(Come round here) I'm The One You Need question [Archive]

rovereab

05-09-2011, 06:40 PM

Listening to this song I would say that it was recorded in Detroit but the style of the drumming is not typically Detroit sounding but more like LA recorded songs.

Does anybody have any information regarding this observation please?

Thanks.

Eamonn

jeff9nyc

05-09-2011, 06:51 PM

I always loved this song and thought it would have made a great Supremes record. Possibly a follow-up to Reflections instead of In and Out of Love.

westgrandboulevard

05-09-2011, 07:02 PM

..and I've always felt that Smokey snatched it from the Four Tops....! [[Yes, I know, that sounds odd, as he surely had enough songs of his own...)

It has that gruff, desperate tone that Levi had, which Smokey's light voice strains to emulate.

I've wondered if the vocals were recorded in Detroit, and maybe some of the instruments were overdubbed there..but, as Eamonn says, maybe the rhythm track was recorded in LA?

theboyfromxtown

05-10-2011, 03:59 AM

Roger-It was in the Tops newsletter that Duke wrote that it was intended for the Four Tops. Do you need the page number to look it up? *smile*

Eamonn-I'm not aware of any LA involvemeny but I am aware [[from first hand experience) that Smokey doesn't like singing the song or answering questions about it...well not to me, anyway

snakepit

05-10-2011, 04:45 AM

As noted above, it was intended as the follow up to "Reach out I'll be there", but SITSOL was chosen as a , presumably, stronger track

rovereab

05-10-2011, 05:50 AM

Is there a 4 Tops vocal in the vault?.... nice thought.

arrr&bee

05-10-2011, 10:42 AM

I could envision the supremes doing it,but not the tops this has always been one of my favs from the miracles and maybe it wasn't thought of as such but i've always felt that[baby baby don't cry]is the sequel to[come round here]listen to the lyrics!

1382hitsville

05-10-2011, 01:23 PM

When Smokey performed in 2007 in Amsterdam he asked the audience which songs to sing, I screamed "Come 'Round..." and he ingnored me too. So I guess it's not personal if John is also ignored about this song. Why does Smokey does not like this song?

motown01

05-10-2011, 01:59 PM

Wasn't there something about the stereo master being lost or recorded over? I think he may have had to re-record his lead vocal for the stereo mix. Maybe he's upset that he had to do it again?

In my opinion, the original mono take is the best. What a great song.

bradburger

05-10-2011, 03:53 PM

theboyfromxtown

05-10-2011, 03:59 PM

Is there a 4 Tops vocal in the vault?.... nice thought.

If it's lost, it ain't been found.

theboyfromxtown

05-10-2011, 04:11 PM

Eamonn,

This song was a Detroit recording and it was Benny Benjamin playing the drums. No LA involvement whatsoever!

I believe it was xtown who said that Smokey didn't like the way HDH got him to sing on the 45 as it didn't sound like him, so he recut the lead again several months later IIRC, which was the take used for the Stereo L.P Mix.

It's a shame Smokey wasn't very fond of this song as I think it's one of their best.

[[I wonder if he was pissed off at having to cut an Italian lead also).

Cheers

Paul

It WAS me Paul.

I got a noted Smokey collector [[who had met him several times) to ask Smokey about it...her response was that Smokey doesn't like the song and would not include it in his act.

So when I saw Smokey at the Palladium with Loletta Holloway, I knew that Smokey would ask the audience which songs he should sing and I was ready for it. I shouted out first for "I'm The One You Need". I then watched him carefully as he paused and waited for others...then a second came and he looked over in that direction...then more..and he went for one of theirs. Afterwards, I got..."See, I told you so...". Clearly my tactics didn't work.

snakepit

05-10-2011, 05:01 PM

Strange, because I seem to recall that Duke's version has Smokey 'stealing' the track from the Tops as if he liked it so much he had to have it!

theboyfromxtown

05-10-2011, 05:19 PM

paladin

05-10-2011, 05:23 PM

One of my favorites.....interesting tidbits of a story......

theboyfromxtown

05-10-2011, 05:37 PM

Mine too Paladin and I hated that stereo version, still do.

The manager at UK Tamla Motown had a few tracks he would avoid issuing in stereo, that was one of them.

theboyfromxtown

05-10-2011, 06:37 PM

As I recall, written documentation doesn't support the song being assigned to the Tops originally.

rovereab

05-10-2011, 07:18 PM

I hate the stereo version too John, I was horrified when I heard it on UK Motown Chartbusters vol 6.

stephanie

05-10-2011, 07:57 PM

that is the only song my mother likes by the Miracles and Smokey and its because it sounded like something the Four Tops would do. One of his best vocally its a shame he doesnt like it.

theboyfromxtown

05-10-2011, 10:36 PM

Eamonn
That's what made UK Tamla Motown stop using the stereo version

Stephanie
Reading between the lines, I suspect that is the reason why Smokey doesn't care for it

snakepit

05-11-2011, 05:55 AM

Snakepit

I guess it's good to have a few different versions to keep us on our toes!! My version was from Sharon's 4 Tops Fan Club from about 1969. Maybe they updated it later!

As it happens, scans of those newsletters were done a couple of months back.

John
I must admit I was recalling that same 1969 article in Sharon's magazine...from memory.
Perhaps I didn't remember correctly....seem to recall Duke saying that Smokey was a smart fellow, and wanted that track. HDH looking for follow up to ROIBT.that kind of thing.No matter.....must admit not my favourite Miracles track

paladin

05-11-2011, 08:34 AM

Think I'll play this today, when it was released, I really didn't care much for it, however I never thought much about the Four Tops then, although I can certainly appreciate why it would have been a great song for them, quite like "the Temptations ALL I Need" would have been great for the Tops as well.

Come Round Here really took me by surprise with that weird azz violin/string intro and then Bam......!!! Truthfully, initially I thought ......dam this sounds like a song for the Supremes.......but what the hell do I know...lol.....

Its funny that Smokey didn't like this song, sure he pushed it, but over the years I have learned to really appreciate his vocals on this tune. Reminds me of Mr. Ruffin and the stories associated with him singing Ain't To Proud to Beg.

randy_russi

05-11-2011, 09:09 AM

I had the 45 with pic sleeve--b/w Save Me. The record did fairly well, but is certainly not one of the Miracles most remembered records. Maybe it's difficult to perform "live".

rovereab

05-11-2011, 11:04 AM

This song was re-released as the follow-up to Tears Of A Clown in the UK. Was it the follow-up single elsewhere?

theboyfromxtown

05-11-2011, 11:47 AM

John
I must admit I was recalling that same 1969 article in Sharon's magazine...from memory.
Perhaps I didn't remember correctly....seem to recall Duke saying that Smokey was a smart fellow, and wanted that track. HDH looking for follow up to ROIBT.that kind of thing.No matter.....must admit not my favourite Miracles track

Snakepit

I can ask Paul Nixon to try and post the extract from the Tops newsletter.

robbert

05-12-2011, 07:54 PM

@rovereab
Also in several European countries [[at least in Holland) ComeRoundHere was re-released as a follow up to TheTearsOfAClown. But the trick didn't work.

rovereab

05-13-2011, 03:57 AM

@robbert, it worked to a degree in the UK - I think Come Round Here reached something like #14. There were several other songs around that I think would have worked better as a follow up, e.g. Whole Lotta Shaking In My Heart which had a similar upbeat feel to TOAC, something that was popular in the UK at the time.

Eamonn

roger

05-13-2011, 04:14 AM

@robbert, it worked to a degree in the UK - I think Come Round Here reached something like #14.
Eamonn

Only one chart position out Eamonn!! .. according to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles it reached #13 upon reissue in 1971. It also charted on its original release at the end of 1966 reaching #45 on the U.K. chart, about a month after "Reach Out" had been #1 for the Tops.

In the U.S. "Come 'Round Here" reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 R&B in late '66/early '67.

Roger

144man

05-13-2011, 12:49 PM

Was Smokey's vocals recorded at too fast a speed? I remember when I played it to a schoolfriend, he commented that it sounded like Mickey Mouse in parts.

rovereab

05-13-2011, 02:05 PM

@144man .... perhaps it was Mickey's Monkey :)

RossHolloway

05-13-2011, 02:57 PM

I saw Smokey in concert for the first time last year here in Atlanta and he put on a heck of a show. He actually performed The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage. He sounded just as good live in person as he did on the original recording. The man still has it.

MIKEW-UK

05-13-2011, 03:23 PM

Ross, how true, he has never sacrificed ANY of his integrity. When I saw him in Las Vegas, I was absolutely floored to hear him ask the audience if they knew the following song he wrote with Norman Whitfield and who sung it... he then performed in its entirety "The Further You Look, The Less You See". Off the "Meet The Temptations" album and recorded in 1963! Stunned! How many in the audience could possibly be aware of the song, but it was very well received. [[ And the Monitors version is about to resurface on the new CD from Kent!) What amazes me still is how true his voice is, in keeping as his spirit.

Ramone Verona

05-13-2011, 03:25 PM

Is there a link to listen to the title of this thread, please?

treborij

05-13-2011, 03:26 PM

This song was re-released as the follow-up to Tears Of A Clown in the UK. Was it the follow-up single elsewhere?

No. IIRC the follow up to Tears was I Don't Blame You At All in the US. Tears was released in the fall of 1970 and lasted on the charts a long time. The follow up came out in the spring of 71.

Was Come Round Here a hit when it was released in the UK. And was it a first time issue in 1970 or a re-release?

theboyfromxtown

05-13-2011, 04:30 PM

@144man .... perhaps it was Mickey's Monkey :)

Eamonn...That was really funny!

theboyfromxtown

05-13-2011, 04:33 PM

No. IIRC the follow up to Tears was I Don't Blame You At All in the US. Tears was released in the fall of 1970 and lasted on the charts a long time. The follow up came out in the spring of 71.

Was Come Round Here a hit when it was released in the UK. And was it a first time issue in 1970 or a re-release?

Roger gave the details earlier for the UK...it was a top 50 hit in 1966 and a top 20 hit when re-released as the follow up to Tears Of A Clown.

The Brits didn't get that lovely picture sleeve that came with the Tamla copy

roger

05-13-2011, 05:45 PM

Is there a link to listen to the title of this thread, please?

This is the tune ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_HhZxWGjYU

Roger

Ramone Verona

05-13-2011, 07:58 PM

Thank you.
I'm listening right now!

tomato tom

05-16-2011, 02:48 PM

Smokeys solo albums Vol 5 is out now, I hear. Now, I just need to keep going before I die to hear The Marvelettes Volume 2.
Paulo XXX

theboyfromxtown

05-16-2011, 04:19 PM

Thank you.
I'm listening right now!

Now listen to this stereo version..and particualry Smokey's lead vocal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rGdGBq5Nr0&feature=related

Which do you prefer?

soulster

05-16-2011, 05:14 PM

I think the vocal performance, either take, is terrible, and done in too high a key that sounds comfortable for Smokey to sing in.

I never noticed a difference in the vocals between the mono and stereo mixes.

Sounds like Benny Benjamin on drums to me.

theboyfromxtown

05-16-2011, 05:39 PM

rovereab

05-16-2011, 06:10 PM

I could live with either vocal [[although the mono vocal is slightly better IMO) but the "thinness" of stereo mix is the main problem for me.

Eamonn

soulster

05-17-2011, 02:19 AM

Soulster

Compare the phrase "you just sit BACK in a daze". It's longer on the stereo version. They are many small differences like that. The stereo version doesn't seem so hard hitting and lacks the punch of the mono version.

That "uncomfortableness" probably explains why the reason the song is not performed by Smokey.

I just listened to the mono mix. I've always had it, I just never seem to remember it. But, I prefer it to the stereo mix, which is the one that's ingrained in my mind. Yes, the vocal on the mono is much more powerful. Still, the vocal on either mix sounds forced and not very good. Interesting how it was a single.

roger

05-17-2011, 04:24 AM

THE JACKSON FIVE did a version of the song on their "A.B.C." L.P.

It sticks quite close to the original MIRACLES version, though I'm not sure if Michael bases his vocals on the Stereo or Mono version .. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAFcKxRL6LA

Seriously though, this would have been a current release at the time when U.K. Tamla-Motown re-released "Come Round Here", so I'm wondering if its why they chose it as the follow up to "Tears Of A Clown".

Roger