They are most famous for their work with MG & TT but also did many equally good writing/production for other Motown acts. What is your favourite track?
I'll kick off with one of my favourites:
It Ain't Like That - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas.
Printable View
They are most famous for their work with MG & TT but also did many equally good writing/production for other Motown acts. What is your favourite track?
I'll kick off with one of my favourites:
It Ain't Like That - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas.
All of their albums for Miss Ross in their entirety: Diana Ross [1970], Surrender and The Boss. Surrender in particular finds Diana at her most soulful and expressive.
Honorable mention: Diana and Marvin's "Just Say, Just Say." Perfection.
LOVE "It Ain't Like That" & "I'm A Winner" by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas from their SUGAR & SPICE LP. "Destination Anywhere" & "Your Love Can Save Me" by the Marvelettes. "I Wouldn't Change The Man He Is" by Blinky...those are my faves.
I can't pick just one. But I love their work with Diana Ross, her solo years as well the tracks they did during the Supremes years.
Individual tracks that I love:
WHO'S GONNA TAKE THE BLAME - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
DESTINATION: ANYWHERE - The Marvelettes
YOUR LOVE CAN SAVE Me - The Marvelettes
I'M GLAD ABOUT IT - Supremes/Four Tops
DIDN'T YOU KNOW - Gladys Knight and the Pips
KEEP AN EYE - Gladys Knight and the Pips
JUST SAY, JUST SAY - Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye
I'VE COME TO LOVE YOU SO MUCH - Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye
Ashford & Simpson [[sometimes with Josie Armstead) were writing as early as 1964 and of course they continued to write right thru to the 1990's.
Perhaps their biggest early successes were with "Let's Go Get Stoned" [[65) & "I Don't Need No Doctor" [[66).
The Capitols cut a version of "Let's Go Get Stoned" backed by the Motown musicians & later on Billy Preston cut a version too.
Love their Diana Ross albums [Diana Ross 1970, Surrender, The Boss]
Individual tracks:
Tear It On Down - Martha Reeves & the Vandellas Black Magic
Just Say Just Say - Diana & Marvin
I’ve Come To Love You Oh So Much - Diana & Marvin
Ain’t Nothing But A Maybe - Diana Ross 1976
Two of my favorites are Love Woke Me Up This Morning the Temptations version. And California Soul, I love the Marvin & Valerie/Tammi version.
"When I Feel The Need" Marvin Gaye
"I Am Your Man" Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1si0kgJ-qOc
I always liked Can't Seem To Get You Out Of My Mind on the Yesterday's Dreams album.
https://youtu.be/3AKj2W4e-BQ
Me too. It was the B-side to "Do What You Gotta Do" in the UK, which is how I first acquired it.
Everybody seems to have forgotten Marvin Gaye's Tear It On Down from the Grapevine lp. I get chills when I hear that one. Sounds like the Originals behind him.
Also Diana's You Ain't Livin from the Love Child lp is gorgeous with a full orchestration and some extra lyrics. Every track on her Surrender lp is flawless.
Kudos to Diana's Keep An Eye which seems to have Mary and Cindy on it.
Marvin and Tammi's aka Valerie's version of Love Woke Me Up is breathtakeing, should have been a single.
And a shout out to Martha's Won't It Be So Wonderful with the Andantes.
Let's not forget the two albums by the Dynamic Superiors.
I Am Your Man by the Four Tops and Bobby Taylor
Just Love "Go Get Stoned" by Nick Ashford that he recorded on ABC in 1969 as a Non Live version, the B side a Jobete recording "Dead End Kids" writer & background singer Valerie Simpson. Two great sides.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAoQOtWsMOg&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALnK1RL1RIs
Didn't Ray Charles do the original version of Let's Go Get Stoned in 65/66?
These have always been two of my favorite A&S, non-M&T songs:
Brenda Holloway - Starting The Hurt All Over Again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzqR-HjgfxM
Diana Ross - Surrender
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOAnDDuHvag
Ray Charles had the hit with it but other artists like Chuck Jackson and Maxine Brown, and the Coasters had recorded it before him.Quote:
Originally Posted by SatansBlues
Not entirely sure Ray Charles didn't record it first and it was held back until its' eventual single release in May 1966, but...Quote:
Originally Posted by SatansBlues
The Coasters recorded a version on April 21, 1965 that was released in May 1965 on Atco:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG9_Pnnh6s0
The Coasters didn't chart with it, so that's likely why Ray Charles' version is so well known being that its' single release hit Pop #31 and R&B #1.
It's a great shame that Diana & Marvin's I've Come To Love You So Much was never finished properly. It had the makings of one of A&S' greatest songs.
The delightful This Is My Beloved from the Tempts’ Wish It Would Rain album
https://youtu.be/RuMg-b2pWLE
The Originals’ own version of Tear It On Down
Love most of the above-mentioned tracks. Can't forget Valerie's two solo albums on Tamla: "Exposed" and "Valerie Simpson". All tracks provided a perfect transition between their Motown hits and their upcoming Warner Brothers material.
How about Ray Charles & Valerie Simpson from 1969. [[Simpson, Ashford & Armstead)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOlXpN8s1Mo
According to Wikipedia Ray Charles recorded it after hearing Ronnie Milsap's version which was recorded in October 1965, after The Coasters recording, so his version cannot be the original.Quote:
Originally Posted by danman869
Nice instrumental version by Booker T & the M.G.'s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG6tTyCNPN0
Thanks for the information. I will look for other versions and give them a listen.Quote:
Originally Posted by reese
Among my top Ashford/Simpson's favorites is the ill-fated and unsuccessful attempt they did to provide the Supreme's first non-HDH single after HDH three left Motown. It's a killer track to me. "Some Things You Never Get Used To" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4vBzLdOEeI
A great unreleased Ashford & Simpson track from David Ruffin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsknVn-xkto
I always liked the first Asford-Simpson song on Motown I heard, "I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel For You" by Syreeta recording as Rita Wright.
On top of all that, Valerie Simpson was a go-to background singer in the New York studio scene. We've heard her on a zillion hits and jingles from the 1960s. I used to joke that Motown was her hobby.
Amen, Bob! She was the New York jingle and session queen before Patti Austin claimed the crown.Quote:
Originally Posted by bob_olhsson
https://youtu.be/z4v9m_ef6FI
"Some Things....." is among my favorites, too, jobucats. It's still strange to me why so many fans don't like it. If I had to point out a negative, it would be that the track is too short. Other than that, it's perfect for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by jobucats
Yes, first time I saw their name on a TMG labelQuote:
Originally Posted by 144man