By Heather (198.81.26.170) on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 10:30 pm:

I love The Andantes, their voices and Harmonies.
I know they are on thousands of recordings...
Can some of the experts tell me which recordings The Andantes are prominantly featured..I'd like to take a closer listen to those wonderful vocals.

Thanks..
I am new here and I love this forum..

Heather

By boynextdoor (65.238.154.253) on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 11:07 pm:

I agree with you! If the Andantes are still kicking it.....I wish someone would record them! I love them!!!

By Heather (198.81.26.170) on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 11:12 pm:

The background vocals are often my favorite part of a recording..

Heather

By Nish (66.119.33.170) on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 11:20 pm:

You hear them really good on "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love For Me)," "Just Ask The Lonely." I love their sound.

1/3 of the Andantes, Louvain Demps, was featured on Rhythm, Love and Soul as a backing vocalist.

By Heather (198.81.26.170) on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 11:29 pm:

What Jimmy Ruffin songs are they featured on?

H

By Eli (151.197.113.58) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 12:40 am:

Heather,
The Andantes sing on about 90% of all the classic Motown recordings including most of the Supremes records.
On a lot of the records the originals also sing backing vocals along with the Andantes.

You can trace their sound as far back as Jamie by Eddie Holland.
Louvain was usualy the high soprano on most of the records.

By John Lester (81.132.227.151) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 02:33 am:

Listen to "Baby I Got It" on the flip side to Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted"

THAT is the Andantes.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.32) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 04:25 am:

Going even further back, the ladies were also on Barrett Strong's "Money"

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.62) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 06:11 am:

John
and what a record that is
'Baby I got it'
Jesus
does that bring back memories!
mel.

By Marvel (65.42.90.250) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 09:02 am:

If you want to hear the classic Andantes get the Four Tops Boxed set as they are basically on everthing that the tops recorded in the sixties. The Andantes (Louvain Demps, Marlene Barrow and Jackie Hicks) did not record as trio until about late 1963 or so. The earlier recordings like "Jamie" and "Money" where in fact the Rayber Voices featuring Raynoma Singleton. In fact it was Louvain Demps who replaced Raynoma and is her that you hear (along with the other Rayber Voices) on Jamie.

The Andantes also did a lot of Additional vocals for the Vandellas and the Marvelettes. In the case of the Supremes HDH had a formula for Diana, Florence and Mary so additional voices were not needed. After HDH left the Andantes took over on a lot of Supremes singles, but belive it or not the later albums featured more songs by Florence, Mary and Cindy than we have been lead to belive in recent years.

By Sue (152.163.252.68) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 10:05 am:

As Martha Reeves once pointed out, what's great about the Andantes' sound on Four Tops records is that Duke Fakir's high notes blend so well into the Andantes' -- it sends chills when you hear Duke and the girls' voices mingling. Particularly listen for that on "Ask the Lonely" ...

By Heather (198.81.26.170) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 12:56 pm:

Thanks Everyone...
I knew they were on most of the Tops recordings, I am going to take a closer listen to all of these songs that you mention...Of course these are faves of mine too...I love these voices..

Heather

By Heather (198.81.26.170) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 12:57 pm:

This is a great forum...

By boynextdoor (65.238.6.38) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 03:50 pm:

I have some Andantes on the Motorcity label. Only, I was told (on this forum) that only Louvain Demps sang on them? I wonder if that's so? They sound pretty good. I would love to have a CD of just the Andantes! Whoever they used on those Motorcity recordings for backround singers were pretty darn good i.e. Kim Weston's, Betteye Levette's, Frances Nero's and Pat Lewis'.

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.111) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 07:19 pm:

Heather
Log on to www.thisoldsoul.net/stars/stararchuve.html
And select a group or artist from the various choices.
The Andantes is featured on there.
Regards
mel(andthensome)

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 07:32 pm:

Thank you Heather. We're glad you found us. Welcome.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 08:23 pm:

Heather:
As Ralph said, welcome to Soulful Detroit.

The Andantes, as you know by now, sang on the majority of Motown's recordings - they can be heard on many Four Tops hits from "Baby I Need Your Loving" to "Bernadette".

They also did some sessions outside of Motown as well. The Andantes can be heard singing background on Jackie Wilson's hit "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher" which also featured James Jamerson (bass), Richard "Pistol" Allen (drums) & Joe Hunter (piano) of the Funk Brothers.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Vickie (198.81.26.170) on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 12:59 am:

I have a question, what recordings are the ladies on..that are after Motown moved to LA...Is that them behind Diana and Marvin on the 70's stuff..
and the Topps then too...

I sounds like them on some of Diana's solo works..

Vickie

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 11:19 am:

Vickie:
Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson sang background on the solo Diana Ross recordings they produced in the 1970s ("Ain't No Mountain High Enough","Reach Out & Touch [Somebody's Hand]", "Remember Me", "Surrender", "The Boss").
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Vickie (198.81.26.170) on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 11:35 am:

Wow, I did not know this...
I thought it was The Andantes all this time..especially Aint No Mountain High Enough...

thanks Kev, I learn sumthin' new here every day..

Vickie

By Greg C. (165.247.32.26) on Tuesday, July 29, 2003 - 11:45 pm:

The Andantes did a lot of backup work for Kim Weston. If you pick up Kim's best of on Motown you'll hear their shimmering vocals on virtually all of her tracks. A prime example of their vocal work: "A Thrill A Moment."

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Wednesday, July 30, 2003 - 10:30 am:

Hi Everyone.

Here are some songs where their harmonies are quite evident, if they weren't mentioned already....

Just ask the lonely-The Four Tops
My baby Love me- Andantes w/Four Tops (on Martha Reeves)
Function at the Junction-Shorty Long
No Time for Tears-Marvin Gaye
Ain't that Peculiar-Marvin Gaye
Still Waters (Love)-Four Tops
Love Child-Diana Ross

By Marvel (208.4.27.140) on Wednesday, July 30, 2003 - 02:04 pm:

Hum I thought "Stil Waters" by the Four Tops were the ladies from the Undisputed Truth. I know the UT ladies did the bg's for "It's All in the Game"

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 05:23 pm:

Another question regarding the Andantes:

How did they find the time to learn all the words and parts to the many, many songs they backgrounded on? They had to be on some type of schedule. I sing myself, and that's a lot of material.

Handsome

By Eli (151.197.183.39) on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 07:23 pm:

Professional background singing is an artform that comes natural to those who work at it and they are never at a loss for new and innovative ideas applicable to the song which they are working on.

There are many variables including straight ahead session whereby the"producer" may have definitive ideas where he may want them to go orhe may let them "catch a vibe" on the song and let them be creative.

I like to use both of those methods depending on the song and the vibe.

By janebse (68.63.5.177) on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 09:46 pm:

Eli,
Thanks for the info. I had often wondered how much freedom was given to singers.

By acooolcat (61.58.181.97) on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 09:52 pm:

Welcome Heather,
Motown (sort of) released an Andantes 45 called "Like A Nightmare" - which to my ears doesn't sound quite right.
They are credited as the backing group on Billy Kent's 1960 MAH'S label release "Take All Of Me."
Pat Lewis become a member after the Andantes started doing sessions for Golden World; this was partly due to Louvain being reluctant to work outside of Hitsville.
Graham

By Eli (151.197.183.39) on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 11:30 pm:

janebse,

The most important thing is to keep a very tension free environment in the studio.
I have witnessed some nightmarish sessions where the
"producer" kept changing his mind because he knew not what he was doing.

One of the best producers I have witnessed working with backing vocalists was Van Mc Coy.

believe it or not, most of the b.g vocals on Right on the tip of my tounge was done by Van along with Diane Destry.(Faith Hope & Charity), who were the key to Van's unique sound.

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 11:31 am:

Thanks Eli.

You are right!

Handsome

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 12:11 pm:

THEY SHOW UP PRETTY STRONG ON THE TEMPS[IT'S GROWING]ALSO.

By douglasm (68.113.13.31) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 12:18 pm:

speaking of backround singers....
....Scott Regan talked about "Scott On Swingers" during the Keener weekend, noting that the Fantastic Four did the backround. Who did the backround on the original SOS?

By soulboy (213.105.224.4) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 03:01 pm:

Was there any reason why the andantes were more commonly used on 4 tops recordings than motowns other other male groups??

By Eli (141.151.87.9) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 04:45 pm:

The Andantes were an addition to the guys as were the Sweeties who were Philly's answer to the Andantes.
They were used to embelish the male groups on the upper register which was and is a widely used production technique.

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 04:51 pm:

Eli, that's wonderful, but when these artists (4 tops & Spinners-Games People Play example) sang live, that element was missing and/or not the same, because you got so used to hearing that special background from the record...that what I didn't like, (JMO).

Handsome

By Eli (141.151.87.9) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 05:28 pm:

Hi Handsome,

You are absolutely right on that one, but taken from the perspective of its artform within the context of record production, we producer types didnt always take that into cosideration as it was up to each individual act to supply any additional singers.
Of course, today that is a different story due to the us of digital media, ie pre recorded music and vocal synchronization along with the live music and vocals.

I totally understand where you are coming from as a "purist" but unfortunately, thats just the way it is in the biz.

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 05:34 pm:

Thanks Eli, I understand.


Handsome

By hunter gettin captured (209.240.198.62) on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 12:29 am:

The Andantes were such a key element in the overall Motown Sound and yet the company never really gave them their due recognition (sounds like a familiar refrain?) Those harmonies are like vocal razor blades sometimes! Listen to the ladies on Frances Nero's "Fight Fire With Fire." You'll be exhausted afterwards, because the precision with which they sing, especially those high harmonies on the chorus, is like being bowled over by a vocal hurricane! Just AMAZING!

By 1Wicked (66.27.27.22) on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 04:56 pm:

Handsome: That may have been due to the size of the venue or the $$$ that the promoters were willing to pay for an act. I saw the Spinners, Blue Magic, etc. a number of times during the 70's & early 80's and they always sounded like the records. They traveled with their own rhythm section, had background singers, and used locally contracted strings & horns. On the other hand...perhaps some acts were not as diligent as they COULD have been about trying to recreate that same sound.

By TD (67.20.49.130) on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 10:38 pm:

One of the best Adantes song "Gonna give Her all the Love I got"- I just love this song-ranks in my all time top ten.

TD

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 04:23 pm:

I believe that's the Andantes on Diana Ross's "Dark Side Of The World"..."Bring Back the Sunshine That You Took Away", is the magic line!


Handsome

By Vickie (64.236.243.31) on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 05:24 pm:

ohhh Yeah Handsome

I Love that song and love that line of the song!!!


Vickie