Martha Reeves And The Vandellas - Black Magic - 45th Anniversary Edition

[Ian Scarlet]

I´ve just created my own bootleg expanded edition of Martha Reeves And The Vandellas´ album, Black Magic, for the 45th Anniversary. It´s a digipack with a CD and a Booklet with rare photos.

12908

To see the full picture, open it in a new tab.
This is my tracklist:
ORIGINAL 1972 ALBUM:
1.No One There
2.Your Love Makes It All Worthwhile
3.Something
4.Benjamin
5.Tear It Down
6.I've Given You The Best Years Of My Life
7.Bless You
8.I Want You Back
9.In And Out Of My Life
10.Anyone Who Had A Heart
11.Hope I Don't Get My Heart Broken
BONUS TRACKS:
12.I Gotta Let You Go [[Stereo Mix)
13.Earthquake
14.No One There [[Alternate Extended Version)
15.Bless You [[Alternate Extended Version)
16.The Fool On The Hill [[Live at the Shady Grove Music Fair/1970)
17.Build Your Love On A Strong Foundation
18.Where Was I [[When Love Came By)
19.There´s Love In This World
20.Let Me Fall In Love With You
21.Talking ´Bout Love
22.Ain´t My Stuff Good Enough
23.He´s Good [[a.k.a. "She´s Good)
24.Play A Sad Song

[PeaceNHarmony]

Just ... WOW! A favorite LP of mine; I seethe with jealousy!

[lakeside]

I'd like to buy that one! Wowie Zowie!

[thanxal]

I wish Universal would let Andy, George and the team do Expanded Editions for Martha and the Vandellas. This mock-up looks outstanding.

[luke]

I love Tear it on down and I love this cover!

[TomatoTom123]

Wow, what a great cover, Ian! :)

[thommg]

I LOVE this album! I would love to get a copy of this "expanded edition". There was a version of Bless You on a Motown Divas collection that included strings. Some of the other songs I am unfamiliar with.

[marv2]

I've always liked "Tear it On Down" and "Bless You" from this album. Hard to believe it's been 45 years? Gulp! LOL!

[daviddesper]

The girls really went out with a bang as there was not a bad cut on this album. "Bless You" should have been SUCH a monster hit!

I still remember a cover on either Billboard or Cashbox that featured this album and a Stevie album [[Meeting of the Minds maybe?), along with some newer artists, and the caption was "The Newest by the Best and the Best by the Newest." Does anyone else remember that?

[Bluebrock]

I´ve just created my own bootleg expanded edition of Martha Reeves And The Vandellas´ album, Black Magic, for the 45th Anniversary. It´s a digipack with a CD and a Booklet with rare photos.

12908

To see the full picture, open it in a new tab.
This is my tracklist:
ORIGINAL 1972 ALBUM:
1.No One There
2.Your Love Makes It All Worthwhile
3.Something
4.Benjamin
5.Tear It Down
6.I've Given You The Best Years Of My Life
7.Bless You
8.I Want You Back
9.In And Out Of My Life
10.Anyone Who Had A Heart
11.Hope I Don't Get My Heart Broken
BONUS TRACKS:
12.I Gotta Let You Go [[Stereo Mix)
13.Earthquake
14.No One There [[Alternate Extended Version)
15.Bless You [[Alternate Extended Version)
16.The Fool On The Hill [[Live at the Shady Grove Music Fair/1970)
17.Build Your Love On A Strong Foundation
18.Where Was I [[When Love Came By)
19.There´s Love In This World
20.Let Me Fall In Love With You
21.Talking ´Bout Love
22.Ain´t My Stuff Good Enough
23.He´s Good [[a.k.a. "She´s Good)
24.Play A Sad Song
You have done a great job here. How i would love a copy of this bogus cd. Martha's most consistent album in my opinion. Would love an expanded edition but i don't hold out much hope.

[cheekylincs]

I would definitely buy this - one of my favourite albums

[RanRan79]

Looks great. This was the best MR&V album IMO. Just a fantastic work from start to finish. "Bless You" is one of my absolute fav songs by the group. "No One There" could have been a single. And their version of "Anyone Who Had a Heart" is outstanding. An actual expanded would definitely get my attention.

[McMotown]

Great album and truly deserves an expanded edition. ‘No One There’ Martha just pulls at my heart strings. Had so many great unreleased track in the vaults. That reminds me I must give Martha Reeves and The Vandellas ‘Spellbound Lost and Found’ a listen to not played that in a while.

[kenneth]

So how do we we get it???

[longtimefan]

So how do we we get it???

I can't "Open in a New Tab." What am I missing?

p.s. GREAT mock album!

[kenneth]

I can't "Open in a New Tab." What am I missing?

p.s. GREAT mock album!

Yeah, I'm clueless about that as well...

[motownjohnny]

Yeah, I'm clueless about that as well...

To see the cover full-size, right click the cover photo. When it opens up then click anywhere on the artwork, so it opens even larger.

[johnny_raven]

I can't "Open in a New Tab." What am I missing?

Right click on the picture and scroll down to "Open image in a new tab"

[motownjohnny]

Wow, what a great cover, Ian! :)

This isn't a newly created cover - it's the artwork from the original album, reproduced!

[kenneth]

Right click on the picture and scroll down to "Open image in a new tab"

Got it, thanks Johnny.

[TomatoTom123]

This isn't a newly created cover - it's the artwork from the original album, reproduced!

Oh yes, of course, that's what I mean. :)

[mysterysinger]

"Sticker" nicely added and nice choice of tracks.

Just a note that "No One There" was issued as a single in the UK [[now very collectable). "Bless You" was a moderate hit in the US and fared a little better in the UK. It reached top 20 in Canada.

Wonder why "Something" was included again as it was on "Natural Resources".

For those who want a copy, why not just make one [[or create a playlist)?

[DJMoch]

For those who want a copy, why not just make one [[or create a playlist)?

I've done that with most of my Motown album collections, this album included. I've constructed expanded / deluxe editions using all the single mixes and possible alternate versions that are available commercially. Not to mention all the other previously unreleased tracks that have appeared on various compilations over the years, fitting them into each album's time-frame as best I can. That "Don't Forget The Motor City" website is a godsend for figuring out where all these unreleased songs fit, time-wise.

[Calv1971]

I would love to get this, but still no details on how to get it??????

[REDHOT]

Martha Reeves and The Vandellas Black Magic,is The Best,i love every song on this album.

[PeaceNHarmony]

"Sticker" nicely added and nice choice of tracks.

Just a note that "No One There" was issued as a single in the UK [[now very collectable). "Bless You" was a moderate hit in the US and fared a little better in the UK. It reached top 20 in Canada.

Wonder why "Something" was included again as it was on "Natural Resources".

For those who want a copy, why not just make one [[or create a playlist)?
I recall a contemporary review of the LP in Rolling Stone asking the same question; the 'wisdom' of The Corporation, I presume!

[RanRan79]

Wonder why "Something" was included again as it was on "Natural Resources".

The only logical reason I can come up with is that maybe Motown was considering it for a possible single release. Other than that it seems pointless. They could have chosen any one of the group's great outtakes in it's place.

[floyjoy678]

It was probably featured twice because I believe that it was policy for an album to contain at least one track that had the actual group members singing on it. In this case Something was a song that included Lois and Sandra and not the Andantes. Most of the album does not feature Lois or Sandra, some songs even have Martha doing the backgrounds with session singers.

[motownjohnny]

It was probably featured twice because I believe that it was policy for an album to contain at least one track that had the actual group members singing on it. In this case Something was a song that included Lois and Sandra and not the Andantes. Most of the album does not feature Lois or Sandra, some songs even have Martha doing the backgrounds with session singers.

Excellent observations floyjoy678, particularly the comments re the absence of the Vandellas on most of the tracks. For that very reason I've always considered this as a contrived album, in a similar vein to "The Return of The Marvelettes", where most of the Marvelettes are conspicuous by their absence and their vocals replaced, yet again, by the ever ubiquitous Andantes.

[RanRan79]

How are we sure that these "session singers" aren't Lois and Sandy? The only song that sounds like the Andantes to me is "In and Out of My Life". I'm pretty sure that's them. But the other songs I don't think I'd be able to say definitively that Lois and Sandy aren't on them.

[honest man]

I've done that with most of my Motown album collections, this album included. I've constructed expanded / deluxe editions using all the single mixes and possible alternate versions that are available commercially. Not to mention all the other previously unreleased tracks that have appeared on various compilations over the years, fitting them into each album's time-frame as best I can. That "Don't Forget The Motor City" website is a godsend for figuring out where all these unreleased songs fit, time-wise. Do you have any track listings for your compilations i have been trying to compile my own time frames especially DRATS Sets as we now have most of their unreleased tracks would love timr frames for Reflections- Cream of Crop sessions as they are all over the place,any time frames appreciated,thanks

[RanRan79]

Do you have any track listings for your compilations i have been trying to compile my own time frames especially DRATS Sets as we now have most of their unreleased tracks would love timr frames for Reflections- Cream of Crop sessions as they are all over the place,any time frames appreciated,thanks

Try the Don't Forget the Motorcity site for recording details.

[honest man]

Try the Don't Forget the Motorcity site for recording details. i have just asking for easier lazier option.

[johnny_raven]

It was probably featured twice because I believe that it was policy for an album to contain at least one track that had the actual group members singing on it.

One track per side is what I heard, look at The Return Of The Marvelettes.

[motownjohnny]

RanRan79, it's on record in the relevant year volumes of The Complete Motown Singles CD Box sets that a number of these recordings don't feature The Vandellas on background - they were apparently substituted by The Blossoms. That info would have been taken from the session logs.

You may not be aware that "No One There", which is also on this album, while not released in the U.S. was released in the U.K. on the Tamla Motown label, cat. no. TMG 843, with"[[I've Given You) The Best Years Of My Life on the flip. The labels credit both songs as by Martha Reeves only, rather than Martha Reeves and The Vandellas.

[RanRan79]

One track per side is what I heard, look at The Return Of The Marvelettes.

It's difficult for me to believe that Gordy and company would even care to have such a policy. Which tracks on Return feature Kat and Ann? I thought the entire project was a Wanda solo gig.

[RanRan79]

RanRan79, it's on record in the relevant year volumes of The Complete Motown Singles CD Box sets that a number of these recordings don't feature The Vandellas on background - they were apparently substituted by The Blossoms. That info would have been taken from the session logs.

You may not be aware that "No One There", which is also on this album, while not released in the U.S. was released in the U.K. on the Tamla Motown label, cat. no. TMG 843, with"[[I've Given You) The Best Years Of My Life on the flip. The labels credit both songs as by Martha Reeves only, rather than Martha Reeves and The Vandellas.

Thanks for the info Johnny. I would love to hear Berry Gordy's thoughts on why his female groups [[other than the lead singers) were so replaceable on record but apparently not so much with the male groups. And preferring the sound of the Andantes can't be it if the ladies were also being replaced by various other studio groups like the Blossoms.

[blackguy69]

It is possible that Lois and Sandra and the andantes are blended I on the tracks

[johnny_raven]

It's difficult for me to believe that Gordy and company would even care to have such a policy. Which tracks on Return feature Kat and Ann? I thought the entire project was a Wanda solo gig.

When the idea to release Return as a Marvelettes project instead of Wanda solo, Motown's lawyers told them that the album had to feature The group on at least 1 song per side. So it was a legal issue. That's why they included "That's How Heartaches Are Made" and "Uptown" which were both on In Full Bloom. Although both songs are on side 1 of Return, so I'm a bit confused by it. That's just what I remember reading.

[RanRan79]

When the idea to release Return as a Marvelettes project instead of Wanda solo, Motown's lawyers told them that the album had to feature The group on at least 1 song per side. So it was a legal issue. That's why they included "That's How Heartaches Are Made" and "Uptown" which were both on In Full Bloom. Although both songs are on side 1 of Return, so I'm a bit confused by it. That's just what I remember reading.

That's interesting. I wonder what the legal problem would be. Why all group members on at least a song per side but not all group members on a single? This is making my head spin. Lol

[REDHOT]

One thing is for sure,i can hear Ashford and Simpson,in the backgound,on Tear It On Down.

[mrbfly]

I was wondering about the tracklist for this edition.
Were have been the following been released yet, or are they unreleased:
- no one there [[alternate extended version)
- bless you [[alternate extended version)

and aren't the following songs from the "Natural Resources-sessions":
- Earthquake [[rec. Jan. 1970)
- Build Your Love On A Strong Foundation [[rec. June 1970)
- Where Was I [[When Love Came By) [[re. June 1970)

or am I wrong???

Ben

[luke]

Per release in UK as just Martha Reeves was Motown going to promote her as a solo artist if she hadn't left for MCA?

[mr_june]

For me, this was their best album. Benjamin does not get enough love. I like that song very much and Take A Look is a good one also. It was this album that woke me up to how good a singer Martha is.

[mysterysinger]

Just as a matter of interest, and by way of comparison, the German fella who produced unofficial [[but beautiful) releases on several artists [[and as I understand it lost his liberty as a result) also made expanded releases on most, if not all, Martha & The Vandellas albums. A couple are on Discogs but there are more, and occasionally pop up for sale.

One of those unofficial releases is the "Black Magic" expanded which was a one disc item since the album was only in stereo in the first place. I think it has been discussed elsewhere on the forum but anyway here it is:

Tracklist
1 No One There
2 Your Love Makes It All Worthwhile
3 Something
4 Benjamin
5 Tear It On Down
6 I've Given You The Best Years Of My Life
7 Bless You
8 I Want You Back
9 In And Out Of My Life
10 Anyone Who Had A Heart
11 Hope I Don't Get My Heart Broken
12 He's Good
13 I Gotta Let You Go
14 There's Love In This World
15 Let Me Fall In Love With You
16 Talking About Love
17 Ain't That Good Stuff
18 In And Out Of My Life [[Stereo Promo Version)
19 Bless You [[Stereo Promo Version)
20 Tear It On Down [[7" Single Edit)
21 Baby [[Don't You Leave Me) [[Martha Reeves Solo)
22 I Won't Be The Fool I Was Again [[Martha Reeves Solo)
23 Play A Sad Song [[Martha Reeves Solo)

https://www.discogs.com/Martha-Reeves-The-Vandellas-Black-Magic-Expanded-Edition/release/10715033