At 14: Written & Performed By Carolyn Crawford/I'LL COME RUNNING [1964]

[Methuselah2]

[[B-side of MY SMILE IS JUST A FROWN [[TURNED UPSIDE DOWN))

Another of Motown's 'Killer Bs'. Such a vibrant recording. Can't get enough of it.

https://youtu.be/vhHOgqMdSGQ

Thanks to Tomas Vanderhoek for this YouTube posting.

[theboyfromxtown]

Methuslah2

There was another version of this track that was circulating around about 20 odd years ago.

[theboyfromxtown]

[Methuselah2]

Tbfxt - Thank you so much for that alternate take. It really has the organ very prominently heard. I think it's a great tune, very musically sophisticated. And that Carolyn wrote and recorded it was she was only 14 adds to it being pretty special. Thanks again--it's great to get to hear additional takes of tunes one really loves.

[RossHolloway]

TBFXT- thanks for posting that. It's the first time I've heard the alt version. Motown really had an embarrassment of incredible singers to be such a small and independent label. It's sad to think that all of Carolyn's Motown recordings have been released. I wonder if there were any live recordings made of her during this time period.

[theboyfromxtown]

Sorry to go on...but there is at least one more version with heavy handclaps....

[RossHolloway]

Sorry to go on...but there is at least one more version with heavy handclaps....

Where can we find this version?

[theboyfromxtown]

I'm sorry RossHolloway

I can't find it on the internet but it's on one of my cassette tapes.

[snakepit]

Good find Xtown

sounds better than the issue I reckon

[144man]

Good find Xtown

sounds better than the issue I reckon

I agree with that.

[robb_k]

I've never heard that alternate take with Earl Van Dyke playing the organ, even though I had access to all the acetates in The Motown Vault. It's very interesting. I don't usually like organ music, but this was integrated fairly well into the mix. I still like the original better.

[RossHolloway]

I've never heard that alternate take with Earl Van Dyke playing the organ, even though I had access to all the acetates in The Motown Vault. It's very interesting. I don't usually like organ music, but this was integrated fairly well into the mix. I still like the original better.

@Robb_K - do you remember any interesting unreleased tracks that have yet to be released in any format? Or put another way, what was the most interesting thing that you heard that hasn't made it out?

[robb_k]

My Favourites are: The Serenaders' "Tears, Nobody, and A Smile"[[from 1964), which, unfortunately, will likely NEVER come out, because Universal can't find any documentation on the recording date, which would prove that The Serenaders had an Artist contract with Motown at the time it was recorded. In absence of that documentation, they treat it as if it were a demo tape made by New York Jobete Music contracted producers, to sell the song to Jobete Music, and the acetate is just to prove song publishing rights ownership. It is my favourite Serenaders recording. There are 2 more Serenaders' songs that can't be released.

There is a terrific recording in the doo-wop group harmony style, from 1964, by Sammy Turner, backed by The Serenaders, called "All I Have Left Are Memories" that has not yet been released. That must not have gotten legal clearance. That may have just been a demo tape/acetate to sell the song to Jobete music, BEFORE both Sammy Turner AND The Serenaders signed their artist contracts with Motown.

I seem to remember a few cuts by The Creations [[produced by Andre Williams) that haven't yet been released [[although, they are not as good as most of those that have been).

There were 3 songs by Edward Earling from 1962 and 1963 [[Popcorn-style mid tempos) that also can't be legally cleared [[singer contract unknown). They are very good. He sang like a cross between Eddie Holland and Sammy Turner. I think the songs were written by HDH, Holland, Stevenson and Gorman, and Holland, Dozier and Gorman.

I also remember a song by The Versatones [[later Magic City group), produced by Smokey, which hasn't yet been released. two Motown cuts have been released by them [["Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde". and "Company Time").

There was one Blues cut [[perhaps by Eddie Burns) that can't be used. Perhaps it was a Tri-Phi recording, and Motown did not pick up Burns' contract, when they added the Harvey/Tri-Phi artists [[Johnny Bristol, Steve Mancha [[AKA Clyde Wilson), Ann Bogan [[from The Challengers III), Jr. Walker & All Stars, The Quails [[Five Quails), Spinners, Harvey Fuqua, Merced Blue Notes, and Shorty Long).

Motown didn't pick up The Ervin Sisters. Lorrie Rudolph, Joe Charles, Wilbur Jackson [[of The Two Friends) and Eddie Burns. There are also 2 more Quails' cuts that haven't been released. But, they aren't all that good.

There were many very good Motown Gospel cuts that haven't yet been released. even as individual files for sale. Some were by The Pronouns, some by Wilson Pickett's old group, some by The Gospel Stars, and several other Detroit groups.

There were several cuts [[enough for an LP) done by Rock-a-billy banjo player, Cranford [[Ford) Nix. I especially like "Seein' Nellie Home". None of those will likely ever be released.

[RossHolloway]

@Robb_K - Interesting list of unreleased songs. Do you remember hearing any unreleased materials or live recordings from the bigger artists? It seems that we've reached the "end of the road" for most of the major artists in terms of unreleased materials with the exception maybe of Stevie W., Brenda H., and Gladys K & The Pips. I've also found it strange that we've never had [[to my recollection) any unreleased songs from the Temptations post 1968.

[Roger Polhill]

Robb, I have "Tears, Nobody And A Smile" and "All I Have Left Are Memories" so all is not lost!