A Collection Of 16 Big Hits

This series was reissued on CD in the beginning of the 1990's and I'm considering purchasing the lot. But I wonder, did the compilers use the mono masters, the stereo masters or did they mix it all up?

The CD's in question:
A Package Of 16 Original Big Hits [Motown MOTD-5448]
A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 2 [Motown MOTD-5449]
A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 3 [Motown MOTD-5450]
A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 4 [Motown MOTD-5451]
A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 5 [Motown MOTD-5452]
A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 6 [Motown MOTD-5453]
A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 7 [Motown MOTD-5454]
A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 8 [Motown MOTD-5455]
A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 9 [Motown MOTD-5456]
A Collection Of 16 Big Hits, Vol. 10 [Motown MOTD-5457]

Good question that I can't answer!

If they were issued in stereo, I wonder if they used the correct mixes that were issued on the original albums, as quite a few were different ones to what had already been issued.

Maybe it's time for them to be issued on CD again. A project for Hip-O perhaps?

Cheers

Paul

I was indirectly involved with these releases but not in the studio when they were mastered. They used the stereo masters. Interesting in many cases. Some stereo mixes used are slightly different from the traditional mixes often used. But I also noticed that sometimes a mix that was on the vinyl stereo LP was NOT used on the CD.

Volume 2 [[originally Tamla 256) was my favorite of the series, because it had a few new recordings of some of the older tracks, such as "I'll Have to Let Him Go" by Martha and the Vandellas, and the long version of "Just Loving You" by Kim Weston which I hadn't heard before. The stereo version of the LP came out several years after the original, Mono only, release, and it was a real surprise to hear new versions of a few of the songs. Martha's vocal on "Let Him Go" was much more melodic than on the original release. It was also the track used on the Vandellas "Anthology," I believe.

The CD of this volume does have the same stereo mixes and alternate versions of the tracks.

I'm not sure how readily available these are in the USA but they're not too easy to find in the UK. Amazon has proved a good source BUT the price varies from very reasonable to rediculously expensive - and that's for the same volume at different times. Thankfully I've managed to obtain all except Volume 7 which appears to have been unavailable for some time. It may still be possible to source brand new copies [[unwrapped) of some of them. I wonder why Volume 11 was never issued on CD? I also have all 11 on vinyl, but have never found the patience to compare tracks. The first one, of course, was issued with alternative covers on vinyl but not on CD. A great set either way. Happy collecting!

I agree with Kenneth that Volume 2 was my favourite also. I didn't buy them all but also remember that the volume that contains "Jimmy Mack" also was a different version.
On Volume 2 "I'll have to let him go" by Martha & Vandellas this was the first time l heard this version, as with the "usual" version, Martha starts off by singing the line "I've got to let him go" whereas this version she starts off singing the line "I'll have to let him go"

The UK also had a series of 8 volumes of 16 Big Hits [[at least originally - there have been others with that title since). Only Volumes 4 and 5 of the US series were issued in the UK [[and even then with volume numbers transposed). The rest provide interesting contrast with the US sets, and I loved them because there was always something different to discover - especially as I was performing catch up having only come to Motown properly around 1970.

I delighted in buying the original vinyls because alternate stereo mixes were often used. Volume 5 of the CD did not use the master tape that was the source of this album. My Girl is blasted in mono, as well as I'll Keep Holding On, Take Me in Your Arms, and High Heel Sneakers. Where Did Our Love Go? and Come See About Me were the Greatest Hits mixes and not the album mixes. When I'm Gone is a bad mix of voice on one track and instrumentation on the other. Volume 7 gives a reverb at the end of My Girl Has Gone that made the song.

I have this collection and it was pretty faithful to the vinyl pressings with a few exceptions. Vol. 5 did not include the stereo mixes of I'll Keep Holding On, Take Me In Your Arms or When I'm Gone. Vol. 7 did use the strings version of Ain't Too Proud To Beg. Vol. 8 had the alternate stereo mixes of Jimmy Mack and Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever.

For whatever reason, Vol. 11 was never issued on CD

These CDs vary in the mixes used from the vinyl originals especially Volume 5 where a good deal of it is I mono as noted above. They were also issued as cassettes at the same time.
There are earlier Ampex cassettes from the era of the vinyl copies, as well as reel to reel tapes from that period that do use stereo mixes. Interestingly the first and second volumes were issued as a reel to reel two on one in mono.

I've always found this US Series fascinating. I managed to get original vinyl in both mono and stereo digitised and I listen to these. They may not be quite as technically good as the cd re-issues but all the original different versions between the formats are there.

The UK versions always seemed the poor cousins.

I still play the US mono and stereo regularly and enjoy the differences despite having been reduced to one working ear!

The later UK versions probably seemed like "the poor cousins" because the hit tracks started to be issued on Motown Chartbusters - a hugely successful series that went to 12 volumes. The first 3 volumes of 16 Big Hits were the real McCoy. Volumes 4 and 5 copied the USA volumes 5 and 4 respectively [[and as a result repeated many tracks). From then on the series could have been called 16 Not So Big Hits BUT how wonderful to hear quality sides by the likes of The Monitors [[Since I Lost You Girl & Say You), Shorty Long, Rita Wright, Fantastic Four, David Ruffin and so on. Pics of most of the album & CD covers can be seen here on my Flickr site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cookeph...7623910194516/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cookeph...7623910194516/