Detroit Born "Bunny Paul" & "Motown 45" Good? Or Bad? Record

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Detroit born "Bunny Paul" she was a well known singer across Detroit Michigan during the early 5T's. In 1960 she had a brain tumour which left her face partially paralysed. However she recovered sufficiently to record again, and Berry Gordy brought her to Motown to cut a few sides in 1963.

Berry agreed to publish her one 45 on the Gordy label "I'm Hooked" & "We're Only Young Once" 45 Gordy 7017 1963. The "Vandellas" the backing group.

In 2011 the 45 was reviewed by "Motown Junkies" and basically both sides and the record "trashed" with a nominal rating in 2011. However as the review was over 10 years ago, maybe it's time again. I have always rated both sides of the record, sadly the 45 has also somewhat been forgotten.



What do we think of the Bunny Paul tracks?

Here's The Links: Side A&B:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2C7yyRnm8I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKR0Ei-aOag

Motown Junkies Review: https://motownjunkies.co.uk/2011/01/14/303/

Aren't The Supremes believed to be on background vocals on these?

I had the Gordy 45 ...and quite liked it.

Motown ....59-63 was a mixture of tunes and styles, and I always took them for what they were,
i.e a Record Company trying different things to achieve success with the talents they had, with no real format or consistency but trying to make it work.
So, if they issued varying tracks, I could take them at face value.
Of Course, from 64 onward some things do seem strange at times.
But I like this 45...both sides too.

The Marvelettes recorded "I'm Hooked" and the Vandellas picked the same backing track for Bunny Paul.

I prefer the B-side of Bunny Paul's 1963 single, "We're Only Young Once".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Motown Eddie

I prefer the B-side of Bunny Paul's 1963 single, "We're Only Young Once".

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She obviously didn't hang around that long or the label didn't have much enthusiasm for her work as she only cut those two sides.

Motown Junkies has a short summary of her background but more a focus on the Motown record.
There is also a more detailed bio as regards her time as a singer and successful artist during the 5T's. https://tims.blackcat.nl/messages/bunny_paul.htm.

Bunny Paul passed away in 2014 at the great age of 98 years.

I've always liked both of her Motown recordings. By rights, they shouldn't be that fun to listen to but for some reason, they are. I like those early Motown backgrounds, and "I'm Hooked" is a lot like the Marvelettes' version but much tamer, but the backgrounds are so similar. I love when she sings "Yum Yum". It's just odd - and fun - to hear a white pop singer like Bunny Paul sing the call-and-response song.

I like the flip, too. On that one, the background def sounds like the early Supremes but I guess it's actually the Vandellas according to an earlier poster.

There was a CD on her which was offered before. Maybe it was a bootleg, as it included lots of material from different labels and also her Motown 45. Almost bought it several years back, kind of wish I had now. Her voice has a warm, intimate quality. I guess she had a reputation as a cabaret type singer, but she still possessed a kind of earthy quality.

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it's side two for me. shades of Doris Day.


do not like the back up singers though

It's a pleasant enough record, but nothing to make it stand out from the crowd.