Final Word on The Marvelettes & Where Did our Love Go

[Jimi LaLumia]

I posted this on the Motown board regarding the Showtime "HITSVILLE" documentary,but it should be in play over here..
""Where Did Our Love Go" being originally intended for The Marvelettes and rejected by Gladys Horton was indeed confirmed by the Holland brothers, and by Smokey, with Berry Gordy standing right next to him, so that should settle that once and for all.. How different history might be if Gladys had said yes.. I'm surprised that no one here has mentioned that yet."

[marv2]

Yeah, that is what I had always heard. I read someone on this forum did not believe that story. They believed that no artists at the right or clout to turn down any song assigned to or brought to them by the producers at Motown.

[Jimi LaLumia]

that's what they said, but according to theHollands, it was never assigned to The Marvelettes by the label, but rather was presented to Gladys who expressed no interest whatsoever.. that was the point that was missed, that it was never actually designated to them by the powers that be, and probably no one wanted to scuffle with the girls cos they were the ones riding high at that moment, pre WDOLG

[BayouMotownMan]

that's what they said, but according to theHollands, it was never assigned to The Marvelettes by the label, but rather was presented to Gladys who expressed no interest whatsoever.. that was the point that was missed, that it was never actually designated to them by the powers that be, and probably no one wanted to scuffle with the girls cos they were the ones riding high at that moment, pre WDOLG

I interviewed Gladys Horton at length for the Mysteries and Scandals show I did with her. She remembered Eddie Holland playing the WDOLG track and they unanimously voted it down. Eddie wanted Wanda to sing lead and Wanda hated to song.

[LoveSupreme]

https://soulfuldetroit.com/clear.gif [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=534818&noquote=1)I caught the documentary this past Sunday on Showtime. They way the Holland Brothers told it [[I forget if it was Brian or Eddie)...they presented the song to Gladys and after hearing it she said, "No honey, we don't do that kind of song [[or stuff)" or something to that effect. It was actually pretty funny... Then they caught up with Mary in the hallway and ran it by her..and she didn't like it either...LOL

[Jimi LaLumia]

If The Marvelettes had taken the song and if it had hit for them, they would have gotten Baby Love next etc..and the no hit Supremes may have stayed that way! Thank you Marvelettes for NOT taking it!!

[sup_fan]

https://soulfuldetroit.com/clear.gif [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=534818&noquote=1)I caught the documentary this past Sunday on Showtime. They way the Holland Brothers told it [[I forget if it was Brian or Eddie)...they presented the song to Gladys and after hearing it she said, "No honey, we don't do that kind of song [[or stuff)" or something to that effect. It was actually pretty funny... Then they caught up with Mary in the hallway and ran it by her..and she didn't like it either...LOL

yeah in my mental video of this scenario playing out, i never assumed that the Marvelettes were in the studio in the middle of the recording and they just upped and walked out, refusing to sing it. All groups would have rehearsed the song first with the producers, working out specific parts, harmonies, etc. And it's not like many [[or any) of the early writers and producers were musically trained. they didn't come to a rehearsal with everything scored out on bar charts and all. they probably just played a basic tune on the piano and sang along. I figured it was some sort of "piano jam" where HDH played WDOLG for Gladys and said "what do you think?" Or maybe they'd recorded a bit of the instrumental track, although in 64 i'm not sure how much pre-recording of tracks too place.

By the time the Supremes would have received it, perhaps the track was in place. this would mean that the producers [[HDH) would be still footing the bill for that studio time and would have been eager to pass that along to a group - ANY group so that they would be reimbursed for those upfront costs. So they then decided, the Sups are getting it, like it or not

[sup_fan]

If The Marvelettes had taken the song and if it had hit for them, they would have gotten Baby Love next etc..and the no hit Supremes may have stayed that way! Thank you Marvelettes for NOT taking it!!

hehehe you're assuming that the song would have been 1) even issued 2) issued as a single and 3) been a hit. they might have just slipped it onto a Marvelettes lp as filler. or been left in vaults. or if issued as a single, stalled. the M's weren't super hot in 64, at least on the pop charts. they hadn't had a big pop hit since Beechwood. a few subsequent releases did well on r&b. but motown had already shifted their focus and push to M&TV

[midnightman]

If The Marvelettes had taken the song and if it had hit for them, they would have gotten Baby Love next etc..and the no hit Supremes may have stayed that way! Thank you Marvelettes for NOT taking it!!

And we wouldn't be talking about the Supremes ever again unless it was like the Velvelettes.

But I think the Hollands deny they were gonna give it to the Marvelettes and Lamont Dozier being the one to say it was given to the Marvelettes first. Even Katherine Schaffner said they were never given the song but did say the song was "too slow" for them because they preferred upbeat songs [[they didn't do ballads or slower stuff all that much).

[midnightman]

hehehe you're assuming that the song would have been 1) even issued 2) issued as a single and 3) been a hit. they might have just slipped it onto a Marvelettes lp as filler. or been left in vaults. or if issued as a single, stalled. the M's weren't super hot in 64, at least on the pop charts. they hadn't had a big pop hit since Beechwood. a few subsequent releases did well on r&b. but motown had already shifted their focus and push to M&TV

This is why I think the song was never given to the Marvelettes. MR&TV's rose to the top of the Motown groups in 1963-64. After "Heat Wave", Motown put their energy on MR&TV's as the top group. The story would've been juicier had it been Martha Reeves and not Gladys Horton that turned the song down.

[ejluther]

It’s impossible to know of course but I don’t think WDOLG would have been such a smash if it weren’t for Diana’s lead and the backing vocals [[especially Mary who really stands out) - the song is great but it’s their specific performance that makes it a classic, IMO...

[Boogiedown]

It’s impossible to know of course but I don’t think WDOLG would have been such a smash if it weren’t for Diana’s lead and the backing vocals [[especially Mary who really stands out) - the song is great but it’s their specific performance that makes it a classic, IMO...

yes ............however it's just a catchy song no matter imo...:)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BdbT1rzYyQ

[sup_fan]

It’s impossible to know of course but I don’t think WDOLG would have been such a smash if it weren’t for Diana’s lead and the backing vocals [[especially Mary who really stands out) - the song is great but it’s their specific performance that makes it a classic, IMO...

I agree. talk about a perfect recipe:

deceptively simple song
unique sparse production - look at the Wall Of Sound that specter was doing and WDOLG seems so light. in a good way too
hypnotic background vocals
insanely clever lyrics and title hook
this wonderfully different lead vocalist

just perfect. it's often overlooked by fans and historians because there were so many great follow ups. and follow ups that were technically more challenging or bigger sounds. but you have to give credit where due - WDOLG set the stage for all of that

[Motown Eddie]

According to the Hitsville documentary, Berry Gordy showed up for the recording of "Where Did Our Love Go". Diana Ross had complained to Berry about the song but he eventually persuaded The Supremes to go ahead with it.

[vgalindo]

It’s impossible to know of course but I don’t think WDOLG would have been such a smash if it weren’t for Diana’s lead and the backing vocals [[especially Mary who really stands out) - the song is great but it’s their specific performance that makes it a classic, IMO...

I agree 💯. The song was a #1 largely because of the lead performance of Diana Ross and the great backgrounds of the Supremes. The Supremes sold this song! IMO.

[lucky2012]

^ These. I triple the emotion, ej and vg. The track would have been a big hit but The Supremes made it mega.

[lucky2012]

I agree. talk about a perfect recipe:

deceptively simple song
unique sparse production - look at the Wall Of Sound that specter was doing and WDOLG seems so light. in a good way too
hypnotic background vocals
insanely clever lyrics and title hook
this wonderfully different lead vocalist

just perfect. it's often overlooked by fans and historians because there were so many great follow ups. and follow ups that were technically more challenging or bigger sounds. but you have to give credit where due - WDOLG set the stage for all of that
Agree with you, sup. Except maybe for ingredient five. Title is a great hook. Lyrics not so insanely clever, imo. :p

[Jimi LaLumia]

I am the consummate Supremes/Ross devotee, but if they hadn't been given this song and someone else recorded it, history MIGHT be very different; it's about where The Supremes were before WDOLG [[ a decent size hit with "Lovelight", but all flops before that) and where HDH might have wound up as a result.I adore Miss Ross but the Supremes golden period was powered by the HDH compositions spurred on by WDOLG..and in the HITSVILLE documentary, the big shots all acknowledge that WDOLG was brought to the The Marvelettes initially.