Quick,put it in the vault!!

[arr&bee]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?

[robb_k]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?
12946
I love "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" by the Spinners. I like it even better than the original by Joe Towns.

[kenneth]

I know there are many defenders of the song, including my buddy Philles/Motown Gary and Jimi LaLumia, but I think that 'No Matter What Sign You Are' should have never seen the light of day!

[RanRan79]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?

I think this is even harder than the question I posed about "superior" covers of Motown songs! I don't think I can say anything should never be released. I even think the half finished songs should see the light of day, just for fans' sake. But there are some that I think should have been given a second thought before it was even recorded, in order to get the best possible outcome. The one that quickly springs to mind is the Supremes' version of "My Guy". It's like no one involved- from the producer, the singers and the musicians- was even trying to keep up with the spirit of the original version. It begs the question of "what was the point?".

[RanRan79]

I know there are many defenders of the song, including my buddy Philles/Motown Gary and Jimi LaLumia, but I think that 'No Matter What Sign You Are' should have never seen the light of day!

I'm finding that I'm not as crazy about the song as I was years ago, but I still dig it. What is it about the song that would have made you shelve it?

[splanky]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?

Jai, Smokey wrote Crazy 'Bout The La La La himself and personally
I have always felt it was a very clever and fantastically produced jam.
With Smokey's use of metaphors he told us in rhyme what today's
performers only seem to know how to express with the most explicit
profanity. But I know some of us went that route too at times, George
Clinton for one, after throwing out his suits, sang about that la la la
in a tune that morphed from I Call My Baby Pussycat to...ahhh, a lost
kitty...Bobby Rogers gigglish laughter turns into "I like it, I like it"
and i agreed:)....

[TomatoTom123]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?

Hey, arr&bee, I'm pretty sure there was some awful spoken-word socio-political commentary 'comedy' record released by Motown in the mid-'60s... not sure if it counts but it was probably best left in the vaults!

[kenneth]

I'm finding that I'm not as crazy about the song as I was years ago, but I still dig it. What is it about the song that would have made you shelve it?

Well...since you asked...

The subject matter is cheesy; an apparent inspiration [[rip off?) of "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In." I actually like the arrangement and instrumentation but I think the lyrics and delivery ruin it.

This is one of the songs which always made me think Diane could never sing soul. Her whoops and shrieks are so patently false. Though now that "A Go Go" has been reissued, I take back my feeling that she couldn't sing soul. She does on that album, and excellently.

I think a song which incorporated a similar theme to much better affect was the Marvelettes' "Our Lips Just Seem to Rhyme Everytime," in the third verse in which Wanda sings "But there are times when the zodiac signs..." in that uncharacteristically [[for the Marvelettes) fun and raucous arrangement.

[biggestfourtops fan]

1.GOING TO A GO GO
2.MY GIRL
3.Jackson 5- I'll Be There
4. The Temptations and Supremes On Broadway and TCB album.
5. DANCING IN THE STREET
6. I KNOW I'M LOSING YOU
7. The Temptations- DON'T LET THE JONESES GET YOU DOWN,UNITE THE WORLD, HUM ALONG AND DANCE

[daviddesper]

Believe it or not, I never cared for Papa Was a Rolling Stone.

[robb_k]

Believe it or not, I never cared for Papa Was a Rolling Stone.
12947
Neither did I. Nor did I like "Ball of Confusion", or DON'T LET THE JONESES GET YOU DOWN,UNITE THE WORLD, HUM ALONG AND DANCE, nor "War". I mainly dislike them because I don't like their sounds. Lyrics don't matter much to me. I do like "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" and "This is My Country", but NOT "Mercy, Mercy, Me [[The Ecology)", and I was an environmental engineer and assessor and environmental planner, and an extreme tree hugger. To me, it's all about the sound. A message I can read. A song has to sound good.

[vgalindo]

12947
Neither did I. Nor did I like "Ball of Confusion", or DON'T LET THE JONESES GET YOU DOWN,UNITE THE WORLD, HUM ALONG AND DANCE, nor "War". I mainly dislike them because I don't like their sounds. Lyrics don't matter much to me. I do like "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" and "This is My Country", but NOT "Mercy, Mercy, Me [[The Ecology)", and I was an environmental engineer and assessor and environmental planner, and an extreme tree hugger. To me, it's all about the sound. A message I can read. A song has to sound good.
Wow. I thought I was the only one that didn't care for these songs. I agree Rob the song has to sound good. The message isn't important to me.

[kenneth]

To each his own, but "Dancing in the Streets?" Wow! Can't believe that one!

Now, maybe "Wild One," as it was kind of a cheap soundalike to "Dancing." But I still liked it.

[shoo-be-doo]

The awful discordant jangly mess that is 'Live Wire' should never have got out.

[TomatoTom123]

The awful discordant jangly mess that is 'Live Wire' should never have got out.

Whhaaat?! I LOVE that song! An uptempo romp that runs at 500 miles-an-hour; infectious, explosive, joyous and a whole lot of fun.

And only a tiny bit discordant. :)

[jack020]

Bareback by the Temptations was on Atlantic, not Motown!:)

[Motown Eddie]

Here's a couple of Motown releases that I think should've stayed in the vault;

1. "Muck Arty Park"-Soupy Sales
2. "Angel In Blue"/"Blue Cinderella"-Joel Sebastian
3. "Custer's Last Man"-Popcorn & the Mohawks
4. "What The World Needs Now"-Diana Ross & the Supremes
5. "Some Things You Never Get Used To"-Diana Ross & the Supremes
6. "I Tried"-Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
7. "What The World Needs Now/Abraham, Martin & John"-Tom Clay
8. "He's A Good Guy [[Yes He Is)"-The Marvelettes
9. "Zoom"-The Temptations
10. "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On"-The Temptaions

[arr&bee]

bareback by the temptations was on atlantic, not motown!:)thanks for catching my mistake,that song sucks.

[smallworld]

"Touch" by the Supremes.

[TomatoTom123]

10. "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On"-The Temptaions

Oh no! Why don't you like this one, Eddie? :)

[mowest]

“Laughing Boy” by Mary Wells was a poor follow up to “Two Lovers.” Surprising it made R&B top ten and Pop top 20.

[marv2]

"Sweet Gypsy Jane" and "Up the Creek Without a Paddle" by the Temptations.

[marv2]

"One Love In My Lifetime" by Diana Ross

[McMotown]

Don't Let Him Shop Around love the music and lyrics it's just Debbie Dean's voice. Come to think of it probably anything by Debbie her voice just does nothing for me. Sorry Debbie Dean fans.

[jsmith]

Going To A Go Go is an anthem ..... it helped me get thru my teenage years anyway.

[jsmith]

Popular in Brazil ....
12951

[honest man]

Mary Wilson's solo album

[RanRan79]

Mary Wilson's solo album

Other than "Pick Up the Pieces", I'm going to have to agree with this. I think TPTB should have locked this one up and sent Mary back into the studio in another musical direction.

[TomatoTom123]

"Sweet Gypsy Jane" and "Up the Creek Without a Paddle" by the Temptations.

Oh, no, Marv! I like those very funky tracks. Admittedly not The Tempts' absolute best but still great. Why don't you like them? :)

[TomatoTom123]

Don't Let Him Shop Around love the music and lyrics it's just Debbie Dean's voice. Come to think of it probably anything by Debbie her voice just does nothing for me. Sorry Debbie Dean fans.

Lol... how many Debbie Dean fans actually are there?

Now, Paul, I am going to make you like, no, perhaps even love, a song by Debbie Dean. Hopefully you haven't heard it before:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XInrOfg4Jf8&app=desktop

[marv2]

Oh, no, Marv! I like those very funky tracks. Admittedly not The Tempts' absolute best but still great. Why don't you like them? :)

Because they sucked.

[TomatoTom123]

Because they sucked.

Lol... ok, well, that's not really an explanation but I take your point. ;)

[robb_k]

Here's a couple of Motown releases that I think should've stayed in the vault;

1. "Muck Arty Park"-Soupy Sales
2. "Angel In Blue"/"Blue Cinderella"-Joel Sebastian
3. "Custer's Last Man"-Popcorn & the Mohawks
4. "What The World Needs Now"-Diana Ross & the Supremes
5. "Some Things You Never Get Used To"-Diana Ross & the Supremes
6. "I Tried"-Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
7. "What The World Needs Now/Abraham, Martin & John"-Tom Clay
8. "He's A Good Guy [[Yes He Is)"-The Marvelettes
9. "Zoom"-The Temptations
10. "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On"-The Temptaions

12952
"Custer's Last Man" IS an abomination, - one of the worst Motown releases. But not as bad as "Randy The Newspaper Boy" by Ray Oddis, or "Summit Chanted Meeting", an awful novelty "break-in record" on Mel-o-dy Records. But, "He's A Good Guy [[Yes He Is)"- by The Marvelettes is a song I like a lot.

[Ozmo]

Working Overtime album - Diana Ross. I believe that this was Diana's first LP upon her return to the Motown label in the late 80s. It was produced by Nile Rogers who had previously worked with her on the diana [[Chic) album which I really liked. However, for me the 'Working Overtme' album was a huge disappointment. It seemed to me like a desperate attempt by Diana to compete with the likes of Janet Jackson, who was enjoying massive success at that time and did not play to Diana's own individual vocal and performance strengths.

I'm sure some will disagree, so I'm heading to my bunker now! LOL.

[marv2]

Lol... ok, well, that's not really an explanation but I take your point. ;)

Sorry I was busy with work when I posted that. I think that style of R&B was wearing thin by the mid-70s in lieu of Funk bands that had become very popular.

[jboy88]

Lol... how many Debbie Dean fans actually are there?

Now, Paul, I am going to make you like, no, perhaps even love, a song by Debbie Dean. Hopefully you haven't heard it before:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XInrOfg4Jf8&app=desktop

That song gets on my last nerve. Though the B-side "Stay My Love" was alright!

Both sides of The Honest Men's Cherie gives me a headache and Jack Hammer's Color Combination also should of been left in the can.
Tom Clay's What the World Needs Now was a moving work of art but the b side "The Victors" was a huge buzzkill! WTH Billie-Jean Brown?

[daviddesper]

Motown Eddie:

Say it isn't so! "I Tried" is a neat little song and I liked it back in the day almost as much as I did the A side "I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing." It was one of Martha's very few songs with a country vibe, or at least that is the way I took it. I also have nothing against "He's a Good Guy", but will admit it is pretty far down my list of Marvelettes' songs. I don't think I know very many of the rest of your list.

[biggestfourtops fan]

The Supremes Sing Rogers and Hart and Funny Girl and Country and Western. More useless cross over garbage. The songs stink. Only the four tops can do standard but I wouldn't want them doing these songs either.

[Methuselah2]

TO SIR, WITH LOVE
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
from Ridin' High album

[Bluebrock]

Mary Wilson's solo album
Totally agree. It sucked big time. It should not have even been recorded let alone released. Also the Supremes Jimmy Webb album and Diana's "last time i saw him" album.

[Bluebrock]

Working Overtime album - Diana Ross. I believe that this was Diana's first LP upon her return to the Motown label in the late 80s. It was produced by Nile Rogers who had previously worked with her on the diana [[Chic) album which I really liked. However, for me the 'Working Overtme' album was a huge disappointment. It seemed to me like a desperate attempt by Diana to compete with the likes of Janet Jackson, who was enjoying massive success at that time and did not play to Diana's own individual vocal and performance strengths.

I'm sure some will disagree, so I'm heading to my bunker now! LOL.
I couldn't have put it better myself Ozmo!

[kenneth]

12952
"Custer's Last Man" IS an abomination, - one of the worst Motown releases. But not as bad as "Randy The Newspaper Boy" by Ray Oddis, or "Summit Chanted Meeting", an awful novelty "break-in record" on Mel-o-dy Records. But, "He's A Good Guy [[Yes He Is)"- by The Marvelettes is a song I like a lot.

The Marvelettes are my favorite Motown group, but "He's a Good Guy" one of my least favorite songs of theirs. I think the problem with it is that it is at least 2 or 3 songs in one. The verse starts out in a rather traditional "He's Sure the Boy I Love" fashion, then the weird changes in tempo alter it completely with the refrain "I never saw a guy as ambitious as my guy..." which seems abrupt and out of place. I think, like when they pretended to be The Darnells, it was an attempt to cash in on the Phil Spector Wall of Sound[[alikes). The overall arrangement is far too frenetic to my liking.

The odd thing is that back when "Anthology" came out [[which is the first time I heard the song) a guy I was seeing who was a professional musician and composer loved the song and thought it was outstanding musically. So hey, what do I know???

[RanRan79]

Motown Eddie:

Say it isn't so! "I Tried" is a neat little song and I liked it back in the day almost as much as I did the A side "I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing." It was one of Martha's very few songs with a country vibe, or at least that is the way I took it. I also have nothing against "He's a Good Guy", but will admit it is pretty far down my list of Marvelettes' songs. I don't think I know very many of the rest of your list.

I love "I Tried". It's one of the Martha Reeves and Vandellas cuts I play the most.

[kenneth]

I love "I Tried". It's one of the Martha Reeves and Vandellas cuts I play the most.

I like it too. It was a single I never heard until I found it in the cut-out bins at a reduced price in some discount store in Detroit [[probably Arlans - Marv2 remembers Arlans, don't you?). The only thing I never figured out was the opening which always reminds me of "Turkey in the Straw!"

[RanRan79]

Totally agree. It sucked big time. It should not have even been recorded let alone released. Also the Supremes Jimmy Webb album and Diana's "last time i saw him" album.

The JW album contains a lot of great singing, but it was all wrong for the direction the group should have been going in. The LTISH album needed some re-working. I would have kicked "No One's Gonna Be a Fool", "Love Me", "You" and "Turn Around" to the vault and replaced them with "I'll Be Here", "Why Play Games", "Get It All Together" and "Let Me Be the One".

[RanRan79]

I like it too. It was a single I never heard until I found it in the cut-out bins at a reduced price in some discount store in Detroit [[probably Arlans - Marv2 remembers Arlans, don't you?). The only thing I never figured out was the opening which always reminds me of "Turkey in the Straw!"

Lol It does sound like that!

[RanRan79]

Many of Stevie Wonder's pre-"Uptight" cuts grate on my nerves.

[kenneth]

Many of Stevie Wonder's pre-"Uptight" cuts grate on my nerves.

I love his first 3 albums but the "With a Song in My Heart" LP is a definite misfire. His voice is totally unsuited to the material. I think he was just too young and inexperienced vocally to tackle standards at that time. Every once in a while I try to play it again and find it almost unlistenable.

[marv2]

I like it too. It was a single I never heard until I found it in the cut-out bins at a reduced price in some discount store in Detroit [[probably Arlans - Marv2 remembers Arlans, don't you?). The only thing I never figured out was the opening which always reminds me of "Turkey in the Straw!"

Oh yeah, I rememeber Arlans well. I was just telling my oldest nephew about it last week, along with Rinks' Bargain City. LOL

[arr&bee]

The marvelettes are my girls,but[i'm gonna hold on as long as i can] shoulda been left in the can.

[kenneth]

Oh yeah, I rememeber Arlans well. I was just telling my oldest nephew about it last week, along with Rinks' Bargain City. LOL

I built my Motown collection of LPs from their cut out bins! I still remember, they were 88 cents. Found all the early Marvelettes, Miracles, those early "Motown Special" comps there. I always wonder what I might have passed over with my limited budget at the time!

[sansradio]

The Supremes' "This Is Why I Believe in You" was a serious misfire. No hook, all over the place...how could this have made the cut when a lush, exquisite track like "Can We Love Again" languished in the vaults?

[McMotown]

[QUOTE=TomatoTom123;387798]Lol... how many Debbie Dean fans actually are there?

Now, Paul, I am going to make you like, no, perhaps even love, a song by Debbie Dean. Hopefully you haven't heard it before.

Exactly Tom none I hope ha ha ha.
Now I've listened to 'Why Am I Loving You' it should be renamed 'Why Did I Listen To It' please someone put that back in the vault.

[luke]

agree Sans! Yuk. I hated When Can Briwn Begin...syrupy. Most of Webb album brilliant and ahead of its time!! You're My Driving Wheel ...really?? Shake Sherry, Twistin Postman, Do you know where you're going to...who cares? Yuk

[RanRan79]

The marvelettes are my girls,but[i'm gonna hold on as long as i can] shoulda been left in the can.

I love "I'm Gonna Hold On As Long As I Can". Especially the longer intro. They kicked ass with that one.

[RanRan79]

The Supremes' "This Is Why I Believe in You" was a serious misfire. No hook, all over the place...how could this have made the cut when a lush, exquisite track like "Can We Love Again" languished in the vaults?

Agreed, although I dig the rehearsal recording. There are a couple of cuts on Supremes '75 I would have kicked off and replaced. "Can We Love Again" would have definitely made it.

[RanRan79]

agree Sans! Yuk. I hated When Can Briwn Begin...syrupy. Most of Webb album brilliant and ahead of its time!! You're My Driving Wheel ...really?? Shake Sherry, Twistin Postman, Do you know where you're going to...who cares? Yuk

I love "When Can Brown Begin" only because of Jean's vocal. The lyrics...Anyway, I love Scherrie's vocal on "Driving Wheel" but it really wasn't good enough to be a single. I love "Shake Sherry" but agree with you on "Twistin Postman" and "Do You Know Where You're Going To". I hate those two songs with a passion.

[Bluebrock]

Agreed, although I dig the rehearsal recording. There are a couple of cuts on Supremes '75 I would have kicked off and replaced. "Can We Love Again" would have definitely made it.
I agree. TIWIBIY was an unholy mess and should have been binned along side the dreary "where is it i belong". They should have been replaced with "can we love again" and "bend a little". That would have made the Supremes75 album a minor gem.

[Bluebrock]

I love "When Can Brown Begin" only because of Jean's vocal. The lyrics...Anyway, I love Scherrie's vocal on "Driving Wheel" but it really wasn't good enough to be a single. I love "Shake Sherry" but agree with you on "Twistin Postman" and "Do You Know Where You're Going To". I hate those two songs with a passion.
Driving Wheel was probably the weakest cut on the MSS album and never had a hope in hell of becoming a hit. Can i also admit to never liking Stevie's "fingertips"? I just do not get that song!

[jack020]

Caston and Majors LP, dont know why I bothered to get the cd.

[RanRan79]

Driving Wheel was probably the weakest cut on the MSS album and never had a hope in hell of becoming a hit.

Agreed. I would have chosen either "Sweet Dream Machine" or "Love I Never Knew You Could Feel So Good" if Motown was hellbent on ending things on an uptempo note.

[marv2]

I built my Motown collection of LPs from their cut out bins! I still remember, they were 88 cents. Found all the early Marvelettes, Miracles, those early "Motown Special" comps there. I always wonder what I might have passed over with my limited budget at the time!

I built mine from Woolco's cut out bins LOL! Woolco was owned by Woolworths. They were a larger discount dept. store along the lines of Arlan's. I could get something like 10 albums for $12 there in 1974.

[kenneth]

I built mine from Woolco's cut out bins LOL! Woolco was owned by Woolworths. They were a larger discount dept. store along the lines of Arlan's. I could get something like 10 albums for $12 there in 1974.

I remember Woolco but don't think there were any near where I lived. I remember at Arlan's, after a while the albums would be reduced to three for $1! And they had just rows and rows of them. I was the proverbial kid in the candy store.

[marv2]

I remember Woolco but don't think there were any near where I lived. I remember at Arlan's, after a while the albums would be reduced to three for $1! And they had just rows and rows of them. I was the proverbial kid in the candy store.

The Arlans we use to shop at in the sixties and just into the early seventies was losing ground and eventually close because of stores like Woolco, Meijer's Thrifty Acres, K-Mart and in a way Montgomery Wards. Still I have great memories of Arlans with the best popcorn on Earth and the little rides for kids right in front of the store. Remember? Arlans did have a pretty deep record section. I bought that first Supremes and Four Tops album there during Christmas 1970.

[TomatoTom123]

Exactly Tom none I hope ha ha ha.
Now I've listened to 'Why Am I Loving You' it should be renamed 'Why Did I Listen To It' please someone put that back in the vault.

Oh dear... I failed! LOL

I have to say I love "Why Am I Lovin' You?"...! I'm not a massive fan of Debbie Dean's voice but she gives it a good go and the backing track has an almighty KICK! The song is a cracking uptempo Northern BANGER!

[daviddh]

the Supremes ...,Run Run Run.....hate it.
........................Your My Driving Wheel....yep the weakest track
........................Everybodys Got The Right To Love.....not a single
........................I Guess Ill Miss The Man....syrupy
........................The Composer.....nope....Livin in Shame syrupy lyrics.....

Diana ......Sleepin
...............Work That Body
...............Workin Overtime

[robb_k]

“Laughing Boy” by Mary Wells was a poor follow up to “Two Lovers.” Surprising it made R&B top ten and Pop top 20.
12964
I like “Laughing Boy” a lot, and I liked "In My Lonely Room", "Wild One", "Live Wire" and "Quicksand". So, maybe I don't have good taste.

[daviddesper]

Thanks for the support for "I Tried." Always nice to know you are not alone in this world.

[mowest]

12964
I like “Laughing Boy” a lot, and I liked "In My Lonely Room", "Wild One", "Live Wire" and "Quicksand". So, maybe I don't have good taste.

Thumbs up to all of the Vandellas' hits mentioned here except for Live Wire; it’s just too frantic. I think “In My Lonely Room” would have done better if it followed “Quicksand."

[detmotownguy]

Oh yeah, I rememeber Arlans well. I was just telling my oldest nephew about it last week, along with Rinks' Bargain City. LOL
Kenneth and Marv: you guys remember Spartans on Michigan Ave just east of Inkster? I got most of my Motown collection there at around $1.00 per album. They carried a lot of Diane's and Stevie's music in the cut out bins, in addition to a healthy supply of basic top forty pop music. I unloaded nearly all my physical music a while back in an effort to "spartonise" my life - no pun intended! I can still remember when I bought a certain album cause not too much money when I was a young kid! Great memories.

[marv2]

Kenneth and Marv: you guys remember Spartans on Michigan Ave just east of Inkster? I got most of my Motown collection there at around $1.00 per album. They carried a lot of Diane's and Stevie's music in the cut out bins, in addition to a healthy supply of basic top forty pop music. I unloaded nearly all my physical music a while back in an effort to "spartonise" my life - no pun intended! I can still remember when I bought a certain album cause not too much money when I was a young kid! Great memories.

DET, I remember Spartan's but the one I remember I think was a supermarket. I remember Deluxe Records on Linwood Ave., Kendricks and some other Detroit Stores.

[kenneth]

Kenneth and Marv: you guys remember Spartans on Michigan Ave just east of Inkster? I got most of my Motown collection there at around $1.00 per album. They carried a lot of Diane's and Stevie's music in the cut out bins, in addition to a healthy supply of basic top forty pop music. I unloaded nearly all my physical music a while back in an effort to "spartonise" my life - no pun intended! I can still remember when I bought a certain album cause not too much money when I was a young kid! Great memories.

I don't remember Spartan's. But what a place it was to find records, that city. Amazing number of music and record stores.

I still remember going to Grinnell's downtown [[or later I think they also had a store at Northland) and seeing all the beautiful instruments. I loved Raynoma's book because she talked about buying the Ondioline [[that early version of a synthesizer which was all over the Marvelettes' first album and other early Motown tracks) at Grinnell's.

If I had known about Spartans at the time, I definitely would have been there.

And Marv, I do remember the popcorn at Arlan's but not the kiddie rides. I was probably in too much of a hurry to get in and go through the record cut-out bins!

[marv2]

I don't remember Spartan's. But what a place it was to find records, that city. Amazing number of music and record stores.

I still remember going to Grinnell's downtown [[or later I think they also had a store at Northland) and seeing all the beautiful instruments. I loved Raynoma's book because she talked about buying the Ondioline [[that early version of a synthesizer which was all over the Marvelettes' first album and other early Motown tracks) at Grinnell's.

If I had known about Spartans at the time, I definitely would have been there.

And Marv, I do remember the popcorn at Arlan's but not the kiddie rides. I was probably in too much of a hurry to get in and go through the record cut-out bins!

the kiddie rides amounted to not much more than one of those coin operated horses LOL! To kid that was big deal. Anyway. I remember Grinnell's. There are 2-3 new yuppie type record stores that opened in Detroit in the last few years where they have listening rooms etc. I have been to them yet but read an article on them. I remember reading the Michigan Chroncle and Steve Hosley's column to find out what the latest records were sometimes.

[Motown Eddie]

12952
"Custer's Last Man" IS an abomination, - one of the worst Motown releases. But not as bad as "Randy The Newspaper Boy" by Ray Oddis, or "Summit Chanted Meeting", an awful novelty "break-in record" on Mel-o-dy Records. But, "He's A Good Guy [[Yes He Is)"- by The Marvelettes is a song I like a lot.

Hi Robb; I forgot all about "Summit Chanted Meeting" & "Randy, the Newspaper Boy"/"Happy Ghoul Tide". Those are among the worst Motown releases.

[RanRan79]

12964
I like “Laughing Boy” a lot, and I liked "In My Lonely Room", "Wild One", "Live Wire" and "Quicksand". So, maybe I don't have good taste.

I love "Laughing Boy" too, as well as the other cuts except "Live Wire". It's cool, but not one of my favorites.

[lakedistrictlad1]

As much as I dislike Norman Whitfield's protest music...actually I HATE it..I can accept it has a place in the world.
But as for Tom Clay...that vinyl lp was just a waste of the earths resources.
Berry let his cronyism blind him to any sense with that one.

[marv2]

Tiggi Clay - Flashes

[arr&bee]

As much as i love the temps-masterpiece ain't one of my favs.

[McMotown]

12964
I like “Laughing Boy” a lot, and I liked "In My Lonely Room", "Wild One", "Live Wire" and "Quicksand". So, maybe I don't have good taste.

If you've got bad taste robb_k then I have too.

[marv2]

"Who's Johnny" by El DeBarge

[keith_hughes]

The Marvelettes are my favorite Motown group, but "He's a Good Guy" one of my least favorite songs of theirs.

Just turn the record over, kenneth. 53 years on, but when Wanda goes into the middle eight the hairs on the back of my neck still stand up. [[I know, more information than you need.)

[kenneth]

Just turn the record over, kenneth. 53 years on, but when Wanda goes into the middle eight the hairs on the back of my neck still stand up. [[I know, more information than you need.)

I was reading about the record "He's a Good Guy" on Motown Junkies which goes into detail that the part where it changes tempo is from some old folk song. That guy sure knows his stuff...!

PS That's Gladys though, not Wanda I think. Sometimes I have to listen hard to tell who's who but I'm pretty sure that one's all Gladys.

Or maybe you were talking about "Goddess of Love," which most definitely is Wanda. And are you saying your hair stands up on end, in a good way or a bad way?

The witness shall please clarify his answer. [[Sorry, it's hard not to be a lawyer sometimes.)

[robb_k]

the Supremes ...,Run Run Run.....hate it.
........................Your My Driving Wheel....yep the weakest track
........................Everybodys Got The Right To Love.....not a single
........................I Guess Ill Miss The Man....syrupy
........................The Composer.....nope....Livin in Shame syrupy lyrics.....

Diana ......Sleepin
...............Work That Body
...............Workin Overtime
12968
The only 2 songs on your list that I know, i like a lot. "Run, Run, Run" is BY FAR my favourite Supremes' cut. And I like "Everybody's Got The Right To Love" enough for it to be one of the few 1970s Motown singles I liked.

[marv2]

12968
The only 2 songs on your list that I know, i like a lot. "Run, Run, Run" is BY FAR my favourite Supremes' cut. And I like "Everybody's Got The Right To Love" enough for it to be one of the few 1970s Motown singles I liked.

I've always liked those two songs too. "Run, Run, Run" had a power, an urgency many of the Supremes singles lacked. "Everybody's Got the Right to Love" is just a great group and sing a long record.

[keith_hughes]

The witness shall please clarify his answer. [[Sorry, it's hard not to be a lawyer sometimes.)

"Goddess Of Love", me Lud. When the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, it's just a phenomenon, they don't do it in a good way or a bad way. But if you're asking whether I like it, then I love it.

[kenneth]

"Goddess Of Love", me Lud. When the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, it's just a phenomenon, they don't do it in a good way or a bad way. But if you're asking whether I like it, then I love it.

She is my all time favorite singer, bar none. You have good taste! [[Of course, I always think that when people like what I like.)

[144man]

Don't Let Him Shop Around love the music and lyrics it's just Debbie Dean's voice. Come to think of it probably anything by Debbie her voice just does nothing for me. Sorry Debbie Dean fans.

I find Debbie Dean's "A New Girl" quite charming, but [[excluding novelty records) I consider "I Cried All Night" by her to be the worst ever Motown release.

[Bluebrock]

the Supremes ...,Run Run Run.....hate it.
........................Your My Driving Wheel....yep the weakest track
........................Everybodys Got The Right To Love.....not a single
........................I Guess Ill Miss The Man....syrupy
........................The Composer.....nope....Livin in Shame syrupy lyrics.....

Diana ......Sleepin
...............Work That Body
...............Workin Overtime
I quite like Run run run and i always had a soft spot for IGIMTM despite hating the Jimmy Webb album. No way should EGTRTL have been a single, Loving Country should have followed UTLTTR.
Inbox has now been cleared David. Apologies for that.

[roger]

I'm hardly a fan of "Custer's Last Man", Ray Oddis, "Muck-Arty Park", Captain Zapp etc. etc. but to me they are just silly novelty items that I can't take seriously.

I would have vaulted some of those MOR/Show-Tune recordings from the mid-60's that many of the Motown stars managed to record [[were they forced or did they record them voluntarily?), they were meant to be taken seriously but they could sound so "Un-Motowny" and were like blemishes on the face of the LPs they were included in. And this one would I would have sent straight to land-fill. :)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLiD-K4v2ec

Roger

[kenneth]

I quite like Run run run and i always had a soft spot for IGIMTM despite hating the Jimmy Webb album. No way should EGTRTL have been a single, Loving Country should have followed UTLTTR.
Inbox has now been cleared David. Apologies for that.

I have to agree with shelving the dismal "I Guess I'll Miss the Man." I never knew until someone on this forum told me it was the only track on the Jimmy Webb album not produced by him. And what a weird choice for a single. The song had no chorus, only a verse, was totally downbeat and depressing. They sure missed an opportunity by not promoting "5:30 Plane," for example, which IMHO contains one of Jean's best performances as a Supreme.

[RanRan79]

I have to agree with shelving the dismal "I Guess I'll Miss the Man." I never knew until someone on this forum told me it was the only track on the Jimmy Webb album not produced by him. And what a weird choice for a single. The song had no chorus, only a verse, was totally downbeat and depressing. They sure missed an opportunity by not promoting "5:30 Plane," for example, which IMHO contains one of Jean's best performances as a Supreme.

I used to hate "I'll Miss the Man" but have come to appreciate it over the years because of Jean's vocal. And live, she just sounds so beautiful on this. But I agree about "5:30 Plane". If I were going to lift a single from the album it would have been "Plane".

[arr&bee]

Although it's a soul classic,i never cared much for stevie's[signed sealed delivered].

[RanRan79]

Although it's a soul classic,i never cared much for stevie's[signed sealed delivered].

Really? That one never fails to make me feel good.

[dickiemint]

I think that although I am very grateful that we are still finding Motown unreleased treasures I can appreciate why some of these tracks did not get past quality control !! But I will continue to support Motown related releases from universal, Ace and who ever can get the physical CD products