Re-recordings of pre Motown hits??

[lockhartgary]

Hi all,
As many of you know, Gladys Knight and the Pips re-recorded 3 of their pre Motown songs for their greatest hits lp released on Soul 723. Have any other artists that had hits or any releases before landing at Motown re-recorded those hits or releases once signed to Motown? How about producers or songwriters that had releases that they had recorded before landing at Motown?

[144man]

Some of the songs [at least 3] on Amos Milburn's "Return of the Blues Boss" were re-recordings of his pre-Motown hits.

[sansradio]

As The Supremes, The Primettes re-recorded "Tears of Sorrow"; it remained unreleased until their Lost & Found set.

[reese]

Wilson Pickett re-recorded IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR for Motown.

[mowest]

Hi all,
As many of you know, Gladys Knight and the Pips re-recorded 3 of their pre Motown songs for their greatest hits lp released on Soul 723.

Unfortunately, the re-recorded versions paled in comparison with the originals.

[shoo-be-doo]

I thought the re-recordings were superb. It was an interesting decision to include these non-motown hit songs.

[robb_k]

The Isley Brothers, Chuck Jackson, Jerry Butler, The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, Bunny Paul, Billy Eckstine, Sammy Davis, Jr. and several other artists and groups had hits before signing with Motown. I wonder if any others had non-Motown songs re-recorded at Motown? I'm not so familiar with post 1965 LP cuts or obscure unreleased cuts that haven't been officially released, or those by so-called "Motown artists" whose recordings were never released, or whose releases were just "throwaways [[e.g. not promoted in the slightest).

[Laserdk]

I thought the re-recordings were superb. It was an interesting decision to include these non-motown hit songs.

Also, I believe Gladys & the Pips re-recorded two other of their pre-Motown tracks, "Either Way I Lose" and "Lovers Always Forgive", for possible inclusion on their "Greatest Hits" LP but were then canned. Also, the Spinners re-recorded their Tri-Phi hit "That's What Girls Are Made For" for Motown in 1968 but, again, it went unreleased and still remains so.

Ivor

[BigAl]

Although it wasn't a hit the first time around, Brenda Holloway recorded "Every Little Bit Hurts" for the Del Fi label a couple of years before re-recording it with Motown, where it became such a big hit.

[BigAl]

Hi all,
Gladys Knight and the Pips re-recorded 3 of their pre Motown songs for their greatest hits lp released on Soul 723.

They actually recorded "Every Beat of My Heart" for three different labels: first for VeeJay in 1961, and it went to #1 on Billboard's R&B chart. Then they re-recorded it as a single for Fury in 1962. Surprisingly, that version also made it to the Top 20 on the R&B chart, and also made it into Billboard's Hot 100. [[I don't know exactly where it placed on that list.) Legend has it that the group only got paid for the Fury version; I don't know if this is true or not. Then they eventually re-recorded a third version for Soul when it was deemed necessary to include it in a greatest hits package after they hit their stride at Hitsville. Each version had a slightly different arrangement. The VeeJay and Fury versions were very similar; the Soul version was somewhat different.

[jbpintus]

Maybe a bit OT but the Jackson 5 recorded "You've Changed" for their first LP, a song that they had recorded for Steeltown before joining Motown.

JB

[longtimefan]

As The Supremes, The Primettes re-recorded "Tears of Sorrow"; it remained unreleased until their Lost & Found set.

I always wondered why The Supremes rerecorded this. What would have been the purpose?

[lockhartgary]

Although it wasn't a hit the first time around, Brenda Holloway recorded "Every Little Bit Hurts" for the Del Fi label a couple of years before re-recording it with Motown, where it became such a big hit.

Wow! Did they use the same backing track?

[johnny_raven]

Although it wasn't a hit the first time around, Brenda Holloway recorded "Every Little Bit Hurts" for the Del Fi label a couple of years before re-recording it with Motown, where it became such a big hit.

I thought this was confirmed to be Barbara Wilson [[Frank's wife at the time)

[reese]

They actually recorded "Every Beat of My Heart" for three different labels: first for VeeJay in 1961, and it went to #1 on Billboard's R&B chart. Then they re-recorded it as a single for Fury in 1962. Surprisingly, that version also made it to the Top 20 on the R&B chart, and also made it into Billboard's Hot 100. [[I don't know exactly where it placed on that list.) Legend has it that the group only got paid for the Fury version; I don't know if this is true or not. Then they eventually re-recorded a third version for Soul when it was deemed necessary to include it in a greatest hits package after they hit their stride at Hitsville. Each version had a slightly different arrangement. The VeeJay and Fury versions were very similar; the Soul version was somewhat different.

Actually the group was tricked into recording EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART by a local Atlanta club owner, who without their knowledge, then issued the recording locally on the HunTom label. When it began making noise, it was sold to Vee Jay, released as "The Pips" and reached #1 R&B, #6 pop.

Fury had the group re-record the song and to distinguish it from the Vee Jay release, renamed the group "Gladys Knight and the Pips." The Fury version went to #15 R&B, #45 pop.

[RanRan79]

I thought the re-recordings were superb. It was an interesting decision to include these non-motown hit songs.

I thought so too. I love the first version of "Letter Full of Tears", but I am wild about the Motown version.

[RanRan79]

I always wondered why The Supremes rerecorded this. What would have been the purpose?

For the same reason everyone else mentioned thus far were re-recording what they had done at other labels, I suppose.

[robb_k]

I thought this was confirmed to be Barbara Wilson [[Frank's wife at the time)

Yes, that was Barbara Wilson singing Ed Cobb's demo for Brenda. And no, Motown used different, but somewhat similar background tracks for Brenda's 1964 version. Anyone can hear that that ISN'T Brenda!

[lockhartgary]

I wonder if Motown re-recorded because they didn't want to pay leasing fees and/or to put the Motown spin on the re-recorded versions.

[robb_k]

I wonder if Motown re-recorded because they didn't want to pay leasing fees and/or to put the Motown spin on the re-recorded versions.

Probably a little of both reasons.

[motown01]

Also, I believe Gladys & the Pips re-recorded two other of their pre-Motown tracks, "Either Way I Lose" and "Lovers Always Forgive", for possible inclusion on their "Greatest Hits" LP but were then canned. Also, the Spinners re-recorded their Tri-Phi hit "That's What Girls Are Made For" for Motown in 1968 but, again, it went unreleased and still remains so.

Ivor

Really? I would LOVE to hear these...two excellent songs.