Martha & the Vandellas - What Am I Gonna Do Without Your Love

[midnightman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrH6v8R83sg

[BigAl]

This song was so unusual, and the first few times I heard it I just hated it. Then it grew on me, and before long I loved it, and rarely does that happen. It didn't have much in the way of hooks, and the choruses were much stronger than the verses, so it had a sort of split personality in a sense. It was the follow-up to "My Baby Loves Me" and was written by Mickey Stevenson and Sylvia Moy, like its predecessor, but it didn't chart where I lived, and it barely got any airplay. On my turntable, however, it was in constant rotation for a good little while, and I still love it.

[midnightman]

You gotta admire Sylvia Moy's gift at writing a song. Maybe if Hank Cosby had been the co-writer/producer, it would've been a bigger charted hit than it was.

But I always loved this song.

[bradsupremes]

I love this song. It took a while to grow on me. I do have to say it was mistake on Quality Control to release this as a single. There were so many better options. It takes multiple listenings to enjoy it.

[kenneth]

I agree with all the above: [[1) it's an unusual song, [[2) it takes a while to grow on you, [[3) it probably shouldn't have been a single. I think the whole "Watchout!" album is quite unusual in that to me it isn't representative at all of most Motown albums from the period. "Go Ahead and Laugh" [[wasn't this also a single or a B-side?) is an outstanding performance, darker and more of a torch song than Martha usually sang. "He Doesn't Love Her Anymore" also carries the same mood of foreboding. "Keep it Up" and "No More Tearstained Makeup" are both extremely restrained performances and very effective. Really, the most Motown-ish songs are the two hit singles.

I love the album, but only really appreciated it in recent years. When I was younger, I much preferred the "Dance Party" and "Greatest Hit" sets as they were more energetic. But I think "Watchout!" shows how versatile Martha really was, something she rarely gets credit for as she's mainly known as a real "shouter."

[midnightman]

I wonder if Motown really didn't know what to do with MR&TV's at that point? Even though they were still making hits at that point, they did seem to be at the crossroads with them during this period.

[Motown Eddie]

I wonder if Motown really didn't know what to do with MR&TV's at that point? Even though they were still making hits at that point, they did seem to be at the crossroads with them during this period.

I believe that the real crossroads for the group came with the departures of H-D-H & William Stevenson in 1967. While Sylvia Moy [[and others) would put together fine songs for Martha & Co. throughout their time at Motown, the losses of Stevenson & H-D-H hurt the group. While I've come to like "What Am I Gonna Do Without Your Love" over the years, I still feel it was a mistake to release the song as a single. As other posters pointed out, it takes a while to grow on you [[too long for radio DJ's to consider placing the song in 'regular rotation' to make it a hit).

[midnightman]

That is true but I wonder if the problems started in '66. But yeah they were in trouble when William and HDH left. That's definitely true.