Question on The Great David Ruffin Hip-O-Select Motown Solo Albums

I researched Discogs to see about the scarcity of Subject Hip-O-Select releases on David Ruffin. As you know there are Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Discogs states on the marketplace section for Volume 1 the following: This release has been blocked from sale in the marketplace. It is not permitted to sell this item on Discogs.

I expected a similar one for Vol. 2, but it did not appear. There are 2 for sale in the US and 4 for sale in the UK. Overall 6 for sale from $109.99.

Can anyone who is more familiar with Discogs than I am offer any rationale why Vol. 1 is blocked and Vol. 2 is NOT blocked? Totally baffling in my opinion.

Seems odd that Volume 1 has been blocked at all - not odd to me that Volume 2 is not blocked. Both are legitimate releases as far as I can see.

Very interesting indeed, Woodward. I went into my Discogs app on my phone and didn't see any mention of the release being blocked from the marketplace. I went on to the website itself and then saw the message about Vol. 1 being blocked from the marketplace. I checked the Notes section, at the bottom of the release page. Someone asked this same question and the response stated the following:

"A complaint from the rights holder re:royalties on Al Reed compositions"

So I guess that's why, but that complaint/blockage makes no sense, since this release is now out of print and unavailable. Any copies being sold on Discogs marketplace at this point are being sold second-hand by collectors, so there won't be any royalties being collected on the physical copies of this release.

It would appear that the track "Message from Maria" is the issue.

So in that case Discogs has banned the sale of most [[all?) releases of David Ruffin's "My Whole World Ended" album- vinyl and CD versions [[such as the Elemental and Japanese CDs). Amazing.

here is the track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Df99OKmICk

this is Joe Simon's version

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mysterysinger

So in that case Discogs has banned the sale of most [[all?) releases of David Ruffin's "My Whole World Ended" album- vinyl and CD versions [[such as the Elemental and Japanese CDs). Amazing.

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It is likely Discogs responding to a legal threat.