70s Supremes: "Touch" From the Cassette

[longtimefan]

Can anyone post [[YouTube, maybe?) the version of TOUCH found on The 70s Supremes CASSETTE "Greatest Hits and Rare Classics?" Thanks

[TomatoTom123]

Hey longtimefan, sadly I don't have that cassette and can't upload the track for you, but can I ask: what's the difference about the version of "Touch" on the cassette? Why was it only released on that particular cassette? Sorry if we have been through this before on another thread, I may have forgotten

[PeaceNHarmony]

Hey longtimefan, sadly I don't have that cassette and can't upload the track for you, but can I ask: what's the difference about the version of "Touch" on the cassette? Why was it only released on that particular cassette? Sorry if we have been through this before on another thread, I may have forgotten

Tom, you took the post right outta my mouth!

[TomatoTom123]

Tom, you took the post right outta my mouth!

Haa, glad to help, PNH

[longtimefan]

On numerous occasions over the years, I have read that TOUCH on the cassette is preferred by many fans. I have watched for it to be on YouTube [[or CD!!!!) for ages out of curiosity.

Here's one quote I quickly found just now:

"TOUCH - The GHRC cassette included an alternate mono single mix. Listen for Cindy's alternate "Oh baby" after the first verse. Also, Cindy's "Talk to me, talk to me" was eliminated from this mix and Jean's vocal was punched out at the fade. This mix is still unavailable any place else."

Maybe George or Andy can tell us more.

[luke]

I distinctly remember Cindys oh baby and talk to me talk to me Touch...isn't that on the album version? Never heard the cassette. Getting muy confused!

[longtimefan]

All that I am saying is it has be posted now and then over the years on different discussion sites that the TOUCH version on GHRC cassette is different and apparently appears no other place ... and some say "best." Obviously, I don't know personally. That's why I am asking.

I just posted one quick "quote" as an example of things that I have read. The quote itself is not the issue. Thanks.

[marv2]

All that I am saying is it has be posted now and then over the years on different discussion sites that the TOUCH version on GHRC cassette is different and apparently appears no other place ... and some say "best." Obviously, I don't know personally. That's why I am asking.

I just posted one quick "quote" as an example of things that I have read. The quote itself is not the issue. Thanks.

All I can remember was that it was just slightly faster.

[marv2]

I distinctly remember Cindys oh baby and talk to me talk to me Touch...isn't that on the album version? Never heard the cassette. Getting muy confused!

Just that is on the original album. She sings that on the album version. For some reason I cannot remember them singing it on the Flip Wilson Show as some have remembered.

[detmotownguy]

All I can remember was that it was just slightly faster.

My GHRC cassette broke a few months ago. 😡 I really want to replace it and hopefully soon.

[PeaceNHarmony]

On numerous occasions over the years, I have read that TOUCH on the cassette is preferred by many fans. I have watched for it to be on YouTube [[or CD!!!!) for ages out of curiosity.

Here's one quote I quickly found just now:

"TOUCH - The GHRC cassette included an alternate mono single mix. Listen for Cindy's alternate "Oh baby" after the first verse. Also, Cindy's "Talk to me, talk to me" was eliminated from this mix and Jean's vocal was punched out at the fade. This mix is still unavailable any place else."

Maybe George or Andy can tell us more.

Interesting. It seems to me now that I have heard about this elsewhere ... we'll hope to hear it!

[longtimefan]

My GHRC cassette broke a few months ago. �� I really want to replace it and hopefully soon.

There's one on eBay. [[I don't have a cassette player anymore!) :-)

[detmotownguy]

There's one on eBay. [[I don't have a cassette player anymore!) :-)

thanks let me go look. I have a collectiible car in storage from the 90's that has both cd and cassette. I bel I innately keep it for that reason!

[mysterysinger]

The cassette and CD versions of The Supremes "Greatest Hits & Rare Classics" have differing track lists.

CASSETTE VERSION MOTC5487
A1 Up The Ladder To The Roof
A2 Everybody's Got The Right To Love
A3 Stoned Love
A4 Nathan Jones
A5 Touch
A6 Floy Joy
A7 Automatically Sunshine
A8 I Guess I'll Miss The Man
A9 Bad Weather
A10 I Had To Fall In Love [[Jean Terrell)
B1 It's All Been Said Before
B2 He's My Man
B3 Where Do I Go From Here
B4 I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking
B5 High Energy
B6 You're Driving My Wheel
B7 Let Yourself Go
B8 Fly [[Scherrie Payne)

COMPACT DISC MOTD5487
1 Up The Ladder To The Roof
2 Nathan Jones
3 I Guess I'll Miss The Man
4 Stoned Love
5 Everybody's Got The Right To Love
6 Floy Joy
7 Bad Weather
8 Automatically Sunshine
9 Paradise
10 Tossin' And Turnin'
11 Il Voce De Silenzio [[Silent Voices)
12 Love Train
13 I Had To Fall In Love [[Jean)
14 He's My Man
15 Color My World Blue
16 You Turn Me Around
17 The Sha-La Bandit
18 This Is Why I Believe In You
19 I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking
20 You're Driving My Wheel
21 When I Looked At Your Face [[Scherrie)
22 Another Life From Now [[Scherrie)

[sup_fan]

reposting a great post from George from several years ago about the history of the GH&RC collections

here's the old thread from George:

I pitched the idea of Greatest Hits and Rare Classics to be collections of hits, unreleased and rare tracks from artists that didn’t have a CD compilation on the market. My main interest was releasing a great compilation on the 70’s Supremes. I got approval to go ahead with each CD except The Supremes. I was told that they didn’t feel there was enough sales potential in the 70’s group and we would just do a straight reissue of the 10 song vinyl collection, “At Their Best”. After much pleading on my part I finally got a green light on the 70’s group. With each CD, I was told I could have only two photos and no liner notes. [[I was eventually allowed one paragraph per CD).
The first 3 to be mastered were Brenda Holloway, Kim Weston and The Supremes. [[All containing several songs from the vaults) As we were finishing the Supremes master, a memo was issued stating that NO UNRELEASED MATERIAL COULD BE ISSUED. I was told the finished masters had to be scrapped and we could only proceed with the remaining artists using only released material. Once again, I lost my Supremes collection. Again, I pleaded, if I could re-master the CD’s in ONE DAY replacing the unreleased tracks with other rarities could we proceed? [[I believe, I was on my knees at the time.) The results are the released CD’s. With the Supremes, I had such a hard time choosing tracks that I varied the CD and the cassette. This wasn’t a ploy to make people have to buy both. It was for the fans who would WANT to have both. The casual buyer wouldn’t care as long as they got the hits they wanted. As with every collection many fans questioned the track list. Remember, that “Right On” “Touch” and “Floy Joy” were already issued on CD and I just got approval to do “New Ways”, so I used very few tracks from those LP’s. I got a definite “no” on Jimmy Webb and all of the remaining albums [[with the exception of MAYBE “High Energy”). That is how I chose the tracks.
I really liked this collection and I’d like to thank everyone for the mostly very positive feedback. And by the way, The Supremes and Rare Earth were the biggest sellers in the whole series.

If you care, here is the original track list for the Supremes master that still sits in the Motown vaults.

Original Greatest Hits and Rare Classics
All tracks or mixes available on CD for the first time [[1991)

Up the Ladder [[mono mix)
Life Beats [[mono mix) *
Everybody’s Got The Right [[alt vocal mono mix) *
Stoned Love [[mono mix)
Nathan Jones [[mono mix)
If I Were Your Woman *
Floy Joy [[unedited) *
Automatically Sunshine [[alternate) *
Remote Control *
Make It With You *
Never Can Say Goodbye *
Tossin' & Turnin' [[edit) *
Paradise *
Love Train [[remix) *
Bad Weather [[ext fade) *
I Had To Fall In Love [[edit)-Jean *
The Shoop Shoop Song *
The Sha La Bandit [[alternate) *
Bend A Little *
I’m Gonna Let My Heart [[alternate) *
You’re My Driving Wheel [[alt edit) *
Another Life From Now-Scherrie
You Danced My Heart Around The Stars-Mary *

• unreleased track or mix

Thanks for caring – George Solomon

Hi guys,

I emailed George again, [[who is on a cruise in Hawaii, and therefore not able to respond on the site in a timely manner). Again, his response is below. Many of the cassette versions were used on other collections since, because we knew the cassette would become more of a rarity as time goes on. One of the items he didn't mention is the extended "Floy Joy," from the cassette edition which we used on the Supremes 40th Anniversary Box Set.

I would like to add one final thought, the people George worked with at Motown back then are not the same people Harry or myself work with today.

and now, FROM GEORGE SOLOMON:
Here are the tracks that were different on the Greatest Hits and Rare Classics cassette.

EVERYBODY'S GOT THE RIGHT TO LOVE - The CD had an alternate mono mix with a completely different lead vocal by Jean. The cassette version had yet another mono mix with the released vocal. The cassette version can now be found on "The Supremes 70's Anthology". I feel both of these mono single mixes were superior to the one that was released. This record could have been much bigger.
There is still yet another mono single mix of this song in the vaults that combines both of Jean's vocals.

TOUCH - The cassette included an alternate mono single mix. Listen for Cindy's alternate "Oh baby" after the first verse. Also, Cindy's "Talk to me, talk to me" was eliminated from this mix and Jean's vocal was punched out at the fade. This mix is still unavailable any place else. I personally didn't like any of the mono single mixes of "Touch". This was another great record that I think failed because of an inferior single mix and edit.

AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - I believe I used the released LP mix on the cassette. The CD had an alternate mono extended mix. The full stereo alternate mix can be found on "The 70's Anthology".

IT'S ALL BEEN SAID BEFORE & WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE - Both were on the cassette but not on the CD. Both were the LP mixes. The single mix of "Where Do I Go From Here" is still unavailable on CD and there is an alternate lead vocal by Scherrie on "It's All Been Said Before" still in the vaults.

HIGH ENERGY - This was a single edit of a mix that eventually came out in its entirety on "The 70's Anthology". The original lead vocal by Scherrie is still unreleased.

YOU'RE MY DRIVING WHEEL - I used the alternate promo lead vocal, which has since come out on CD on the Supremes Box and The Supremes Gold.

LET YOURSELF GO - This was an alternate [[and in my opinion) much better single edit than the released version.

FLY - Scherrie's solo single wasn't included on the CD. Instead I used "Another Life From Now".

I still stand by my decision to vary the CD and cassette and I think most of the fans were happy about it. The Motown execs were not! Even though they signed off on both versions [[I couldn't get anything released without a signature on the track list) they became upset when some retailers complained about the differences. I wasn't "fired" because I was never officially a Motown employee but in truth it did compromise my position. It was very difficult in the early 90's. [[I think Andy would agree it's still often difficult) to get things done exactly the way you know they should be.

One funny story....I produced a "Best Of The Supremes & 4 Tops" CD. When I went to approve the artwork I found a picture of Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations on the cover. [[It was the back photo of TCB) When I gently pointed out that not only was it the wrong group of Supremes but the wrong male group all together, I was told that I was being overly picky and no one would notice that but me! Ultimately, I got it changed, but these are the little "challenges" that came up constantly. So, even today when you see these little mistakes on the reissue's you better believe that it wasn't Andy, Harry or myself being negligent. Sometimes these things just slip through the cracks and we get as frustrated as you do. I'm just really very happy that there is still an audience for these wonderful recordings and there are still great releases yet to come!

[sup_fan]

in rereading this post and now with the various reissues that have come out since, it appears that there are STILL some Scherrie tracks that are unreleased. so the Let Yourself Go package didn't totally drain all of the later 70s stuff. Given the amount of Jean unreleased tracks, the Jean era alt versions and mixes and then a few Scherrie tracks, there's DEF enough for a 70s L&F

[LoveSupreme]

Is it just me or is the version of Up The Ladder To The Roof on Greatest Hits and Rare Classics different from the version on Right On?

[daviddh]

funny just qwn tto check ITUNES and the hits and Rare classics is no longer there?????

[sup_fan]

there are 2 released versions of Ladder. the lp and the single version. i believe the single version was on GHRC and Sup Box Set from 2000, along with the single version of Bill When are you, which is also different from the lp version of the song.

I believe Ladder is just a different mixing, with the backing track and background vocals being mixed quite differently. For Bill, it's not only a different mix but a different vocal take from Jean

[greg jones]

reposting a great post from George from several years ago about the history of the GH&RC collections

here's the old thread from George:

I pitched the idea of Greatest Hits and Rare Classics to be collections of hits, unreleased and rare tracks from artists that didn’t have a CD compilation on the market. My main interest was releasing a great compilation on the 70’s Supremes. I got approval to go ahead with each CD except The Supremes. I was told that they didn’t feel there was enough sales potential in the 70’s group and we would just do a straight reissue of the 10 song vinyl collection, “At Their Best”. After much pleading on my part I finally got a green light on the 70’s group. With each CD, I was told I could have only two photos and no liner notes. [[I was eventually allowed one paragraph per CD).
The first 3 to be mastered were Brenda Holloway, Kim Weston and The Supremes. [[All containing several songs from the vaults) As we were finishing the Supremes master, a memo was issued stating that NO UNRELEASED MATERIAL COULD BE ISSUED. I was told the finished masters had to be scrapped and we could only proceed with the remaining artists using only released material. Once again, I lost my Supremes collection. Again, I pleaded, if I could re-master the CD’s in ONE DAY replacing the unreleased tracks with other rarities could we proceed? [[I believe, I was on my knees at the time.) The results are the released CD’s. With the Supremes, I had such a hard time choosing tracks that I varied the CD and the cassette. This wasn’t a ploy to make people have to buy both. It was for the fans who would WANT to have both. The casual buyer wouldn’t care as long as they got the hits they wanted. As with every collection many fans questioned the track list. Remember, that “Right On” “Touch” and “Floy Joy” were already issued on CD and I just got approval to do “New Ways”, so I used very few tracks from those LP’s. I got a definite “no” on Jimmy Webb and all of the remaining albums [[with the exception of MAYBE “High Energy”). That is how I chose the tracks.
I really liked this collection and I’d like to thank everyone for the mostly very positive feedback. And by the way, The Supremes and Rare Earth were the biggest sellers in the whole series.

If you care, here is the original track list for the Supremes master that still sits in the Motown vaults.

Original Greatest Hits and Rare Classics
All tracks or mixes available on CD for the first time [[1991)

Up the Ladder [[mono mix)
Life Beats [[mono mix) *
Everybody’s Got The Right [[alt vocal mono mix) *
Stoned Love [[mono mix)
Nathan Jones [[mono mix)
If I Were Your Woman *
Floy Joy [[unedited) *
Automatically Sunshine [[alternate) *
Remote Control *
Make It With You *
Never Can Say Goodbye *
Tossin' & Turnin' [[edit) *
Paradise *
Love Train [[remix) *
Bad Weather [[ext fade) *
I Had To Fall In Love [[edit)-Jean *
The Shoop Shoop Song *
The Sha La Bandit [[alternate) *
Bend A Little *
I’m Gonna Let My Heart [[alternate) *
You’re My Driving Wheel [[alt edit) *
Another Life From Now-Scherrie
You Danced My Heart Around The Stars-Mary *

• unreleased track or mix

Thanks for caring – George Solomon

Hi guys,

I emailed George again, [[who is on a cruise in Hawaii, and therefore not able to respond on the site in a timely manner). Again, his response is below. Many of the cassette versions were used on other collections since, because we knew the cassette would become more of a rarity as time goes on. One of the items he didn't mention is the extended "Floy Joy," from the cassette edition which we used on the Supremes 40th Anniversary Box Set.

I would like to add one final thought, the people George worked with at Motown back then are not the same people Harry or myself work with today.

and now, FROM GEORGE SOLOMON:
Here are the tracks that were different on the Greatest Hits and Rare Classics cassette.

EVERYBODY'S GOT THE RIGHT TO LOVE - The CD had an alternate mono mix with a completely different lead vocal by Jean. The cassette version had yet another mono mix with the released vocal. The cassette version can now be found on "The Supremes 70's Anthology". I feel both of these mono single mixes were superior to the one that was released. This record could have been much bigger.
There is still yet another mono single mix of this song in the vaults that combines both of Jean's vocals.

TOUCH - The cassette included an alternate mono single mix. Listen for Cindy's alternate "Oh baby" after the first verse. Also, Cindy's "Talk to me, talk to me" was eliminated from this mix and Jean's vocal was punched out at the fade. This mix is still unavailable any place else. I personally didn't like any of the mono single mixes of "Touch". This was another great record that I think failed because of an inferior single mix and edit.

AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - I believe I used the released LP mix on the cassette. The CD had an alternate mono extended mix. The full stereo alternate mix can be found on "The 70's Anthology".

IT'S ALL BEEN SAID BEFORE & WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE - Both were on the cassette but not on the CD. Both were the LP mixes. The single mix of "Where Do I Go From Here" is still unavailable on CD and there is an alternate lead vocal by Scherrie on "It's All Been Said Before" still in the vaults.

HIGH ENERGY - This was a single edit of a mix that eventually came out in its entirety on "The 70's Anthology". The original lead vocal by Scherrie is still unreleased.

YOU'RE MY DRIVING WHEEL - I used the alternate promo lead vocal, which has since come out on CD on the Supremes Box and The Supremes Gold.

LET YOURSELF GO - This was an alternate [[and in my opinion) much better single edit than the released version.

FLY - Scherrie's solo single wasn't included on the CD. Instead I used "Another Life From Now".

I still stand by my decision to vary the CD and cassette and I think most of the fans were happy about it. The Motown execs were not! Even though they signed off on both versions [[I couldn't get anything released without a signature on the track list) they became upset when some retailers complained about the differences. I wasn't "fired" because I was never officially a Motown employee but in truth it did compromise my position. It was very difficult in the early 90's. [[I think Andy would agree it's still often difficult) to get things done exactly the way you know they should be.

One funny story....I produced a "Best Of The Supremes & 4 Tops" CD. When I went to approve the artwork I found a picture of Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations on the cover. [[It was the back photo of TCB) When I gently pointed out that not only was it the wrong group of Supremes but the wrong male group all together, I was told that I was being overly picky and no one would notice that but me! Ultimately, I got it changed, but these are the little "challenges" that came up constantly. So, even today when you see these little mistakes on the reissue's you better believe that it wasn't Andy, Harry or myself being negligent. Sometimes these things just slip through the cracks and we get as frustrated as you do. I'm just really very happy that there is still an audience for these wonderful recordings and there are still great releases yet to come!

Hey George,

Very enlightening and thanx for the recount of what happened.

[LoveSupreme]

there are 2 released versions of Ladder. the lp and the single version. i believe the single version was on GHRC and Sup Box Set from 2000, along with the single version of Bill When are you, which is also different from the lp version of the song.

I believe Ladder is just a different mixing, with the backing track and background vocals being mixed quite differently. For Bill, it's not only a different mix but a different vocal take from Jean

Thank you for cleaning that up for me...xoxo

[DJMoch]

And of course, the single mix of "Where Do I Go From Here" eventually did find its way to CD on the "Let Yourself Go" box set.