Marvelettes Forever

[sup_fan]

was looking over their discography and chart positions. i know that part of the Marvelettes decline was shifting tastes - the girl group sound was wearing thin

But i think Forever was one of the biggest career missteps, at least in the early part of their run

this is a wonderful song and i think a real missed opportunity. to release Strange I Know as the follow up to Playboy is, well... strange! it's an odd song, lyrics are strange.

Had they released Forever as an A side and the follow up, i'm sure it would have performed well. proof of this is that even when released as a B side, it managed to chart.

Also this would have helped allow Locking Up My Heart to have a released without split play with the B side. and that would have helped it's chart placements

[motony]

I do agree with you about "Locking..." and "Forever", however the follow up to "Playboy" was "Beechwood 45789" with the outstanding and chartmaking B side "Someday, Someway". "Beechwood" hit #17 on the Hot 100 and Top Ten R&B chart, "Someday also was big on the R&B charts.

[woodward]

I wholeheartedly agree with your thoughts on FOREVER. When I lived in the Harrisburg area when this song was released, a local York, PA station the Rock 180 Club had a call in session for songs that constituted their top selling oldies. As I recall FOREVER was always #1 for at least 6 months. It was extremely popular by all aspects. It is my favorite Marvelettes song and will always continue to be. Why it was introduced as the "B" side certainly did not allow it to achieve the success that it rightfully deserved.

[lockhartgary]

FOREVER is a wonderful song that should have been a much bigger hit. I can imagine the basement parties where that song was played, LOL.

FOREVER also demonstrates the continuing maturing of Wanda's voice and technique.

[sup_fan]

I do agree with you about "Locking..." and "Forever", however the follow up to "Playboy" was "Beechwood 45789" with the outstanding and chartmaking B side "Someday, Someway". "Beechwood" hit #17 on the Hot 100 and Top Ten R&B chart, "Someday also was big on the R&B charts.

good catch! got Playboy and Beechwood mixed up in my mind. completely agree Beechwood was the ideal #2 single from that album. Then they should have released Forever

[kenneth]

I wholeheartedly agree with your thoughts on FOREVER. When I lived in the Harrisburg area when this song was released, a local York, PA station the Rock 180 Club had a call in session for songs that constituted their top selling oldies. As I recall FOREVER was always #1 for at least 6 months. It was extremely popular by all aspects. It is my favorite Marvelettes song and will always continue to be. Why it was introduced as the "B" side certainly did not allow it to achieve the success that it rightfully deserved.

I think they were following their established pattern by then which was: Gladys sang lead on an uptempo A-side, and Wanda often sang lead on a "slow dance" B-side.

This seemed to be true with so many of their records in the early days:

Please Mr. Postman/So Long Baby
Twistin' Postman/I Want a Guy
Beechwood 4-5789/Someday, Someway [[a slower song but sung by Gladys, not Wanda)
Lockin' Up My Heart/Forever

I too love "Forever," think it's an extremely moving performance by a very young Wanda Rogers. I also like "Strange I Know," one of the great "cheating songs," such as "24 Hours From Tulsa," "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," "Who's Makin' Love" and "I Don't Want to Do Wrong" [[which Katherine helped write!).

[BritishTony]

For me Forever is one of the great missed hits. The warmth & yearning in Wanda’s voice is staggering. It’s such a wonderful song I’m surprised more artists haven’t covered it. Of course, Marvin’s is as good. And while Linda Lawrence’s voice doesn’t always do it for me her interpretation is awesome. I agree, this could/should have lifted the Marvelettes to another level. [[why does the text of my emails keep screwing up like this? Another great mystery)

[woodward]

I just looked at www.dftmc.info to see exactly what other artists recorded FOREVER. I saw something that intrigued me. According to our experts there, Tamla 54077B was issued as a first pressing on 2/15/1963 and again as a second pressing during 4/1963.

I was never aware there were two pressings. Does anyone know the difference between the first and the second?