The Marvelettes on TV

[BigAl]

In the few TV clips I've seen, the gals were always lip-synching. The only footage I've ever seen where they're actually singing has been in the filmed 1963 Motortown Revue. Does anyone know if there are any other extant filmed or videotaped actual live performances? The only time I ever saw them live was in 1966 and they just sort of walked through the set. All the energy that was present in that 1963 film was absent.

[reese]

In the few TV clips I've seen, the gals were always lip-synching. The only footage I've ever seen where they're actually singing has been in the filmed 1963 Motortown Revue. Does anyone know if there are any other extant filmed or videotaped actual live performances? The only time I ever saw them live was in 1966 and they just sort of walked through the set. All the energy that was present in that 1963 film was absent.

They sang live to track while performing DON'T MESS WITH BILL on Hullabaloo.

[BayouMotownMan]

At the time of the first British tour which included Ready, Steady, Go, the group was not as hot as the Vandellas or the Supremes. They were also in a state of transition going from four to three members. It simply would have been too many girl groups on one tour. One executive at Motown said of the group at this time that Gordy was aggravated with all the transition in the group and they were never sure just who was available to be a Marvelette and who wasn't.

Had it not been for Smokey I don't think the Marvelettes would have survived past 1965. Clearly Gordy was finished with them but Smokey was interested in Wanda's voice [[she was married to fellow Miracle Bobby Rogers) and with Don't Mess With Bill he breathed new life into the trio. At the same time, he and other producers utilized the Andantes for backing vocalists to ease up the recording process.

If you think about it, the unexpected windfall of Please Mr. Postman should have cemented the group's future as Motown's top female act and their would have been no real interest in Vandellas or Supremes. But they simply didn't exhibit the glamour or vocal prowess of these other ladies.

Sadly, Gordy restricted their access to media and tv exposure. The Marvelettes just weren't as polished as the Vandellas and especially The Supremes. They made a rare national tv exposure on Hullabaloo to promote Don't Mess With Bill. They sang live to a backing track. If you listen to this performance, although their choreography was top notch and Wanda was in good voice, the backing vocals were off key. I love them, their music was top notch, but the smart money was on The Supremes so any money for promotion of this group was sucked up by the better investment.

[BigAl]

They sang live to track while performing DON'T MESS WITH BILL on Hullabaloo.

Looking at it again, it does appear that Wanda is singling live. Not sure about Kat and Gladys. Clearly there are more than two voices on background so perhaps they were singing live, along with Andantes on track to sweeten the harmonies and augment the background. Still it's hard to discern exactly what's up. I know they didn't sound that good when I saw them a year later.