Most Versions by Motown Artists....Who's Loving You???

[gman]

I was wondering what the most recorded in house title was....is it safe to assume its "Who's Loving You"?

Miracles
Supremes
Temptations
Brenda Halloway
J5

did I miss anybody???

[marv2]

Here's a list of cover versions by Motown and other artists of Who's Loving You:

https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/8805/versions

[lockhartgary]

For in-house, I would imagine "For Once in My Life" has to be in the running.

[marv2]

For in-house, I would imagine "For Once in My Life" has to be in the running.

That is a great choice.

[marv2]

"For Once in My Life"

Stevie Wonder
Barbara McNair
The Temptations
The Four Tops
The Supremes
Martha and the Vandellas
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Sammy Davis Jr
Gladys Knight & The Pips
There are more, but these were the versions I came up with for now.

[lockhartgary]

"For Once in My Life"

Stevie Wonder
Barbara McNair
The Temptations
The Four Tops
The Supremes
Martha and the Vandellas
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Sammy Davis Jr
Gladys Knight & The Pips
There are more, but these were the versions I came up with for now.

According to Wikipedia, Connie Haines and Jack Soo [[from "Barney Miller") also recorded the song while signed to Motown.

[SatansBlues]

Wasn't it Connie Haines or Debbie Dean who recorded the very first version of the song?

[woodward]

I believe it was Connie Haines July of 1965.

[copley]

The first version to be released was by Jean DuShon. It appears that Connie or Barbara McNair recorded it first.


https://youtu.be/dl6st3VcBik

[alexstassi]

I was gonna say "for once in my life" but wasn't sure if it was motowns most covered in-house.... I am quite certain though that it is the most covered Motown song period... over 200 versions am I correct?

[alexstassi]

Barbara McNairs version recorded in 1965... a list of covers in chronological order

https://secondhandsongs.com/work/7961/versions#nav-entity

[copley]

From DFTMC.

For Once In My Life [[Ronald Miller-Orlando Murden) published Stein & Van Stock 15-Jul-65

Blinky; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 26-Aug-69 ; produced by Frank Wilson ; [v2]
unreleased; LP [[S): Motown MS712 Sunny And Warm

Sammy Davis Jr; recorded 22-Oct-69 ; produced by Deke Richards ; [recorded for Reprise]
May-70; LP [[S): Motown MS710 Something For Everyone

Kiki Dee; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 15-Dec-69 ; produced by Duke Browner
Jul-70; LP [[S): Tamla TS303 Great Expectations
May-74; LP [[S): MFP 90030 Kiki Dee [UK]
15-Aug-05; CD [[S): Motown 983 1795 Love Makes The World Go Round - The Motown Years [UK]

The Ding Dongs; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 21-Jun-70 ; produced by Tom King
Aug-70; LP [[S): Motown MS716 Gimme Dat Ding

Jean DuShon; recorded Jul-66 ; produced by Esmond Edwards ; arranged by Bert Keyes
Sep-66; 45: Cadet-5545 B [only Murden credited as writer]

Billy Eckstine; recorded L.A. / N.Y., completed 28-Jan-66 ; produced by William Stevenson
30-Dec-16; MP3 [[M): UMC Digital Release Motown Unreleased 1966 [2016 mix]
15-Dec-17; CD [[M): Motown B0027684-02 Motown Unreleased 1966 [2016 mix]

Four Tops; recorded L.A. / Hitsville, completed 07-Jul-66 ; produced by Frank Wilson
Mar-67; LP [[M): Motown M657 Four Tops On Broadway
Mar-67; LP [[S): Motown S657 Four Tops On Broadway
27-Jun-68; 45 [[M): Motown M 1127 B
Jul-74; LP [[S): Motown M9-809R3 Anthology
27-Jun-00; CD: Spectrum 530 791 2 Reach Out I'll Be There [UK]
25-Sep-01; CD [[M): Motown 314 556 225 2 Fourever
03-Oct-07; CD [[M): Hip-O Select B0009708-02 The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 8 1968
02-Apr-13; CD [[M): Hip-O Select B0017484-02 50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection 1964-1972
02-Oct-15; MP3 [[S): UMC Digital Release Four Tops On Broadway

Connie Haines; recorded L.A. / Hitsville, completed 23-Jul-65 ; produced by Marc Gordon, Hal Davis, Ronald Miller
11-Dec-15; MP3 [[M): UMC Digital Release Motown Unreleased 1965 - Various Artists

Joe Harnell; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 03-Sep-69 ; produced by Wade Marcus
Dec-69; LP [[S): Motown S698 Moving On!!
2000; CD: JHCD 06 Moving On!!

Jonah Jones; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 01-Oct-68 ; produced by Henry Cosby
Mar-69; LP [[S): Motown S683 Along Came Jonah

Gladys Knight & The Pips; recorded Hitsville-GW / MoWest ; produced by Clay McMurray ; arranged by H.B. Barnum, O. Nelson
Feb-73; LP [[S): Soul S737L Neither One Of Us
Apr-73; 45: Soul S 35105F B
16-Jan-74; LP [[S): Motown-M-792S2 Anthology
21-Mar-95; CD: Motown 530 483 2 Anthology / The Best Of Gladys Knight & The Pips
Jul-00; CD [[S): Spectrum 544 313 2 The Motown Years [UK]
06-Nov-06; CD [[S): Motown 984 1940 Neither One of Us / All I Need Is Time [UK]

Barbara McNair; recorded L.A. / Hitsville, completed 25-Oct-65 ; produced by Hal Davis, Marc Gordon ; [Hitsville vocal odb]
unreleased; 45 [[M): Motown M 1112 B [released on Motown 1123]
Nov-66; LP [[M): Motown M644 Here I Am
Nov-66; LP [[S): Motown S644 Here I Am
26-Mar-68; 45 [[M): Motown M 1123 B [scheduled for Motown 1112]
26-Jan-04; CD [[S): Motown 017 554 2 Barbara McNair - The Ultimate Motown Collection [UK]
25-May-07; CD [[M): Hip-O Select B0008993-02 The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 7 1967

The Miracles; recorded L.A. / Hitsville-GW, completed 26-Mar-69 ; produced by Smokey Robinson, Wade Marcus ; arranged by Dave Van DePitte
10-Jul-69; LP [[S): Tamla S295 Time Out For Smokey Robinson And the Miracles
07-May-01; CD [[S): Motown 013 186 2 Time Out / Four In Blue [UK]

Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations; recorded 23-Aug-68 ; produced by Motown Productions Inc ; [tv "TCB [[Taking Care Of Business)"]
02-Dec-68; LP [[S): Motown S682 The Original Soundtrack From TCB
20-Sep-94; CD [[S): Motown 530 338 2 Emperors Of Soul
23-Oct-00; CD [[S): Motown 159 618 2 A Bit Of Liverpool / TCB [[With The Temptations) [UK]

Soupy Sales; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 18-Dec-68 ; produced by Ronald Miller
Apr-69; LP [[S): Motown S686 A Bag Of Soup

Kay Stevens; recording details unknown ; [tv "The Temptations Show"]
10-Jul-68; LP [[S): Gordy S933 The Temptations Show [rechanneled stereo]
09-Jun-15; MP3: UMC Digital Release The Temptations Show

The Temptations; recorded L.A. / Hitsville-GW, completed 18-Oct-67 ; produced by Frank Wilson, Jeffrey Bowen ; [lead Paul Williams]
27-Nov-67; LP [[S): Gordy S924 In A Mellow Mood
27-Nov-67; LP [[M): Gordy G924 In A Mellow Mood
13-Jul-98; CD [[S): Motown 530 933 2 In A Mellow Mood
23-Oct-00; CD: Motown 159 511 2 Wish It Would Rain / In A Mellow Mood [UK]
The Temptations; recorded live Copa, N.Y.
09-Dec-68; LP [[S): Gordy S938 Live At The Copa
09-Dec-68; LP [[M): Gordy G938 Live At The Copa [Promo copies only]
01-Jul-91; CD: Motown MOTD 5306 Live At The Copa
23-Oct-00; CD: Motown 159 444 2 Live At The Copa / With A Lot O' Soul [UK]

The Vandellas; recorded live 20 Grand, Detroit, completed 08-Jun-67
Sep-67; LP [[M): Gordy G925 Martha And The Vandellas Live!
Sep-67; LP [[S): Gordy S925 Martha And The Vandellas Live!
The Vandellas; recorded L.A. / Hitsville-GW, completed 18-Jul-67 ; produced by Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol
13-Nov-06; CD [[S): Hip-O Select B0003616-02 Spellbound: Motown Lost & Found
The Vandellas; recorded live Copa, N.Y. [[1st show), 22-Jun-68
11-Oct-68 [acetate]; LP: Q HEM-0957/8-FNDD
The Vandellas; recorded live Copa, N.Y. [[2nd show), 22-Jun-68
31-Jul-68 [acetate]; LP: Q HEM-0505/6-FNLL

Stevie Wonder; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 09-Sep-68 ; produced by Henry Cosby ; [v2]
15-Oct-68; 45 [[M): Tamla T 54174 A
08-Dec-68; LP [[M): Tamla T291 For Once In My Life [DJ copies only?]
08-Dec-68; LP [[S): Tamla S291 For Once In My Life
Mar-71; LP [[S): Motown MS730 The Motown Story Volume 4 [with intro by Stevie Wonder]
May-71; LP [[S): Motown MS732 Motown Chartbusters Volume 3
Nov-71; LP [[S): Tamla T313L Greatest Hits Vol. 2
30-Nov-77; LP [[S): Motown M804LP3 Looking Back
Aug-86; CD [[S): Motown MCDO 8025 TD For Once In My Life / Up Tight
30-Jul-92; CD: Motown 530 047 2 Essential [UK]
03-Nov-92; CD [[M): Motown MOTD 6312 Hitsville USA The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971
13-Jun-95; CD [[S): Motown 530 507 2 Motown Year By Year / The Sound Of Young America 1968
1997; CD [[S): Britannia 530 710 Motown: The History: Changing Times [UK]
1997; CD [[M): DPSM 5240 The Complete Motown Anthology Vol 4
02-Nov-98; CD [[S): Spectrum 554 146 2 Motown Chartbusters Volume 3 [UK]
23-Sep-03; CD [[S): Motown B000101602 The Motown Story Volume 1: The 1960s
11-May-04; CD [[S): Motown 066 365-2 Standing In The Shadows of Motown - De Luxe [band track]
12-Mar-05; CD [[M): Reader's Digest RDCD 4631-3 The Ultimate Motown Collection - Soul Brothers
04-Oct-05; CD [[S): Singing Machine G8864 Motown Classics - I Just Want To Celebrate Vol. 14 [band track]
12-Oct-05; MP3 [[M): UMC Digital Release The Complete Stevie Wonder
12-Oct-05; MP3 [[S): UMC Digital Release The Complete Stevie Wonder
03-Oct-07; CD [[M): Hip-O Select B0009708-02 The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 8 1968
Stevie Wonder; recorded live Fox Theatre, Detroit, completed 28-Dec-68
Jul-69; LP [[S): Motown S688 Motortown Revue Live
26-Aug-05; CD [[S): Hip-O Select B0003623-02 The Motortown Revue Collection
04-Oct-05; CD [[S): Singing Machine G8864 Motown Classics - I Just Want To Celebrate Vol. 14
12-Oct-05; MP3: UMC Digital Release The Complete Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 17-Jan-70 ; produced by non-contract producer ; [Spanish lyrics, text Amart/Duarte, title "Por Primera Vez"]
1970; 45 [[M): Tamla Motown M5078 B [Spain]
12-Oct-05; MP3 [[M): UMC Digital Release The Complete Stevie Wonder
26-Feb-10; CD [[M): Hip-O Select B0013917-02 Motown Around The World - The Classic Singles And More
Stevie Wonder; recorded live Talk Of The Town, London, Jun-70
Oct-70; LP: Tamla Motown STML11164 Live at the Talk of the Town [UK]
12-Oct-05; MP3 [[S): UMC Digital Release The Complete Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder & Diana Ross; recorded Hollywood Palace Theater, L.A., 18-Oct-69 ; produced by Deke Richards ; [tv "Hollywood Palace"]
Mar-70; LP [[S): Motown MS703 Motown At The Hollywood Palace
12-Oct-05; MP3: UMC Digital Release The Complete Stevie Wonder

Beyond 1972 there is also Diana's solo version from 1977 as yet not released on CD.

[copley]

Barbara McNairs version recorded in 1965... a list of covers in chronological order

https://secondhandsongs.com/work/7961/versions#nav-entity

It's not complete as Connie's version is unlisted!


https://youtu.be/zPiaJ35oQgs

[roger]

"My Girl" must be a good contender for runner-up …

DFTMC lists the versions by Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Jonah Jones, The San Remo Golden Strings, Earl Van Dyke and five versions by The Temptations [[the single version, a German language version and three "live" versions). So that's six Motown artists up to 1972.

Roger

[Motown Eddie]

I'm sure that "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" is a runner-up for having the most in-house cover versions at Motown since all these artists did a version of it:
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Marvin Gaye
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Rustix
Sounds Nice
Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
The Temptations
The Undisputed Truth

[copley]

Plus Bettye LaVette

[marv2]

Plus Bettye LaVette

I didn't know Miss Bettye did a cover version of it. I have to look it up. Thanks!

[copley]

Here she is Marv :)


https://youtu.be/7IIQ9aXsSgU

[gman]

I started this post....I totally forgot about FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE!....I enjoy Martha's version, but for me Tony Bennett owns it.

[SatansBlues]

I started this post....I totally forgot about FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE!....I enjoy Martha's version, but for me Tony Bennett owns it.

No one sing For Once In My Life like Stevie Wonder! The sheer jubilation and exuberance in his voice when he sings that song still makes me tear up when I hear it, and I've head it a hundred times. And when he starts in with the harmonica its just a soul stirring joy. Stevie gives a life to the song that no one else does, its like other folks are singing a completely different song.

[Motown Eddie]

No one sing For Once In My Life like Stevie Wonder! The sheer jubilation and exuberance in his voice when he sings that song still makes me tear up when I hear it, and I've head it a hundred times. And when he starts in with the harmonica its just a soul stirring joy. Stevie gives a life to the song that no one else does, its like other folks are singing a completely different song.

Indeed; The only version of "For Once In My Life" for me is Stevie's [[and in 2nd place, the version by The Temptations for the TCB Special). Not only is it a stellar perfomance, the song also further established Stevie's reputation as a great interpreter of songs along with being a great singer.

[Clifton Miller]

Anyone know the producer of Jean DuShon's version? Not Esther Edwards, presumably.

[Motown Eddie]

Anyone know the producer of Jean DuShon's version? Not Esther Edwards, presumably.

According to the picture posted by copley on this thread of Jean Du Shon's version of "For Once In My Life", it was produced by Esmond Edwards.

[Clifton Miller]

According to the picture posted by copley on this thread of Jean Du Shon's version of "For Once In My Life", it was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Thanks, Motown Eddie, I see that the producer’s full name is in the DFTMC info posted by Copley.

[marv2]

Here she is Marv :)


https://youtu.be/7IIQ9aXsSgU

Thanks Copley! Who's better than you?

[marv2]

Ok, now I have to go and try to find this album! I LOVE this! Bettye LaVette could have hit with this, "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" if she recorded it originally. This is good as hit on it's own!

[jboy88]

I believe that “For Once In My Life” is the Jobete catalogues’s most valuable copyright, according to the liner notes for MU’65.

http://www.dftmc.info/bonus/b-04.html

BTW this song belongs to the late Paul Williams. No disrespect to Stevie, but Paul put everything he had into every performance of it.

[grapevine]

I was gonna say "for once in my life" but wasn't sure if it was motowns most covered in-house.... I am quite certain though that it is the most covered Motown song period... over 200 versions am I correct?

Alex ...on Facebook group ...Motown From The Vaults [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/200921433264399/) ...we've posted literally 1000s of Motown covers using youtube links ...our Top 10 Motown covers so far are...

For Once In My Life - 214 versions
Money That's What I Want - 184 versions
I Heard It Through The Grapevine - 160 versions
Dancing In The Street - 145 versions
My Girl - 134 versions
My Cherie Amour - 130 versions
Reach Out I'll Be There - 124 versions
You Keep Me Hangin' On - 117 versions
You Are The Sunshine of My Life - 110 versions
The Tracks Of My Tears - 99 versions

The youtube links also include live! versions that may not have been released on disc.

Grape :)

[alexstassi]

Alex ...on Facebook group ...Motown From The Vaults [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/200921433264399/) ...we've posted literally 1000s of Motown covers using youtube links ...our Top 10 Motown covers so far are...

For Once In My Life - 214 versions
Money That's What I Want - 184 versions
I Heard It Through The Grapevine - 160 versions
Dancing In The Street - 145 versions
My Girl - 134 versions
My Cherie Amour - 130 versions
Reach Out I'll Be There - 124 versions
You Keep Me Hangin' On - 117 versions
You Are The Sunshine of My Life - 110 versions
The Tracks Of My Tears - 99 versions

The youtube links also include live! versions that may not have been released on disc.

Grape :)

This is great.. I need to check these out. Thanks 😃