The Darnells/Return of the Marvelettes

[floyjoy678]

With all this hype about the Marvelettes new album compliation I've been listening to them and got me thinking about a couple things. Say "Too Hurt to Cry" ended up being a smash hit, what would have Motown done? Send a random group of girls out on the road to pretend to be the Darnells? And then it's been said that by the time that The Return of the Marvelettes was released that the Marvelettes were disbanded, so say that album and the singles became a big hit who would have been the Marvelettes? Do you think Katherine and Ann would've came back to the group or would have Motown got two new girls to be with Wanda?

[motony]

When I was visiting family in Montgomery, Al. in 1963 I swear I saw the 45 of "Too Hurt To Cry"in a photo case and the pix was of 2 girls & 2 guys as the Darnells but when I bought the 45 in Fla. there was no pix case...the record sure was not played on the radio down South that I ever heard not on Pop or R & B stations and I sure don't think it compares to the Marvelettes releases of 1963. If "Return had a single that was a hit yea, I think Kat & Ann woulda been there as Wanda was the problem with LIVE performances towards the end of the Marvelettes.

[randy_russi]

Originally Smokey worked on the Return lp material as a solo project for Wanda. They called Kat to come to a photo
session for the lp, but she refused since they didn't ask her to be a part of the recording. I think I heard once that
the two girls on either side of Wanda with their faces blurred were from Undisputed Truth. I also heard Wanda
is eight months pregnant during the photo shoot.

[kenneth]

Originally Smokey worked on the Return lp material as a solo project for Wanda. They called Kat to come to a photo
session for the lp, but she refused since they didn't ask her to be a part of the recording. I think I heard once that
the two girls on either side of Wanda with their faces blurred were from Undisputed Truth. I also heard Wanda
is eight months pregnant during the photo shoot.

I think that the part about her being pregnant was true, because I think the album came in the Fall 1970 release schedule, just before the "Season for Miracles" Christmas LP in which Wanda is pictured, looking gorgeous, next to her husband, holding their new born baby.

In the liner notes for "Marvelettes Deliver the Singles", Smokey Robinson says that he didn't know who the women were. Of course, Smokey always seems to spin things in the most favorable light to the company, so maybe he wouldn't want to admit they were from Undisputed Truth.