What's the oddest motown record that you own?

[Kamasu_Jr]

What's the oddest Motown record that you own? It can be be something silly or serious. Why did you have to have it? Is there a Motown collectible you have been wanting for years and finally got it?

[stopinthenameoflove]

What's the oddest Motown record that you own? It can be be something silly or serious. Why did you have to have it? Is there a Motown collectible you have been wanting for years and finally got it?

Definately The Abbey Tavern Singers! It's still sealed, and later getting it on mp3 confirmed that was the right decision.

[Kamasu_Jr]

My Motown oddity is Big Ben Sings Scatman Crothers. He's pictured on the cover barefoot and wearing long john drawers.

[stopinthenameoflove]

My Motown oddity is Big Ben Sings Scatman Crothers. He's pictured on the cover barefoot and wearing long john drawers.

Ugh! That sounds almost as bad :)

[BayouMotownMan]

Other than the above, Gaylord & Holiday rank as well

[144man]

"Hello Dummy" - Willie Tyler & Lester

He must be the best ventriloquist ever. I played the album, and I couldn't see his lips move.

[Motown4Ever518]

In the movie, Lady Sings The Blues, Mr. Crothers played the role of "Big Ben", in the one scene he was in with Ms. Ross, this is the "outfit" that he wore. Good for Motown for leaving no stone unturned in trying to get a hit. I thought he had an excellent speaking voice, see him in The Shinning with Jack Nicholson, about 1977 - ish. I don't know how that translated to singing. I knew of the LP, I don't think I have ever seen a live copy. This is among the oddest Motown Records ever!

[johnjeb]

Motown 1373 William Goldstein Spirit of '76 [[I Am America) released 12/29/1975

I stumbled upon it in an oldies bin. I always grabbed something of Motown that was different. I cannot find this record now so I must have misplaced it or sold it in a batch.

I assume it was a promo copy. It was a white label and I don't think it had the Motown map but just the word Motown in black with blue and red highlights. My memory is vague but it was a very unique Motown label - possibly one-of-a-kind. I can't recall whether it was a song or spoken message.

Referencing Don Waller's book The Motown Story I see that the flip was Southern Comfort. I don't recall that title so obviously I must have had the promo with same title on the flip.

I also have Carl Bean's I Was Born This Way on 12-inch single.

I've had Gaylord & Holiday, I think, and some other things now all gone.

[thomas96]

Elaine Brown - Same, DJ Copy... I'm amazed I found it, and amazed that any DJ had it. In Near Mint condition.

As for a record I wanted and finally got, I got two at the same time; the Marvin Gaye - That Stubborn Kinda Fellow sealed, and Eddie Holland - Self Titled sealed.

[jobeterob]

I don't have anything as unusual, but I have Lesley Gore's The Road I Walk.

[thomas96]

He must be the best ventriloquist ever. I played the album, and I couldn't see his lips move.

Now that, is funny.

[soulster]

What's the oddest Motown record that you own? It can be be something silly or serious. Why did you have to have it? Is there a Motown collectible you have been wanting for years and finally got it? Now see, ya went and made me look! OK, it is "Do You Love Me" by The Contours. It is an original Gordy label and the runout groove marking is: DMB 006313 N.M. 18

I have it because I needed to confirm that the tape used on the first Motown Hitsville box was the correct one, and it is, and that the one on The Complete Motown Singles Collection is wrong.

I really do not need any more vinyl singles from Motown, as all of the ones I have are on CD already.

[roger]

The Complete Motown Singles Box-Sets are peppered with all manner of oddities .. perhaps pick of the bunch is "Randy The Newspaper Boy" by RAY ODDIS which tells the poignant tale of a young boy awaiting Christmas.

Nobody seems to have posted it on You-Tube yet [[how strange .. any volunteers? :)) yet you can hear a sample here ....

http://www.last.fm/music/Ray+Oddis/_/Randy%2C+The+Newspaper+Boy

Roger

[theboyfromxtown]

Ralph Sharon
Red Jones Strikes Again
Ding Dongs

From the days when I would buy anything from Motown and get home real excited only to be severely let down.

I really didn't like the Lesley Gore album on Mowest either.

[BigAl]

That would have to be a bizarre single titled "La La La La La," by a group called The LaSalles on VIP. I'm guessing this song is the B-side and the A-side is titled "This Is True." I stumbled across it in a cutout bin and bought it only on the strength of its label, having never heard of the group. It's a girl group I suppose, or at least has a female lead with a voice that sounds a bit like Ronnie Spector might if she had a really bad cold. The lyrics consist almost entirely of la-la-la's.

[tamla617]

I've got Stop her on sight, Edwin Starr on Polydor with Headline news on the B. I assume because it was originally on RicTic not Motown so EMI over here couldn't get their hands on it.
I've got over 99% ish of US Motown labels/Tamla Motown LPs to about 1987/88 on MP3, so I have a heap of those oddities listed above. I've never played them either! Ding Dongs? the dings or what ever they were you must be joking! the abbey tavern singers? Not a chance! I've got one Black Forum LP missing, Dynamic Superiors, I used to know off by heart which ones I needed but I forget now.

[woodward]

I've got MOMENTS OF MOTOWN [[A historical moments of Motown history). It is a mint condition D. J. Copy [[Not for Sale). It was released in 1983 PR-122. It includes narration by a great number of artists and a sampling of various Motown records. But the most enlightening thing about the album is that side one begins with Lonely Teardrops by Jackie Wilson. Now that is really a "historical moment of Motown history" if I ever heard of one. Great album. I do not know where I bought it at; however, it has a sticker on the plastic sleeve indicating it cost a mere $5. Great bargain.

[Methuselah2]

That's an easy one, Kamasu: For me, it's Tony Martin's ASK ANY MAN. Although a re-constituted version of The Supremes' great ASK ANY GIRL by HDH, it was produced by Hal Davis & Marc Gordon, and I'm still scratching my head over how this recording came to be. It's quite an oddity--make that a space oddity. It's an amazing recording--but I don't mean that in a good way: I mean the Ed-Sullivan-Show-opera-singer-warbling-DOWNTOWN kind of way. As awful as it is, the real point of fascination for me about it is how someone came up with the idea to use ASK ANY GIRL for Tony Martin. The Mystery of the Sphinx doesn't even come close to this one. Releasing it with a record sleeve wasn't nearly enough--it needed to come with a strait-jacket! For the buyers!

Proceed with caution--posted on YouTube by SimonW:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPb0FCtXGNY

[robb_k]

[[http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?9880-What-s-the-oddest-motown-record-that-you-own)7076
What's the [[http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?9880-What-s-the-oddest-motown-record-that-you-own) oddest [[http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?9880-What-s-the-oddest-motown-record-that-you-own)Motown record that you own? [[http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?9880-What-s-the-oddest-motown-record-that-you-own)


"Randy The Newspaper Boy" by Ray Oddis[[t).

[tjl]

"It" - Ron & Bill, has to be the oddest of all.....perhaps odder, in Pittsburgh, I still get requests for this tune.

Harvey's "Anyway You Wanta" may seem odd to some, by the only existing version in the vault by Harvey [[done to the same track) called "Monkey Lupe Lu" is also odd....groovy, but odd...

[jsmith]

That would have to be a bizarre single titled "La La La La La," by a group called The LaSalles on VIP. The lyrics consist almost entirely of la-la-la's.

Stevie Wonder helped Clarence Paul write the song [[in his 'Little' days) and cut the original version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FybDCZDS7mM
The LaSalles cut a cover for Motown but the best version [[a big NS track in it's day) was by the Blendells on Reprise .....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ds-cJ2lST4

[jsmith]

BTW, Stevie's original version of "La,La,La,La,La" also came out on 45. It formed one side of Tamla #54070 in October 1962.
The Blendells version originally escaped on Rampart Records, then the Reprise 45 escaped in the US in July 64 [[#0291) and a UK 45 [[also on Reprise) followed that October [[Reprise #20291)

[Ngroove]

Flea Marketed today, found a Carrie McDowell, WOOOO!!!! Waitasec, is that considered "odd"?

[Boogiedown]

Doesn't it have to be my 45 by Granny Clampett of the Beverly Hillbillies !!?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_uHZggFS8U

[Kamasu_Jr]

I was wondering who was going to have irene Ryan's record. Thanks for the link.

[mofreaktown]

Soupy Sales album "A Bag Of Soup" sure seemed to odd to me at the time of the release.

[stephanie]

The San Remo Golden Strings. I found this album 10 years ago in my mothers china cabinet and I didnt know who the heck these people were and I had never heard of them. I read some of them were the Funk Brothers!

[Kamasu_Jr]

The San Remo Golden Strings. I found this album 10 years ago in my mothers china cabinet and I didnt know who the heck these people were and I had never heard of them. I read some of them were the Funk Brothers!
The first San Remo Strings album is a good one Stephanie. I play it every now and then.
Mofreaktown, the only place I have seen A Bag Of Soup was at the Motown Museum.

[mofreaktown]

I bought the Soupy Sales album when it first came out as I would buy everything and anything that was on the Motown family of labels. Let's just say, I didn't play it very much.

[soulster]

Damn! I just realized that I read the title wrong. I read it as "oldest" Motown record when it clearly says "oddest". I must get a new glasses prescription.

[Boogiedown]

My mistake . Granny was not a Clampett. She was Jed's mother-in-law.

[arrr&bee]

The first album that i owned was a new one titled[temptin temptations]still have it.

[grapevine]

...among my strangest Motown LPs is this 2LP set ...Top Ten Story In Sound [[https://www.amazon.com/top-ten-story-sound-LP/dp/B0041EQG7W) ...released on the Jobete Music Company Inc label in 1974 ...includes approx 120 snippets of classic Motown sounds ...but also includes snippets from The Reflections' Just Like Romeo And Juliet ...and Blood Sweat & Tears' You've Made Me So Very Happy...

...another Motown oddity I somehow have is the 1978 Motown LP ...perhaps with the longest title... Motown Presents Prime Time Performing TV Themes The Way You Like To Hear Them! [[https://www.discogs.com/Prime-Time-Motown-Presents-Prime-Time-Performing-TV-Themes-The-Way-You-Like-To-Hear-Them/release/1677555)

Grape :)

[144man]

The Luney Landing / The Luney Take-Off by Captain Zap & the Motortown Cut-Ups [[M1151, 1969) is pretty odd.

Not only are all the song clips on this novelty break-in record taken from Motown recordings, but, to quote the label, it was "produced by David and William in their spare time" and Motown paperwork gives no clue as to the pair's identity.

[theboyfromxtown]

Ray Oddis - Happy Ghoul Tide

[Motown Eddie]

My pick is "Custer's Last Man" by Popcorn & The Mohawks [[from The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 1). I know this song is from the period in the early '60s when novelty songs were big however, this is one of my least favorite Motown singles. And the 'runner-up' is "Muck-Arty-Park" by Soupy Sales [[from TCMS, Vol. 9).

[Levi Stubbs Tears]

Not in terms of the songs that were on it, but the album cover for 'Motown Chartbusters Vol 7' is quite an oddity.

It has a fruit/slot/poker machine as the cover image and it had a little wheel that you could twist/spin and the heads of Jean, Mary & Cindy showed in the slots when their Supremes track was listed. It would change to other artists faces [[or sometimes instruments) and their song on the album as you turned it.

[Boogiedown]

Not in terms of the songs that were on it, but the album cover for 'Motown Chartbusters Vol 7' is quite an oddity.

It has a fruit/slot/poker machine as the cover image and it had a little wheel that you could twist/spin and the heads of Jean, Mary & Cindy showed in the slots when their Supremes track was listed. It would change to other artists faces [[or sometimes instruments) and their song on the album as you turned it.

https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/JiYAAOSwSdFfzU79/s-l225.webp

cool! i want one !

[grapevine]

...the weirdest 45 ever released is probably this one from Motown exec ...Barney Ales ...in 1970 ...An Important Message From Barney Ales [[Play Immediately) ...to promote Diana Ross' Reach Out And Touch...

A-side
18562

B-side [[blank)
18563


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFB4Mh0K7_U

...I imagine it must be quite rare...!

Grape :)

[Levi Stubbs Tears]

...I imagine it must be quite rare...!



I imagine Barney's follow-up single 'Only #20 you %*$ing bunch of %*@^!! losers' is even rarer... ;)

[grapevine]

"Hello Dummy" - Willie Tyler & Lester

He must be the best ventriloquist ever. I played the album, and I couldn't see his lips move. :D:D:D

...came across this recently ...must be the weirdest LP Motown EVER released ...quite difficult to sing along or dance to...!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Usd5D-XsX0

Grape :)

[nsoule]

The two oddest Motown records I own are two 45s that were pressed and presumably given away when Barney Ales' son [[Brett) and granddaughter [[Jaime) were born. The Brett record has a poem on the A-side and the B-side, which is called "Music For Brett Augustino Ales To Sleep By", plays Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips Pt. 2". The Jaime record plays Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" on the A-side and Eddie Holland's "Jamie" on the b-side, but they spelled it "Jaime". I've never seen another copy of either record.
18580
18581

[mysterysinger]

Too many to list but a real oddity is a CD I have by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - "Going To A Go Go".

The insert, front and rear, is for the album "Going To A Go Go" 37463-5269-2

Everything else, the insert inner, the CD and back CD case cover, is for "Away We A Go Go" 37463-5136-2.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookephotography/albums/72157717818630486

[sansradio]

Too many to list but a real oddity is a CD I have by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - "Going To A Go Go".

The insert, front and rear, is for the album "Going To A Go Go" 37463-5269-2

Everything else, the insert inner, the CD and back CD case cover, is for "Away We A Go Go" 37463-5136-2.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookephotography/albums/72157717818630486

I used to own this one as well. My feeling is that that whole pressing was issued like
that; I've seen it quite a few times over the years.

[TheMotownManiac]

Don’t Explain by Gil ASkey, Feelin’Alright Diana Ross & The J5 b/w Love Story Diana Ross & Creepy Criminal Sex Offender Bill Cosby.

[Mondeo]

Years ago [[possibly 1990s) there was a Friday late night tv show on Channel 4 which had La La La........ as the theme tune. I can’t remember the name of the show or which version of the song[[?) was used, but it’s probably out there on YouTube.

[gordy_hunk]

Interesting theme. I really liked Irene Ryan's single from Pippin. The soundtrack was one of my most played LP at that time [[around 1973/1974). The single was never released here, so I only ever managed to hear it on "Pippin" until I found in a junk shop, a promo version of the US single.

Anyway, I sold almost all of my Motown vinyl collection, but one I did keep is the God Squad and Jesus Christ Greatest Hits. It's ok - nothing special - just a bizarre title.

[Boogiedown]

as far as physical records go , this has to be the oddest shaped one:

https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/~T4AAOSwRp5gBcOv/s-l225.webp
[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pops-We-Love-You-Heart-Shaped-Colored-Vintage-MOTOWN-Compilation-Vinyl-Record-45/324456563451?hash=item4b8b1e42fb:g:~T4AAOSwRp5gBcO v)

[Boogiedown]

https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/~T4AAOSwRp5gBcOv/s-l225.webp
[[https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pops-We-Love-You-Heart-Shaped-Colored-Vintage-MOTOWN-Compilation-Vinyl-Record-45/324456563451?hash=item4b8b1e42fb:g:~T4AAOSwRp5gBcO v) dont know why some images dont show up when viewing on phone ?

[jack020]

The Boss Gold Record18596