Mary Wells on "Motown 25"

[marv2]

Here she is, the beautiful and talented Ms. Mary Wells [[all 49 seconds of her....), performing her big hit "My Guy" on the "Motown 25" anniversary television special! Please ignore that they got the year wrong. It was a hit in 1964.


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

[Ngroove]

49 Seconds???? Pfah, that's hardly worth the prettying up / giving that performance / showing up for, Mary Wells / Martha Reeves / Junior Walker. The Commodores was given slightly longer playtime. While it was neat format to have them introduced by those DJs, Motown 25 could have at least doubled-tripled their time, for better representation, acknowledgement.

But, I suppose, that show might have been her last significant national exposure, her peak long passed.

[carole cucumber]

At Motown 30, there was a tribute to Mary with Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and Gladys Knight paying tribute to her by performing some of her songs. And Berry Gordy was the first to stand and applaud her when she was acknowledged as present in the Apollo Theater that night.
Regrettably it was later reported that Mary Wells was unable to perform at Motown 30 due to the effects of her bout with cancer of the larynx .
http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/people/mary_wells.php

[marv2]

49 Seconds???? Pfah, that's hardly worth the prettying up / giving that performance / showing up for, Mary Wells / Martha Reeves / Junior Walker. The Commodores was given slightly longer playtime. While it was neat format to have them introduced by those DJs, Motown 25 could have at least doubled-tripled their time, for better representation, acknowledgement.

But, I suppose, that show might have been her last significant national exposure, her peak long passed.

Actually she had only 30 something seconds if you exclude Tim Reid's introduction!

[marv2]

At Motown 30, there was a tribute to Mary with Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and Gladys Knight paying tribute to her by performing some of her songs. And Berry Gordy was the first to stand and applaud her when she was acknowledged as present in the Apollo Theater that night.
Regrettably it was later reported that Mary Wells was unable to perform at Motown 30 due to the effects of her bout with cancer of the larynx .
http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/people/mary_wells.php

I remember that TV special. I remember how disappointed I was over it. It aired on CBS but taped at the Pantages Theatre in California. There were so few Motown acts on the program that it could have been title anything. Just few months prior that show, Mary Wells was suppose to perform for us in Detroit as a part of Ian Levine's Motorcity Revue a couple nights of concerts held downtown atop of the Pontcitrain Hotel. She was too ill then to sing.

If you looked very closely at the show's finale, just before the credits started rolling you may catch a glimpse of Scherrie Payne, Jean Terrell and Lynda Laurence singing onstage with the full cast. Evidently they were invited and performed on the show but their segment never made it to television!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Marv, thanks for pointing out the blatant error in the Motown 25 banner which read "1963" for the year of Mary Well's "My Guy". It annoys me every time I see it, especially since "My Guy" was the very first Motown record I ever bought. "1963", indeed!

[edafan]

I agree with all the criticisms here. But it was still the best thing I have ever seen on tv.
M J's Billy Jean live; Marvin live; Tops vs Tempts; can't beat it
edafan

[stephanie]

I remember when I first saw this I cringed!!! I still do. Its not like she was a one hit wonder her voice and records were VERY important in the beginning of Motown and as a live act she made a lot of money for the company. Mary Wells and the Marvelettes get the worst treatment I have ever seen out of all of the Motown groups who have had hits. Its like they dont exist. Maybe Berry Gordy felt that since Mary was sick and he helped to pay her medical bills the past doesnt matter and yes he did step up to the plate. I remember reading
[[I forgot the book) that he told Martha I think "yes its a little bit of time but go up there and sing"...Im sure someone on the forum will remember what Im talking about. This show was not like This is your Life it was not a surprise he could have given Martha, Mary Wells and Jr Walker more time. Take Adam Ant away and WKRP and these three groups could have had a nice little tribute

I bet they wouldnt have cared if Jamerson was drunk on stage he would have had a standing ovation! People who are not even Motown fans have always talked about the music and how good it is. A lot of the Funk Bros were living at this time I think of what this show could have been. Martha said in her book she felt bad when the dancers were dancing to her song and she couldnt sing it.

[rrussi]

The Marvelettes were not even invited! Mary Wells and Martha Reeves were to do a portion of their hits, My Guy and Heat Wave, which they did do. Due to editing those portions were made even shorter. The fact that both songs were credited to the wrong year shows the producers of the show lack of interest in Motown's history as well as Motown itself not respecting or giving just-dues to those who gave them their hits to keep them in business in the early years.

[longtimefan]

This show was poorly edited in general. Many of the shots that showed the audience's reaction to what we were watching were out of sync with the performance. No one deserves credit or praise for the general editing of the show. Very poor. Lots of cutting and pasting going on, not worthy of this Motown institution!