Are the Supremes On "Purple Snowflakes"???

[RanRan79]

I didn't acquire Marvin's "Purple Snowflakes" until the Motown Christmas Vol 2 release back in 01 or 02 and inside the liner notes- if I'm not mistaken [[and sometimes I am)- it makes mention that the Supremes are backing Marvin up on this great Christmas cut. To my ears, the background vocals on the choruses are unmistakably the Andantes. Could the Supremes be mixed in with them? Anything is possible. But the backing during the verses seems questionable. Sounds like it could be the Supremes. It also sounds like two sets of backing vocalists when I listen with earbuds. Does anyone else hear what I'm hearing? Hoping George, Keith, etc., might be able to offer some insider information on this issue. Perhaps it's a typo? Whatever and whomever are on "Purple Snowflakes", it's one of my go to Christmas cuts. I love it.

[RanRan79]

No thoughts??

[144man]

How strange! I've always thought that the backing vocalists on this and on "Pretty Little Baby" sound completely different from those on any other Motown recording.

[bradsupremes]

It's just the Andantes on background vocals on "Purple Snowflakes" and "Pretty Little Baby."

By this time, the Supremes wouldn't have been doing background vocal work for other artists. The one exception is Barbara McNair's "The Touch Of Time" and "You're Gonna Love My Baby." I have a suspicion those were originally unfinished Supremes tracks that Gordy just gave to McNair to add her vocals on.

[danman869]

By this time, the Supremes wouldn't have been doing background vocal work for other artists. The one exception is Barbara McNair's "The Touch Of Time" and "You're Gonna Love My Baby." I have a suspicion those were originally unfinished Supremes tracks that Gordy just gave to McNair to add her vocals on.

Brad, it had always struck me as odd that DMF would be doing background work for anyone else by mid-to-late 1965, but I had never considered that those two songs were likely unfinished Supremes tracks handed over to McNair to give her a big start via BG’s “generosity” with material originally intended for/recorded by[[?) his skyrocketing girls. The funny thing is that they don’t have a typical Supremes sound [[Berry never could produce an HDH-alike). I like both songs, though.

[sup_fan]

^are all three girls doing background? is it three voices? i'm not personally familiar with these tracks so don't know. but wouldn't surprise me at all if M and F did backgrounds on a few tracks that went to other groups. Similar to the Going To A Go Go track that M and F did backgrounds but never got a Diane lead. apparently it did get a Brenda Holloway demo lead though

[midnightman]

That's the Andantes. Lol

[bradsupremes]

^are all three girls doing background? is it three voices? i'm not personally familiar with these tracks so don't know. but wouldn't surprise me at all if M and F did backgrounds on a few tracks that went to other groups. Similar to the Going To A Go Go track that M and F did backgrounds but never got a Diane lead. apparently it did get a Brenda Holloway demo lead though

I hear Flo clearly on “The Touch Of Time” and Mary on “You’re Gonna Love My Baby.” It’s quite possible these tracks could have been cut for the There’s A Place For Us album. That’s if these tracks were assigned to them.

I can’t think of other tracks where Mary & Flo are on tracks given to other artists. They had supposedly cut background vocals on “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever” that was given to Barbara McNair or the Four Tops where the vocals were replaced. Martha Reeves sings on “I Can’t Wait Till Summer Comes” which is the unreleased Supremes track that has Mary & Cindy on backgrounds, but Jean also recorded a lead on it so it wasn’t an incomplete track.

[144man]

There's a harshness, a hardness, almost an air of superiority, to the backing vocals that I don't detect on any of their other recordings. It just doesn't sound like the Andantes to me.

[RanRan79]

There's a harshness, a hardness, almost an air of superiority, to the backing vocals that I don't detect on any of their other recordings. It just doesn't sound like the Andantes to me.

Sounds like the Andantes to me on the choruses but not during the verses. And if it's just the Andantes, why would the liner notes say it's the Supremes? I'm assuming the liner notes are written by the folks who worked on the compilation. Wouldn't they know? Very confusing. But I'm almost certain the Andantes aren't doing the whole song.

[RanRan79]

Thanks everyone for your input! I always like to have additional ears when I'm trying to figure out something.

[midnightman]

Sounds like the Andantes to me on the choruses but not during the verses. And if it's just the Andantes, why would the liner notes say it's the Supremes? I'm assuming the liner notes are written by the folks who worked on the compilation. Wouldn't they know? Very confusing. But I'm almost certain the Andantes aren't doing the whole song.

Did anyone ever think the Vandellas may be on this???

[144man]

Did anyone ever think the Vandellas may be on this???

I hadn't, but I wouldn't dismiss the idea.

[RanRan79]

Did anyone ever think the Vandellas may be on this???

No way. Rosalind is too distinctive. Martha and Betty? I guess that's possible. But Rosalind aint on this.

[copley]

There is no mention in the notes for TCMS5 that either 'You're Gonna Love My Baby' or 'The Touch Of Time' were ever intended for the Supremes. What it does say is the following.

"Curiously, neither this song [[YGLMB) nor 'The Touch Of Time, featuring the Supremes on backgrounds, appeared on either of Barbara's Motown albums."

[paul_nixon]

I hear Flo clearly on “The Touch Of Time” and Mary on “You’re Gonna Love My Baby.” It’s quite possible these tracks could have been cut for the There’s A Place For Us album. That’s if these tracks were assigned to them.

I can’t think of other tracks where Mary & Flo are on tracks given to other artists. They had supposedly cut background vocals on “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever” that was given to Barbara McNair or the Four Tops where the vocals were replaced. Martha Reeves sings on “I Can’t Wait Till Summer Comes” which is the unreleased Supremes track that has Mary & Cindy on backgrounds, but Jean also recorded a lead on it so it wasn’t an incomplete track.

There's no evidence that either track was offered to or assigned to the Supremes first however the backing vocals for both tracks were done at the same session so logically the same vocalists appear on both tracks - I am sure I can here Miss R on You're Gonna

[bradsupremes]

There's no evidence that either track was offered to or assigned to the Supremes first however the backing vocals for both tracks were done at the same session so logically the same vocalists appear on both tracks - I am sure I can here Miss R on You're Gonna

Thanks for clearing it up. I guess the girls were in the studio that day and did this as a favor to Gordy.

[RanRan79]

Thanks for clearing it up. I guess the girls were in the studio that day and did this as a favor to Gordy.

Brad you're funny. Favor. Like they had a choice.:p

[bradsupremes]

Brad you're funny. Favor. Like they had a choice.:p

LOL you’re right. It’s odd though.