Ace Spinners Cd: While the City Sleeps

[mysterysinger]

So a kind of "That's What Girls, Girls, Girls Are Made Of"?

[jack020]

Amazon uk mentions a release date of aug.31, 2018
Disc: 1

1. It's A Shame


2. I've Got To Find Myself A Brand New Baby


3. Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music


4. Bad, Bad Weather - Till You Come Home


5. Pay Them No Mind


6. My Lady Love


7. Souly Ghost


8. O-O-H Child


9. In My Diary


10. My Whole World Ended - The Moment You Left Me


11. [[She's Gonna Love Me) At Sundown


12. I Can Sing A Rainbow - Love Is Blue


13. Mental Telepathy


14. Satisfaction Guaranteed


15. Sunshine Train


16. While The City Sleeps


17. I Can't Let You Go


18. Your Sweet Love Is All I Need - Your Love Is Sufficient


19. Don't Take Your Love Away I Can't Stand It


20. That's What Girls Are Made For


21. Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love


22. Sadder Words Were Never Spoken


23. Just A Little Part Of Your Life


24. When It Starts To Rain It Pours


25. Why Don't You Try It
The Detroit vocal group's soulful 2nd Time Around album, originally issued on Motown's V.I.P. label in 1970, plus a generous 13 bonus tracks. Bonus tracks comprise ten unissued gems from the vaults and three titles previously available only as downloads. Bobby Smith sings lead on tracks 11, 16 & 17 and shares lead with G.C. Cameron on track 3. All other leads by G.C. Cameron. Tracks 1-15 are stereo, 16-25 are mono. Booklet features copious track annotations and notes by Motown historian Keith Hughes and an array of period photos and memorabilia. A follow-up to Kent's earlier Spinners release from 2012, Truly Yours Their First Motown Album [[CDTOP 371).

[snakepit]

Enjoyed listening to this issue on youtube..
Awaiting the CD release.
I was not too keen on "2nd time around", probably too many cover versions.But these original tracks are more like it.
Well done Ace/Kent and Keith.
BTW

.how did "Together we can make such sweet music" fail to be a massive hit? Still sounds wonderful.

[144man]

So a kind of "That's What Girls, Girls, Girls Are Made Of"?

Good one!

[Motown Eddie]

One question about The Spinners' While The City Sleeps collection; why didn't Ace/Kent include "We'll Have It Made" [[the followup to "It's A Shame" and their final single on Motown) as a bonus track?

[soulwally]

Because it’s rubbish Eddie! No sorry the song has never worked for me. But otherwise a good point.
Larry agree with you on Together.. six months ago I started doing something I told myself I would never do, start buying vinyl again. I do a spot at the local pub now and again and Together.. is one of the 45s I’ve bought to play there

[mysterysinger]

Yes why is there no "We'll Have It Made" it's a great production.

[TomatoTom123]

I really like "We'll Have It Made"... kinda funky and groovy. I wish there was a proper stereo mix of the song though.

I think I shall add the single version from TCMS 1971 to While The City Sleeps as my own little bonus track.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

I really like "We'll Have It Made"... kinda funky and groovy. I wish there was a proper stereo mix of the song though.

I think I shall add the single version from TCMS 1971 to While The City Sleeps as my own little bonus track.

There ya go, Tom! That's the spirit!!!

[Motown Eddie]

Enjoyed listening to this issue on youtube..
Awaiting the CD release.
I was not too keen on "2nd time around", probably too many cover versions.But these original tracks are more like it.
Well done Ace/Kent and Keith.
BTW

.how did "Together we can make such sweet music" fail to be a massive hit? Still sounds wonderful.

The reason why The Spinners' "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" wasn't a hit is because it was the b-side to the classic "It's A Shame". "Together..." would be reissued [[and remixed) as an a-side in March 1973 to compete with The Spinners run of hits on Atlantic Records [[and failed to become a major hit). Maybe there's more info on the song in the notes to While The City Sleeps.

[snakepit]

Not in the UK..."Its a shame" was coupled with "Sweet Thing".
We got TWCMSSM as a 45.. But it never got airplay sadly.

[Motown Eddie]

Not in the UK..."Its a shame" was coupled with "Sweet Thing".
We got TWCMSSM as a 45.. But it never got airplay sadly.

Very interesting Snakepit. However here in the US, "TWCMSSM" came out as I described it in my post. The remix in 1973 made the song sound similar to The Spinners 'Philly Soul' hits and received limited airplay [[and failed to become a major hit).

[snakepit]

Motown Eddie
I do remember hearing the Philly rerecording once or twice. I seem to recall it was cleverley done.
By this time I was losing interest in most Motown product.

[jboy88]

Yes why is there no "We'll Have It Made" it's a great production.

Speaking of glaring omissions....

[jsmith]

There were numerous 45 versions of MESSAGE FROM A BLACKMAN put out at the time + the Motown LP version by the Tempts ... so the song got a little lost as far as the R&B charts were concerned ... the Whautnauts versions did the best and that only just scraped into the Top 20.

[robb_k]

So a kind of "That's What Girls, Girls, Girls Are Made Of"?

[snakepit]

I believe that this Spinners CD is now available.
I will send for mine later....the clips sounded very good, looking forward to another excellent Ace/Kent release.

[Quinn]

I've had my copy since Monday. Only opened it to read the liner notes and annotations having listened to it on YouTube.

[snakepit]

As mentioned before , the LP was not a great favourite of mine, but I am giving it a go. The covers of the David Ruffin songs come into the "what's the point?" area to me. Surely there was no intention to issue as 45s and they seem to be going through the motions.
Anyway, the bonus tracks are worth listening to. But this collection did get me wondering why did the group[[ or Motown) feel the need to bring in G.C Cameron ?
All previous leads where Bobby Smith, who was a great singer.
I have difficulty with G. C. At times, and whilst I have a lot if his Motown material, I can't warm to him apart from the odd exception.
Probably why the second album didn't work for me.
But a great addition to the Spinners catalogue from ACE.

[Quinn]

As mentioned before , the LP was not a great favourite of mine, but I am giving it a go. The covers of the David Ruffin songs come into the "what's the point?" area to me. Surely there was no intention to issue as 45s and they seem to be going through the motions.
Anyway, the bonus tracks are worth listening to. But this collection did get me wondering why did the group[[ or Motown) feel the need to bring in G.C Cameron ?
All previous leads where Bobby Smith, who was a great singer.
I have difficulty with G. C. At times, and whilst I have a lot if his Motown material, I can't warm to him apart from the odd exception.
Probably why the second album didn't work for me.
But a great addition to the Spinners catalogue from ACE.

G.C. and Dennis Edwards grew up together in Detroit. He'd just come home from Vietnam and was trying to figure out what to do with himself. By Dennis being with The Contours, he sent word through a relative that The Spinners needed a singer because one of the guys had just left. Marvin Gaye was about to go on tour with The Spinners as opening act,so G.C. went and auditioned. Marvin and Harvey Fuqua liked what they heard as did Motown's production staff.

I can see why G.C. would become the primary vocalist for the group as great as Bobbie Smith was. Cameron joined in late '67 when music changing and sounds became grittier and more soulful. Bobbie is more of a pop singer,he's not really a soul singer at all which means that producers had to be careful with what material they presented. In G.C they saw a young, hungry and talented vocalist who could sing damn near anything and do it passionately. I never would have figured in a million years that the group recorded as much music as they did, not being a premier act at Motown. But I'm willing to bet that the bulk of them are from the G.C. era because as opposed to just working with Harvey Fuqua they could work with everybody. I'm sure the fact that he was a rebel who fought for them as well as being the boyfriend of Gwen Gordy didn't hurt either. I agree that the album wasn't the best, but the public hadn't yet embraced them so that's no surprise. Just a brief personal observation.

[snakepit]

Quinn,
All good points. I knew of his connection to the Gordy family, but assumed it was after he had joined the group.
Personally, I have problems with his style, but there some things that I like.
Perhaps my liking of Bobby Smith clouds my judgement.
I am loving " Pay them no mind" .
I'll keep playing this ...but I will not like " In my diary" ..never did.

[Quinn]

Quinn,
All good points. I knew of his connection to the Gordy family, but assumed it was after he had joined the group.
Personally, I have problems with his style, but there some things that I like.
Perhaps my liking of Bobby Smith clouds my judgement.
I am loving " Pay them no mind" .
I'll keep playing this ...but I will not like " In my diary" ..never did.

We all have our personal preferences with anything in life, if Bobby is your man that's fine. As far as G.C's style is concerned I can understand why you may have an issue with his approach as a singer. A few Motown producers have spoken on how explosive and aggressive it is and how they would have to instruct him to kick back a little and tell the story. He had a tendency of giving too much too soon and coming too powerful straight out of the gate. I love Bobbie too Snake, but he was an old doo wopper turned pop singer who was too technical and efficient. There wasn't many demons or monsters in him to pull out. You had to write specifically for his style with little adventure or detour. Look at how Thom Bell recorded them in Philly. Phillipe Wynne[[G.C's cousin)was the primary vocalist, but whenever Bobbie was prominent Thom always kept Phillipe in close proximity for balance and steadiness. I don't think they cared much for "Diary" either,it was just an old doo wop tune Harvey Fuqua loved and recorded on them.

[mysterysinger]

I love Bobby Smith's voice. For me he is THE voice of The Spinners yet both Motown and Atlantic used different lead singers on the biggest hits. That suggests they thought his voice might not be commercial enough. "It's a shame" that Motown didn't have a huge success with the Bobby led songs but "I'll Always Love You" will always be one of my top 3 Motown recordings.

[144man]

My favourite previously unreleased track is "When It Starts to Rain It Pours".

"I Can't Let You Go" is really annoying me. I'm sure it's the same tune as another Motown track, but I can't place what it is.

[mysterysinger]

"I Can't Let You Go" is really annoying me. I'm sure it's the same tune as another Motown track, but I can't place what it is.

Track 17 was written by Ivy Jo Hunter and to me has a slight Isley feel but the title phrase reminded me a little of "Say You" from the Monitors [[none of the rest of the song does though). It probably does form the backing to another song so another member might recognise it.

However, "I Can't Let You Go" was issued on Motown Unreleased 1966 - could it be there you heard it?

[144man]

Track 17 was written by Ivy Jo Hunter and to me has a slight Isley feel but the title phrase reminded me a little of "Say You" from the Monitors [[none of the rest of the song does though). It probably does form the backing to another song so another member might recognise it.

However, "I Can't Let You Go" was issued on Motown Unreleased 1966 - could it be there you heard it?

I did think of that, but odd bits of lyric are bubbling in my brain - something like "I should have kept something back". I'll get it eventually.

[jboy88]

“I Can’t Let You Go” is just sublime, musically and vocally. I can’t believe it sat in the can for 50 years. While I don’t think it would of been a smash, it would of been a great B-side or an album treat for LP buyers.

I also have my fingers crossed that an Edwin Starr version is in the vaults as well. Just as the “That’s what girls” remake would of suited Chuck Jackson. Edwin Starr would of slayed “I Can’t Let You Go”.