Four or More Motown Versions???

On my TV music channel the other day, I heard that familiar little tinkle telling me that "Put Yourself in My Place" was coming on. While waiting for the vocal to begin, I realized it was not the Supremes' version so I assumed it was going to be the Elgins. Well it turned out to be the Isley Brothers version.

After that it occurred to me that Chris Clark also covered the song, which leads me to this question.......Are there any other Motown songs that were covered by as many as four of their artists? Any songs that were done five or more times?

Intriguing release charting exactly 50 years ago in the fall of 1970:

STILL WATER
Side One (LOVE)
Side Two (PEACE)

Written by Smokey Robinson and Frank Wilson. Have either discussed this composition? I'm wondering if the two versions reflect two different concepts by each of its two authors? Or what is the recording and releasing of the two versions reflecting ?


Side One:



Side Two:




How did this come about ? These two versions? (Why?)

I find this part of The PEACE version:

[VERSE 2]
P is for privilege of loving and the privilege of being loved.
E is for the ease it gives the soul and the mind.
A is for the absence in your search to find yourself.
C is the calm feeling if you like what you find
E is everlasting. Let this love never cease.

most moving.


I'm curious as to why it wasn't chosen as the "A" side , or at the very minimum, why this 45 wasn't worked by Motown as a split hit with each side sharing air play?
(Did DJs drop the ball on this one by ignoring the b side?)



As for the original inquiry.... these two versions of a song on one 45 ....very unusual to say the least.....are there previous examples (beyond an instrumental version, or a live version)?? From Motown? From any label/ artist? :confused:

Further more , why was it that the album's title SILL WATERS RUN DEEP does not match the single's title (or vise versa) ::confused:

(Also as an aside,
I hear Marvin Gaye's stylizing in his future songs, WHATS GOING ON etc in STILL WATER --- ... does anyone else ?)

Love 'ya, Chaka, but ... Well, we can't say you're dishonest! Love the Live lp, btw. You've still got it!

http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread...pson-Interview

Q. There are some Motown people who contend that near the end of Tammi Terrell's life (she died in 1970 at age 24 of cancer), you had to step in and do some of her vocal parts on the albums with Marvin Gaye because she was too ill to perform. Is that true?

A. Tammi was very ill. We would have everything ready, the track and Marvin's vocal, and then I'd get her alone in the studio and we'd go line by line. There were a couple things that were tweaked, but not a lot. I couldn't just sing like Tammi. People give me the credit of thinking I could be Tammi Terrell, but it's just not true. We did some production edits to fix things, but that's about it.

"There were a couple things that were tweaked, but not a lot. We did some production edits to fix things, but that's about it."
" I'd get her alone in the studio and we'd go line by line."

I take that as she is saying in fact it was both of them. At some points Val was "punched in" , she may have emulated Tammis diction as close as possible and then they may have EQ' d and proccessed for tone.

"I couldn't just sing like Tammi. People give me the credit of thinking I could be Tammi Terrell, but it's just not true."

Words of admiration from one artist regarding anothers gift. Delivered with class and grace.
If the truth is the light ,as the saying goes, then Ms Valerie has indeed just flicked the light switch on.

Please Mr. Postman

https://youtu.be/425GpjTSlS4

(Thanks for your help, Ralph.)

As most people know, there have been dozens of books written in the past on the various Motown artists. Here are the ones that have been written [may not be 100% complete]. Supremes; Stevie Wonder; Temptations; Mary Wells; Florence Ballard; Mary Wilson; Marvin Gaye; Holland-Dozier-Holland; Jackson Five; Martha Reeves; Marvelettes; and Smokey Robinson & Miracles; Rick James; and Tammi Terrell. I am not counting books entirely on Motown --- only groups/artists.

Just wondering. It is highly doubtful that any future books will be published due to the passage of time, but, who would you like to see a book written about who has not been covered previously?

My lifetime goal has been to see one on the Four Tops and I have consulted with two famous book writers with no success.

Input appreciated. Thanks.