Nella: “I Was First Dammit!!!”

**TheMotownManiac** · 06-14-2023, 09:23 PM

I’m trying to upload some thing. Hopefully it’ll be up soon.

**WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance** · 06-14-2023, 09:42 PM

I'm looking forward to what may be coming but I have a feeling Nella is going to make case for getting more credit in music history than she actually got? Will be nice to learn more of her story.

**Motown Eddie** · 06-15-2023, 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance

I'm looking forward to what may be coming but I have a feeling Nella is going to make case for getting more credit in music history than she actually got? Will be nice to learn more of her story.

While Nella Dodds may have had the first single version of "Come See About Me" to hit the market, nothing changes the fact that The Supremes had the Original Version of the song [on their Where Did Our Love Go LP]. We'll see what Nella may have up her sleeve [besides that promo ad from Scepter Records].

**jsmith** · 06-15-2023, 06:06 AM

Nella Dodds had a relatively short career but did well on the east coast [[Baltimore, DC, Philly, Norfolk, etc.)
She was still a school girl, so only got to perform on weekends & I seem to remember her mother acted as her minder. She had 6 x 45's out on Wand between 64 & 66. I've got a local newspaper piece on her somewhere here [[on an old computer probably).

**Philles/Motown Gary** · 06-15-2023, 07:18 AM

I've never understood how that whole situation could have happened. How could a non-Motown artist get first dibs on a Motown song? Does this mean that once Motown publishes a new song, it automatically goes public and available to all record labels?

**marybrewster** · 06-15-2023, 07:42 AM

So where is the picture or the article or the video? Or is this just speculation?

**milven** · 06-15-2023, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by Philles/Motown Gary

I've never understood how that whole situation could have happened. How could a non-Motown artist get first dibs on a Motown song? Does this mean that once Motown publishes a new song, it automatically goes public and available to all record labels?

I think so. Once a song has been recorded and publicly distributed, compulsory licensing kicks in and everyone who wants to cover the song can do so However, they are required to pay a royalty and notify Jobette that they’re going to release it. When Jobette got the notification, I guess Berry jumped the gun and released the Supremes version which was recorded before Nella's single was released.

Does anyone know the release date or recording date of Nella's version. The Supremes Where Did Our Love Go album was released in August 1964. If Nella's song was recorded before that date, I would be curious to know how a young kid in a different country would know about it

**reese** · 06-15-2023, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by milven

I think so. Once a song has been recorded and publicly distributed, compulsory licensing kicks in and everyone who wants to cover the song can do so However, they are required to pay a royalty and notify Jobette that they’re going to release it. When Jobette got the notification, I guess Berry jumped the gun and released the Supremes version which was recorded before Nella's single was released.

Does anyone know the release date or recording date of Nella's version. The Supremes Where Did Our Love Go album was released in August 1964. If Nella's song was recorded before that date, I would be curious to know how a young kid in a different country would know about it

From what I remember reading, Nella actually brought the WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO album to a session and said she wanted to do the song. I think future Motown promotion man Weldon McDougal was involved as well.

I don't know the exact date of Nella's release. But I would assume it was somewhere in early October of 1964, as it made Motown rush-release the Supremes' version out on 10/27 even though they had just released BABY LOVE on 9/17.

**reese** · 06-15-2023, 10:15 AM

I suppose the situation is the same as what happened later with LOVE HANGOVER.

**bradsupremes** · 06-15-2023, 10:26 AM

There has been some speculation if "Come See About Me" was ever going to be a single. Some have said it wasn't, but when Wand released Nella's version, Motown went into rush release mode and had to release it. I was under the belief "Come See About Me" was always geared for being a single and the follow-up after "Baby Love". Motown just had to release it sooner than they initially intended. "Baby Love" was still climbing when Motown issued "Come See About Me."

**mysterysinger** · 06-15-2023, 10:42 AM

UK wise, Nella Dodds single release of "Come See About Me" was 22 January 1965 and Supremes 15 January 1965 [[45CAT).

**jsmith** · 06-15-2023, 11:14 AM

Nella Dodds 1st 45 [[COME SEE) is listed as being released in the US on 1st November 64 but was obviously around as a demo in early to mid October. It was instantly getting radio plays when copies were given to east coast R&B radio stns. Her 45 was getting spins as far away as Miami in the 1st week of November, so demo copies must have gone out to stns over a wide geographic area by at least late October.
It seems Motown had no intention [[at that time) of putting the Supremes version out on 45 until Nella's version was released & instantly got loads of radio play.
SIMILAR STORY to the Chi-lites "Have You Seen Her", only put out on 45 after a Balto recorded version by Frankie & the Spindles started to get lots of radio play on 45.
LITTLE KNOWN FACT: Frankie & the Spindles had been performing as Frankie & the Spinners till offered a record contract -- then told by their label they'd have to change groups name due to it clashing with existing group's name.

**motony** · 06-15-2023, 01:19 PM

both 45 versions entered the Billboard Hot 100 on the same week, Nov. 14,1964...Supremes entered at #66 & Nella Dodds at #87 by the next week fate was sealed as the Supremes rose to#31 & Nella to #84.by the 4th week Nella was gone & the Supremes were at#8 on their way to #1.

**jsmith** · 06-16-2023, 02:15 AM

Surely, Junior came first .. Attachment 20819

**copley** · 06-16-2023, 07:43 AM

Surely, Junior came first ..

Sorry, what do you mean? First where? This is Jan 1968!

**blue_whippet** · 06-16-2023, 09:51 AM

In Keith Rylatt’s book ‘Hitsville! The Birth of Tamla Motown’, there is a copy of a telegram sent from Esther Edwards in Detroit to Dave Godin [[TMAS in UK) thanking him for news about the imminent release of a cover of ‘Come See About Me’. The telegram has a Dartford, Kent date stamp of 20 Nov. ’64. Her exact words are ‘Appreciated cable. Immediate action initiated to prevent cover version prior to Supremes’.
The date Dave sent the original cable is not stated but it is interesting to see that in the UK in 1964, Dave had good knowledge of upcoming US 45 releases even then. The item goes on to say that in Britain, Pye International were due to issue Dodds’ cover so the Supremes UK release was subsequently brought forward.

**motony** · 06-16-2023, 01:06 PM

I rechecked my info above & it is correct. so I don't know why Dave Godin would send Mrs. Edwards a telegram a week later. My brother had the WDOLG LP weeks before we heard of this Nella Dodds . To me the Nella Dodds vocal & instrumentation is very uninspired like they were wanting to hurry up & go to lunch.

**Philles/Motown Gary** · 06-16-2023, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by milven

I think so. Once a song has been recorded and publicly distributed, compulsory licensing kicks in and everyone who wants to cover the song can do so However, they are required to pay a royalty and notify Jobette that they’re going to release it. When Jobette got the notification, I guess Berry jumped the gun and released the Supremes version which was recorded before Nella's single was released.

Does anyone know the release date or recording date of Nella's version. The Supremes Where Did Our Love Go album was released in August 1964. If Nella's song was recorded before that date, I would be curious to know how a young kid in a different country would know about it

Thanks, Milven.

**144man** · 06-16-2023, 02:40 PM

I remember in an interview Mary [I think] disdainfully referring to a cover of CSAM by the Nelladodds as if it was by a group.

**reese** · 06-16-2023, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by 144man

I remember in an interview Mary [I think] disdainfully referring to a cover of CSAM by the Nelladodds as if it was by a group.

Mary referred to Nella as a group in her first book also.

I think Diana might have mentioned Nella as well in her 1970 Soul Illustrated article.

**Graham Jarvis** · 06-16-2023, 03:20 PM

As Requested!
Take me ages to find my copy.

**motony** · 06-16-2023, 03:41 PM

Nella Dodds was from Maryland and born in 1950 so she was only 14-15 yrs old when she had her first record. I think "Come See About Me" was always gonna be the next Supremes release, it was just rushed out when Motown got word of this Scepter release. I personally think "Come See About Me" is a much better song & recording then "Baby Love".

**WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance** · 06-16-2023, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by motony

I rechecked my info above & it is correct. so I don't know why Dave Godin would send Mrs. Edwards a telegram a week later. My brother had the WDOLG LP weeks before we heard of this Nella Dodds . To me the Nella Dodds vocal & instrumentation is very uninspired like they were wanting to hurry up & go to lunch.

Not sure where I read it, but I recall seeing something about how the producers of Nella's cover went through great pains and lengths to faithfully re-create as closely as possible how Motown's record sounded. They played the album and tried to match recording levels and such, and I'm sure Nella was coached to sing the song in her best Diana Ross voice. In this respect, I think they succeeded, but if anything else, this record shows that, yeah, you can copy something right down to the last detail, but in the end, it won't have anywhere near the passion, excitement and sense of creation that went into the original. Nella's record has the mechanics right but like you said, it all sounds very uninspired in the end. Cuz they were just trying to make a knock off!

Wait! I'm editing this; I just found out Nella's story is in the book Girl Groups: Fabulous Females Who Rocked The World and I'm having a different view of things here.

As it turns out, Nella [ born Donzella Petty-John] had no intention of becoming a singer. She tagged along with her father and an uncle to Philadelphia where the purpose was to promote some songs he had written for a group they were in. The men performed before some studio execs and [[I'm really paraphrasing here) apparently the execs must have not been thrilled. Somehow, Nella's father switched gears and started talking about how good a singer his daughter was, which caught Nella off guard. As Nella remarked in an interview, she "I just kind of gave him a look." So she hadn't planned on any of this but she also became excited at the prospect of recording.

When she went for her first recording session, the "Where Did Our Love Go" album was there [[I mistakenly thought it was Nella who brought in that album and suggested the song) and Nella's producers Luther Randolph, Jimmy Bishop and Weldon MacDougal III felt "Come See About Me" would be just right for their new singer [[I didn't know Nella also recorded covers of "Whisper You Love Me" and "Honey Boy.) The men had a production deal with Florence Greenberg and she had a feeling there might be some flack if they released "Come See About Me" but she also felt it was the "right thing to do."

Skipping to her present-day story, Nella [[now named Donzella Berry) is a minister, still involved with music [[with her songs participating/helping) and has also gotten into acting, performing in stage plays. It's nice to find out that these people didn't just disappear or that they're still living in yesteryear, dreaming about big success that didn't happen. She also seems happy that it was her record, from a young unknown, that prompted a big record company's decision-making process.

**motony** · 06-16-2023, 07:04 PM

very well said, man.

**Motown Eddie** · 06-17-2023, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance

Skipping to her present-day story, Nella [[now named Donzella Berry) is a minister, still involved with music [[with her songs participating/helping) and has also gotten into acting, performing in stage plays. It's nice to find out that these people didn't just disappear or that they're still living in yesteryear, dreaming about big success that didn't happen. She also seems happy that it was her record, from a young unknown, that prompted a big record company's decision-making process.

Thanks for all the info about Donzella Berry [aka Nella Dodds]. It's great to see that she's doing well and she's happy that her remake of The Supremes' "Come See About Me" prompted Motown to release their version as a single [and getting the group their Third Number 1 Hit].