HMV haven't received this from their supplier yet, so I won't get my copy by release date.
HMV haven't received this from their supplier yet, so I won't get my copy by release date.
Got mine this morning. Well, this is an excellent set, isn't it? I love me a bit of Shorty Long, but I'd never heard the second album before, so quite a bit of this CD is a revelation.
Highlights so far:
* "I Had A Dream" is a totally different take to the single version I know from TCMS 9 - this is old news, I know, but exciting to me nonetheless.
* "Chantilly Lace" is also a totally different take, and while I think the original can't possibly be bettered, this is still tremendous fun [[that opening "HEL-lo!" makes me think of Homer Simpson pretending to be Mr Burns, and his end-of-second-verse giggle is just awesome), and the stereo production and MASSIVE bass are remarkable. It's like hearing a live version, or something.
* "Mobile Lil" and its Parliament-style BVs sounds about five times better in stereo than the Cellarful 4 mono version, which was already out of the park.
* "Baby Come Home To Me" I didn't know before, but it's outstanding. Again, old news, but I'm giddy with excitement.
Shorty, Shorty, Shorty. No idea how this stacks up for seasoned fans, but for me it's immediately become indispensable; I'm having more fun with this than any Ace/Kent release since Dance With The Contours. All power to Keith Hughes and Tony Rounce for making this happen.
Good to see "Chantilly Lace" show up on this compilation. I would buy it just for "Call On Me" alone. One song that has only come out on Motown Singles.
Yep - sadly "Call On Me" doesn't feature on this set. The 45 version of "Chantilly Lace" is my favourite of Shorty's Motown cuts, but it doesn't appear here either - the new stereo version of "Chantilly Lace" that's included here is considerably different from the single version. It's a totally different take, it's quite a bit longer, and I'm guessing it was an earlier take [[Shorty incorporates more of the Big Bopper's mannerisms from the original, as well as a bonus extra throaty giggle). Absolutely worth having.
Keith, Tony & Team,
Once again, congratulations on a fabulous job. It's great to have both albums on cd + the 2 bonus tracks.
The booklet essay reveals that there are only 3 more [[known) completed Shorty [[mono) vault tracks remaining, but more than a dozen songs Shorty was working on that were never completed due to his unfortunate drowning. I may well be in the minority here, but I think that a Cellarful of Motown devoted to unfinished tracks by various artists [[from 1st tier artists to the 2nd & 3rd stringers) might be an interesting body of work. It would reveal alot about the creative process. It would also allow fans of artists whose completed vault recordings are exhausted to have yet another shot of hearing something new from their favorite artist[[s)- even if it be a few snipets of rumored tracks.
I just noticed that when I put "Here Comes ...Shorty Long" in the computer, track 19 comes up as 'I Cross My Heart' rather than the correct title noted in the liner notes and annotation, 'Cross My Heart'. Hmmh....
Keith,
Is there a finished master of 'Give Me My Flowers While I'm Living' in the vaults? Or did the song evolve into 'Give Me Some Air'- as only Shorty is listed as composer?
Loving the CD - thanks a bunch.
"The Prime Of Shorty Long" always felt a little to me like an unfinished work - the too growly bass on "I Cross My Heart" [[I initially thought I had a fault with my speakers when I first played the LP), the trumpet on "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" which probably could have done with another take to perfect [[but I love it anyway). Great to have both albums on CD at last!!!
Shorty had 3 records on the Trip Phi Label #1006, #1015, and #1021 consisting of five different songs. The first two had the same "B" side. Does anyone know if these selections are available anywhere else, i. e. a compact disc. I wish these had been included but there must be a problem with rereleasing Tri Phi songs. Any insight by anyone?
Roger:
I just saw where you called me a cheeky young shit. A cheeky shit I might be, but young?
Dave I`m 65 and if you are younger then you are typical of today`s youth that have no respect for their elders.A fatal beating or two wouldn`t go astray.
When have I ever shown disrespect for either of my elders?
To the best of my knowledge, Shorty Long's Tri-Phi singles have not been issued on CD. Harvey Fuqua, founder of the seminal doo wop group the Moonglows, started the Tri-Phi [[Shorty Long, the Spinners) and Harvey [[Junior Walker, the Five Quails) labels. He was married to Berry Gordy's sister Gwen. He was responsible for bringing Shorty Long, the Spinners and Junior Walker to Motown. It's my understanding that Motown acquired the rights to the Tri-Phi and Harvey masters, which would mean that Universal now owns them. It would be terrific if someone [[Ace perhaps?) would issue an anthology of the Tri-Phi and Harvey masters.
Thank you Nothing But Soul. Your response is what I anticipated. I too agree that it would be nice if all them were redone on CD. ACE would do great in releasing them. It seems logical that Universal owns them. I don't know why they are keeping them from us.
I don't know of any evidence that Motown acquired the rights to the Fuqua masters, though they did cop a very few [["That's What Grils Are Made For" and some of the tracks on the second Junior Walker LP), and I don't know where they are now: not in the Motown Vaults, for sure.
Thanks for clarifying that, Keith, although I'm sorry to hear it. I was really hoping to get the Shorty Long Tri-Phi singles and "Been a Long Time" by the Five Quails on CD. The person[[s) who compiled the 2003 Shotgun/Soul Session CD must have had access to the Harvey masters because "Willie's Blues", the B-side of Junior Walker's first Harvey single, is included as a bonus track.
Didn't the tracks that Jr. Walker cut while at Harvey end up as his Soul Session lp?
I tend to agree with you, Ross. I've always thought that most, if not all, of the Soul Session album was comprised of Harvey tracks. One good indication as to which of his tracks are pre-Motown is the absence of the bass of James Jamerson. There are also Harvey tracks on the Shotgun [["Cleo's Mood") and Road Runner [["Twist Lackawanna") LPs.
Nothing But Soul - With my ears, the tracks from Soul Session always sounded like they were recorded earlier than their Shotgun lp., which I always thought was strange when I first heard the album. And it was years later that I seem to recall reading that the album was in fact a collection of earlier pre-Motown recordings. Not to get too far off track, but does anyone know when and what Jr. Walker's first recording at Motown actually was?
There was, of course, a "Tri Phi" CD a few years ago which included the Five Quails material - here is a pic and a track listing.....
Attachment 4716
The Spinners
Their Early Years
With Harvey, The Five Quails & The Challengers
Tri Phi CD 1001
Tracks
Spinners
-That's What Girls Are Made For
-Subuster
-Heeby Jeebies
-Love [[I'm So Glad) I've Found You
-What Did She Use
-I've Been Hurt
-I Got Your Water Boiling
-Too Young, Too Much, Too Soon
-Itching For My Baby
-She Don't Love Me
Harvey & Spinners
-Whistling 'Bout You
-Come On And Answer Me
-She Loves Me So
Loe & Joe & Spinners
-That's How I Am Without You
5 Qualis
-Been A Long Time
-Never Felt Like This Before
-Get To School On Time
-I Thought
-Over The Hump
-My Love
Challengers
-Honey Honey Honey
-Stay
-Everyday
-I Hear An Echo
Harvey
-Memories Of You
Thanks, Mysterysinger, I did not know about the "Tri Phi" CD. I checked on allmusic.com and they gave it a favorable review, although they mentioned that there are no liner notes, songwriting credits or pictures of any of the artists other than the Spinners. This makes me wonder if this CD could possibly be a bootleg like the Ric-Tic Relics CDs.
Bootleg or not I might never have heard the majority of these tracks were it not for this CD. It is an enjoyable listen.
Got an e-mail late last night from Amazon US telling me that the release has been delayed again, this time from 4/10 to 4/17. I wonder what created this second delay? I'm sure it'll be worth the wait, though. Excited for this one from what I've read here!
I received emails from blowitoutahere.com yesterday that the Shorty Long "Complete Stereo Masters" and "Nobody Wins: Stax Southern Soul" [[another new Ace release) were shipped to me on April 6 and should arrive within 3 to 10 business days. I pre-ordered both of these several weeks ago. "Blowitoutahere" is an Amazon market place seller, but since Amazon does not list market place sellers for a CD until it has been released, I ordered directly from the blowitoutahere.com website. Their price is lower than Amazon's and it looks like I'll be getting these CDs sooner from them.
I have ordered many items from Blowitouttahere but only through Amazon so checked out their site. Wow, the Shorty Long CD was really hard to find in their own site. It's listed as "Here Comes: Complete Motown Stereo Masters" and doesn't seem to have the singer's name cataloged at all! But it is a good price, $14.98. Thanks for the tip.
Attachment 4725
I remember reading that Harvey Fuqua died. If Gwen Gordy is still alive, she would be the one to contact about acquiring rights to use recordings.
I always thought that ALL the Hardye Productions recordings went to Motown in the 1963 "merger/fold-in" of Harvey/Tri-Phi with Motown. I didn't think that all their Jr. Walker cuts, and "Some Day We'll Be Together" and "Just Too Much To Hope For" and a few other songs, whose publishing rights changed from Harvey Music to Jobete Music, were bought in individual deals. Has someone checked BMI.com and ASCAP.com to see who owns those Shorty Long songs, now?
Robb
Gwen passed a good ten years ago now.
Could possession be considered as ownership if all parties were no longer?
Attachment 4726
By law in USA and Canada, the rights would fall to the issue [[sons and daughters of the original owners [[Gwen and Harvey), for. I believe, the remainder of the copyright period of the parent, and then [[if I'm not mistaken) for 20 years after that. After those 20 years, the property enters the public domain Isn't that also the case in UK and all of Europe? I thought I read that Europe just recently voted to extend those rights the extra 25 years, to 75, to match the ,North American laws.
I thought that Harvey Fuqua's son has been handling his rights. Did Gwen have children?
Attachment 4727
I just checked BMI.com. Just as I suspected-EVERY ONE of Shorty's Tri-Phi songs has its publishing rights owned by Motown's Stone Agate Music [[formerly Jobete Music). I will now check the other Tri-Phi songs. I'd bet the farm that they are also owned by Motown publishers.
What I had heard many years ago was that Harvey and Gwen were compensated for those rights when they and their companies were folded into Motown [[maybe Gwen's % share in the company was increased [[or she was given a share?)and Harvey was compensated with cash and a position as a major producer? And those rights were then transfered to Motown Record Corp. and publisher Jobete Music. I always thought that the master tapes went into The Motown Vaults. Why else would Five Quails acetates and Harvey/Tri-Phi papers, contracts, etc. have been physically there at Motown? Harvey and Gwen would have taken them home if they were not owned by Motown.
Attachment 4728
After checking songs for The Spinners, Five Quails, Challengers III, Harvey, Merced Blue Notes and Ervin Sisters, I found that almost all are still published by Stone Agate. The Challengers [[III) and Ervin Sisters weren't there. But that might be a result of them being overlooked at renewal time, or that Motown just didn't want to renew them, or that they are still published by a Motown ASCAP publisher?, or some mistake.
I suspect that Universal/Motown should still have the rights to sell CDs with Shorty's Tri-Phi product. They should still have the master tapes as well [[I would guess).
"Give Me My Flowers": no trace of that title in the Motown paperwork I've seen, pj1.
Clearly Jobete acquired the publishing rights to most of those titles: "Someday We'll Be Together" would have been unlikely to have been selected for the last DR & TS single if they hadn't. But did they acquire Fuqua's masters? I am not the only person who has hunted for them unsuccessfully in the Vaults. And I believe the legal people have not found any paperwork to cover such a sale, so even if the tapes could be found, UM would be unlikely to clear such material for release now.
Attachment 4732
Can't Harvey Fuqua's son be contacted? Wasn't he contacted previously for other issues? Isn't he the one that runs the website on The Moonglows, and Harvey Fuqua's biography?
I can supply a copy of "What`s The Matter" on cd if anyone is interested. Just leave your address in notifications. Regs. Roger.
Who is the talking voice with Shorty on "Stranded In The Jungle"? That's the Originals providing backing, I can hear that as clear as day.
So I am thinking it might be Freddie "Mr Postman" Gorman?
John,
I assume you mean the line "Meanwhile back in the city/jungle". If you listen to The Motown Story Volume 1 : The 1960's, cd 2, song 19 [[or even the vinyl version), there is a snippet of an interview with Freddie Gorman. It sounds like it may well be Freddie's voice.
Silly me, I forgot to mention the part where there was talking but you are spot on! *smile*
I recall Freddie's voice being quite deep, that's what me think that it was him. By the way, my original 1968 mono album version is not the same as this stereo version.
The whole ACE album is just superb. I so love Shorty Long. He was my favourite male vocalist in the 60's. I was quite upset when I heard of his passing.
I'd like ACE to do his complete MONO masters too....I'm greedy like that! At least it would have this MASTERPIECE....the vocal for instrumental version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyea1KQUgH4
Wow! Shorty Long was your favorite male vocalist. That's quite an endorsement. My dad says he remembers some people around Detroit not taking him seriously because of some of his "party" records. He says he didn't buy Shorty's first soul album until the 1980s although he had ample opportunity to do so in 1968. He also remembers the day they announced Shorty's death on CKLW just hours after the accident occured.
I chose Shorty as my favourite because it was always his tracks that I used to play. At that time, I had as many tracks by him as I did Levi, Marvin and Stevie but Shorty was always the one I was always playing.
I read about his passing in a music paper NME or Record Mirror and it was a very tiny reference. I learnt more when I saw the liner notes on his second album! At least, he left his mark in my life and I am thankful he did.