Motown early recording of Ashford/Simpson's "One Step At A Time"

[robb_k]

This recording was recorded on a Motown Record Corp. untitled, uncredited acetate.

tried to post link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z5YL...eature=related

It has ZTSC stamped on it [[pressed at Columbia Midwest [[Terre Haute, Indiana)-probably mastered in Chicago or at Motown-if made later than 1965. It sounds like 1965, when it was released by Maxine Brown on Wand. That was well before writers Ashford and Simpson came to Motown. The singer doesn't sound to me like Valarie Simpson. So, I've tentatively ruled out a re-cutting of her old song by Valerie at Motown in the late '60s.

Could it be possible that Motown had one of their groups [[although I don't recognise the lead voice) sing an "outside [[non-Jobete) song")? It actually sounds "older" than the Maxine Brown.

Does anyone here know the history of this song's recording?

[miss_lish]

Nick's vocals make Miss Lish nervous.

[Kamasu_Jr]

I tend to agree with one of the comments on YouTube. It could possibly be the Lollipops.

[robb_k]

The Lollipops came to Motown with Harry Balk in mid 1968. Most of their Motown recordings were made in 1969. The acetate recording sounds like about 1965 to me. I'd be shocked to read that that recording was made in 1968-69, after Ashford and Simpson joined Motown [[although that makes the most sense scenario-wise). It's just that the recording sounds much too old, and I've seen hundreds of Motown/Jobete acetates and seem to remember never seeing ZTSC stamped on any made after 1964 [[certainly not after 1965). Maybe my ears are just shot, or my senility is moving even faster than I had thought?

[robb_k]

I listened to it again, and conclude that it must be an unfinished demo. If a finished mix would add other tracks with strings and horns and other instruments, I would then be better able to tell if it was recorded in 1965 or 1967, 1968 or 1969. So, I conclude that it was recorded in 1967 or later [[after Valerie and Nick came to Motown), and is an unfinished demo. If it was recorded in 1967, it can't be The Lollipops. Still, I think it is bizarre to see a 1967 -1969 Motown demo acetate with ZTSC stamped on it [[or is my old memory playing tricks on me?).

Too bad I didn't find this during my Vault days. I'd have lobbied for this to be in "From The Vaults". Maxine Brown's version is one of my favourites. I'd have been pretty excited to hear a FINISHED Funk Brothers' recording of that songs instrumentals. The unfinished [[partial background) demo already beats Wand's recording.

[midnight johnny]

It sounds like Val to me.

[jobeterob]

I thought I heard an Andante like voice in part of it; some Valerie too. We should ask Andy; I can maybe do that on Facebook.

Not a bad song for something unfinished.

[reese]

At certain points the vocal sounded a bit like Valerie, but not totally. I'm not familiar with Joshie Armstead's voice. Might it be her?

The track also sounds earlier than 1967. Maybe the Motown label on it is incorrect, and this is the initial demo. To me, it doesn't sound that much different from the Maxine Brown version. Most of the time when A & S produced an earlier composition like I'LL SETTLE FOR YOU or A FRIEND OF MINE, it fit the sound of the era in which they were redoing it.

[robb_k]

It doesn't sound to me like Jo Armstead, and it doesn't sound like Maxine Brown. As you say, it sounds like Valerie in a couple spots [[I can hear her distinctive lisp). But the rest of the vocal sounds "too light" to be her. Maybe it is just a demo by Valerie. But, it wouldn't be on Motown if it were made in 1965 for Maxine. It's an interesting problem to iron out. I agree that, usually, when Valerie and Nick had old songs revived in the late '60s or '70s, they sounded like current songs of their release time, in arrangement, and musical style.

[robb_k]

I listened to the acetate again. That singer doesn't sound at all like The Lollipops' lead singer [[Arenita Walker). I don't think she really sounds like Valerie. Certainly not Maxine. I'm totally lost.

[midnight johnny]

That track sounds like Val to me, as I said...not unlike Val sounds in these older clips of "Val and Nick"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG5vMsjrldg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxQSxUzdgSo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT3aV...eature=related

[robb_k]

That Motown lead just doesn't sound like Val to me. Closer to her than to Maxine or Arenita, however. Wow! That Motown music track is so much better than the finished Wand version [[and it is not close to finished for Motown in 1965 [[or 1967 or 1968). I wonder if that's Pistol Allen on this Motown acetate and Pretty Purdie on the New York Wand recording?

[captainjames]

I have listened to this over and over even with the lights off -----
I know this voice but gonna listen to it again one more time.

However, right now I still have to say its the Lollipops.................

[jobeterob]

Hi Rob, what a nice way to start a Sunday morning! I really like the song. Well, i did listen, and I agree with some of the comments on youtube, I think it sounds like the Lollipops. Listen to their songs on TCMS 9, Cellarful 3 and 4, and YearByYear 1969, it sounds like the same group to me. I don't know if it's a Motown record, but it does sound like the same group. Thanks for sending

[robb_k]

I listened to ALL the Lollipops' Motown and Impact cuts. Every one of those was led by the same singer [[I believe she is Arenita Walker). Her voice sounds quite a bit different to me from that of the lead singer on the acetate. That's not to say that it couldn't be a different group member on lead. But it would be hard to tell that just from listening to the overall group sound.

[jobeterob]

Andy Skurow Hi Rob, personally, I don't believe this was a Motown record at all. It doesn't sound like one to me, regardless of the label it shows. Also, there are hundreds of fake Motown white label records out there, so that doesn't really mean any...thing to me, espcially because the ZTSC code should have a number after it, and this one doesn't [[red flag).

On the research side, nothing comes up that matches it in the Motown vault [[another red flag).

Listening to the vocal, I don't really know who the lead vocalist is. Doesn't sound like Valerie to me, although it is possible, her voice has changed a lot from the early days. The comments below the link suggested it was the Lollipops, so I listened Sunday morning and then played the Lollipops and thought it was plausible, but I'm certainly not an expert on that group or this record.

Sorry, you're in the same place as you started when you asked. I'd reach out to some Northern Soul experts, many of them here on Facebook. [[He made a suggestion of someone who is very knowledgeable, so I might ask that person).

Good luck

[robb_k]

Well, I never saw any version of that song in The Vaults, nor have I seen it on any Motown production or recording list. It sounds too early to have been a later recording of an Ashford-Simpson song after they arrived at Motown. So, I conclude that it is a fake pressing used as a Northern Soul "cover up", taken from an original demo copy, used for Maxine Brown. I still wonder who it is. I thought it sounded too finished to be a Motown unfinished demo, and too unfinished to be a finished Motown demo. I also agree that I didn't recognise any of The Motown musicians, and agree that it doesn't sound much like Motown.

[jobeterob]

Jo Wallace says I can post her FB comment on here. She also says there is another thread from the Old Days about this song on SD.

Jo Wallace http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EEI5...eature=related - Maxine Brown cut the original but I'm with you Andy...this could be a Jobete Publishing item like the Sparkels - Try Love or Barrett Strong With All that's in Me but not an unissued track intended for release on Motown....the Lollipops would be a really good punt as they recorded on Duke Browner's Impact label as well as VIP. Duke took them with him to Motown and produced their VIP singles. Impact would've had a ZTSC number....nice version tho. xx