The Contours- I Can't Stop This Feeling

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07-15-2019, 10:54 PM
marv2

The Contours- I Can't Stop This Feeling

This is a Contours song from around 1968, but I cannot figure out who is singing lead. Can someone help me?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y897_ulgXUQ
07-15-2019, 11:06 PM
bradsupremes

This demo was erroneously credited to the Contours, but it is unknown who is singing lead. It was suspected possibly William Weatherspoon, one of the song's writers, but I don't know his voice to be sure if its him. It was never written or intended for the Contours and I believe by this time they were no longer recording at Motown.

This song was written by William Weatherspoon, James Dean, and Marilyn McLeod in 1968 and assigned to the Four Tops. Levi added his lead vocal to the track and background vocals provided by the Originals and the Andantes. Surprisingly, no Tops on this track. The song was left in the vaults until a few years ago when it was finally released on Ace's One Track Mind - More Motown Guys. As for this demo, if I remember correctly the beginning portion with the piano riff was added in the 80s by Ian Levine because the beginning part was missing from the acetate.

It's a great track and in fact, I actually speed up the Four Tops track to match the tempo of this demo. It works much better.
07-15-2019, 11:37 PM
marv2

Very interesting. Thank you Brad!
07-15-2019, 11:39 PM
Soulmusic4life

Phenomenal song. Both versions. Can't believe the tops aren't on their version. Only the Originals and Andantes. Another should have been released song. Why Motown didn't put out greats is beyond me.
07-15-2019, 11:45 PM
marv2

You can almost tell this song and track was tailor made for Levi Stubb's voice.
07-16-2019, 01:42 AM
Philles/Motown Gary

Pretty song -- typical Dean & Weatherspoon. I just love those guys! They write the sweetest melodies.
07-16-2019, 03:04 AM
paul_nixon

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradsupremes

This demo was erroneously credited to the Contours, but it is unknown who is singing lead. It was suspected possibly William Weatherspoon, one of the song's writers, but I don't know his voice to be sure if its him. It was never written or intended for the Contours and I believe by this time they were no longer recording at Motown.

This song was written by William Weatherspoon, James Dean, and Marilyn McLeod in 1968 and assigned to the Four Tops. Levi added his lead vocal to the track and background vocals provided by the Originals and the Andantes. Surprisingly, no Tops on this track. The song was left in the vaults until a few years ago when it was finally released on Ace's One Track Mind - More Motown Guys. As for this demo, if I remember correctly the beginning portion with the piano riff was added in the 80s by Ian Levine because the beginning part was missing from the acetate.

It's a great track and in fact, I actually speed up the Four Tops track to match the tempo of this demo. It works much better.

Records actually show two demo vocals and two leads of this track being recorded with the very first late in 1968 and there is no mention anywhere of the Contours - the only group associated with the song are The Tops. Only the one released [[eventually) vocal by Levi remains although there is a Tops stereo mix still to come [[hopefully) some day. My guess is the acetate was indeed by producers - writers for evaluation and the increase in speed has been caused by constant re-recording and sharing over the years onto tape by fans.
07-16-2019, 04:04 AM
Soulmusic4life

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul_nixon

Records actually show two demo vocals and two leads of this track being recorded with the very first late in 1968 and there is no mention anywhere of the Contours - the only group associated with the song are The Tops. Only the one released [[eventually) vocal by Levi remains although there is a Tops stereo mix still to come [[hopefully) some day. My guess is the acetate was indeed by producers - writers for evaluation and the increase in speed has been caused by constant re-recording and sharing over the years onto tape by fans.

Maybe we'll be able to hear the background vocals a bit more. On the stereo mix. I've noticed I can make out the lyrics a little better on stereo mixes usually.
07-16-2019, 05:23 AM
fatmaninthethirdrow

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul_nixon

Records actually show two demo vocals and two leads of this track being recorded with the very first late in 1968 and there is no mention anywhere of the Contours - the only group associated with the song are The Tops. Only the one released [[eventually) vocal by Levi remains although there is a Tops stereo mix still to come [[hopefully) some day. My guess is the acetate was indeed by producers - writers for evaluation and the increase in speed has been caused by constant re-recording and sharing over the years onto tape by fans.

I have watched and listened for years as the Northern Guys have argued over this song with their desperate need to name an artiste for every unissued track that comes their way. Paul is 100% right in his comments above. For heavens sake it doesnt even sound like the Contours. And it would seem that the Motown vaults may not retain this demo vocal any longer

Perhaps I should explain a major how and why of how this track is now heard.

The track before someone added a spurious piano chord to the front and speeded it up had a faded in beginning. The reason it was faded in was that far from coming from an acetate disc, the rundown came from a 3 inch reel running at 7.5ips demo tape which Motown used extensively in preference to shellac acetates after home hifi RTR machines became more widely available. This tape arrived in amongst a number of others from Detroit into the UK in the early 90's. The reason it required fading in was that the magnetic coating was flaking off from the start of the tape.

I know all this because I made that original faded in rundown. I prefer that rundown both for its speed and the lack of that "out of context" piano chord.
07-16-2019, 05:49 AM
paul_nixon

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatmaninthethirdrow

I have watched and listened for years as the Northern Guys have argued over this song with their desperate need to name an artiste for every unissued track that comes their way. Paul is 100% right in his comments above. For heavens sake it doesnt even sound like the Contours. And it would seem that the Motown vaults may not retain this demo vocal any longer

Perhaps I should explain a major how and why of how this track is now heard.

The track before someone added a spurious piano chord to the front and speeded it up had a faded in beginning. The reason it was faded in was that far from coming from an acetate disc, the rundown came from a 3 inch reel running at 7.5ips demo tape which Motown used extensively in preference to shellac acetates after home hifi RTR machines became more widely available. This tape arrived in amongst a number of others from Detroit into the UK in the early 90's. The reason it required fading in was that the magnetic coating was flaking off from the start of the tape.

I know all this because I made that original faded in rundown. I prefer that rundown both for its speed and the lack of that "out of context" piano chord.

I had forgotten this part of the story Fatman good to be reminded