Well Ann B. did give an interview for the UNSUNG episode on the Marvelettes, so you never know.
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Well, after a little research, I can now partly answer my original question. The Complete Motown Singles Collection Volume 5's write-up for Tammi's version of Hold Me Oh My Darling states that although first recorded by Ann, it was then dubbed as a duet by Ann & Harvey [[Fuqua). I suppose there was a small glitch with that word in Ann's original recording, so Harvey may have simply spliced in that word from the duet version, assuming he sang that line in the duet performance.
I would think that one or more of the good fellows who produce the sets that we love have heard it.
I've been listening more carefully and I think Ann sings baby on the COM version it's just that she shifts the pitch of her voice to a very low place on that word and raises it again slowly on the rest of the phrase. I could be wrong but it's like that on all the tapes of the song.
One of those interesting factors about life is that we can agree to disagree. I still not convinced that it is Ann singing the word 'baby' at 1:11. Listening with headphones, the voice is entirely different.
My copy of A Cellarful of Motown, Vol. 5 arrived yesterday. One thing that I'm enjoying about this new collection [[besides the songs) is the packaging. The notes for all the songs are easier to read in the booklet [[and the additional recording info is on the inside covers). Thanks to Paul Nixon, Caroline, Motown/UMG and everyone else involved in putting this set together.
I just opened my copy!!!
I received mine yesterday and was immediately impressed with the presentation.And the musical content is wonderful with the new songs, new mixes and versions.A big thank you to Paul and the brilliant team and special thanks to Caroline for believing in it. Maybe Ivy Jo Hunter could be looked at some time.Doesn`t "Windmills of Your Mind" leave you wanting more!
Another question, I hear Oma Page with The Temptations in the backround, can somebody confirm this ?
Finally ordered here in Holland at a nice price at Dodax.nl:)
Just a word on my favourites- that stupendous Funk Bros band track for It’s All over, and the Eddie-led version of I’ve Gotta Find A Way... but I’m also loving the Sammy Turner track All I have left are memories, a superb Stevenson-Hunter song, but what a great voice he had, pity he didn’t do more at Motown. And he’s still with us, aged 88
Well I’m still waiting for my copy that I ordered in September 9th, and now being told by amazon that I won’t receive it till December.
I've had mine for nearly a week[[ Bought two), but figured I might as well leave my thoughts. For the most part I'm happy,even though it is not the greatest sonically. I don't know what the exact reason is for this issue, but it seems as though in any new mix of a Motown track,the drums are always barely audible. Don't know if it's the engineers who mix the tunes or the techies who transfer the audio information to them to mix, but it's a consistent problem. I've discussed this with Keith Hughes too. Seems as though everything can be adjusted, but the drums, they're always buried strangely. Without that heavy rockin' beat the songs don't take on the life that they should.
I agree that Chris Alexander's mixing is sharper here. Richard Hughes mixes are good too, but have the tendency to be too even and modern sounding. Rich uses technology wholeheartedly,Chris utilizes only what's needed and lets the tapes breathe. The sound here is more true to what a clean, but fifty years old master tape[[or multi track) should sound like. As for the content....
I enjoyed hearing the extended fades of the stereo mixes and in some cases you can actually hear the Funk Brothers stop playing. Did you notice the remainder of the demo vocal at the end of the Jimmy Ruffin track????. Hearing the HDH backing tracks were a gas too and was a peek into how serious of a writer Eddie Holland was. He would only write to what he felt and even though these tracks are nice I can't argue with him for not providing lyrics. I'd also say that Lamont Dozier was probably the creator of the first two "Instrumentals" as they have a rhythmic quality. The R.Dean Taylor track and "Truth" is more Brian Holland's pretty melodic approach to my ears, but Lamont was so versatile who knows?. Didn't think I'd enjoy the Tommy Good track, but was pleasantly surprised...
All in all, I'm happy to have it. Hopefully this will sell well enough to get Vol.6 in a couple of years[[Nixon & Co. gives proper time to research). Let's give 'em a round!!!. Job well done.
Quinn, I have to agree with you about Eddie Holland's writing lyrics to the instrumentals tracks. Until I read the Holland Brothers book, I didn't realize that Eddie would take the track and then craft lyrics to fit the track at an off-site location. I always thought everything happened with the 3 of them in the writing room and studio. On the one hand I can appreciate not being able to complete these songs. On the other hand, I have much more of an appreciation for all of the gem's that were finished. And lets not forget that Eddie Holland's was still writing with Norman Whitfield at the time as well.
I'm sure we all thought that songs took shape in a team orientated manner,then you realize it could take Eddie a month to write a single tune. He wasn't a fast writer at all. Another thing that stood out about the tracks,especially "True Fine Boy" and "It's All Over" is that they are very complex melody wise. The former is pure Detroit Soul and raw while the latter is more sentimental, but paint a picture of the process. Lamont wasn't a simple composer by a long shot in those days. He seemed to want to milk a melody for all it was worth with continual chord changes, but the chords wouldn't always connect. Brian with his intuitive ear would take Lamont's ideas and put them in order to make sense musically. "It's All Over" would give your best songwriter a run for their money because it's unpredictable and takes too many melodic detours. "True Fine Boy" just lacks an edge and actually is devoid of an intro. Brian was a great music director and could bring to fruition what would give some folks a hard time and/or a headache.
Thanks for the inclusion of "Windmills of Your Mind." I just saw that movie recently and enjoyed the theme song. So it's incredible hearing a Motown version and sung so well by Chuck Jackson.
By coincidence I listened to "Barrett Strong: The Complete Motown Collection", only a couple of days ago. At the end of the booklet a certain Mr. Paul Nixon wrote:
"While that seems to be it from the vaults as far as Barrett Strong is concerned, experience tells us that where Motown and the vaults are concerned "never" is a word that should be used lightly."
Admittedly that was written in 2004 and as nothing new has been issued since then, it appears that this compilation was indeed complete as predicted. But until someone picks up that final tape in the vaults and listens to it, we will have to wait with bated breath!
With hopefully the possible release in the future of a COM6, I'm wondering if Motown Unreleased will continue past 1972. If not, could there be a "Son of Motown Unreleased" going back to the beginning and a new series released picking up even more buried treasures not included in the first round?
Unless I've missed it, a stereo version of Barrett Strong's "Money" has never been reissued digitally according to DFTMC so could this be a candidate for future inclusion in one series or another? :)
Just curious as to whether anyone else here on SDF who may have e-mailed "appreciation" to Caroline Records for this clearly well-loved set has received any response? I e-mailed 12 days ago and never received even a cursory, "thank you for your e-mail."
I have no idea what the sales have been so far [[hey--I bought my 2 copies, so the numbers must be high! LOL) As much as we love it, I'm not sure if anyone yet knows how Caroline is viewing the success [[or *gulp* failure?) of this release.
I, for one, want to see Mr. Nixon continue to comb through the vaults to find us more goodies. I just wondered why Caroline Records doesn't seem to be reacting to...the reactions about the release?
I haven't emailed yet, but I wouldn't expect a quick reply. There is a pandemic, you know.
[QUOTE=danman869;592906]Just curious as to whether anyone else here on SDF who may have e-mailed "appreciation" to Caroline Records for this clearly well-loved set has received any response? I e-mailed 12 days ago and never received even a cursory, "thank you for your e-mail."
I sent off an email to Caroline Records on 22 September, but haven't heard anything from them [[I only bought a single copy, but I didn't tell them that!) I don't expect to get a reply, just hope that positive feedback filters up to those who make the decisions.
You're not alone.
Caroline haven't responded to any emails as far as I know.
Seems like they don't want to connect with customers, just take your money.
So I won't bother in future.
Just because Caroline Records has not responded does not mean they haven't been reading your feedback. As someone who has a background dealing with senior corporate management, I can tell you first hand that businesses do in fact read consumer emails and feedback [[duh, why would you not?) and they also make policy and business decisions based on said feedback. So I would encourage everyone to send feedback to not just Caroline Records but to Universal and Universal/Motown.
Is it beyond them to even send a pro-forma acknowledgement?
Apparently so.
I sent an email in September and never heard a thing..not that I expected to.
I don't expect that they've been fullly staffed since lockdown and will have a backlog of tasks to do.Their main priority will be to get the product out to customers, and everything else will just have to wait its turn. To expect everything to function smoothly and efficiently in any line of business since the pandemic hit is just plain unreasonable.
I've sent similar emails to other lincencees prior to the pandemic, and I've never received any reply or acknowledgement. So I wasn't expecting one, just replying to other posters with my experience.
I'm not bothered...I can get a second hand copy of vol 6.
Vol 1 sells for about £5...
That's curious as the only stereo version listed on DFTMC is:
Jan-69; LP [[S): Gordy S936 Motown Winners' Circle - No. 1 Hits Vol. 2
There are 2 enhanced stereo versions shown:
Aug-66; LP [[E): Motown S614 A Package Of 16 Original Big Hits
Mar-71; LP [[E): Motown MS727 The Motown Story Volume 1
From a quick listed to the various ones I have I'm not convinced that the enhanced version is the one on the CD copy of A Package of 16 Big Hits but I could be wrong.
However, the nearest thing to a stereo version [[or a wide enhanced version perhaps) I have is on an odd CD
NSPCD500 Various Artists - Motown Sings The Beatles.
Well down...bargain
Thank you mystersinger for checking this out for me. After looking at my database, it seems that I have numerous copies of this track, all on CD except for the single reissue that came with The Complete Motown Singles Vol.1 - and they are all mono.
I did manage to find this recording which sounds [[to my ears) in stereo as opposed to electronically reprocessed stereo. I wonder who Johnny T. is?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_FuYB__AU8
Here's another [[more recent) stereo mix by Johnny T.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21PtFZ8xVqo
Bought it. Waiting for delivery. Couldn't care less about the naysayers.
COFM5 is a wonderful package and such a bargain too.