Contours question..Tom & Jerro-O track?

[tjl]

Hi friends - is there a Contours expert that knows anything about "Do The See Saw"?

To me, it sounds exactly like Tom & Jerro-O )or [[just Jerry-O's) backing tracks to "Dance Whatcha Want To Dance" and "Boogaloo"?

Anyone know the story of these three tunes - or is it my imagination they seem to have the same backing track?

[bradburger]

Hi tjl.

I'm sure someone will answer your question, but here are the details from the excellent 'Don't forget the Motorcity' site : -

Do The See Saw [Sylvester Potts-Billy Gordon] published Jobete 01-Apr-65

The Contours; recorded Hitsville, completed 17-Sep-63 ; produced by Andre Williams ; [v1]

17-Dec-13; MP3 [M]: UMC Digital Release Motown Unreleased 1963
The Contours; recorded Hitsville, completed 20-Nov-63 ; produced by Andre Williams ; [v2]

[pressing date unknown] [acetate]; LP [M]: JD 209
unreleased; LP: Gordy G913 Dance With The Contours
25-Mar-11; CD [M]: Kent CDTOP 350 Dance With The Contours [UK]

Cheers

Paul

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Hi friends - is there a Contours expert that knows anything about "Do The See Saw"?

To me, it sounds exactly like Tom & Jerro-O )or [[just Jerry-O's) backing tracks to "Dance Whatcha Want To Dance" and "Boogaloo"?

Anyone know the story of these three tunes - or is it my imagination they seem to have the same backing track?

So here is the story directly from Joe Billingslea as printed in the booklet that accompanies "Dance With The Contours":

Do The See Saw

Joe: "Andre Williams left Motown because he got into a dispute with Berry about something. Andre had been running the A&R department and there was a whole lot of bullshit, so when he left and went to Chicago, a lot of stuff left also!" The band track for 'Do The See Saw' seems to have been a part of this "stuff": it appeared- with vocals added by Tom [[Tharp) & Jerrio [[Jerry Murray) - as 'Boo-Ga-Loo' on the ABC Paramount label in 1965, and the record reached #47 Pop and #11 R&B. Motown sued, and won all the money Tom & Jerrio had made from the song - reputedly in the region of $10,000.

So the backing track to "Do The See Saw" is a Motown recording done with the Funk Brothers, recorded in 1963.

But what's especially odd is "Dance Whacha Wanna." This track is a re-recorded version of "Do The See Saw." Whoever the musicians are this time around, they are VERY good. They stuck very closely to the original arrangement and do an exceptional job of keeping the rhythm TIGHT. This record came out in 1968, three years after "Boo-Ga-Loo." Also, this time around, it was just Jerrio, solo, now spelling his name as "Jerryo." The kicker is the record says this was "written by"– Jerry J. Murray. The label also says "Published By – Lovelane Music." How? How is this possible if Motown had sued Tom & Jerrio the first time around when this was "Do The See Saw"?

By the way, I thought I had remembered this was discussed before here and indeed it was: https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthrea...io-BOO-GA-LOO-[[1965)-FROM-CHICAGO-BY-WAY-OF-MOTWN-The-Tune-The-Tussle

Tomovox

[tjl]

So here is the story directly from Joe Billingslea as printed in the booklet that accompanies "Dance With The Contours":

Do The See Saw

Joe: "Andre Williams left Motown because he got into a dispute with Berry about something. Andre had been running the A&R department and there was a whole lot of bullshit, so when he left and went to Chicago, a lot of stuff left also!" The band track for 'Do The See Saw' seems to have been a part of this "stuff": it appeared- with vocals added by Tom [[Tharp) & Jerrio [[Jerry Murray) - as 'Boo-Ga-Loo' on the ABC Paramount label in 1965, and the record reached #47 Pop and #11 R&B. Motown sued, and won all the money Tom & Jerrio had made from the song - reputedly in the region of $10,000.

So the backing track to "Do The See Saw" is a Motown recording done with the Funk Brothers, recorded in 1963.

But what's especially odd is "Dance Whacha Wanna." This track is a re-recorded version of "Do The See Saw." Whoever the musicians are this time around, they are VERY good. They stuck very closely to the original arrangement and do an exceptional job of keeping the rhythm TIGHT. This record came out in 1968, three years after "Boo-Ga-Loo." Also, this time around, it was just Jerrio, solo, now spelling his name as "Jerryo." The kicker is the record says this was "written by"– Jerry J. Murray. The label also says "Published By – Lovelane Music." How? How is this possible if Motown had sued Tom & Jerrio the first time around when this was "Do The See Saw"?

By the way, I thought I had remembered this was discussed before here and indeed it was: https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthrea...io-BOO-GA-LOO-[[1965)-FROM-CHICAGO-BY-WAY-OF-MOTWN-The-Tune-The-Tussle

Tomovox

Thanks man - they are three smokin' records I get requests for all the time. We did license Dance Whatcha Wanna from UNI a few years back for a project, but no master tapr could be located - so we used a mint 45 for that cd re-issue.