Ron Miller, Tom Baird and Don't Forget The Motor City.

Some time ago I had a single by Vikki Carr, both sides of which were shown as published by Jobete/Carlin Music. The A' Side was "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" and the B'Side was "I've Never Been A Woman Before".

"I've Never Been A Woman Before" was written by Ron Miller and Tom Baird and it turns out it is something of a standard, having been recorded also by Barbra Streisand and Shirley Bassey at least.

Vikki Carr's version came out in 1971 and I wondered whether it ought to have been listed in DFTMC as I think I've seen songs that were recorded by none-Motown artists listed there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAOCLU_VEK4

A band track was recorded for Diana Ross in 1970, and horns and strings were added, but it seems that Miss Ross never cut a vocal track for this song. I'll try and track down which was the first released version and add it to the database, and it should emerge in the next revision of DFTMC. Thanks, msyterysinger!

I suspect Vikki had the original release. Around that time she recorded a number of Motown songs such as "If I Were Your Woman" and a really excellent version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" a la Ross. It's a shame that Diana never had a version released but others did justice to the song. There again maybe that was reason enough not to put it out.

Esther's marathon version....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8YxMArw63M

Keith - I've also wondered whether the song "A Million To One" should be a contender for DFTMC? Originally recorded by Jimmy Charles and The Revellettes and later on by Donny Osmond. I first noticed it in a Motown music book and I believe it to be with what was Stone Agate Music.

mysterysinger, I reckoned that Vikki's was the earliest too [[1971 as you say); Shirley Bassey's came out in 1972, Barbra Streisand's in 1974 and Esther Phillips' in 1977.

"A Million To One": this one's taken a bit more digging than Vikki Carr ....

The song was written by Phil Medley, published by Starflower Music and released by Jimmy Charles in 1960 - it reached #5 in August. Medley [[who wrote "Twist And Shout" with Bert Russell [Berns]) was maybe briefly a Motown house writer, as half a dozen songs by him were registered to Jobete Music during 1963-1964 in the Library Of Congress records.

In the Supplement to the Jobete Catalog [[Apr-June 1967), "A Million To One" by Phil Medley appears with four stars, indicating a Top 10 hit. The song is shown on the BMI website as published by Stone Agate, and with a gold star [[meaning it was a big hit - a million-seller?). So I think it's safe to conclude the copyright was acquired by Jobete between April and June 1967. [[However - it seems the change of ownership was not registered at the LOC.)

Why did Jobete acquire this title? The only reasons I know why Jobete acquired titles in the 60s were [[a) through buying out the publishing company [[e.g. Golden World's Myto or Harvey Fuqua's companies), or [[b) as a result of a copyright infringement case, e.g. "Mashed Potato Time", "1-2-3"). Neither of those reasons applies here - as far as I know. If Motown bought it because they intended to have one of their artists record it, that didn't happen, at least in the sixties: the only Motown recording I've located [[in paperwork only) is one by Jermaine Jackson, so far unreleased - indeed it may not ever have been finished. Or may not even have been the same song!

I guess Jimmy Charles' version should be in DFTMC. Thanks again, mysterysinger! Keep 'em coming.