Remade songs after signing with Motown

[lockhartgary]

I know that Gladys Knight and the Pips remade songs that they had done earlier before joining Motown as did Amos Milburn.

Were there other artists who did the same?

[reese]

The Supremes redid TEARS OF SORROW.

[gman]

The Miracles, and Brenda Halloway???? I'm not sure if Every Little Bit Hurts was rerecorded, or just an older master obtained from a previous signing.

[Ngroove]

Wilson Pickett, In The Midnight Hour, 1987 American Soul Man version.

[mowest]

The Miracles, and Brenda Halloway???? I'm not sure if Every Little Bit Hurts was rerecorded, or just an older master obtained from a previous signing.

I read that the original version of “Every Little Bit Hurts” was not done by Brenda but rather by Barbara Dedmon Wilson, producer Frank Wilson’s wife. If this is the case their voices were similar enough to cause the confusion.

[mysterysinger]

Brenda Holloway had a good lead to follow from Frank's wife.

What was it that the Miracles re-recorded?

Amos Millburn re-recorded a few songs from his earlier period such as "Darling How Long".

The Spinners re-recorded "That's What [[Little) Girls Are Made For"

[Motown Eddie]

The Jackson 5 remade "You've Changed" [[the B-side of their first single, "Big Boy" on Steeltown Records) on their first Motown LP, Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5.

[mysterysinger]

And Michael re-recorded "My Girl"

[mysterysinger]

Prolly doesn't count but Johnny Bristol re-recorded "Someday We'll Be Together" in a way.

[robb_k]

17740
The Monitors[[Majestics) rerecorded "Hello Love", which they had originally recorded as The Majestics, while at Thelma Records.

I'm pretty sure that I read that The Merced Blue Notes re-recorded, once they got to Motown, some of the cuts they had made while with Gwen and Harvey's Tri-Phi Records, which never had been released. I believe that "Thompin'" and "Do The Pig" were among them, and both were recorded a third time, and released after they left Motown.

[jboy88]

If Ricky Owens had been with the Temptations long enough to record with them, I would’ve loved for them to do a cover of “Misty” with him reprising the lead he had on the Vibrations version. Likewise Tammi Terrell doing a more polished take of some of her early Scepter recordings.

[jboy88]

A reverse one occurred when Lenny Williams originally recorded his iconic “‘Cause I Love You” while with Motown. He re cut it 3 years later on ABC.

[paul_nixon]

Pretty sure that JJ Barnes re-recorded The House That Jack Built for Motown

[splanky]

I read that the original version of “Every Little Bit Hurts” was not done by Brenda but rather by Barbara Dedmon Wilson, producer Frank Wilson’s wife. If this is the case their voices were similar enough to cause the confusion.

I've been looking this morning for any evidence of this and can't find a scrap of proof. Do you remember where you read that?...

[mowest]

I've been looking this morning for any evidence of this and can't find a scrap of proof. Do you remember where you read that?...

It was discussed on the [[unfortunately) now-defunct “Motown Junkies” site when Nixon reviewed “Every Little Bit Hurts” and mentioned in at least one obituary for Frank Wilson.

[splanky]

Okay, then what gets weirder is that I can't find any evidence of Barbara recording
anything at all, not under her own name...Not as Barbara Dedmon Wilson, Barbara Jean
Dedmon, though she's mentioned as being a singer and as first wife to Frank Wilson...

[Motown Eddie]

Pretty sure that JJ Barnes re-recorded The House That Jack Built for Motown

According to the notes from A Cellarful of Motown! Vol. 4, J.J. Barnes did re-record "The House That Jack Built" for Motown.

[mowest]

Okay, then what gets weirder is that I can't find any evidence of Barbara recording
anything at all, not under her own name...Not as Barbara Dedmon Wilson, Barbara Jean
Dedmon, though she's mentioned as being a singer and as first wife to Frank Wilson...

Check out Motown Junkies’ discussion of “Every Little Bit Hurts.” I seem to remember more is said about Barbara Wilson.

[marv2]

17740
The Monitors[[Majestics) rerecorded "Hello Love", which they had originally recorded as The Majestics, while at Thelma Records.

I'm pretty sure that I read that The Merced Blue Notes re-recorded, once they got to Motown, some of the cuts they had made while with Gwen and Harvey's Tri-Phi Records, which never had been released. I believe that "Thompin'" and "Do The Pig" were among them, and both were recorded a third time, and released after they left Motown.

Robb, I have never heard of The Merced Blue Notes until now! What happened to them once the came to Motown?

[paul_nixon]

According to the notes from A Cellarful of Motown! Vol. 4, J.J. Barnes did re-record "The House That Jack Built" for Motown.

Yes I remember - I wrote them

[paul_nixon]

I read that the original version of “Every Little Bit Hurts” was not done by Brenda but rather by Barbara Dedmon Wilson, producer Frank Wilson’s wife. If this is the case their voices were similar enough to cause the confusion.

It was a demo by Wilson's wife I gather and sounds remarkably like Brenda

[Levi Stubbs Tears]

Yes I remember - I wrote them

Wish I'd written a song that was a B-side to a song like Aretha's 'I Say A Little Prayer' ;)

If you are the songwriter, did you actually even push for it being a B-side for her or was it just a random selection by her/her team?

[robb_k]

Robb, I have never heard of The Merced Blue Notes until now! What happened to them once the came to Motown?
17804
As far as I know, that California Jazz instrumental group re-recorded a couple of their previous cuts in late 1964 [[or maybe they were late 1963 or early 1964 recordings just re-mixed by Motown's engineers), and one 45 release by them was slated: "Do The Pig"/bw"Thompin' ". But the release plans were dropped before it could even be scheduled for the release. The group was headquartered in California [[Merced), and had previously recorded in San Francisco and Oakland. I don't even know if know if while under contract to Gwen and Harvey's Tri-Phi Records, they came to Detroit, to record in The Snakepit. They may have recorded in Oakland, and sent the recordings to Detroit for mixing. In any case, they were dropped from Motown in early '65, and they signed with The San Francisco Bay Area's Fantasy/Galaxy Records, and had several 45s and an LP released on Galaxy Records. They had 2 charted big regional hits "Rufus, Jr.", and "Bad, Bad, Whiskey". They were a great guitar-driven funky Jazz band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP_3ZMoV9BI

[robb_k]

17805
Here's "Rufus, Jr.":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJHKa8HS8aY

[robb_k]

17805
Here's their biggest record for Tri-Phi, "Whole Lotta Nothing":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ojxlRYD7Q

[robb_k]

17805
Here's a formerly unreleased cut from their Ace Records CD done [[for Tri-Phi?) in 1963, "Head Bad":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTETYMJbz7U

[robb_k]

17805
Here's an example of their ability to make vocal recordings, "Sundown":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBPwpe9UuYI

[marv2]

17804
As far as I know, that California Jazz instrumental group re-recorded a couple of their previous cuts in late 1964 [[or maybe they were late 1963 or early 1964 recordings just re-mixed by Motown's engineers), and one 45 release by them was slated: "Do The Pig"/bw"Thompin' ". But the release plans were dropped before it could even be scheduled for the release. The group was headquartered in California [[Merced), and had previously recorded in San Francisco and Oakland. I don't even know if know if while under contract to Gwen and Harvey's Tri-Phi Records, they came to Detroit, to record in The Snakepit. They may have recorded in Oakland, and sent the recordings to Detroit for mixing. In any case, they were dropped from Motown in early '65, and they signed with The San Francisco Bay Area's Fantasy/Galaxy Records, and had several 45s and an LP released on Galaxy Records. They had 2 charted big regional hits "Rufus, Jr.", and "Bad, Bad, Whiskey". They were a great guitar-driven funky Jazz band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP_3ZMoV9BI

Thanks Robb for the back story on this band. I knew I was not familiar with them at all. Thank you.

[robb_k]

Thanks Robb for the back story on this band. I knew I was not familiar with them at all. Thank you.
17806
Do you like their music - after hearing these examples?

[marv2]

17806
Do you like their music - after hearing these examples?

I do like "Bad, Bad Whiskey". It sounds like the swingin' Jazz my dad listened to in the early 60s!

[robb_k]

I do like "Bad, Bad Whiskey". It sounds like the swingin' Jazz my dad listened to in the early 60s!
17807
He and I seem to be of similar age, and probably have similar taste in Jazz. My favourite period of Jazz is probably 1959-67. "Bad, Bad, Whiskey" reminds me a LOT of The Jazz Crusaders' early Blue Note cuts, and same for those of The Jazz Messengers, and a lot of the 1962-66 Blue Note, Pacific Jazz, World Pacific, small combo Progressive Jazz.

[robb_k]

It was discussed on the [[unfortunately) now-defunct “Motown Junkies” site when Nixon reviewed “Every Little Bit Hurts” and mentioned in at least one obituary for Frank Wilson.
17808
Who told you that Motown Junkies is "defunct"? Stephen is just very busy, and between uploads. He has a growing family, plus more pressure from work - even during the lockdown, and will continue adding revues whenever he can sneak them in. He never said anything to me about stopping. Did you see any announcement. He just posted yesterday about Landini's bad news.

[marv2]

17807
He and I seem to be of similar age, and probably have similar taste in Jazz. My favourite period of Jazz is probably 1959-67. "Bad, Bad, Whiskey" reminds me a LOT of The Jazz Crusaders' early Blue Note cuts, and same for those of The Jazz Messengers, and a lot of the 1962-66 Blue Note, Pacific Jazz, World Pacific, small combo Progressive Jazz.

Don't forget Dave Brubeck! He was played a lot at our house in those days.

[jboy88]

It was a demo by Wilson's wife I gather and sounds remarkably like Brenda

The story I heard was that Brenda was intimidated by Barbara’s demo, and didn’t think she was capable of doing it justice. She was literally crying while laying down her vocals.

Sadly, Barbara died shortly after the release of Brenda’s version. Does anyone have any details of what happened to her. I’m sure it played a role in Frank’s decision to relocate to Detroit.

[luckyluckyme]

The next to last paragraph puts things in perspective concerning his first wife, Barbara , who died far too young.

https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-xpm-2012-oct-03-la-me-frank-wilson-20121003-story.html [[https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-xpm-2012-oct-03-la-me-frank-wilson-20121003-story.html)

[luckyluckyme]

[QUOTE=jboy88;581742]The story I heard was that Brenda was intimidated by Barbara’s demo, and didn’t think she was capable of doing it justice. She was literally crying while laying down her vocals.

What you are remembering is what Brenda Holloway relates on pg. 249 of Bill Dahl's book, 'Motown: The Golden Years'.

[luckyluckyme]

Barbara's demo version of 'Every Little Bit Hurts' can be heard on this cd [[Track 22) :

https://acerecords.co.uk/the-early-years-rare-recordings-1962-1963

[mowest]

17808
Who told you that Motown Junkies is "defunct"? Stephen is just very busy, and between uploads. He has a growing family, plus more pressure from work - even during the lockdown, and will continue adding revues whenever he can sneak them in. He never said anything to me about stopping. Did you see any announcement. He just posted yesterday about Landini's bad news.

My apologies for assuming so, robb_k. I love reading those wonderfully analytical reviews and miss them very much. But the last one was on March 23, 2019. You’ve given me hope that more will appear in the future.

[kenneth]

Yes I remember - I wrote them

I think Paul meant he wrote the notes to the Cellarfull CD.