Parkinson's Law is basically the work shy/slackers charter..." Work expands to fit the time available".

Big Dee Irwin's "You satisfy my needs" is one of my all time favourite tracks....arguably the greatest record ever!!
For our USA friends...please check it out on YouTube.

[roger]

It was interesting how all of the records that Kev Roberts played to illustrate Miss Sawyer's songwriting skills were the Motown recordings whereas there were plenty of Non-Motown issues mentioned. Presumably this was first broadcast as part of a Motown show??

I also found it interesting that Miss Sawyer commented that she really liked "You Can't Turn Me Off" whereas she stated that she wasn't too enamoured with some of the other songs that got mentioned .. I assume she meant some of those very thumpy efforts that found favour on the NS Scene ... :)

And for those who have yet to hear BIG DEE IRWIN's gem .... here it is ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhjGnP4eBxg
:)
Roger

[snakepit]

Does anybody know the first track on this feature?

[theboyfromxtown]

Does anybody know the first track on this feature?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyZD01Vc_Jw

[roger]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyZD01Vc_Jw
Aha!! so I was wrong in thinking they were ALL Motown ... :)

Roger

[theboyfromxtown]

Very interesting. Pam Sawyer was interviewed about 40 years ago in Blues and Soul.
It came about, as I recall, because a Motown fan was in the queue in a Chemist shop in Romford. The lady in front confirmed her name to th3 Chemist as "Sawyer".
As he knew of the Motown/Sawyer connection he asked her if she was related.I think it was Pam's mother.
Perhaps an old UK collector can confirm this?

Parkinson's Law is basically the work shy/slackers charter..." Work expands to fit the time available".

Big Dee Irwin's "You satisfy my needs" is one of my all time favourite tracks....arguably the greatest record ever!!
For our USA friends...please check it out on YouTube.

Not that I wish to take the title of "OLD" UK collector......but I do recall that B&S article Snakepit, Steve Bryant lived in East London and I have a vague notion that it was him in th e queue.

[snakepit]

Ha Ha Xtown

As I'm 60 next week, I guess I qualify!!

I too was interested in the comments she made re tracks she wasn't keen on. It seems she preferred the ballads. Also, was she given 'tracks' to apply words to? seems like it...that might explain some records she wasn't happy with...yet we love 'em.
It appears she joined mid 67?. HDH must have left soon after her arrival.
I presume she flew into Detroit for sessions from LA.

[snakepit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyZD01Vc_Jw

thanks for that...good track

[theboyfromxtown]

Ha Ha Xtown

As I'm 60 next week, I guess I qualify!!

I too was interested in the comments she made re tracks she wasn't keen on. It seems she preferred the ballads. Also, was she given 'tracks' to apply words to? seems like it...that might explain some records she wasn't happy with...yet we love 'em.
It appears she joined mid 67?. HDH must have left soon after her arrival.
I presume she flew into Detroit for sessions from LA.

Welcome to the club!

Seems like HDH were doing the decent thing in enlisting a few new backroom people....Ashford and SImpson came round about that time too.

[snakepit]

yes..shame HDH left eh?

I'll get that Little Hank track on my show next week....new to me! Always like to play quality beat ballads

[carole cucumber]

....

Here is a list of her songs

http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25&querytype=WriterID&keyid=304498&keyname=SAWYER+PAMELA&CAE=27760185&Affiliation=ASCAP


Is anyone familiar with this song?

http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=205966&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID

[carole cucumber]

Found the answer to my question:

http://www.discogs.com/New-York-Sweet-Sensation-Love-Child-Child-Of-Love/release/652871

[rovereab]

An Essex girl too - the icing on the cake :)

[gordy_hunk]

Interesting conversation with Pamela Sawyer. I'd agree that the editing is a bit suspect. Am I the only person though, who thought that the discussion relating to the Motown era was rushed, and very superficially covered?

[theboyfromxtown]

Interesting conversation with Pamela Sawyer. I'd agree that the editing is a bit suspect. Am I the only person though, who thought that the discussion relating to the Motown era was rushed, and very superficially covered?

I had a similar thoughts...but as there is so little on her work, I was pleased that there was something.

[mysterysinger]

Thought it might be an idea to bump this Pam Sawyer interview - it's still available. Note the written comment by Dollar Bill which is interesting. She takes no mess lol.

I've never met her and I've never been to Harold Hill [[could be a song in that maybe).

Some history there.

[Circa 1824]

I am disappointed the man did not ask about and discuss individual songs and artists in any detail. It was a superficial discussion about writing historic songs for historic artists. She had to squeeze in a mention of Diana Ross that went nowhere.