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According to a post on Motown Junkies, the background vocals to Martha's "My Baby Loves Me" is by the Four Tops. If this is so, is this the first case of the official backing group [[i.e Vandellas) being dispensed with. The track was recorded in August 1965 so were the Vandellas used in any studio recordibngs after this date or were the Andantes used instead.
Not at all, on the Vandellas first album Come and get these Memories there is a song called "To Think That You Would Hurt Me" which features some male voices and some female voices which sound like the Andantes. So, additional vocals were used early on. It wasn't a single but an indication of what was to come later.Quote:
Originally Posted by masterblaster
I will also add that a lot of those songs were the Vandellas with just additional vocals by the Andantes. The same applies to the Supremes and the Marvelettes. It's just more difficult to tell the difference in some of the female voices unless you have a standout like Flo or Roz. The Andantes were there to beef up the vocals on record or add an extra ohh or ahh for sweetening in a dead spot! Of course later there were many exceptions. But that's another story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGN3V-DG-1w
The Vandellas, as well as other vocalists, continued to be used up until their last album, BLACK MAGIC. I must admit that after Rosalind left, I can't tell who is on vocals on which song. Her voice was very distinctive.
With the exception of a few tracks, the Vandellas and Marvelettes were hardly on any of their post-1967 songs. It was pretty much the Andantes only.
That's not exactly what the liner notes say on their singles box sets.Quote:
Originally Posted by bradsupremes
sometimes the Andantes recorded a "vocal guide" to a track & that's why THEY think they were on everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANxnSuBVnBc Betty Kelly on stage Motown Cafe,
The funny thing is according to the notes in "Forever more" Boxed set, quite a few of the songs on Sophisticated Soul and In Full Bloom were recorded during the Gladys era pre 67. Early 67 was a slow down for just about everyone recording wise. The only album that did not feature a new tune by the actual group was "Return" and to make it a legitimate Marvelettes record they threw on "Uptown" Because the Marvelettes had two lead singers every album is still the Marvelettes regardless of any additional vocalists. You can hear Glady's on " The Stranger" and "Rainy Mourning". As many of you may know the same thing was done with Florence on the "Let the Sunshine In and Cream Of The Crop". With all of the unreleased material I wonder who was in charge of going back several years to add album fillers.Quote:
Originally Posted by bradsupremes
The Andantes were prominent on songs as early as Run Run Run
I don't think there was anything malicious in any of this. The producer ran the show and wanted a certain sound.
I wouldn't say they were prominent on "Run Run Run"in fact the male voices were the most prominent on there. The difference earlier on is they [[the Andantes) were used in addition to ,not in place of. No there was nothing malicious it's an industry standard. Spector and most others did this as well. Again it was about a fuller sound on record and nothing more. As noted later on they basically used them on everyone's recordings but by the late 60's even the Andantes were not the classic trio that we know from the Four Tops songs. many other ladies were used to augment the sounds.Quote:
Originally Posted by jobeterob
That is the exact truth which I tried to explain to folks for years.Quote:
Originally Posted by motony
The background voices are sumptious on My Baby Loves Me, whoever they are! What a great song.
In Martha Reeves' book, Dancing In The Street: Confessions of A Motown Diva, she says;
There are actually no Vandellas on " My Baby Loves Me." We had the Andantes and the Four Tops singing behind me for that one just to achieve that sound...
Martha also writes that "My Baby Loves Me", and "Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things" are her two favorites. My favorites as well!
Telma Hopkins has stated a few time that she and Joyce are on Marvin's "I Heard through The Grapevine" and the Four Tops "Still Water"Quote:
Originally Posted by soulballad
So with you on this Soulwally, this is one of Motown's finest songs.
This is definitely one of Motown's best; a case of a really big song that wasn't one of the biggest hits.Quote:
Originally Posted by rovereab
Of course, you are right about all the different people that ended up doing backgrounds.
Sometimes, The Andantes recorded a vocal guide, of course, we now know The A's were alone on many Supremes tracks since 1963 - entire albums sometimes. I wish Mary & Flo were on Merry Christmas as I prefer their sound. I'm one of those who doesn't care a whit as long as the best sound is there. I'm glad it's The A's on Love Child and others on Someday. I WISH it were Mary & Flo on the singles from Reflections. I think HDH got carried away with the Love is Here bg and hurt in & Out of Love and Forever Came Today using The A's.
The A's also did a lot or all of Country, Western & Pop - yet the released product features almost none of their work. Hopefully, like on Funny Girl, we'll get to hear the differences.
I love Flo but I'm glad she's not on YCHL because it's perfect just the way it is.
frank Wilson's liberal use of the A's & The Blackberries is welcome.
I never knew the lead on Nathan Jones was shared with Clydie King - I just assumed it was Mary or Cindy being extremely creative vocally.
Motown was a big wonderful team.
The lead on Nathan Jones is Clydie King?
No wonder some people, in the groups and out, were pissed.
I thought it was common knowledge that the Andantes and the Four Tops were singing background on My Baby Loves Me?
not quite. Clydie sang along with the girls to give it a fuller soundQuote:
Originally Posted by jobeterob
So we are talking Clydie sharing with Cindy mary and Jean or Clydie sharing with Jean?Quote:
Originally Posted by blackguy69
All of them were singing leadQuote:
Originally Posted by jobeterob