Motown Songwriters Spotlight: James Dean & William Weatherspoon Parade #1

[marv2]

Here's a great way to learn more about the different Motown songwriters:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAq4eR_Hog8

[fatmaninthethirdrow]

Here's a great way to learn more about the different Motown songwriters:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAq4eR_Hog8

What a wonderful sequence of Motown music.

If you haven’t already done the same for Staunton and Walker like this, I wish you would!

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

What a wonderful sequence of Motown music.

If you haven’t already done the same for Staunton and Walker like this, I wish you would! for fatmaninthethirdrow

https://youtu.be/1o7j2aQkWJg

[lakedistrictlad1]

I made my own Dean & Weatherspoon CD [[yes, physical) compilation up recently. That team combined great lyrics with great melodies. It surprised me how many gems they came up with. Their music was probably responsible for Jimmy Ruffin being so successful here in the U.K.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I made my own Dean & Weatherspoon CD [[yes, physical) compilation up recently. That team combined great lyrics with great melodies. It surprised me how many gems they came up with. Their music was probably responsible for Jimmy Ruffin being so successful here in the U.K.

So true. Fantastic melodies that were memorable and sounded like instant classics. The lyrics were dynamic. It's always, ALWAYS bugged me that Motown seemed to keep these guys on a sort of second-level tier. To me, next the H-D-H, they had the whole thing down as far as coming up with catchy, clever hooks. Some of their songs are pretty darn near being NOTHING but one huge hook. Especially with the use of The Andantes and Originals singing nearly every single word behind the lead, those songs were great sing-alongs. I remember thinking after H-D-H left, Dean and Weatherspoon songs may have worked especially well with the Four Tops.

[marv2]

So true. Fantastic melodies that were memorable and sounded like instant classics. The lyrics were dynamic. It's always, ALWAYS bugged me that Motown seemed to keep these guys on a sort of second-level tier. To me, next the H-D-H, they had the whole thing down as far as coming up with catchy, clever hooks. Some of their songs are pretty darn near being NOTHING but one huge hook. Especially with the use of The Andantes and Originals singing nearly every single word behind the lead, those songs were great sing-alongs. I remember thinking after H-D-H left, Dean and Weatherspoon songs may have worked especially well with the Four Tops.

Now I'm wondering if the guys recorded anything on the Four Tops that was canned.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

On the Kent CD, "One Track Mind! More Motown Guys" there is a tune "Can't Stop This Feeling" by Dean/Weatherspoon and Marilyn McLeod. I had high hopes but the band track was recorded in '68 and to me, it just didn't have the dynamics and pop of tracks recorded from '65 to '67. Kind of along the lines of "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" from the "Four Tops Now!" album. That one is nice, but nowhere as good as their material with Jimmy Ruffin.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

https://youtu.be/Bp_PoiyYlac

[marv2]

On the Kent CD, "One Track Mind! More Motown Guys" there is a tune "Can't Stop This Feeling" by Dean/Weatherspoon and Marilyn McLeod. I had high hopes but the band track was recorded in '68 and to me, it just didn't have the dynamics and pop of tracks recorded from '65 to '67. Kind of along the lines of "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" from the "Four Tops Now!" album. That one is nice, but nowhere as good as their material with Jimmy Ruffin.

Thank you WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance!

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Thank you WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance! Anytime, Marv!

[fatmaninthethirdrow]

for fatmaninthethirdrow

https://youtu.be/1o7j2aQkWJg

Many Thanks - just fabulous!

[144man]

On the Kent CD, "One Track Mind! More Motown Guys" there is a tune "Can't Stop This Feeling" by Dean/Weatherspoon and Marilyn McLeod. I had high hopes but the band track was recorded in '68 and to me, it just didn't have the dynamics and pop of tracks recorded from '65 to '67. Kind of along the lines of "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" from the "Four Tops Now!" album. That one is nice, but nowhere as good as their material with Jimmy Ruffin.

What do you think of the version of "Can't Stop This Feeling" that's on YouTube and attributed to the Contours?

[BigAl]

Here's one of my very favorite Weatherspoon/Dean numbers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbWyvWI-3gg

[BigAl]

...and heres the other one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hsz6CNUQ0g

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

What do you think of the version of "Can't Stop This Feeling" that's on YouTube and attributed to the Contours?
I haven't seen that...cool! Another "new" one to discover! I'll check it out, 144!

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Here's one of my very favorite Weatherspoon/Dean numbers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbWyvWI-3gg

One of my all-time favorites too. Wish they had worked with Martha & The Vandellas on more songs. They did quite a bit with The Marvelettes.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

...and heres the other one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hsz6CNUQ0g
Oh, this is IT! I remember going to a resale shop where they sold records. I was maybe 17 and asked the guy if he had any Marvelettes records. He picked this out and put it on a portable turntable he had in the store. He had these big speakers though, and this song just BOOOOOMED through the whole store! My biggest impression was just how big and dynamic this was, especially that tambourine- and believe me, that tambourine was LOUD on the 45 mono mix! I think I started hyperventilating. I told the guy I'LL TAKE IT! Didn't even realize til I got home this wasn't the A side, ha, ha! I played this so much! One of the best Dean/Weatherspoon-Marvelettes productions ever!

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

What do you think of the version of "Can't Stop This Feeling" that's on YouTube and attributed to the Contours?

Hey, 144, somehow, I like this Contours version MUCH better. Has a bit more punch to it. Thanks for turning me on to this!

[144man]

Surprisingly, I thought the Tops' backing vocals got in the way somehow.

The Contours' "Baby Hit And Run" is another great D/W song. Recorded in 1965 with Billy Gordon on lead, in 1966 with Jerry Green, and in 1967 with Dennis Edwards, all three versions were released on CD in the UK at various times.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Surprisingly, I thought the Tops' backing vocals got in the way somehow.
Ha, ha! That's funny because that was my feeling too! The backing vocals here aren't as interesting as you'd find on most Dean/Weatherspoon production.


The Contours' "Baby Hit And Run" is another great D/W song. Recorded in 1965 with Billy Gordon on lead, in 1966 with Jerry Green, and in 1967 with Dennis Edwards, all three versions were released on CD in the UK at various times. Of all the guys' version, I like Billy's the best. There are parts in that song that seem to be a bit tricky. If you didn't have a quick enough tongue, you'd end a verse just a bit off the beat and you'd end up sounding like you were trying to cram all the words in. With Billy, I noticed he sticks very closely to what sounds like a very rehearsed melody line; he sings every line the same way, whereas Dennis sorta does his own thing but both he and Jerry seem to not always be quite in synch with the rhythm while Billy nails the rhythm perfectly even with his let-it-fly, sandpaper delivery.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Dean & Weatherspoon! I love those guys. Their compositions and productions were among Motown's prettiest. My favorites are Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted", The Contours' "It's So Hard Being A Loser", and two tracks from The Marvelettes "In Full Bloom" album -- "Seeing Is Believing" and "Now Is The Time For Love".

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Dean & Weatherspoon! I love those guys. Their compositions and productions were among Motown's prettiest. My favorites are Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted", The Contours' "It's So Hard Being A Loser", and two tracks from The Marvelettes "In Full Bloom" album -- "Seeing Is Believing" and "Now Is The Time For Love".

I love those two as well, especially "Now Is The Time For Love." The spoken intro, that first line; "Now is the time for love while the heart is young."
That is a killer line. It sounds like some sort of classic literary quote. And the way Dean and Weatherspoon have Katherine and Anne doing the response lines- we get to hear some good harmonizing as well on some of those parts, while The Andantes are giving us lots of fantastic atmospheric vocalizing on a different level. So good. And such a coincidence that you mention these two songs as they are both recent posts:
https://youtu.be/CheSTcVeNSI

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

-- "Seeing Is Believing" An absolutely gorgeous, beautiful masterpiece.
https://youtu.be/J-d3dauulLo

[Philles/Motown Gary]

You're so right, WaitingWatching. Motown's
symphonic soul music was not only the most mature and exciting music around, their mature and heartwarming lyrics matched the music to a tee. All it took was the magic of writers/producers like Dean & Weatherspoon to push everything up another notch further in the romance department. They, along with Smokey, Norman, HDH, etc., were truly masters at their craft. There must have been something magical in the drinking water there at Hitsville because they ALL ended up creating Motown magic -- rivaled by many; equaled by none [[at least, to my ears)!

[144man]

Dean & Weatherspoon! I love those guys. Their compositions and productions were among Motown's prettiest. My favorites are Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted", The Contours' "It's So Hard Being A Loser", and two tracks from The Marvelettes "In Full Bloom" album -- "Seeing Is Believing" and "Now Is The Time For Love".

It's hard for me to listen to the Contours' "It's So Hard Being A Loser" without thinking how perfect it would have been for Jimmy Ruffin. Ian Levine missed a trick by not recording it on him when he had the chance.

Barbara McNair's "The Harder You Fall" and The Elgins' "That's The Night the Love Died" [both included in post#1] would also have suited Jimmy Ruffin's voice.

[144man]

One of my favourite Dean/Weatherspoon album tracks is Barbara McNair's "Just One Teardrop [[From A Broken Heart)".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdwjH5pw8zQ

[Philles/Motown Gary]

It's hard for me to listen to the Contours' "It's So Hard Being A Loser" without thinking how perfect it would have been for Jimmy Ruffin. Ian Levine missed a trick by not recording it on him when he had the chance.

Barbara McNair's "The Harder You Fall" and The Elgins' "That's The Night the Love Died" [both included in post#1] would also have suited Jimmy Ruffin's voice.

I agree, 144man. Your examples of Dean & Weatherspoon tracks [[Barbra McNair and The Elgins) are excellent -- all of which Jimmy Ruffin would have shined on had he been given the chance. Just one more album past "The Groove Governor" LP might have included them. Unfortunately, we'll never know.

[TomatoTom123]

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SONGS BY THE DUO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss7afRsTQlU

What a groove!!!!!

Also, it seems The Monitors' Motown LP is now available on iTunes!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

I love this track, too, Tom. The Monitors deserved a much better shake at Motown than they got. "Time Is Passing By" is worthy of A-side status -- not the B-side it was relegated to.

[144man]

I always thought it was a bit odd that James Dean was the cousin of Brian & Eddie Holland, yet it was William Weatherspoon who ended up at HDH's Invictus/Hot Wax labels.