Frank Wilson's Do I Love (Indeed I Do) thoughts

We are aware of the decision to pull the release of this single, however, the following thought occurred to me today......

The song has major hit written all over it so I wonder why it was not recorded and released by an established Motown act after the song was first presented to the Q/A team?

I can hear many Motown acts singing this happy upbeat song, e.g. Four Tops [[as Frank kinda talks the lyrics like Levi), Temptations, Supremes even Marvin & Tammi. Perhaps being re-recorded at Detroit with the "full Motown" sound would have further enhanced its hit opportunities.

Any thoughts from other SDFers?

Frank did recorded it on Chris Clark...should have been released on her.

I have no idea but I consider Wilson's record of the song to be perhaps THE most perfect hidden/lost/little-known classic ever.

I agree PNH, this is the most perfect but unknown classic ever! It just sounds like a hit to me!!! I reckon it could have been a hit with any of those Motown acts, especially The Four Tops. :)

I’ve always thought that this recording must have been done in L.A. where Wilson and the producers were based, rather than Detroit. The track doesn’t sound like the Funk Brothers to me. Does anyone know? If it was L.A., then a “Snake Pit” track would have improved it.

Yeah Chris Clark did a great job too and could have had the release. I reckon Berry wanted it pulled on Frank so Chris could record it and have a hit. But couldn't get it past QC

I feel that Motown's QC dropped the ball [[big time) by letting "Do I Love You [[Indeed I Do)" fall through the cracks. The song truly has "hit potential" all over it [[and could've worked with a number of Hitsville Era acts). Perhaps due to the fact that Motown had so many great songs during this time, they let this one go.

As much as I appreciate having heard this tune, I can't imagine it being a monster smash. From the sound of the record I think it's safe to call it an L.A. recording. Frank's decision to become a producer as opposed to an artist is what led to the logistical demise of this "record". Still he didn't give up on the song and tried to stick with it. However as much as I like Frank Wilson's contributions to the Motown story I can't see this one taking the world by storm. Good to listen to, but it lacks something in my opinion.

All you need to know about this tune and where it was recorded, and who played on it: -

https://www.adampwhite.com/westgrand...ssessment-anew

Cheers

Paul

But who was in the choir on this record?

I agree with Quinn - can't see this doing all that much.

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Originally Posted by bradburger

All you need to know about this tune and where it was recorded, and who played on it: -

https://www.adampwhite.com/westgrand...ssessment-anew

Cheers

Paul

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Thank you Paul!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bradburger

All you need to know about this tune and where it was recorded, and who played on it: -

https://www.adampwhite.com/westgrand...ssessment-anew

Cheers

Paul

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good stuff!

Had I been a part of the northern soul scene, this would've been the song that would've driven me crazy!:D It's everything I love with its upbeat sentiments reinforced by an ecstatic arrangement.
It reminds me of other records that provide that same uplifting sensation, like SUGAR SUGAR by The Archies or LOVE TRAIN by The O'Jays [[ a song that Frank Wilson would bring to The Supremes).

I'd give this a ten out of ten , IF I were to find fault, nothing about the instrumentation , it might be the throwaway lyric about laying me down to sleep ....

This is an arrangers record , for my ears, composed with every detail in mind, and a real stomper in every sense of the word.
Frank Wilson's voice doesn't have the full force to carry the conviction of the lyrics , and therefore bolstering it with an enthused choir is shear brilliance.
Listening to it , it's clear to me that Frank's calling wasn't in his vocalizing , it was in his understanding of musical presentation.
For me , he made the right call in deciding to dedicate his talents to creating the music, rather than performing it.

A product of this decision would be a particularly favorite one of mine, a seven minute ditty called BOOGIE DOWN. :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwvpeYiQwss

I could not understand what all the fuss was about as it was not a Funk Bros. track.Pleasant enough but not outstanding. I`m not a fan of the LA. Motown sound.

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Originally Posted by mowest

I’ve always thought that this recording must have been done in L.A. where Wilson and the producers were based, rather than Detroit. The track doesn’t sound like the Funk Brothers to me. Does anyone know? If it was L.A., then a “Snake Pit” track would have improved it.

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Attachment 15369
I agree that a “Snake Pit” track would have improved it, as The funk Brothers had a great groove going at that time, and that sound was better to me than what those L.A. session players were doing. But Frank Wilson's solo writing efforts lacked the Motown hit structured. His songs written without Marc Gordon, Hal Davis, or the Pipkin cousins to "rein him in" wandered all over the place, with no structure. They just didn't sound like Motown. personally, I just don't like them. I don't think that song had a snowball's chance in hell of becoming a hit with ANY singer. I bought the record because a Gordon- Wilson song was on the flip [["Sweeter As The Day Goes By"). That has an "I'm So Thankful" groove going. "You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet" was co-written by Wilson with Marc Gordon. It's SOOOOOOO much better a song, it isn't funny. There's no comparison. they are leagues apart. "Do I Love You" would have bombed badly if Motown would have pushed it fully. Wilson would have been dropped from the label, as a failed artist and solo songwriter. He made the right choice, to stay as a producer/writer.

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Originally Posted by Roger Polhill

I could not understand what all the fuss was about as it was not a Funk Bros. track.Pleasant enough but not outstanding. I`m not a fan of the LA. Motown sound.

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Attachment 15370
I agree 100%. It was a big hit on The Northern scene because it was dead rare, and the rarest Motown Soul cut, and had a raw sound that offered something different from the then [[mid-to-late 70s worshipping of the humdrum HDH typical "cloned songs"). It is lousy musically, not a clever blending of well-played instruments' notes, such as "This Old Heart of Mine", "Truly Yours", "Come Spy With Me", What Becomes of the Brokenhearted", "Say You", "Crying In The Night", "Ask The Lonely", etc.

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Originally Posted by bradburger

All you need to know about this tune and where it was recorded, and who played on it: -

https://www.adampwhite.com/westgrand...ssessment-anew

Cheers

Paul

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Attachment 15371
There's no arguing that the musicians on Wilson's recording were subpar. They were NOT. They were top-notch musicians, playing well. The problem was the song's unstructured style, and the singer's lack of range. He certainly had good energy put into his singing [[which helped it quite a bit). Nevertheless, the song didn't sound at all like a classic Motown song, and didn't have the structure to make it a Pop or Soul hit. It was like "free form Jazz" was to mainstream Jazz, and not a strong version of it. Wilson, himself, wrote much better solo songs. I must say that it does have a quite well-written instrumental break with a great blending of strings with other instruments, but, as good as it is, the mix isn't nearly as good as it could have been, so it lays flat, rather than having the strong parts be accentuated. It just doesn't sound all that good, like it should. The words are not accentuated by the music, helping to build up the emotional response from the listener [[identifying with his or her past life experience) to lead them there, as they are in a good Smokey Robinson, Stevenson-Hunter, Fuqua Bristol, Dean-Weatherspoon, Cosby-Moy-Wonder song. Listen to The Monitors' "Crying In The Night". It's very danceable, like "Do I Love You", but it pulls at one's heartstrings, where "Do I Love You" does not. It also sounds like a symphony, while "Do I Love You" sounds flat, and uninteresting, with a dull [[rather than sharp), clunky beat [[the latter effect would certainly have been handled better by Jack Ashford's crew in Detroit, as well as the mixer.

It's interesting reading the different views on this song. I see the song as an uplifting celebration where, in the dance clubs of the time, I envisage couples singing it out to each other on the dancefloor.

Give the song the magic Detroit sound of the mid-60s era and it would have been a big hit in the UK. I would have recorded the Four Tops on it.

Interesting to read others thoughts on a recording that I've always considered epitomizes the classic Motown sound.

Here is an article by Andy Rix, taken from "Soul Source" that confirm much of what has been stated already. However, it also does give some interesting additional thoughts and info on the background to the record and to the possibility/evidence that there may be more copies out there than we've been led to believe. As always comments/thoughts are welcomed.

https://www.soul-source.co.uk/articl...ed-i-do-r2565/

Vinyl Factory lists the 10 rarest Motown singles - do you agree?

Frank Wilson
Do I Love You [[Indeed I Do)
[[Soul, 1965)

Nick and the Jaguars
Ich-i-Bon #1
[[Tamla, 1959)

Barrett Strong
Let’s Rock
[[Tamla, 1959)

Chico Leverett
Solid Sender
[[Tamla, 1959)

Gino Parks
Blibberin’ Blabbin’ Blues
[[Miracle, 1961)

Andre Williams
Rosa Lee [[Stay Off The Bell)
[[Miracle 04)

The Charters
Trouble Lover
[[Mel-o-dy, 1962)

The Andantes
[[Like A) Nightmare
[[V.I.P., 1964)

Oma Heard
Lifetime Man
[[V.I.P., 1964)

The Mynah Birds
It’s My Time
[[Unreleased)

https://thevinylfactory.com/features...otown-records/