Revelation of I Should Be Proud - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas

[theboyfromxtown]

I've just read a Facebook posting by Pamela Sawyer about this song. I'm actually quite shocked.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4iw3_Hnyho

[theboyfromxtown]

Pamela Sawyer:

Well the lyric at the end originally said" Now he can't live without a needle in his arm" the story being he went to war as her young innocent boyfriend but because of his injuries he was now " hooked on heroin" so even though he was praised and had medals he was a ruined individual and she was heartbroken by his change [[ this was not made clear enough ) not proud but the powers that be would not allow it and messed up the meaning, the poignancy, of the song.... unfortunately we were restricted creatively. It had to be pretty middle of the road most of the time by their quality control..Very annoying for the writers who wanted the freedom to write broader themes at that company.

[theboyfromxtown]

I wasn't expecting that! Wow

[theboyfromxtown]

There's a bit more...but not about Martha


Anthony Enderle
...........However, that's a much too political theme for a Diana Ross song. A lot of her best music was shelved or watered down, as recent expanded editions have made obvious. Thank you for sharing smile emoticon Have you ever worked with Miss Ross directly in the studio, or had to teach her songs from scratch? What was that like?

Pamela Sawyer
Yes and no On Love Child I was lucky to be allowed to work directly in the studio and I was thrilled that she was sooo cooperative. We actually went into a small bathroom adjacent to the studio where she could listen privately where she wrote signs and underlined words in her own writing at her suggestion as she could not read my badly written handwriting . She is the consummate artist. Really adds to a song..

[Motown Eddie]

Pamela Sawyer:

Well the lyric at the end originally said" Now he can't live without a needle in his arm" the story being he went to war as her young innocent boyfriend but because of his injuries he was now " hooked on heroin" so even though he was praised and had medals he was a ruined individual and she was heartbroken by his change [[ this was not made clear enough ) not proud but the powers that be would not allow it and messed up the meaning, the poignancy, of the song.... unfortunately we were restricted creatively. It had to be pretty middle of the road most of the time by their quality control..Very annoying for the writers who wanted the freedom to write broader themes at that company.

It's disappointing that Pam Sawyer couldn't include all the lyrics that she wanted to in the song "I Should Be Proud" but it's not that surprising. Motown was conservative with it's output [[both lyrically and musically) in order to reach the largest possible audience in the '60s. Things had been changing slowly in the late '60s & early '70s with "Cloud Nine", "Love Child" & "War" and yet Motown at that time did not want to make too many waves with controversial themes.

[theboyfromxtown]

I can understand why Motown insisted a cleaner lyric...meanwhile HDH were writing about all kinds of things....

[westgrandboulevard]

Well, that account really does sound entirely plausible.

Sung by another artist, and probably not released on Motown, the story including that line would have carried a real bite.

But not from Martha, in those times....it wouldn't have fit her image and/or Motown, or Martha's repertoire of known songs singing about new loves, love problems,unrequited love, etc...

Even so, it's not one of my very favourite Martha recordings. It has always seemed over-blown and theatrical, with the sweeping strings and female chorus. A much slower, reflective and bluesy reading of it would have been interesting to hear.

Mind you, the big build-up in the instrumental introduction, immediately followed by that opening line 'I was under the drier, when the telegram came' [[although banal, just IMO) does catch the attention....LOL

[marv2]

Pamela Sawyer:

Well the lyric at the end originally said" Now he can't live without a needle in his arm" the story being he went to war as her young innocent boyfriend but because of his injuries he was now " hooked on heroin" so even though he was praised and had medals he was a ruined individual and she was heartbroken by his change [[ this was not made clear enough ) not proud but the powers that be would not allow it and messed up the meaning, the poignancy, of the song.... unfortunately we were restricted creatively. It had to be pretty middle of the road most of the time by their quality control..Very annoying for the writers who wanted the freedom to write broader themes at that company.

That is pretty deep.

[Motown Eddie]

I can understand why Motown insisted a cleaner lyric...meanwhile HDH were writing about all kinds of things....

By the time 'I Should Be Proud' came out in 1970, HDH had left Motown and set up their own record company; Invictus/Hot Wax [[and as owners, could write about anything they wanted).

[theboyfromxtown]

And they did....and they released them!

Band Of Gold was a HUGE hit.

[midnight johnny]

And they did....and they released them!

Band Of Gold was a HUGE hit.
Yeah...but the version of "Band Of Gold" that was a hit was the watered down version.

[bradsupremes]

Let's not forget "Pay To The Piper." Word-wise it's clean, but overall message, it's suggestive.

[danman869]

Has anyone ever noticed the abrupt edit at the end of the song [[0:23 left in video above)? Something more on this version was certainly excised! I think it's pretty unlikely that a song about how Martha's war hero boyfriend had turned into a junkie [[darn those "evils of society"!) would've been a little much for any Motown artist in 1969/70. Motown were sons you want to dance to [[even "Love Child" and "Cloud Nine"!) and this tune wasn't a dancer. Add lyrics [[either the junkie concept or the actual "boyfriend home in a pine box/anti-Vietnam" storyline) and it just doesn't have what it takes to add up to a big SINGLE release, IMO. I loved the electric piano during the spoken break--I wish it had been more prominent during the intro and/or throughout the song. The performance by Martha and the ladies [[be they Vandellas or Andantes or whomever) is strong, but this would've been a better album cut. The song itself could've made a great finale on a concept album about the love, romance, war separation, and eventual loss of a relationship...but that wasn't Motown in 1970 either.

[TheMotownManiac]

I love this mix - which is it?









I've just read a Facebook posting by Pamela Sawyer about this song. I'm actually quite shocked.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4iw3_Hnyho