For Motown original 45 collectors - what is your most prized possession?

[lockhartgary]

For you who collect original Motown 45s...what are your most prized 45s in your collection? For the sake of this discussion, prized means precious to you for whatever reason.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

The Temptations Get Ready/Fading Away. My parents bought it "new" in '66 and apparently I snatched it for myself about 5 years later as a 5 year old! I played it [[both sides) all the time. What amazes me is that through a few changes of address [[once, across 3 states and back), even though I've lost other stuff I've NEVER lost my prized purple Gordy 45.

[daviddesper]

I sold all my 45s over the years but I remember once owning some of what I at least considered to be great two-sided hits. I think my favorite, in terms of each side just being a FANTASTIC song, was Brenda Holloway's "Just Look What You've Done" backed by "Starting the Hurt All Over Again." I also thought "Reflections" and "Going Down for the Third Time" was a hot combination. Numerous Vandellas and Marvelettes 45s would also come to mind.

[DWSheffer]

In the line of standard release 45's, not acetates or specialties, I would have to say it would be my copy of Tamla 54067 "Camel Walk" by Saundra Mallett and the Vandellas. Mine is one of the 29 copies found in and sold at the Motown Mansion sale in Detroit in October of 2017. I prize it for two reasons: it's still a tough title to find, and it was out of BG's stash of records in the basement, lol. It still perplexes me how they ended up in the mansion due to the fact the record was years old and was still brought to the home to be placed in storage. I'm sure Motown had other areas to store overstocks of records.
Darin

[Mark Desjardines]

Back in the summer of 1965, my family travelled from Ottawa, Canada, to Plattsburg, N.Y. to spend a week at a camp ground. At a local five and dime type store, in the record department, I spotted a sealed bag of 12 or so 45 rpm records for $1.99 that had a hole shot through them. On one side of the bag was the blue Motown label what I now know to be the "long title" "A Breath Taking Guy" single. As I had already spent my allowance on the "Where Did Our Love Go" and "Meet The Supremes" albums, I couldn't purchase it at the time. This haunted me for decades, and some time back, I had the chance to obtain the white label promo copy below from a U.K. collector. [[Please note The Supremes autograph is from a mylar overlay I photocopied to add to the framed record.) I was also able to obtain an original blue label Motown version a few years back as well. I've heard it stated that at one time this long title was considered to be the longest title for a recording. 18113

[motony]

I bought my first rock n roll 45 in 1961, I was 10 & it is "Bye, Bye Baby" my all time fave singer Mary Wells. Still have about 200 original Motown 45's and alot of the original Lps. I really should have sold them years ago when bringing big money as I have all on CD...I just love holding the vinyl[[LOL). As a side note, I think "A Breath Taking Guy" would have a been a Top Ten smash by Mary Wells.

[lockhartgary]

Love these responses! Please keep them coming.

[nevertoolate]

As far as "prized" I would say very hard to find, my original label

45s are:

I miss you baby--marv johnson
Helpless--kim weston
love's gone bad --chris clark
little darling [[I need you) -- marvin gaye
just look what you've done--brenda holloway
lonely lonely girl am i --velvelettes

I would also add: Darling Baby--Elgins [[LP)
Shotgun--jr walker [[ original mint purple and white label brought for
$5.00 in used record trade in store [[LP)
Dance Party--Martha and the Vandellas [[LP) original Gordy label
brought for $1.99 in record sale bin back in the day.

One More Heatache--Marvin Gaye [[45)

Original classic Motown LPs [[1964--1968) Temps, Tops, Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie

Crying shame-- shorty long

[jack020]

18115
My first Motown 45 and first Motown LP.18116

[carlo]

I managed to get a handful of rare original Supremes 45's over the years on eBay: I Want A Guy, Buttered Popcorn, the Topps picture discs, and a promo of Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, which I guess is technically not a Motown 45", as it was released on a different label [[American International Records). I think that was one of the first 45's I bought as a young teen off of eBay, and I didn't know it was super rare. I just knew it seemed unusual and was happy to pay $15 for it. Although I have to say that I do find there is a magical feeling of playing the 45's of these hits, even if it is something common, like the 45" of Baby Love. This is the main way that these songs were intended to be heard, when they were originally released. There's a lot of unspoken history and magic in that, in my opinion. Nostalgia.

[carlo]

...oh and I managed to find the 45" with picture sleeve of the Supremes' L'amore Vera when I was in Italy a couple of years ago. That is my favourite for sure, and I put it on display in my Supremes/Ross cabinet. It reminds me of a special trip, but also the fun journey of walking in the outskirts of Rome, to get to this small record store, located on the other side of the train tracks. It was located in a bit of a rough looking area but was a fun adventure. I had seen online in advance that this particular store had this 45" in stock. I had searched online for at least a couple of dozen Italian record stores in advance of my trip, and checked each and every one of their websites, some of which had their inventory listed. This one record store in Rome happened to have it listed for 40 euros, so it was not cheap, but I rationalized it would be one special souvenir :) We arrived at the store and the owner did not speak English, so I showed him a picture of the sleeve and the listing on his phone, and he spent a good 10 minutes looking for it upstairs where he kept extra inventory. Thankfully he found it :)

[MIKEW-UK]

My first 45 on the new UK Tamla Motown lable.

The map of Michigan, the distinctive Tamla Motown logo, the Detroit sound, the great artists, the composers including Holland Dozier Holland, it all came together and who could have guessed the success that would follow. At the time of release I suspect the amount of customers interested in the UK didn't amount to more than a few hundred if that.



VARIOUS ARTISTS: Hitsville USA #1 EP: Marvin Gaye, Baby Don’t You Do It [[9) / Brenda Holloway, I’ll Always Love You [[9) /
/ Carolyn Crawford, Devil In His Heart [[8) / Eddie Holland, Candy To Me [[6) [[Tamla Motown TME 2001, March 1965)18121
181221812318124

[jbpintus]

Because I had a hard time finding it, and being able to actually find the money for it, probably the 1977 Christmas Greetings promo featuring Stevie Wonder covering the Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go”

[carlo]

Because I had a hard time finding it, and being able to actually find the money for it, probably the 1977 Christmas Greetings promo featuring Stevie Wonder covering the Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go”

Neat!! I don't think I've ever heard this. Was this ever released on CD?

[jbpintus]

The spoken Christmas messages were released on the Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection - or something like that.
Hence we have david ruffin, helm houston or Jr walker Christmas messages on cd.
But as you could guess the musical parts by Stevie in 1977 were not included. Don’t wonder why...

You still need that promo to get it all. And to get the most interesting bits on it. Now it’s not THAT entertaining. But it’s rare, A
and it’s Stevie In 1977
So I do care.

[Boogiedown]

I treasure my blue vinyl promo copy of the #1 disco charting song : FOREVER CAME TODAY by The J5


https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/f1MAAOSw8hpeMwt9/s-l225.webp
[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/Michael-Jackson-5-Five-FOREVER-CAME-TODAY-Disque-45t-7-BLUE-Single-PROMO-1975/133528594999?hash=item1f16ecaa37:g:f1MAAOSw8hpeMwt 9)

But I think the 45 that most makes me feel I have something special is my beat up copy of :

https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/xNsAAOSw81RfLcoT/s-l225.webp

[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/BARRETT-STRONG-Money-Thats-What-I-Want-Oh-I-Apologize-Funk-Soul-7-Single/112306180657?hash=item1a25f85231:g:oD4AAOSw~AVYpku z)

which is in such bad shape I think I paid 50 cents for it at a record swap, but that's OK because the point isn't its playable condition; but that its a physical emblem from the times when it all started , a tangible symbol of hopes and dreams to come true, and here I am....lucky me... holding this prize in my hands. :cool: