Marvelettes [[Wanda) Studio Session!

[stephanie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d_ktY6Q67c

At first I thought this was a fake but the voice is Wandas but it sounds like it might be an Ian Levine session if you listen closely it sounds like the older Wanda. I looked at the guys profile and he is from the UK so he probably has sources I wish we had more of this stuff.
Stephanie

[kenneth]

Very interesting. I love hearing the music only track...such a delicate, intricate arrangement. You hear things you never notice when the vocal is present. Definitely sounds like an older Wanda in the studio chatter, as Stephanie points out.

[captainjames]

Sounds a bit older to me but still it is very bizarre as I hear Wanda say , "Tell me where you want me to start."

[nabob]

At first I thought this was a fake but the voice is Wandas but it sounds like it might be an Ian Levine session if you listen closely it sounds like the older Wanda.
Very interesting. I love hearing the music only track...such a delicate, intricate arrangement. You hear things you never notice when the vocal is present.Correct me if needed, but isn't this track from Disc Two of the Funk Borthers' Standing In the Shadows? This release was long after Ian Levine's attempt at a Motown revival.

[copley]

It's a mash-up. The Funks original & out-takes from Levine's sessions.

[kenneth]

It's a mash-up. The Funks original & out-takes from Levine's sessions.

Bizarre! Someone obviously has too much time on their hands!

I'll have to get that Funk Brothers CD...beautiful instrumentals from the samples I downloaded which stand on their own [[sans vocals).

[theboyfromxtown]

Kenneth

Didn't SITSOM also include instrumentals that did not make the Karaoke cd's. I prefer those instumentals.

Also Cellarful of Motown contains some instrumentals albeit not necessarily the band tracks

[kenneth]

After reading Copley's comment, I noticed there's a "Deluxe Editions" of SITSOM with 2 Discs. Not sure what's on the Karaoke CDs actually. But I sampled "Hunter" and "Itching in My Heart," and I was amazed how great they sounded remixed as instrumentals. Really fun to listen to in this way. I'm late to the game, I guess! I saw the documentary but hadn't heard the music; as I recall most of the documentary was interviews and then some current singers doing the songs which didn't appeal to me much.

[luke]

So did Wanda re-release Hunter with Ian?

[kenneth]

So did Wanda re-release Hunter with Ian?

I don't think so. She recut a few of the classic tracks such as "Don't Mess With Bill," a version of which you can find on YouTube. Her voice had aged but it was obviously still Wanda, but in some of the "falsetto" parts, Levine said he had to dub in someone else because she couldn't quite hit the high notes. On some other material, such as "Holding On With Both Hands," there's a definite attempt to recreate the old lustre of such songs as "Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead."

As I said, Wanda's voice was still fair [[and Gladys' was still outstanding, hardly changed at all), though the Levine original material is so pedestrian it's really tough to listen to, even to a hard core fan such as myself.

[luke]

So who is on this? Im quite confused! I thought Wanda sounded just great on the Ian/Mess iwth Bill video regardless of all the editing.

[reese]

So did Wanda re-release Hunter with Ian?

I vaguely recall seeing a Ian Levine Motorcity collection with THE HUNTER... on it, but I didn't buy it. I haven't seen this track on any subsequent releases, so I'm not sure.

[kenneth]

So who is on this? Im quite confused! I thought Wanda sounded just great on the Ian/Mess iwth Bill video regardless of all the editing.

As someone else noted above, it's a "mash-up." Even if there's a newer recording of "Hunter" with Wanda doing the vocals, Levine wouldn't have had the rights to record her using the original Funk Brothers/Motown arrangement. I suppose it's possible that this was his way of "demo-ing" the newer recording for her, if there was one, but it could also just be someone laid her studio chatter on top of the old track. Maybe someone knows the true story. I can't figure it out.

[1382hitsville]

In another thread there was a live performance from the MotorCity time. And about the SITSOM deluxe CD, I've edited Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart as my mobile ringtone. Fun! I Made it start with Diana's "Oooh"....When I'm in the train and someone calls me, it turns heads and people are smiling.

[phil]

it could also just be someone laid her studio chatter on top of the old track.

I think the same, Kenneth.

[longtimefan]

The Marvelettes [[with Wanda) definitely re-recorded THE HUNTER GETS CAPTURED BY THE GAME at Motorcity with Ian Levine. I have had it on a Motorcity compilation CD for years. For you fellow fans, I just checked ... it is available on iTunes [[the 3:55 version on a Motorcity CD called SUN, SEA AND SOUL.).

I don't know anything about a mash-up, but the re-recorded track does exist! :-)

[kenneth]

The Marvelettes [[with Wanda) definitely re-recorded THE HUNTER GETS CAPTURED BY THE GAME at Motorcity with Ian Levine. I have had it on a Motorcity compilation CD for years. For you fellow fans, I just checked ... it is available on iTunes [[the 3:55 version on a Motorcity CD called SUN, SEA AND SOUL.).

I don't know anything about a mash-up, but the re-recorded track does exist! :-)

Ah, yes you are correct. I sampled it from Amazon. It surely is Wanda, sounding rather tired on the brief cliip I heard, sadly. But it's the same old drum machine-cheesy background accompanying her, naturally not the arrangement in the mash-up which is the original instrumental backing track [[or one pretty close to it!).

Thanks for the info. I have 2 Marvelettes' CDs on the Motor City label, but this track is not on either.

[copley]

I should have explained what I meant by 'mash-up'. It's actually from the Levine sessions. The original version backing track was used as a guide for Wanda to practice with before she recorded Levine's version. I have several takes incl one with the dire Levine track.

[stopinthenameoflove]

I just found the whole thing a bit sad, the lady clearly was not at her best as we know and I found it difficult to listen to

[kenneth]

Copley, I appreciate your providing the sample [[and clarifying what it actually was). I admired what Levine tried to do, and at least he got Wanda back into the studio, which no one before or since was able to do. It's too bad the material wasn't higher caliber. Overall, I think they just overreached; they tried to record too much with too many participants, and had a scarcity of good material to work from as well as those clunky synthesized backgrounds.

[marv2]

I love that! Sounds so gooood! Thanks for finding it Stephanie.

[lester]

Wanda Rogers re-recorded Hunter for Levine. I was present in the studio at the time of the recording which was made at Sylvia Moy's recording studio in her home in Detroit. The studio engineer put in a cassette and recorded the complete session for me.
So the track that is posted on You Tube is a mashup of sections from the Levine Motorcity re-recording [[which with the aid of modern music technology software) I have been able to layer over the Funk Brothers instrumental track.

All good stuff ehhhhh?????? I'm glad you like it.

[theboyfromxtown]

Lester

How wonderful to be at the session. I'm in total envy!

How did it go? Ian has gone on record saying how hard he tried to re-capture Wanda and I was really impressed with "Holding On With Both Hands".

[kenneth]

Found a couple articles from the Detroit Free Press which include a press announcement of the original Motor City sessions in Detroit. In fact, Wanda is in the front row on the photo standing next to Raynoma [[formerly Gordy) and looks pretty good here!

I always thought, that after "Dream Girl," Raynoma Gordy's book was one of the best about the early Motown days with lots of great details regarding how Motown get started. She also covers the later Levine period and describes the Wanda recording sessions with sensitivity and insight.

http://www.soulbot.com/MotorCity-Records.htm

[lester]

It was in the August. I was the only British Motown fan who attended the live concerts at the hotel Pontachatrain. They were great concerts with live performances by The Monitors, The Supremes, Kim Weston, The Contours, Bettye Lavette, Caroline Crawford, Francis Nero, The Valadiers, Frankie Gaye, The Velvelettes, Marv Johnson, and others.
Whilst I was there I had breakfast with The Supremes, watched the Supremes rehearsals, went to the TV Studio in the car of one of The Velvelettes, had a afternoon tea with Maxine Powell, bumped into Jr Walker in The Motown Museum, travelled in a big black limo with Kim Weston and Frankie Gaye, went to a meeting with Martha Reeves and her Lawyer, had Kentucky fried chicken the the Elgins, and also spent a lot of time just hanging around in the recording studio.
I love Motown and Motorcity and have collected lots of memories over the years, just like most others that are on these message boards

[supremesouluk2]

Ian Levine recorded quite a bit of work with The Marvelettes during the years of Motorcity. Gladys Horton wrote some of the songs too. Although I am not certain, I do recall reading somewhere that Gladys and Wanda didn't actually recorded together and even used different sets of backing vocalists for their sessions. On the NOW album, the group is credited as Gladys, Wanda, Jackie Hollerman and Regina Hollerman. Other names credited on compilation albums include Echo Johnson and Jean MClean. I also think I can hear Pat Lewis on background on some tracks!

I am sure I have forgotten some of the songs [[although I have them at home).

ORIGIONAL SONGS:
Gettingt Into Motion
Holding On With Both Hands
He Used To Be A Playboy
Secret Love Affair
Hey, What's Your Name
Just In The Nick Of Time
Make It Right
Ride The Storm
Universal Love
Time Has A New Meaning
Right Away
Wheel Of Fortune
Bad, Bad Case Of Nerves
Pushing Too Hard
All Things Abide
We're Gonna Stay In Love
A Special Feeling

COVER VERSIONS:
When You're Young And In Love
Beachwood 45789
My Baby Must Be A Magician
Too Many Fish In The Sea
You're My Remedy
Don't Mess With Bill

[theboyfromxtown]

It was in the August. I was the only British Motown fan who attended the live concerts at the hotel Pontachatrain. They were great concerts with live performances by The Monitors, The Supremes, Kim Weston, The Contours, Bettye Lavette, Caroline Crawford, Francis Nero, The Valadiers, Frankie Gaye, The Velvelettes, Marv Johnson, and others.
Whilst I was there I had breakfast with The Supremes, watched the Supremes rehearsals, went to the TV Studio in the car of one of The Velvelettes, had a afternoon tea with Maxine Powell, bumped into Jr Walker in The Motown Museum, travelled in a big black limo with Kim Weston and Frankie Gaye, went to a meeting with Martha Reeves and her Lawyer, had Kentucky fried chicken the the Elgins, and also spent a lot of time just hanging around in the recording studio.
I love Motown and Motorcity and have collected lots of memories over the years, just like most others that are on these message boards

All in a day's work eh! How wonderful.

That chat with Maxine Powell was likely an event in itself!