I'm running a low grade fever

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

...and at 3 this morning I woke up with a question: which of Motown's girl groups or solo singers could have done "Love's Gone Bad"? I have NO idea why I woke up thinking about that but it IS an interesting thought. In a way, I think Chris Clark was uniquely and singularly right for the song with her Blues Mama voice. Now I'm going back to sleep.

[reese]

I recall someone saying they thought Flo could have a done a good job with this song. I can hear it.

[Motown Eddie]

I think that either Martha & The Vandellas or The Marvelettes could've done a great version of "Love's Gone Bad".

[PeaceNHarmony]

Hmmm. Great song, unsure if anyone other than CC could have done better on it. Hope the fever breaks!

[robb_k]

...and at 3 this morning I woke up with a question: which of Motown's girl groups or solo singers could have done "Love's Gone Bad"? I have NO idea why I woke up thinking about that but it IS an interesting thought. In a way, I think Chris Clark was uniquely and singularly right for the song with her Blues Mama voice. Now I'm going back to sleep.

[[1) Hattie Littles [[I would have kept her around past 1965, so she could sing that song)

[[2) Gloria Jones [[I would have signed her from her background work for Jobete's L.A. office in 1964 and then she'd have been a regular Motown singing artist in 1966, when that song would have been released).

[[3) Syreeta Wright

[[4) Blinky Williams

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Hmmm. Great song, unsure if anyone other than CC could have done better on it. Hope the fever breaks!

Thanks, the fever actually broke a bit later after I posted this [[and I honestly didn't recall that I HAD posted this!!!!!) I'm going to say that I honestly feel like nobody else would have done it as well as Chris. I mean, sure, there are lots at Motown who could have done it well from a "technical" standpoint, but there is something I can't pinpoint about Chris's rough-and-ready vocals on this particular song that gives the thing its personality, so to speak. In this regard, she reminds me of Billy Gordon of the Contours. I say that to mean that Billy had a style that was never going to get him compared to David Ruffin or Marvin Gaye, but on the right song, he gave you the feeling needed to sell it. Chris has the sound of a woman possessed and nearly coming unhinged on "Love's Gone Bad" and her sound isn't really like anyone else's at Motown. If I had to pick someone else to do it, I actually agree with Motown Eddie about the Marvelettes- yes, Gladys and Wanda had something going on in their styles that might have fit the song. Gladys and Wanda were not Aretha-type belters, but when they sunk their teeth into a song, they could give you amazingly unexpected results.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I think that either Martha & The Vandellas or The Marvelettes could've done a great version of "Love's Gone Bad".

I'd go with the Marvelettes. I think what made Chris effective on the song was that she WASN'T a classic soul singer, not even a classic pop singer. She had a voice that needed the right song and that song fit her woman-on-the-edge delivery to a tee. I think Gladys and Wanda of the Marvelettes were kind of in that same catagory- not singers in the classic soul or pop sense, but they knew how to deliver the feeling of a song as opposed to singing it with a typical type of delivery.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

[[1) Hattie Littles [[I would have kept her around past 1965, so she could sing that song)

[[2) Gloria Jones [[I would have signed her from her background work for Jobete's L.A. office in 1964 and then she'd have been a regular Motown singing artist in 1966, when that song would have been released).

[[3) Syreeta Wright

[[4) Blinky Williams

It would have been interesting to hear what these ladies would have brought to the song. My only thing is I think Blinky's talent would almost "outsize" and outdistance the material. With Syreeta, I can't help but hear her voice as being almost too light for the weighty blues tone of the song. Hattie Littles, Hmmmm. I definitely have always heard "Love's Gone Bad" as HDH's version of a low-down Southern Blues song. Hattie, I'm sure could have nailed it, but that's the thing; would it have come out as just another well-sung song with nothing else to make it stand out? Maybe if HDH produced her on it, it would have worked perfectly [[to me, they seemed, above everyone else, to know how best to present Kim Weston). I think for me, Chris Clark was really pushing HARD to nail that half-crazed, woman-having-a-nervous-breakdown emotion. [[the way she barked out every line with harrowing desparation: I SEE A RAINBOW...ALL IN BLACKKKKKK!!!!) Had she been a singer like Hattie, I think it would have lost that urgency that came about precisely because Chris had to strain at the top of her range to get those words out.

[robb_k]

It would have been interesting to hear what these ladies would have brought to the song. My only thing is I think Blinky's talent would almost "outsize" and outdistance the material. With Syreeta, I can't help but hear her voice as being almost too light for the weighty blues tone of the song. Hattie Littles, Hmmmm. I definitely have always heard "Love's Gone Bad" as HDH's version of a low-down Southern Blues song. Hattie, I'm sure could have nailed it, but that's the thing; would it have come out as just another well-sung song with nothing else to make it stand out? Maybe if HDH produced her on it, it would have worked perfectly [[to me, they seemed, above everyone else, to know how best to present Kim Weston). I think for me, Chris Clark was really pushing HARD to nail that half-crazed, woman-having-a-nervous-breakdown emotion. [[the way she barked out every line with harrowing desparation: I SEE A RAINBOW...ALL IN BLACKKKKKK!!!!) Had she been a singer like Hattie, I think it would have lost that urgency that came about precisely because Chris had to strain at the top of her range to get those words out.

I still think Gloria Jones would have done a great job on it. She showed her frantic side on "Heartbeat" and "Tainted Love". On both she had to put in a lot of emotion, and was very convincing. Like an actress, she had to imagine herself actually living currently in the song's narrative situation and feeling those exact feelings and really meaning what she was saying [[singing). I think she'd have done a great job on "Love's Gone Bad".

[danman869]

Speaking of Gladyses [or is it Gladi?!], what about Gladys Knight [and The Pips]? I could hear Gladys Knight tearing this song up in a fashion similar to Chris Clark.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I still think Gloria Jones would have done a great job on it. She showed her frantic side on "Heartbeat" and "Tainted Love". On both she had to put in a lot of emotion, and was very convincing. Like an actress, she had to imagine herself actually living currently in the song's narrative situation and feeling those exact feelings and really meaning what she was saying [[singing). I think she'd have done a great job on "Love's Gone Bad".

It's times like this I long for a time machine. You got me now playing the song in my mind, trying to hear Gloria's vocals...I think you're onto something...

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Speaking of Gladyses [or is it Gladi?!], what about Gladys Knight [and The Pips]? I could hear Gladys Knight tearing this song up in a fashion similar to Chris Clark.

Ha ha, I like that: "Gladi"! Ok, I hadn't thought about that possibility. You know, actually, when I heard her version of "Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone", the first version on the "Everybody Needs Love" album, there's a line she sings: "There's a big black cloud having over my head/it's a cloud of loneliness and I feel like I'm dead" and to me, I got the vibe of Chris singing those prophet of doom lyrics on "Love's Gone Bad." Gladys very well could have captured the semi-hysteric delivery Chris sang with.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

I'm gonna say Barbara Randolph. It's hard to imagine anyone other than Chris tackling it, but it just might work.

[mysterysinger]

Well there's no need to wonder what Syreeta would have sounded like on "Love's Gone Bad" because we already have it.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Well there's no need to wonder what Syreeta would have sounded like on "Love's Gone Bad" because we already have it.

You're a magician. I have this CD and I missed it! It's good but , and I'm speaking just for me, it's good in a sort of typical Soul singer / R&B record way. Plus the music doesn't have the same raw to-the-point impact of the original's garage band arrangement.

[SatansBlues]

I can totally hear Martha & The Vandellas singing this song. Along the lines of how HDH produced the group on Nowhere To Run.

OT: I can also hear this song being assigned to The Four Tops, The Isley Brothers and Marvin Gaye. Ron Isley would have absolutely killed this song.

[bradburger]

Interesting topic!

I wonder how Kim Weston would have tackled it?

I suppose it depends on who was producing it and what they wanted their/her interpretation to be like. After all, her voice was versatile. She could holler/shout a song when needed, be a balladeer/or sing with a sultry jazz voice, or even gospel style!

If you listen to her Motown output, it seems the Motown producers never quite knew which style they wanted or her to stick too, or was it them just making use of her powerful and versatile voice?

Cheers

Paul

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Interesting topic!

I wonder how Kim Weston would have tackled it?

I suppose it depends on who was producing it and what they wanted their/her interpretation to be like. After all, her voice was versatile. She could holler/shout a song when needed, be a balladeer/or sing with a sultry jazz voice, or even gospel style!

If you listen to her Motown output, it seems the Motown producers never quite knew which style they wanted or her to stick too, or was it them just making use of her powerful and versatile voice?

Cheers

Paul

I honestly believe Kim was absolutely a puzzle for Motown because of what you said. She was versatile AND she has a VOICE. If ever there was a singer that could outsize the Motown Machine, it was Kim. That said, Holland-Dozier-Holland, for my money, were the best producers for Kim. If you patch together all the songs they recorded with her, there's a fairly straight line in terms of sound and harnessing that powerful voice. Not to say her records with other producers weren't good but HDH had an uncanny knack for making commercial records with surprising depth and feel. I really wish Motown would have just assigned her to HDH.

[mysterysinger]

I believe Thelma Houston could sing anything very well.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I believe Thelma Houston could sing anything very well.

Well, that's the thing about this one, there are any number of singers who could have done this well, even better than Chris in a technical sense, but then, to me, that record becomes just another good record. It's hard to put into words but anyone can sing a song well. Chris had a range where I think she had to really reach for the performance. Her voice isn't just another good soul voice like any number of singers could have delivered with ease. There's just something unique there

[robb_k]

You're a magician. I have this CD and I missed it! It's good but , and I'm speaking just for me, it's good in a sort of typical Soul singer / R&B record way. Plus the music doesn't have the same raw to-the-point impact of the original's garage band arrangement.

I agree. I don't like the background tracks on this recording. And I think the singing style has too much changing back and forth from shouting and attempting a gravelled, outraged voice to a softer, more more 'ballady" style. The BG tracks on Chris Clark's version were The Motown "A" side treatment, and much tighter. But, from this, I agree that Gloria Jones was better suited for this song. She'd have done the best job on it to my taste. Better than Chris, singing in her "Heartbeat" style.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I agree. I don't like the background tracks on this recording. And I think the singing style has too much changing back and forth from shouting and attempting a gravelled, outraged voice to a softer, more more 'ballady" style. The BG tracks on Chris Clark's version were The Motown "A" side treatment, and much tighter. But, from this, I agree that Gloria Jones was better suited for this song. She'd have done the best job on it to my taste. Better than Chris, singing in her "Heartbeat" style.

I'm glad it ain't just me that can't get into the backing track on this. For me, this is when Motown lost its identity in a way. I get it, the sound had to evolve and mature, but stuff like this just sounds like a lot of whatever. Chris is an interesting vocalist. I always hesitate in saying it, but I do think her vocal range was limited. On things like "Do Like I Do", you can hear the limitations. But when she had the right song, she could be fantastic- I love her take on "I Still Love You"- there she sounds absolutely in control and in her zone. There isn't much from Chris I don't like, but I do believe she really needed exactly the right song for her.

[Graham Jarvis]

The Syreeta Downloads [[above) there are 24 tracks and all cost 99p each. Of the 24 tracks 18 of them are unissued, to download them all if of interest it will cost you £24. You can still buy the CD from Amazon for £10 [[inc postage) it's a Kent records issue from 2016 so "top notch" with 11 pages of detail. Anyway two great photo's.

[danman869]

You're a magician. I have this CD and I missed it! It's good but , and I'm speaking just for me, it's good in a sort of typical Soul singer / R&B record way. Plus the music doesn't have the same raw to-the-point impact of the original's garage band arrangement.

Syreeta's was credited as a Hal Davis production and--to me--it sounds like it was done in a "Jackson 5 style" of 1970 or so. I don't know whether Syreeta was doing a demo recording for the J5 or truly recording it for possible release as by herself, but... the same track as Syreeta's was being recorded around 1971 or 1972 with MJ vocals with one set of background vocals. Then in 1972 or 1973 [supposedly during the "Get It Together" album sessions] new or additional J5 [or "someone's"] background vocals were overdubbed. Either way, they all use the same music track--but with the J5 there may have been a few more instrumental overdubs. Check it out:

First? Version:


Second? Version:


Lastly, since this was about Syreeta's version... It's good, but nothing to blow away the original, IMO. She gives it a shot, though!

[mjdestiny]

One more version by MJ [from 1972] taken from the Best Of MJ [Anthology Series] :
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qepQEdWdgLM