Quick,put it in the vault!!

[arr&bee]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?

[robb_k]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?

I love "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" by the Spinners. I like it even better than the original by Joe Towns.

[kenneth]

I know there are many defenders of the song, including my buddy Philles/Motown Gary and Jimi LaLumia, but I think that 'No Matter What Sign You Are' should have never seen the light of day!

[RanRan79]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?

I think this is even harder than the question I posed about "superior" covers of Motown songs! I don't think I can say anything should never be released. I even think the half finished songs should see the light of day, just for fans' sake. But there are some that I think should have been given a second thought before it was even recorded, in order to get the best possible outcome. The one that quickly springs to mind is the Supremes' version of "My Guy". It's like no one involved- from the producer, the singers and the musicians- was even trying to keep up with the spirit of the original version. It begs the question of "what was the point?".

[RanRan79]

I know there are many defenders of the song, including my buddy Philles/Motown Gary and Jimi LaLumia, but I think that 'No Matter What Sign You Are' should have never seen the light of day!

I'm finding that I'm not as crazy about the song as I was years ago, but I still dig it. What is it about the song that would have made you shelve it?

[splanky]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?

Jai, Smokey wrote Crazy 'Bout The La La La himself and personally
I have always felt it was a very clever and fantastically produced jam.
With Smokey's use of metaphors he told us in rhyme what today's
performers only seem to know how to express with the most explicit
profanity. But I know some of us went that route too at times, George
Clinton for one, after throwing out his suits, sang about that la la la
in a tune that morphed from I Call My Baby Pussycat to...ahhh, a lost
kitty...Bobby Rogers gigglish laughter turns into "I like it, I like it"
and i agreed....

[TomatoTom123]

There have been so many great songs from motown,but how about some that should've never been released....bareback[the temps]yuck...crazy bout the la-la-la[the miracles]did smokey have any say so on this one??...together such sweet music[the spinners]no!!..hey diddle diddle[marvin gaye]really marvin..whatcha got?

Hey, arr&bee, I'm pretty sure there was some awful spoken-word socio-political commentary 'comedy' record released by Motown in the mid-'60s... not sure if it counts but it was probably best left in the vaults!

[kenneth]

I'm finding that I'm not as crazy about the song as I was years ago, but I still dig it. What is it about the song that would have made you shelve it?

Well...since you asked...

The subject matter is cheesy; an apparent inspiration [[rip off?) of "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In." I actually like the arrangement and instrumentation but I think the lyrics and delivery ruin it.

This is one of the songs which always made me think Diane could never sing soul. Her whoops and shrieks are so patently false. Though now that "A Go Go" has been reissued, I take back my feeling that she couldn't sing soul. She does on that album, and excellently.

I think a song which incorporated a similar theme to much better affect was the Marvelettes' "Our Lips Just Seem to Rhyme Everytime," in the third verse in which Wanda sings "But there are times when the zodiac signs..." in that uncharacteristically [[for the Marvelettes) fun and raucous arrangement.

[biggestfourtops fan]

1.GOING TO A GO GO
2.MY GIRL
3.Jackson 5- I'll Be There
4. The Temptations and Supremes On Broadway and TCB album.
5. DANCING IN THE STREET
6. I KNOW I'M LOSING YOU
7. The Temptations- DON'T LET THE JONESES GET YOU DOWN,UNITE THE WORLD, HUM ALONG AND DANCE

[daviddesper]

Believe it or not, I never cared for Papa Was a Rolling Stone.

[robb_k]

Believe it or not, I never cared for Papa Was a Rolling Stone.

Neither did I. Nor did I like "Ball of Confusion", or DON'T LET THE JONESES GET YOU DOWN,UNITE THE WORLD, HUM ALONG AND DANCE, nor "War". I mainly dislike them because I don't like their sounds. Lyrics don't matter much to me. I do like "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" and "This is My Country", but NOT "Mercy, Mercy, Me [[The Ecology)", and I was an environmental engineer and assessor and environmental planner, and an extreme tree hugger. To me, it's all about the sound. A message I can read. A song has to sound good.

[vgalindo]

Neither did I. Nor did I like "Ball of Confusion", or DON'T LET THE JONESES GET YOU DOWN,UNITE THE WORLD, HUM ALONG AND DANCE, nor "War". I mainly dislike them because I don't like their sounds. Lyrics don't matter much to me. I do like "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" and "This is My Country", but NOT "Mercy, Mercy, Me [[The Ecology)", and I was an environmental engineer and assessor and environmental planner, and an extreme tree hugger. To me, it's all about the sound. A message I can read. A song has to sound good.

Wow. I thought I was the only one that didn't care for these songs. I agree Rob the song has to sound good. The message isn't important to me.

[kenneth]

To each his own, but "Dancing in the Streets?" Wow! Can't believe that one!

Now, maybe "Wild One," as it was kind of a cheap soundalike to "Dancing." But I still liked it.

[shoo-be-doo]

The awful discordant jangly mess that is 'Live Wire' should never have got out.

[TomatoTom123]

The awful discordant jangly mess that is 'Live Wire' should never have got out.

Whhaaat?! I LOVE that song! An uptempo romp that runs at 500 miles-an-hour; infectious, explosive, joyous and a whole lot of fun.

And only a tiny bit discordant.

[jack020]

Bareback by the Temptations was on Atlantic, not Motown!

[Motown Eddie]

Here's a couple of Motown releases that I think should've stayed in the vault;

1. "Muck Arty Park"-Soupy Sales
2. "Angel In Blue"/"Blue Cinderella"-Joel Sebastian
3. "Custer's Last Man"-Popcorn & the Mohawks
4. "What The World Needs Now"-Diana Ross & the Supremes
5. "Some Things You Never Get Used To"-Diana Ross & the Supremes
6. "I Tried"-Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
7. "What The World Needs Now/Abraham, Martin & John"-Tom Clay
8. "He's A Good Guy [[Yes He Is)"-The Marvelettes
9. "Zoom"-The Temptations
10. "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On"-The Temptaions

[arr&bee]

bareback by the temptations was on atlantic, not motown!

thanks for catching my mistake,that song sucks.

[smallworld]

"Touch" by the Supremes.

[TomatoTom123]

10. "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On"-The Temptaions

Oh no! Why don't you like this one, Eddie?

[mowest]

“Laughing Boy” by Mary Wells was a poor follow up to “Two Lovers.” Surprising it made R&B top ten and Pop top 20.

[marv2]

"Sweet Gypsy Jane" and "Up the Creek Without a Paddle" by the Temptations.

[marv2]

"One Love In My Lifetime" by Diana Ross

[McMotown]

Don't Let Him Shop Around love the music and lyrics it's just Debbie Dean's voice. Come to think of it probably anything by Debbie her voice just does nothing for me. Sorry Debbie Dean fans.

[jsmith]

Going To A Go Go is an anthem ..... it helped me get thru my teenage years anyway.

[jsmith]

Popular in Brazil ....
Attachment 12951

[honest man]

Mary Wilson's solo album

[RanRan79]

Mary Wilson's solo album

Other than "Pick Up the Pieces", I'm going to have to agree with this. I think TPTB should have locked this one up and sent Mary back into the studio in another musical direction.

[TomatoTom123]

"Sweet Gypsy Jane" and "Up the Creek Without a Paddle" by the Temptations.

Oh, no, Marv! I like those very funky tracks. Admittedly not The Tempts' absolute best but still great. Why don't you like them?

[TomatoTom123]

Don't Let Him Shop Around love the music and lyrics it's just Debbie Dean's voice. Come to think of it probably anything by Debbie her voice just does nothing for me. Sorry Debbie Dean fans.

Lol... how many Debbie Dean fans actually are there?

Now, Paul, I am going to make you like, no, perhaps even love, a song by Debbie Dean. Hopefully you haven't heard it before:

[marv2]

Oh, no, Marv! I like those very funky tracks. Admittedly not The Tempts' absolute best but still great. Why don't you like them?

Because they sucked.

[TomatoTom123]

Because they sucked.

Lol... ok, well, that's not really an explanation but I take your point.

[robb_k]

Here's a couple of Motown releases that I think should've stayed in the vault;

1. "Muck Arty Park"-Soupy Sales
2. "Angel In Blue"/"Blue Cinderella"-Joel Sebastian
3. "Custer's Last Man"-Popcorn & the Mohawks
4. "What The World Needs Now"-Diana Ross & the Supremes
5. "Some Things You Never Get Used To"-Diana Ross & the Supremes
6. "I Tried"-Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
7. "What The World Needs Now/Abraham, Martin & John"-Tom Clay
8. "He's A Good Guy [[Yes He Is)"-The Marvelettes
9. "Zoom"-The Temptations
10. "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On"-The Temptaions

"Custer's Last Man" IS an abomination, - one of the worst Motown releases. But not as bad as "Randy The Newspaper Boy" by Ray Oddis, or "Summit Chanted Meeting", an awful novelty "break-in record" on Mel-o-dy Records. But, "He's A Good Guy [[Yes He Is)"- by The Marvelettes is a song I like a lot.

[Ozmo]

Working Overtime album - Diana Ross. I believe that this was Diana's first LP upon her return to the Motown label in the late 80s. It was produced by Nile Rogers who had previously worked with her on the diana [[Chic) album which I really liked. However, for me the 'Working Overtme' album was a huge disappointment. It seemed to me like a desperate attempt by Diana to compete with the likes of Janet Jackson, who was enjoying massive success at that time and did not play to Diana's own individual vocal and performance strengths.

I'm sure some will disagree, so I'm heading to my bunker now! LOL.

[marv2]

Lol... ok, well, that's not really an explanation but I take your point.

Sorry I was busy with work when I posted that. I think that style of R&B was wearing thin by the mid-70s in lieu of Funk bands that had become very popular.

[jboy88]

Lol... how many Debbie Dean fans actually are there?

Now, Paul, I am going to make you like, no, perhaps even love, a song by Debbie Dean. Hopefully you haven't heard it before:

That song gets on my last nerve. Though the B-side "Stay My Love" was alright!

Both sides of The Honest Men's Cherie gives me a headache and Jack Hammer's Color Combination also should of been left in the can.
Tom Clay's What the World Needs Now was a moving work of art but the b side "The Victors" was a huge buzzkill! WTH Billie-Jean Brown?

[daviddesper]

Motown Eddie:

Say it isn't so! "I Tried" is a neat little song and I liked it back in the day almost as much as I did the A side "I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing." It was one of Martha's very few songs with a country vibe, or at least that is the way I took it. I also have nothing against "He's a Good Guy", but will admit it is pretty far down my list of Marvelettes' songs. I don't think I know very many of the rest of your list.

[biggestfourtops fan]

The Supremes Sing Rogers and Hart and Funny Girl and Country and Western. More useless cross over garbage. The songs stink. Only the four tops can do standard but I wouldn't want them doing these songs either.

[Methuselah2]

TO SIR, WITH LOVE
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
from Ridin' High album

[Bluebrock]

Mary Wilson's solo album

Totally agree. It sucked big time. It should not have even been recorded let alone released. Also the Supremes Jimmy Webb album and Diana's "last time i saw him" album.

[Bluebrock]

Working Overtime album - Diana Ross. I believe that this was Diana's first LP upon her return to the Motown label in the late 80s. It was produced by Nile Rogers who had previously worked with her on the diana [[Chic) album which I really liked. However, for me the 'Working Overtme' album was a huge disappointment. It seemed to me like a desperate attempt by Diana to compete with the likes of Janet Jackson, who was enjoying massive success at that time and did not play to Diana's own individual vocal and performance strengths.

I'm sure some will disagree, so I'm heading to my bunker now! LOL.

I couldn't have put it better myself Ozmo!

[kenneth]

"Custer's Last Man" IS an abomination, - one of the worst Motown releases. But not as bad as "Randy The Newspaper Boy" by Ray Oddis, or "Summit Chanted Meeting", an awful novelty "break-in record" on Mel-o-dy Records. But, "He's A Good Guy [[Yes He Is)"- by The Marvelettes is a song I like a lot.

The Marvelettes are my favorite Motown group, but "He's a Good Guy" one of my least favorite songs of theirs. I think the problem with it is that it is at least 2 or 3 songs in one. The verse starts out in a rather traditional "He's Sure the Boy I Love" fashion, then the weird changes in tempo alter it completely with the refrain "I never saw a guy as ambitious as my guy..." which seems abrupt and out of place. I think, like when they pretended to be The Darnells, it was an attempt to cash in on the Phil Spector Wall of Sound[[alikes). The overall arrangement is far too frenetic to my liking.

The odd thing is that back when "Anthology" came out [[which is the first time I heard the song) a guy I was seeing who was a professional musician and composer loved the song and thought it was outstanding musically. So hey, what do I know???

[RanRan79]

Motown Eddie:

Say it isn't so! "I Tried" is a neat little song and I liked it back in the day almost as much as I did the A side "I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing." It was one of Martha's very few songs with a country vibe, or at least that is the way I took it. I also have nothing against "He's a Good Guy", but will admit it is pretty far down my list of Marvelettes' songs. I don't think I know very many of the rest of your list.

I love "I Tried". It's one of the Martha Reeves and Vandellas cuts I play the most.

[kenneth]

I love "I Tried". It's one of the Martha Reeves and Vandellas cuts I play the most.

I like it too. It was a single I never heard until I found it in the cut-out bins at a reduced price in some discount store in Detroit [[probably Arlans - Marv2 remembers Arlans, don't you?). The only thing I never figured out was the opening which always reminds me of "Turkey in the Straw!"

[RanRan79]

Totally agree. It sucked big time. It should not have even been recorded let alone released. Also the Supremes Jimmy Webb album and Diana's "last time i saw him" album.

The JW album contains a lot of great singing, but it was all wrong for the direction the group should have been going in. The LTISH album needed some re-working. I would have kicked "No One's Gonna Be a Fool", "Love Me", "You" and "Turn Around" to the vault and replaced them with "I'll Be Here", "Why Play Games", "Get It All Together" and "Let Me Be the One".

[RanRan79]

I like it too. It was a single I never heard until I found it in the cut-out bins at a reduced price in some discount store in Detroit [[probably Arlans - Marv2 remembers Arlans, don't you?). The only thing I never figured out was the opening which always reminds me of "Turkey in the Straw!"

Lol It does sound like that!

[RanRan79]

Many of Stevie Wonder's pre-"Uptight" cuts grate on my nerves.

[kenneth]

Many of Stevie Wonder's pre-"Uptight" cuts grate on my nerves.

I love his first 3 albums but the "With a Song in My Heart" LP is a definite misfire. His voice is totally unsuited to the material. I think he was just too young and inexperienced vocally to tackle standards at that time. Every once in a while I try to play it again and find it almost unlistenable.

[marv2]

I like it too. It was a single I never heard until I found it in the cut-out bins at a reduced price in some discount store in Detroit [[probably Arlans - Marv2 remembers Arlans, don't you?). The only thing I never figured out was the opening which always reminds me of "Turkey in the Straw!"

Oh yeah, I rememeber Arlans well. I was just telling my oldest nephew about it last week, along with Rinks' Bargain City. LOL

[arr&bee]

The marvelettes are my girls,but[i'm gonna hold on as long as i can] shoulda been left in the can.