Motown blunders

[captainjames]

I thought this might be fun to see if we can come up with all the Motown blunders or mistakes that were made on 45 or album covers.

I can think of two right off the top of my head

Meet the Supremes listed "The Boy That Got Away" on the album song list but it never appeared on the album nor was it corrected.


The Marvelettes album misspelled album “Marvellets" [[I can't believe I still have this album).

[sup_fan]

i don't know if this is a blunder but it's certainly inconsistent. the whole "diane" vs "diana" thing on the liner notes of their early lps. sometimes she's one while sometimes the other

when they re-released Meet the Supremes with the new cover art, Flo and Mary are reversed, in terms of positions. on the original mary is on the left stool. in the re-issue, flo is pictured on the left. but motown only redid the front cover, not the back and liner notes. so on the re-issue you have mary and flo mis-identified

i've read that A Go Go was originally either planned or maybe some first runs with green type. then changed to blue.

[johnjeb]

My all-time favorite is of The Marvelettes' single "Too Many Fish In The Sea". Some copies had the misspelling of TWO in the song title. My copy is a Tamla 54105 globe label.

Another oversight would be of the original never-issued Reflections album cover, containing three pictures of Flo, which was pictured on 45 sleeves that advertised the current Motown albums.

[useyourchucklemuscle]

My favourite Motown blunders are all the records released as 'The Supremes' when they are really Diana Ross solo records with backpart vocals sung by any combination of Louvain Demps, Jackie Hicks , Marlene Barrow, Pat Lewis, Patrice Holloway, Telma Hopkins, Joyce Vincent, Pam Vincent, Diane Lewis, Julia Waters and Maxine Waters or Jean Terrell solo records with backpart vocals from Clydie King, Venetta Fields and Sherlie Matthews!!!
What a kerfufle!

[topdiva1]

My all-time favorite is of The Marvelettes' single "Too Many Fish In The Sea". Some copies had the misspelling of TWO in the song title. My copy is a Tamla 54105 globe label.

Another oversight would be of the original never-issued Reflections album cover, containing three pictures of Flo, which was pictured on 45 sleeves that advertised the current Motown albums.


Do you think that The Reflections real cover was and oversight? Most likely not - it shows that they had not planned the firing of Flo Ballard at that time - when things came to a head and Flo was out - I think that scrambled to redo the REFLECTIONS album cover on the cheap - by the old ""cut and paste" trick -

[MotownSteve]

I'm not sure about this one but in the song 'Cindy' by the Temptations David sings 'Mix takes are made to sometimes make'.

[sup_fan]

i haven't seen one of the "flo" reflections covers except on those 45 promo sleeves. and apparently there are some first pressings with the new cover just pasted over the old one. but it was the single that was released right at the time of flo's departure. the lp didn't come out until early 68, long after Flo was gone. never understood why they approached the lp cover graphics this way. seems odd - clearly by early 68 flo was GONE!!

[luke]

Can anyone post the original cover?

[bradsupremes]

My favourite Motown blunders are all the records released as 'The Supremes' when they are really Diana Ross solo records with backpart vocals sung by any combination of Louvain Demps, Jackie Hicks , Marlene Barrow, Pat Lewis, Patrice Holloway, Telma Hopkins, Joyce Vincent, Pam Vincent, Diane Lewis, Julia Waters and Maxine Waters or Jean Terrell solo records with backpart vocals from Clydie King, Venetta Fields and Sherlie Matthews!!!
What a kerfufle!

This applies more to those records released as "The Marvelettes," "The Vandellas," and "The Velvelettes."

[copley]

Do you mean this one? This is on the cover of the album & CD that I have.

1476

1475

[useyourchucklemuscle]

This applies more to those records released as "The Marvelettes," "The Vandellas," and "The Velvelettes."


I think this should read 'this applies as much to.........'!

[copley]

I thought this might be fun to see if we can come up with all the Motown blunders or mistakes that were made on 45 or album covers.

I can think of two right off the top of my head

Meet the Supremes listed "The Boy That Got Away" on the album song list but it never appeared on the album nor was it corrected.


The Marvelettes album misspelled album “Marvellets" [[I can't believe I still have this album).
I think that you are actually referring to 'The Marveletts Sing'.

1478

[johnjeb]

My comment regarding the Reflections LP cover is that the oversight was in using the original LP graphic on the 45 sleeves rather than the graphic of the actual release. Either someone didn't notice or someone didn't care or it was too late to make changes. They didn't realize that an obsessed fan with a magnifying glass and nothing better to do would notice. [[I probably was avoiding getting something of importance accomplished.)

But then on further reflection [[pun intended) maybe someone was giving fans a little treat by using that graphic hoping it would get noticed!

[Glenpwood]

Can someone scan in the Flo Reflections cover from the 45 sleeve so we can see the difference?

[reese]

On the back of the LOVE CHILD album, the songs YOU AIN'T LIVIN' TILL YOU'RE LOVIN' and CHAINS OF LOVE are listed out of order.

On the record label of TOGETHER [[Supremes/Tempts), sides 1 and 2 are reversed from what appears on the album cover.

[marybrewster]

One blunder I can think of: isn't the correct "I'll Be There" lyric: "Just look over your shoulder, honey", but Michael says 'shoulders'?

And I don't know if this is so much a "blunder" but: My "Love Child" LP has two "Side 1" labels. It's always a challenge to get the correct side when playing it, LOL.

[nomis]

My 25th anniversary cd vol 2 has incorrect listings of the coca cola commercials...

[Glenpwood]

The copy of the "Diana" LP I bought as a kid has one side labeled as that album and the other labeled as a Grover Washington Jr. Disc....

[captainjames]

Reese and Glenpwood I think you have rare copies I have never heard of those before.

[nomis]

Theres PLENTY of foreign picture cover singles using Flo photos after she had left....

[road runner]

The liner notes on "Moods of Marvin Gaye" mention "Pretty Little Baby" but that song is not on the album. "The Marvelettes" EP lists "Keep Off, No Tresspassing" on the cover and label but "When I Need You" is on the record.

[captainjames]

There are two back covers for "At The Copa" by the Supremes [[one has a drawing of the girls and one doesn't). Does anyone know why that was done and which one came first ?

[jsmith]

Back to Flo & the Supremes ........
.. here's a 1968 picture cover to a 45 released to tie in with some
Swedish concerts undertaken in Feb 68 ....
1487

[marybrewster]

There are two back covers for "At The Copa" by the Supremes [[one has a drawing of the girls and one doesn't). Does anyone know why that was done and which one came first ?

Good question; I happen to have both copies.

[captainjames]

Marybrewster you lucky person, I would hold on to those two copies you may be sitting on a goldmine.

[marv2]

On the label for the 12" version of Mary Wilson's "Red Hot" it states that it is from the Motown album "Mary Martin". LOL!!!!

[tomato tom]

I have quite a few U.K. TMG 45s that have the B side label pressed on both sides of the single. Also have Edwin Starr Hell Up In Harlem Soundrack LP on MOTOWN u.s. that has has the b side label pressed on both sides of the vinyl. Got Jr Walker & The All Stars Shotgun 45 on SOUL that has distributed by Bell Record etc blacked out on the bottom and has the group name and song title reversed. I have others too, I cant recall right now.Paulo XXX

[topdiva1]

Marybrewster you lucky person, I would hold on to those two copies you may be sitting on a goldmine.


These are not that rare - I have seen both of them many times in thrift stores, etc.

[nabob]

Florence had been long gone and never sang with the 70s Supremes when this budget CD appeared in 1995.

[nomis]

Didnt the Evening With Diana Ross cd list a song in the Motown medley that she didnt sing?

[reese]

There are two back covers for "At The Copa" by the Supremes [[one has a drawing of the girls and one doesn't). Does anyone know why that was done and which one came first ?

I don't know for sure. I assume the back cover with just the liner notes came out first. Then after the album became such a big hit, they decided to reissue it with the rear drawing of the girls.

Another mistake / blunder: on the back of the REFLECTIONS album, Diana writes that she is 22, when she was actually 24.

Big blunder: on initial pressings of the FOREVER DIANA boxed set, the song SURRENDER is listed. But on the disc itself, the song I CAN'T GIVE BACK THE LOVE I FEEL FOR YOU is its place.

[reese]

Didnt the Evening With Diana Ross cd list a song in the Motown medley that she didnt sing?

Not on the pressing that I have. But one of the songs from A CHORUS LINE was called IMPROVISATIONS on the album, but was re-titled I HOPE I GET IT on the cd.

[Glenpwood]

Florence had been long gone and never sang with the 70s Supremes when this budget CD appeared in 1995.

The same executive that told George Solomon that no one would know the difference when he pointed out they were going to put a picture of DRATS and the Temps on the cover of the Supremes / Four Tops GHARC must have approved that cover....

[johnjeb]

The original Copa release had the graphic of the girls with the spotlight on the back. I received this album [[actually two of them!) for Christmas 1965, a month after its' release. I've always loved this graphic.

The back cover without the graphic of the girls came later. Probably done to enlarge the notes from Sammy Davis Jr. to a more readable font. This gave the back cover a rather plain and boring appearance.

Of course I prefer the original. I would love it on a t-shirt. I wonder if it was done by someone in the Motown art department. There does not appear to be an artist signature.

Copa, More Hits and Merry Christmas, all from 1965, had the best back covers, in my opinion.

[captainjames]

All The Great Hits by Diana Ross was released [[and I don't believe that many went out in the inital pressing) had the short version of "Ani't No Mountain High Enough" and was re-released with the full version.

[longtimefan]

I am interested in the picture of the LP posted above. The colors are SO vibrant. I have the album, too, and the colors are dull like the CD. Was this album reprinted with "brighter" colors at some point?

[sup_fan]

i thought the 2 back covers for Copa and the 2 back covers for Sing Rodgers & Hart was stereo vs mono.

[bradsupremes]

Wasn't the song 'This Night Was Made For Love' listed as 'Tonight Was Made For Love' on the Marvelettes pink album?

[nomis]

That goddamn awful Supremes medley on All The Great Hits vinyl and original cd pressing was a blunder if ever there was one...

[144man]

Not to do with 45s or album covers, but the biggest blunder Motown ever made was moving out of Detroit :[[

[captainjames]

One or several of the biggest blunders that I think Motown made was releasing all those recordings under The Marvelettes, Diana Ross and The Supremes, etc. names when they could have used it as vehicle for solo recordings and kept the star within the group. I think the public would have embraced it more if they used it as "we" are not leaving the group "yet" but just testing the waters. Motown could have still kept their two for one artists and the public may have accepted it better.

[marybrewster]

That goddamn awful Supremes medley on All The Great Hits vinyl and original cd pressing was a blunder if ever there was one...

Along those lines, I also think including the 4.5 hour "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In" medley on the DRATS "Farewell" album was a big a** blunder. And Diana asking Steve Allen to sing along? Oye.

[sup_fan]

I think on an older thread [[perhaps on the old forum) Deke talked about the recordings for Farewell. it really was a compilation of the last shows, with bits and pieces combined or deleted as necessary. I believe the story goes that Aquarius ran even LONGER than what we got on the lp. all sorts of people asked to sing along, people jumping up out of their chairs and just singing for the hell of it. like a gospel tent revival

clearly that probably plays better in person than on lp. one could actually argue that most of the live lps are inferior to what you'd experience if you happened to what that exact same show live. look at Diana's hiccups during TCB - horrid on lp but live you have so many more dimensions than just audio

Randy brought up an interesting point in his latest Diana book. The Aquarius segment wasn't important because of the celebs singing or the fact that it droned on forever or for the fact that they were covering a major pop song of the era. the importance of it was that it really was the birth of Diana Ross the solo star. it was during the Farewell tour that they first did this component of the act where she left the confines of the stage and interacted directly with her audience - her "children" and "loves" so to speak. Now anyone can certainly take a hand mic and walk off a stage and sing. Jean probably could have done that. But Jean couldn't have had that magic of star and adoring public. I doubt neither could Mary. nor cindy. that's one of diana's unique appeals. this dazzling mega star yet she's just as in love with her audience as they are with her. All of the thrill of Reach Out And Touch and those segments of her solo career started with this segment in the Farewell tour

[tomato tom]

On the U.K. LP Motown disco classics Volume 5, The Velvelettes track He Was Really Sayin Something is actually The Marvelettes version,,,,Paulo XXX

[marybrewster]

I think on an older thread [[perhaps on the old forum) Deke talked about the recordings for Farewell. it really was a compilation of the last shows, with bits and pieces combined or deleted as necessary. I believe the story goes that Aquarius ran even LONGER than what we got on the lp. all sorts of people asked to sing along, people jumping up out of their chairs and just singing for the hell of it. like a gospel tent revival

clearly that probably plays better in person than on lp. one could actually argue that most of the live lps are inferior to what you'd experience if you happened to what that exact same show live. look at Diana's hiccups during TCB - horrid on lp but live you have so many more dimensions than just audio

Randy brought up an interesting point in his latest Diana book. The Aquarius segment wasn't important because of the celebs singing or the fact that it droned on forever or for the fact that they were covering a major pop song of the era. the importance of it was that it really was the birth of Diana Ross the solo star. it was during the Farewell tour that they first did this component of the act where she left the confines of the stage and interacted directly with her audience - her "children" and "loves" so to speak. Now anyone can certainly take a hand mic and walk off a stage and sing. Jean probably could have done that. But Jean couldn't have had that magic of star and adoring public. I doubt neither could Mary. nor cindy. that's one of diana's unique appeals. this dazzling mega star yet she's just as in love with her audience as they are with her. All of the thrill of Reach Out And Touch and those segments of her solo career started with this segment in the Farewell tour

Mary couldn't 'cause her mic cord wasn't long enough. ;)

To read your post, it actually makes perfect sense.

Now I don't recall, was "Farewell" released before "Diana Ross" or "Right On"?

[reese]

I think FAREWELL was issued in April of 1970, followed by RIGHT ON in May. Not sure when Diana's first solo album was released, but I think it was after both of them.

[danman869]

Back to Flo & the Supremes ........
.. here's a 1968 picture cover to a 45 released to tie in with some
Swedish concerts undertaken in Feb 68 ....
1487

Not sure what your intention was with sharing this one... it's a picture sleeve dating to [[February) 1968 and shows [[l. to r.) Mary, Diana, and Cindy. This wasn't a blunder of accidentally using a picture of Flo after her departure.

[johnjeb]

I tried to post a pic of the small Reflections LP cover as it appeared on the 45 sleeve advertisements. However it blew up to the size of a 45 sleeve. It was blurry but you could still recognize the three pics of Flo. Maybe I'll try again next week. Off to Cape Cod tonight.

I saw the Farewell tour concerts 4 times over a two month period in the fall of 1969, in college concert halls and a theater in-the-round. Audiences loved Mary and Cindy. They would go into the audience and flirt while singing Big Spender! Mary's solo was also well received. Most of my teenage friends preferred Mary over Diana. Diana, indeed, was the brighter star and groomed to be such, but Mary shined in her role and was highly regarded by teenage Supremes fans.

As I've mentioned before, the comparison of the two is similar to the one over Ginger and Marianne from Gilligan's Island. Do you prefer the movie-star or the girl-next-door?

[topdiva1]

I tried to post a pic of the small Reflections LP cover as it appeared on the 45 sleeve advertisements. However it blew up to the size of a 45 sleeve. It was blurry but you could still recognize the three pics of Flo. Maybe I'll try again next week. Off to Cape Cod tonight.

I saw the Farewell tour concerts 4 times over a two month period in the fall of 1969, in college concert halls and a theater in-the-round. Audiences loved Mary and Cindy. They would go into the audience and flirt while singing Big Spender! Mary's solo was also well received. Most of my teenage friends preferred Mary over Diana. Diana, indeed, was the brighter star and groomed to be such, but Mary shined in her role and was highly regarded by teenage Supremes fans.

As I've mentioned before, the comparison of the two is similar to the one over Ginger and Marianne from Gilligan's Island. Do you prefer the movie-star or the girl-next-door?


Great post - and I like both the movie star and the girl next door - both great, both different, sensational together - and that is the real shame. of present day Diana Ross and Mary Wilson - they just do not get it yet.

[jillfoster]

I saw the Farewell tour concerts 4 times over a two month period in the fall of 1969, in college concert halls and a theater in-the-round. Audiences loved Mary and Cindy. They would go into the audience and flirt while singing Big Spender! Mary's solo was also well received. Most of my teenage friends preferred Mary over Diana. Diana, indeed, was the brighter star and groomed to be such, but Mary shined in her role and was highly regarded by teenage Supremes fans.



It basically breaks down to gay guys and drag queen liking diana better, and the striaght men liking Mary better because she was the prettiest one. Mary was also sensual, where Diana was not.

[topdiva1]

It basically breaks down to gay guys and drag queen liking diana better, and the striaght men liking Mary better because she was the prettiest one. Mary was also sensual, where Diana was not.

Mary Wilson still is the pretty and sexy one!!

[jonc]

Mary Wilson still is the pretty and sexy one!!

Tony, have you seen much of Mary since you and she reconciled a few years ago at the Plush Room in San Francisco?

[captainjames]

"A Breath Taking, First Sight Soul Shaking, One Night Love Making, Next Day Heat Breaking Guy" was shorten to "A Breath Taking Guy". I mean really what was Smokey thinking.

[1382hitsville]

When you play Undisputed Truth's "You Got The Love I Need" you can clearly hear someone saying "Is it taping?". And don't forget the released version of Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations "Why [[Must We Fall In Love)" with the distortion at the end. Later when the complete duets came out this disc contained the version without a distortion.

Why release a track with a distortion?

[nomis]

Plenty of straight blooded men found Diana attractive in her day...you cant put someone as popular as her with a label that only "Gays and drag queens" found her attractive thats ridiculous...plenty of heteros dug Dianas charms...

[captainjames]

Plenty of straight blooded men found Diana attractive in her day...you cant put someone as popular as her with a label that only "Gays and drag queens" found her attractive thats ridiculous...plenty of heteros dug Dianas charms...

Your right and I hate labels. If I remember correctly this during the days of Twiggy so Diana was considered very sexy during this time.

[mysterysinger]

A real blunder was letting Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons go, and letting them buy back the masters of December 63 [[Oh What a Night) and My Eyes Adored You. Could have been huge Motown hits - but they still got the revenue from the music as it was published by Jobete.

[mickeymac]

Here are two blunders

Berry Gordy failing to sign George Clinton and J.J. Barnes as artists.

[captainjames]

On the album Surrender, there is a song that Diana sings called "Didn't You Know You had to Cry Sometime". At the chorus you can hear Diana or someone on the song turn the music sheet to the next page.

[nomis]

Letting the Jacksons go to Epic was a major boo boo....

[captainjames]

Moving Motown to Woodward Avenue and then moving the company to California therefore losing a lot of good artists.

[marybrewster]

Another one is: IL VOCE DI SILENZIO [[SILENT VOICES) by The Supremes

About halfway through the song, there is an editing "error" [[?) and there is an extra, random "my" [[as in "My love") in there.

[tomato tom]

The Marvelettes Greatest Hits, which I have, has an orange cover. I have an Australian re-issue, which has a green cover. I remember reading somehere that the orange release was pulled shortly after release and issued again with a green cover. Any ideas?.. Paulo XXX

[kenneth]

When The Marvelettes Greatest Hits came out in '66, the Orange cover was the Mono version and the Green cover was the Stereo version. I always liked the Mono mixes better, especially on the Ivy Jo Hunter composed track "Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead" and Smokey Robinson's "You're My Remedy." More verve and drive, and "Remedy" has a little echo on Wanda's lead vocal in the Mono mix.

[jobeterob]

A big Universal Motown blunder of today was using "headless Supremes" for the "number 1's".

Use you chuckle muscle........in sort of a blunder you forgot to acknowledge that Florence, Mary and Cindy were also background vocalists on some of the Supremes songs.

[uptight]

At first I gave them the benefit of the doubt with the headless Supremes cover. It seemed to follow a trend with those Elvis or Beatles compilations that showed either a sketch of half their body or no faces at all on their cover art. These titles would all have the numeral 1 in their title. But the Supremes' CD confused most folks who could not make this connection between the different companies' compilations. Because it was Supremes tunes chopped, re-edited, expanded, re-mixed, I kind of understood the chopped image cover art. But overall it was just weird. Plus I still don't know whether that odd edit on "Reflections" that threw off its musical timing was corrected in later versions of Number 1's.

[roger]

Hello all ..

My sister's U.K. copy of the "This Old Heart of Mine" L.P. had the group's name mis-spelt as "THE ILSEY BROTHERS" on the label on the vinyl .. I think she still has it too.

And .. another U.K. "blunder" to my mind is the whole DETROIT SPINNERS/MOTOWN SPINNERS mix-up ...

When "Sweet Thing" by THE SPINNERS was first issued in the U.K. in 1965 it was credited to "THE SPINNERS", totally overlooking the fact that there was a very popular T.V. variety show on the BBC that featured a Liverpool based folk group who were called "THE SPINNERS" ..... so, no doubt after an exchange of lawyers letters, the name of the group on their releases was amended to "THE DETROIT SPINNERS" .. including their U.S. "Original Spinners" L.P. which was renamed "The Detroit Spinners" for the British market.

Then for about two years the group had no new releases in Britain, then when they recorded "Its A Shame", EMI/Tamla-Motown saw this as a potential U.K. hit and scheduled it for release .. but for some unkown reason they changed the name of the group to "THE MOTOWN SPINNERS", and they also released the "Second Time Around" L.P. under the name of "THE MOTOWN SPINNERS".

And the result .. a lot of people in Britain assumed that THE DETROIT SPINNERS and THE MOTOWN SPINNERS were two totally different groups. Hmmmm.

Roger

[rovereab]

On the album Surrender, there is a song that Diana sings called "Didn't You Know You had to Cry Sometime". At the chorus you can hear Diana or someone on the song turn the music sheet to the next page.

I thought that sounded like Diana opening a bag of crisps - perhaps she likes Salt & Vinegar :-)

[robbert]

Let's not turn this thread into the well known Diana/Mary thing, PLEASE!

We're talking about Motown blunders.
The stereo version of Stevie Wonder's WeCanWorkItOut [[1970) could not be played in mono. When you tried, all his [[own) backing vocals [[or response vocals, if you will) went inaudible. A typical case of a+b versus a+-b.

[luke]

I have always thought that on Up the Ladder to the Roof Jean starts to sing at one point and then stops--has anyone else ever thought this?

[Sotosound]

The stereo version of Stevie Wonder's WeCanWorkItOut [[1970) could not be played in mono. When you tried, all his [[own) backing vocals [[or response vocals, if you will) went inaudible. A typical case of a+b versus a+-b.


The cool thing about having out of phase backing vocals on that track is that when you listen in stereo, the backing vocalists seem to be behind you.

[1382hitsville]

Luke, yes, I can hear this as well in "up the ladder".

[luke]

Thanks hits---I always thought it was my ears alone! Why did Frank leave it in??

[arrr&bee]

The liner notes on[meet the temptations]refer to david as davis ruffin!

[psychedelic jacques]

I suppose this isn't really a blunder, but I was listening to the Supremes version of 'these boots are made for walking' today, and it sounded for all the world as though, in addition to the girls and the musicians in Studio A [[presumably), there is also a very noisy typist!

[jobeterob]

A huge Motown associated blunder [[the only time this ever happened) was the week that Touch Me in the Morning went to number 1 pop in Billboard, Billboard printed the wrong Top 100 chart.

The following week they printed a correction on the page opposite the Top 100 chart.

[topdiva1]

Letting the Jacksons go to Epic was a major boo boo....

I bet they kicked themselves hard for that one.

[tomato tom]

I Have The Marvelettes Greatest Hits LP with First Issue Orange cover. It was withdrawn and issued with Green cover.Why? Paulo xxxx

[topdiva1]

The brutal way in which they dropped Flo Ballard then limited her possibilities to earn money and fame on her own.

[Kamasu_Jr]

My eyes are raised to the sky....Again.

[theboyfromxtown]

I Have The Marvelettes Greatest Hits LP with First Issue Orange cover. It was withdrawn and issued with Green cover.Why? Paulo xxxx

Because orange didn't match with my curtains!

[detmotownguy]

You got that right Jillfoster.....Mary was considered hotstuff, when on TV, eyes were always on Mary!

[marv2]

The brutal way in which they dropped Flo Ballard then limited her possibilities to earn money and fame on her own.

Oh that was one of the absolute worst because it looks like they are still paying for it.......

[marv2]

You got that right Jillfoster.....Mary was considered hotstuff, when on TV, eyes were always on Mary!

We heard Diane, but Mary was one we were looking at...........ahhh sookie, sookie nah! hehehehehe!

[captainjames]

We heard Diane, but Mary was one we were looking at...........ahhh sookie, sookie nah! hehehehehe!

A lot of eyes were on Flo....you know the one with curves and had back ....

[Kamasu_Jr]

All eyes on Mary. HA! Florence definitely was more interesting visually.
And not when the Supremes were with Flip Wilson. They were amusing in a few skits, although I thought Mary was a little pretentious and trying too hard to be sexy and pull focus from Jean, Lynda AND Cindy. But Lynda Lawrence, as a french maid from the South of France , and Cindy Birdsong really had a natural knack for comedy and couldn't be upstaged. Motown should have invested more in developing Lynda and Cindy.

[uptight]

I just discovered my Stevie Wonder 45 is misspelled as "Boogie On Raggae Woman" instead of "Reggae."

[tomato tom]

Not sure it counts as a blunder, but I have the first pressing of THE MARVELETTES GREATEST HITS with an ORANGE cover.Subsequent pressings had a Green cover. Why?..Paulo xxxx

[tomato tom]

Sorry, I have asked this question too many times....

[theboyfromxtown]

How about..

Cos the US Government went "Green"!

[uptight]

They probably did it "because they can."

[theboyfromxtown]

Paulo

I am sorry to tease you...yet again!

Seriously, athough the stereo was supposedly the green cover.....I got my stereo copy in a green cover with a black "stereo" sticker on the front but I already had the same [[but stickerless) green cover with a mono copy! I dare say Motown used what is referred to as "economies of scale". I got the orange cover later....and I gotta say that it was much more striking than the green cover...easier to read too.

These kind of decisions are usually down to marketing trying to generate more sales.

[stephanie]

In "The Only Time Im Happy" on More Hits by the Supremes when Flo comes in and says 'Something happens to my heart' at the end. Either Mary was supposed to come in or Flo was not supposed to sing. That is what it sounds like to me.

[theboyfromxtown]

Stephanie

I used to think that Abdul Fakir had whisked Mary away before she could finish the song..and Flo was left alone!!

Only kidding!

[R. Mark Desjardins]

Getting back to the Diana Ross & The Supremes Reflections Album cover art, I listened to Midnight Johnny's conversation with George Soloman during his Nightflight radio program which is available on podcast at www.womr.org [[http://www.womr.org/)

George stated that he was aware of some copies of the Reflections album jacket being printed with photographs of Florence Ballard. He said that these record jackets were held back and new paper sleeve was glued on. As for the back cover, he recalled the photo of all three Supremes being replaced with a single photo of Diana Ross.

When Hip-O select gets around to releasing an expanded edition of Reflections, it would be wonderful to have a copy of both covers, if in fact this really did occur. If is is still possible for someone who owns the 45 sleeve with the intended Reflections cover, to still post it on this thread? Much appreciation!

[robb_k]

Here are two blunders

Berry Gordy failing to sign George Clinton and J.J. Barnes as artists.
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I thought that J.J. Barnes WAS signed to Motown as an artist. They just failed to give him A-level material, and failed to release any of his recordings.

Letting Mary Wells, Kim Weston, The Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight and The Pips, Carolyn Crawford get away. Not giving Marv Johnson better material. Not pushing The Monitors and Spinners. Not trying very hard to break into the Blues, Jazz and Gospel markets.

[Hotspurman]

4969
I thought that J.J. Barnes WAS signed to Motown as an artist. They just failed to give him A-level material, and failed to release any of his recordings.

Letting Mary Wells, Kim Weston, The Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight and The Pips, Carolyn Crawford get away. Not giving Marv Johnson better material. Not pushing The Monitors and Spinners. Not trying very hard to break into the Blues, Jazz and Gospel markets.

JJ Barnes did have one single released in the UK, Real Humdinger being issued in September 1973.

[ivyfield]

Problem is, we'll never actually know who did what - I asked Joyce and Pam recently - they certainly did do some backups but can't remember which songs. Remember session singers go from studio to studio and just do the 'booking'. Joyce told me she's on a lot of the Chairman of the Board recordings including 'I'm On My Way To A Better Place' & 'Everything's Tuesday'.

[BigAl]

When I purchased the Reflections album and looked at the back, I could see that it had been pasted over another back cover. The liner notes by Diane were clearly different. Instead of two columns it was a single column, with "Refections of the way life used to be..." at the top, and only printed once, in a substantially larger point size. I assumed that there must have been some mention of Flo in the original notes underneath so I painstakingly steamed off the overlying back cover and saw that the content of the notes was actually not different, with the exception of a couple of word-order reversals, so I can't imagine why Motown felt a need to change the configuration. I never saw that pasted-over back cover anywhere else, or ever agin.

[Ngroove]

The introduction of the Motown 25 special clearly said Rick James will be in show; rather than as a live-in person act; the show still had Rick all right; as a ten-twenty second video clip!!!!

[Ngroove]

4969
I thought that J.J. Barnes WAS signed to Motown as an artist. They just failed to give him A-level material, and failed to release any of his recordings.

Letting Mary Wells, Kim Weston, The Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight and The Pips, Carolyn Crawford get away. Not giving Marv Johnson better material. Not pushing The Monitors and Spinners. Not trying very hard to break into the Blues, Jazz and Gospel markets.

I'll add Fantastic Four and Chuck Jackson to your list under both categories, letting go and not given great material, especially considering both were established soul names before they joined in the first place.

[copley]

With Florence

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With Cindy

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[marybrewster]

copley-

That's a fantastic cover with Cindy! Thanks for sharing! :) Is that a "real" cover or a mock-up?

I didn't realize that famous photo session had taken place by the time this was released.....

[Ngroove]

The 1973 Gladys Knight & the Pips Anthology – I know, it’s probably room-wise, but representation-wise, the Pips should be just as important as Gladys – can’t have one without the other complimenting each other. But instead, the Pips are about a third of the size of her, or distanced pretty far away, from the back of her.

http://991.com/newgallery/Gladys-Knight--The-Pips-Anthology-523452.jpg

[motownjohnny]

"Friendship Train", released as the "B" side of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" by The Undisputed Truth [[Gordy 7117) is annotated on the single as being taken from the album "Face To Face With The Truth" G959L, yet it isn't included as a track on that album.

[kenneth]

"Friendship Train", released as the "B" side of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" by The Undisputed Truth [[Gordy 7117) is annotated on the single as being taken from the album "Face To Face With The Truth" G959L, yet it isn't included as a track on that album.

Actually, it is, as a medley combined with "Unite the World" [[which is more id'd by its African name that I can't spell). I just remember this album well because it was one I played constantly when it came out. Their best, IMHO.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_to_Face_With_the_Truth


[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_to_Face_With_the_Truth)

[copley]

copley-

That's a fantastic cover with Cindy! Thanks for sharing! :) Is that a "real" cover or a mock-up?

I didn't realize that famous photo session had taken place by the time this was released.....
Mary, it's for real. I found it a car boot sale years ago.

[kenneth]

Mary, it's for real. I found it a car boot sale years ago.

That's the cover I have as well, but honestly, I never realized Flo was on the cover. Is it Flo in the lower center photo? Is she in any others?

I don't think the front cover was ever altered in the U.S. At least I've never seen a different cover photo. Was there one?

[reese]

The 1973 Gladys Knight & the Pips Anthology – I know, it’s probably room-wise, but representation-wise, the Pips should be just as important as Gladys – can’t have one without the other complimenting each other. But instead, the Pips are about a third of the size of her, or distanced pretty far away, from the back of her.

http://991.com/newgallery/Gladys-Knight--The-Pips-Anthology-523452.jpg

I think all of the ANTHOLOGYs are this way when it came to groups who had a lead singer receiving separate billing. Except for Jr. Walker and the All Stars' set, where the All-Stars aren't shown at all.

[reese]

That's the cover I have as well, but honestly, I never realized Flo was on the cover. Is it Flo in the lower center photo? Is she in any others?

I don't think the front cover was ever altered in the U.S. At least I've never seen a different cover photo. Was there one?

Flo isn't on the cover of the REFLECTIONS album pictured here. There are some photos in the montage that originally included Flo, like those from the Orient, but she was cut out.

[kenneth]

Flo isn't on the cover of the REFLECTIONS album pictured here. There are some photos in the montage that originally included Flo, like those from the Orient, but she was cut out.

Okay, thanks for the clarification. I was hoping I had a collectors' item!

[copley]

I always thought that it was Flo in the little photo to the right of the girls on bikes!

[kenneth]

I always thought that it was Flo in the little photo to the right of the girls on bikes!

It really does look like her. I'll have to dig out my copy and get a closer look. I'm sure Reese is right. Motown wouldn't have let that cover stay out there so long if Flo was on it.

[ejluther]

Big pic of REFLECTIONS cover here - I'm quite sure that's Diana next to Mary in that pic in question. And Flo may be right behind Mary as she's driving the bike taxi but you can't see that's person's face:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WIonCW_WnXk/T5LxpUdoatI/AAAAAAAAAP4/3f2-wQ-R88U/s1600/dsupre-reflec_03.jpg

[copley]

Now that looks so much clearer, it is Flo. I always thought that it was :)

[jeff9nyc]

i've read that A Go Go was originally either planned or maybe some first runs with green type. then changed to blue.

It was. I have it with green [[and with blue). I think that was just a design change more than a blunder...kind of like the 2 different backs The Supremes Sing Rogers and Hart, and The Supremes at the Copa. I have to say, I like the green type much better!

[floyjoy678]

When the "Reflections" album was in it's early stages of promotion Flo was in a few of the pictures on the album cover. When the album was finally released it was all Diana, Mary and Cindy. I've seen the original "Reflections" album cover with Flo somewhere years ago, it may have been the Flo Ballard yahoo group.

[jeff9nyc]

Good question; I happen to have both copies.
I have both back covers of Supremes at the Copa too...though I hardly think we're sitting on a goldmine! I also have the Sam Cooke European cover with the shot that was used on There's a Place For Us. I'd love to have a copy of the other back cover of Rogers and Hart. I only have the one with their arms up.

[jeff9nyc]

I suppose this isn't really a blunder, but I was listening to the Supremes version of 'these boots are made for walking' today, and it sounded for all the world as though, in addition to the girls and the musicians in Studio A [[presumably), there is also a very noisy typist!
I have to agree. I never got that noise! It guess it was her boot?! I think the biggest blunder with this song was not having Florence do it! It was clearly song she would have worked!

[ejluther]

Now that looks so much clearer, it is Flo. I always thought that it was :)
Well, I still vote that's it's Diana [[albeit with an uncharacteristic expression on her face) - any one else want to weigh in? I know it's not important but it can still be fun...:)

[jobeterob]

I can't see it well enough or big enough..........but what I'm seeing looks like Diana to me.

[kenneth]

Now that looks so much clearer, it is Flo. I always thought that it was :)

It certainly looks like her. If it's Ross, it's a very uncharacteristic pose and expression. I'm going to still try to dig up my copy and look at it again. Seems to be no question about it now that we see it blown up but the real thing might reveal details that the repro doesn't.

[skooldem1]

It basically breaks down to gay guys and drag queen liking diana better, and the striaght men liking Mary better because she was the prettiest one. Mary was also sensual, where Diana was not.

Calling Diana Ross fans "gay and drag queens" is an insult and should not be tolerated in this forum.

[nathanj06]

Now that looks so much clearer, it is Flo. I always thought that it was :)

The bottom left pic is Mary on the bike.

[johnjeb]

The pic of the alleged original cover of the Reflections LP can be found on 45 sleeves from 1968 that show album covers. My copy is blue but I have also seen them in brown and green.

In the small pic it shows 2 group pictures with Florence and one solo pic. The solo pic was removed and replaced with one of Mary as a nun. The pic at the bottom from Sullivan of DMC was previously a pic of DMF with Diana holding a mic and Mary and Flo with hands in the air. That pic was cropped and relocated at 2 o'clock showing only Diana with her hands in the air holding a mic. That replaced a group pic in that spot that had Flo.

That's Mary on the bike. I looked at my album, also I am pretty sure I have that group pic with DMF on bikes somewhere. I think it is in a program booklet from 1967 or from the Fan Club in 1966.

Here is a fuzzy pic of the album cover from the 45 sleeve:

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[marv2]

Leaving Detroit was Motown's first major blunder.

[kenneth]

The bottom left pic is Mary on the bike.

I don't know if you're responding in answer to my post, but I wasn't referring to the pic of the girls on the bicycles, but the photo to the right of that with the big oriental looking hats. The closest girl to the bicycle photo looks like it could be Diane, but her expression is not her usual cast and it certainly does look like Florence. I'd be shocked if they scrubbed the original cover [[or mockup before it was printed en masse) and didn't scrub that one if it really was Flo. But I'm still planning to look at my original copy to see if it shows a little better.

So, was that photo with the oriental hats taken actually in Japan? If so, then it couldn't be Florence, could it? They didn't tour there until Cindy was a member, I thought. Weren't there some photos of them having tea at a tea house or something? Browsing the Internet didn't come up with any such photos, but I remember some like that.

[kenneth]

Here is a fuzzy pic of the album cover from the 45 sleeve:

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Wow, now if this one is in anyone's collection it would have to be a collector's item!

[johnjeb]

I don't know if you're responding in answer to my post, but I wasn't referring to the pic of the girls on the bicycles, but the photo to the right of that with the big oriental looking hats. The closest girl to the bicycle photo looks like it could be Diane, but her expression is not her usual cast and it certainly does look like Florence. I'd be shocked if they scrubbed the original cover [[or mockup before it was printed en masse) and didn't scrub that one if it really was Flo. But I'm still planning to look at my original copy to see if it shows a little better.

So, was that photo with the oriental hats taken actually in Japan? If so, then it couldn't be Florence, could it? They didn't tour there until Cindy was a member, I thought. Weren't there some photos of them having tea at a tea house or something? Browsing the Internet didn't come up with any such photos, but I remember some like that.

The picture in the hats is Diana on the left, she has her mouth open - possibly singing, and Mary on the right. Florence has been cropped. They toured Japan with Florence in 1966 I believe. I have pictures in either a program booklet or from the Fan Club. There is a pirated video of The Supremes in the Orient - Florence is there.

[kenneth]

The picture in the hats is Diana on the left, she has her mouth open - possibly singing, and Mary on the right. Florence has been cropped. They toured Japan with Florence in 1966 I believe. I have pictures in either a program booklet or from the Fan Club. There is a pirated video of The Supremes in the Orient - Florence is there.

Wow, thanks! You're a wealth of information!

[reese]

If anyone has a copy of the book GIRL GROUPS: THE STORY OF A SOUND by Alan Betrock, the original photo of Diana and Mary with the hats is included. As said above, Flo is also in the photo but was cropped out, as were Berry Gordy and Esther Edwards.

[arrr&bee]

Although not a bad album[the temptations twenty fifth anniversary]for not including[beauty's only skin deep-girl why you wanna make me blue]...if you look closely at marvin and tammi's greatest hits album you'll notice that the picture on the front is spliced together...now this last one is maybe a fashoin misstep,on the album[temptin temptations]they have on black shoes with all white tuxedoes[otis mentions it in the book]!