No Matter what Sign - interesting timeline

[sup_fan]

The story goes that Berry helped with No Matter so that they could play off the astrology theme of Aquarius and have an equally big [[and final) hit for DRATS. The song was released on 5/9/69 and everyone thought it would be huge. The girls performed it on 5/11/69 on Ed Sullivan.

They were then planning an album of the same title. But then the song flopped and they retitled the album Let The Sunshine In.

But the album was released on 5/26/69. fortunately it's a pretty simple album - no fancy gatefold or die cuts for the printers to perform. But to already know that No Matter was a flop AND have time to change the graphics is impressive.

Attachment 14852

[reese]

Re the timeline, doesn't two weeks between releasing NO MATTER WHAT SIGN YOU ARE and deciding it was a flop so retitling the album seem a bit fast? The single didn't even chart until June on Billboard's R&B chart.

Maybe Motown decided to title it LET THE SUNSHINE IN to capitalize on Diana's recent LIKE HEP performance, along with the liner notes by Dinah Shore.

[nathanj06]

Is that an actual album cover it would have looked like? I was crazy about that song and I still love it. Dean Torrence [[from Jan & Dean) designed that.

[thanxal]

The story goes that Berry helped with No Matter so that they could play off the astrology theme of Aquarius and have an equally big [[and final) hit for DRATS. The song was released on 5/9/69 and everyone thought it would be huge. The girls performed it on 5/11/69 on Ed Sullivan.

They were then planning an album of the same title. But then the song flopped and they retitled the album Let The Sunshine In.

But the album was released on 5/26/69. fortunately it's a pretty simple album - no fancy gatefold or die cuts for the printers to perform. But to already know that No Matter was a flop AND have time to change the graphics is impressive.

Attachment 14852

Is there a 45rpm picture sleeve similar to this? I've never seen this particular artwork.

[144man]

I wonder at what stage they switched the lyrics from "The Paper Said Rain".

[bradsupremes]

I wonder at what stage they switched the lyrics from "The Paper Said Rain".

I always thought it was just a working title they gave to the track when they cut it. Producers did it all the time. HDH originally gave "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone" the working title "Number One [[New Key)" and "Ask Any Girl" had a working track of "La La La Baby's Home To Stay." Gordy probably had an idea with the melody, but no lyrics at the time he cut the track. Or maybe he had an idea with the initial title.

[144man]

I always thought it was just a working title they gave to the track when they cut it. Producers did it all the time. HDH originally gave "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone" the working title "Number One [[New Key)" and "Ask Any Girl" had a working track of "La La La Baby's Home To Stay." Gordy probably had an idea with the melody, but no lyrics at the time he cut the track. Or maybe he had an idea with the initial title.

Could be, but DFTMC says "alt. title Don't Destroy Me", which is how it usually describes the working titles. The reference to "The Paper Said Rain" specifically says "alt. lyrics to", which opens up the possibility of a completed song like Marvin Gaye's "Pretty Little Baby" and "Purple Snowflakes", or Barbara McNair's "Baby A Go Go" and "Countin' On You Babe".

[bradsupremes]

Could be, but DFTMC says "alt. title Don't Destroy Me", which is how it usually describes the working titles. The reference to "The Paper Said Rain" specifically says "alt. lyrics to", which opens up the possibility of a completed song like Marvin Gaye's "Pretty Little Baby" and "Purple Snowflakes", or Barbara McNair's "Baby A Go Go" and "Countin' On You Babe".

Oh I didn't noticed that! Maybe we'll hear it on Let The Sunshine In Expanded or Motown Unreleased 1969.