Motown Song Titles which have Changed

[Motown Eddie]

Over the years, a couple of Motown's song titles have been changed. Songs that were released under one name and were later changed by adding a few words to the title. This usually happens due to avoid confusion with another song with a similar name. Here's three examples:

The Temptations' "Dream Come True" became "[You're My] Dream Come True"
Martha & The Vandellas' "Heat Wave" became "[Love Is Like A] Heat Wave"
The Supremes' "Always In My Heart" became "You're Gone [But Always In My Heart]"

Any other example of this in the Motown catalog?

[reese]

The Supremes' A BREATH TAKING GUY was originally released as A BREATH TAKING, FIRST SIGHT SOUL SHAKING, ONE NIGHT LOVE MAKING, NEXT DAY HEARTBREAKING GUY.

Later, on the Natural Resources reissue of the WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO album, it was retitled A BREATHTAKING GUY.

[kenneth]

Not quite the same thing but “Only Your Love Can Save Me” [[Marvelettes) was essentially the same song as “This Poor Heart of Mine” [[Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell) only with the latter title just added where previously the first title was simply repeated.

[Motown Eddie]

The Supremes' A BREATH TAKING GUY was originally released as A BREATH TAKING, FIRST SIGHT SOUL SHAKING, ONE NIGHT LOVE MAKING, NEXT DAY HEARTBREAKING GUY.

Later, on the Natural Resources reissue of the WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO album, it was retitled A BREATHTAKING GUY.

Good one reese! In fact, the single was retitled "A Breath Taking Guy" shortly after it's release in June 1963 [with only rare early copies of the single sporting the original title].

[splanky]

Marvin Gaye's Flyin' In The Friendly Sky was altered to Sad Tommorows on the B side
45 I guess to reflect the change in tempo and additional closing lyrics...

[Sotosound]

Marvin Gaye's Flyin' In The Friendly Sky was altered to Sad Tommorows on the B side
45 I guess to reflect the change in tempo and additional closing lyrics...
'Twas the other way around.

'Sad Tomorrows' was an early version of what eventually became "Flying High [[In The Friendly Sky)".

When the WGO single was released, everything else was just a twinkle in Marvin's eye.

[Sotosound]

"I Don't Know Why" by Stevie Wonder from his For Once In My Life album was retitled "Don't Know Why I Love You" for single release, plus it was given a killer mono mix. :)

[splanky]

'Twas the other way around.

'Sad Tomorrows' was an early version of what eventually became "Flying High [[In The Friendly Sky)".

When the WGO single was released, everything else was just a twinkle in Marvin's eye.

Guess I was misinformed...Being that it's you, Soto, tell ,me how Marvin's Please Stay [[once you go away) came to receive that awkward title or do I go on believing it was just
Marvin trying to be sarcastic?...

[mysterysinger]

Chris Clark's "Love's Gone Mad" was a typo.

On a UK cassette, Marvin's "One More Heartache" became "One More Headache".

[psychedelic jacques]

Some copies of The Miracles 'everybody's gotta pay some dues' 45 were released as 'you gotta pay some dues'.

But my current favourite [[I only came across this the other day on ebay) is another typo. The covers on the French EP pressing of the 4 Tops classic list it as '7 rooms of bloom' [[Levi running amok in a florists, perhaps).

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403246353309?hash=item5de35b0b9d:g:MJsAAOSwtfthcaD J

[marybrewster]

The B side of the Supremes UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF is usually credited as BILL, WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK, but some pressings have it printed as BILL, WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOME.

[lockhartgary]

Marvin Gaye's Flyin' In The Friendly Sky was altered to Sad Tommorows on the B side
45 I guess to reflect the change in tempo and additional closing lyrics...


Question: Might the title change have been due to a perceived drug reference?

[splanky]

Question: Might the title change have been due to a perceived drug reference?

Sad Tomorrows is directly the most poignant and explicit I'd ever heard Marvin or anyone
write about drug addiction and severe depression up until that release. " Take me away,
Lord, Take me away...." It wouldn't be until I made a serious study of the blues that I'd
encounter lyrics so dark. Stretched out and pasted on what, a demo? Dang! And slapped
on the b side of a tune that sold everywhere. Too much irony...

[Sotosound]

Question: Might the title change have been due to a perceived drug reference?
Probably not since "Sad Tomorrows" came first.

[Motown Eddie]

"I Don't Know Why" by Stevie Wonder from his For Once In My Life album was retitled "Don't Know Why I Love You" for single release, plus it was given a killer mono mix. :)

Yes indeed! For me, the real 'killer' is hearing the promo version of "Don't Know Why I Love You" The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 9]. It's got a different vocal take from Stevie with some very interesting lyrics towards the end of the song.

[lockhartgary]

Probably not since "Sad Tomorrows" came first.


Sorry, I didn't see the post above where you mentioned that.

[Sotosound]

Sorry, I didn't see the post above where you mentioned that.
No worries.

[theboyfromxtown]

Brenda Holloway - Think It Over [[Before You Break My Heart) is more famously known as "Reconsider"

[TomatoTom123]

When Henry Cosby and Sylvia Moy wrote "Think It Over", they really should have… reconsidered… the song title… :p

[grapevine]

...I expect a few heads rolled with this one...! ...see song-writer credits...!!

https://www.discogs.com/release/8425048-Chris-Clark-I-Want-To-Go-Back-There-Again-I-Love-You

Grape :)

[Philles/Motown Gary]

...I expect a few heads rolled with this one...! ...see song-writer credits...!!

https://www.discogs.com/release/8425048-Chris-Clark-I-Want-To-Go-Back-There-Again-I-Love-You

Grape :)

Grape, it's awfully blurry for these old eyes, but does that songwriter's credit say Betty Gordy, Jr?

[Philles/Motown Gary]

For the purpose of gender, The Supremes' "Ask Any Girl" was changed to "Ask Any Man" for Motown artist Tony Martin's 45 -- Motown 1088.

[ivyfield]

And OK, it's only one letter, but The Supremes' STONE LOVE. That's clearly what Jean sings on the million seller - no d. Put down to mis-cataloguing by whoever prepared it for release, I read somewhere in one of the many books about Motown. I did ask Jean many years ago when I was on the road with Jean, Scherrie & Lynda but she couldn't remember what was on the original lyric sheet at the session. We were in a restaurant in London after they'd appeared at the Royal Albert Hall - Princess Diana Memorial concert - and we all drank a lot of wine that night I seem to recall. Great memories...

[Motown Eddie]

Grape, it's awfully blurry for these old eyes, but does that songwriter's credit say Betty Gordy, Jr?

Nope: I just looked this up on Discogs and the songwriters credit for "I Want To Go There Again" says Berry Gory, Jr. [which is why it's listed as a misprint].