On the song “Guarantee [[For A Lifetime) who is accompanying Mary Wells; is it the Andantes or Supremes? Thanks.
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On the song “Guarantee [[For A Lifetime) who is accompanying Mary Wells; is it the Andantes or Supremes? Thanks.
I feel like I'm gonna be in somebody's sights for sayin' this: The Andantes.
I'm hearing Martha & The Vandellas - or, at least, Martha with other singers, especially identifiable on the stereo version....
I believe that it's The Supremes.
No, it's the Vandellas!
They are credited on one of the CD releases.
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Originally Posted by WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance
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Originally Posted by westgrandboulevard
Wow, I guess that's that question answered then... :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Motown Eddie
Martha, Roz & Annette
Clearly the Supremes to my ears, but as Rrussi says, the Supremes are credited officially on one of Mary's compilations. If I'm not mistaken it's the Looking Back set.
...at least I didn't get shot down in flames!:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance
I'm going back to take a better listen!
I didn’t consider that it might be the Vandellas. Another listen, or two, is in order as well as a look at the “Looking Back” booklet. Thanks everyone!Quote:
Originally Posted by WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance
Listening critically, I'm not hearing any Supremes. Their backings [[Sweetest Boy, Witness, Wonderful One, etc.) were rather distinctive. With Flo's and Diane's high-end, somewhat nasal, timbres there was no mistaking those two on backgrounds, and I'm not hearing that on "Guarantee." I think the Vandellas as a backing trio were able to sound more homogenous, with no one or two voices jumping out at you. But this doesn't sound like Vandellas to me, either, or not as they sounded backing Marvin on Stubborn Kind of Fellow, Hitch Hike and Pride and Joy. And it doesn't sound at all like Andantes or Raybers, either, so I would be stumped if not, as rrussi mentioned, the personnel are documented on a CD release. If Vandellas are indeed credited somewhere, I would say, "Case closed." I just looked over the Looking Back booklet and could find no personnel listing for "Guarantee." This topic was covered in here back in 2013 [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthrea...by-Mary-Wells), and no one was able to come up with an answer then, either.
After a listen, my vote would be for Martha & The Vandellas on back up.
Martha and the Vandellas for the win.
The “Looking Back” booklet does not list backing credits for this song, although after a couple of more listenings I’m leaning toward the Vandellas.
Ask Martha - she will tell you who it is because she remembers the song.
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Originally Posted by theboyfromxtown
I cannot at this point find the documentation of the Vandellas, but I know it was officially crediting them somewhere and I thought it was in one of the CD booklets. But it is definitely not the Supremes.
I still hear Martha..and am pretty certain that's Roz & Annette singing harmony with her.
As an example, I'd say it's the same voices as heard on 'Third Finger, Left Hand', but singing there in unison....and which I think was Annette's last date in the studio [[June 18th 1964), recorded at same session as 'Jimmy Mack'....
Attachment 14709
I DON'T hear ANY of The Supreme's nor Martha's distinct voices. Nor do they, as a group, sound like The Andantes. My best guess is that it's maybe two of The Andantes, with an ad-hoc singer, possibly one of The Vandellas [[who is NOT Martha). There is a slight reminisance of The Vandellas' overall sound. But, I can't recognise even one of the singers, and as a unit, they don't sound completely like any one of the 3 groups in question. Martha's voice is, by far, the most distinct of any singer in the three groups. You can NEVER not hear her if she is singing with others. She was NOT singing in this recording. Yet, I hear sounds that remind me of The Vandellas. So, maybe one or two of Roz and/or Annette were singing along with 2 of The Andantes.