Help me. Is this really Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

[Probbie24]

Each time I listen to this song, I keep hearing the Miracles. I need https://youtu.be/bxUS-ZdjPMw?si=irvme-SLegxSttfZ please!

[Motown Eddie]

Each time I listen to this song, I keep hearing the Miracles. I need https://youtu.be/bxUS-ZdjPMw?si=irvme-SLegxSttfZ please!

No it's not The Miracles; it's The Versatones. The song was recorded in June 1963 and left in the vaults, Produced by Robert Gordy & Written by Robert Gordy with Ronald Wakfield & Carl Gibson. First released on A Cellarful of Motown!, Vol. 4 in 2010, the notes for "It's Company Time" state that little is known about The Versatones.

[robb_k]

No it's not The Miracles; it's The Versatones. The song was recorded in June 1963 and left in the vaults, Produced by Robert Gordy & Written by Robert Gordy with Ronald Wakfield & Carl Gibson. First released on A Cellarful of Motown!, Vol. 4 in 2010, the notes for "It's Company Time" state that little is known about The Versatones.

I thought those 3 Versatones' Motown cuts were written and produced by Smokey. I seem to remember his name on their 7-inch acetates. The music writing and lyrics sound like pure Smokey to me. And the style of singing sound like Smokey, with The Miracles. I think the group may have been The Versatones from Detroit, who recorded for Ernest Burt's Magic City Records in 1966 and '67 [[only 3 years gap between the Motown and Magic City recordings). Not likely there were different 2 Detroit groups with the same name that close in time. Their lead on "With A Broken Heart", also sang some falsetto, and I hear a single woman's voice in The Magic City cuts, just as I do in "Company Time", and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".


Here's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde":


Its only You-Tube videos have it labelled as recorded in 1956 by Richie Records, erroneously believing it was New York's earlier Versatones group. But, like "Company Time', it sounds like a 1959 or 1960 Tamla cut, written and produced by Smokey Robinson, rather than a 1963 Motown recording.

[paul_nixon]

I thought those 3 Versatones' Motown cuts were written and produced by Smokey. I seem to remember his name on their 7-inch acetates. The music writing and lyrics sound like pure Smokey to me. And the style of singing sound like Smokey, with The Miracles. I think the group may have been The Versatones from Detroit, who recorded for Ernest Burt's Magic City Records in 1966 and '67 [[only 3 years gap between the Motown and Magic City recordings). Not likely there were different 2 Detroit groups with the same name that close in time. Their lead on "With A Broken Heart", also sang some falsetto, and I hear a single woman's voice in The Magic City cuts, just as I do in "Company Time", and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".


Here's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde":


Its only You-Tube videos have it labelled as recorded in 1956 by Richie Records, erroneously believing it was New York's earlier Versatones group. But, like "Company Time', it sounds like a 1959 or 1960 Tamla cut, written and produced by Smokey Robinson, rather than a 1963 Motown recording.

Paperwork shows that all 6 of the Versatones tracks were cut in July and August 1963 - Dr Jeckyl indeed being produced by Robert Gordy and written by Carl Gibson.
The common thread between all 6 cuts is Carl Gibson and Robert Gordy with Ron Wakefield's name appearing in connection with one or two of them on the writing side. Robert Gordy is named as producer on all 6 cuts. No mention of Smokey anywhere. All are Jobete.
This doesn't rule out an association with Richie Records although I cannot find any record on Cat 45 for a Richie release by the Vows of this title however the authorship of the one 45 I can track down here Will She Return/Hold Me Lover on Richie 451 [[1963) is also attributed to Gibson making it pretty likely these groups are one and the same.
It's harder to make a definite connection with the Magic City although the b side With A Broken Heart is in part written by Choker Campbell so there is a Motown connection of sorts.

[robb_k]

Paperwork shows that all 6 of the Versatones tracks were cut in July and August 1963 - Dr Jeckyl indeed being produced by Robert Gordy and written by Carl Gibson.
The common thread between all 6 cuts is Carl Gibson and Robert Gordy with Ron Wakefield's name appearing in connection with one or two of them on the writing side. Robert Gordy is named as producer on all 6 cuts. No mention of Smokey anywhere. All are Jobete.
This doesn't rule out an association with Richie Records although I cannot find any record on Cat 45 for a Richie release by the Vows of this title however the authorship of the one 45 I can track down here Will She Return/Hold Me Lover on Richie 451 [[1963) is also attributed to Gibson making it pretty likely these groups are one and the same.
It's harder to make a definite connection with the Magic City although the b side With A Broken Heart is in part written by Choker Campbell so there is a Motown connection of sorts.

Thanks Paul. I must have just thought Smokey wrote the songs, and produced them, because the writing sounded so much like his style, and the acetates I found were Jobete Music "proof of ownership" acetates, which had no writers or producers listed. With Gisbson also having been involved with New York's Versatones group, it seems obvious that this was the New York Richie Records group. Being that they were a New York [[New Jersey) group, it seems likely to me that they had a previous connection to Eddie Singleton, and were chosen by Raynoma and Eddie, to be screened for becoming Motown artists and given a Motown recording contract. Raynoma probably sent demos of their singing to Robert Gordy, who brought them to Detroit, and helped them polish their songs [[or wrote new songs for them), and recorded them. I assume that they WERE given Motown artist contracts, or their songs wouldn't have been allowed to be included in "Cellarful of Motown" CDs. They'd have been barred from being used, just as another Motown New York group, The Serenaders had their song, "Tears, Nobody, and a Smile" was, because it wasn't known whether or not the group was under contract with Motown when that recording was made.

Was Carl Gibson a member of New York's Versatones? Of the 4 and 5 member group, I can only find 3 of their names: Herbert Stubbs, Ron Chapman, and John Greenwood. Perhaps Gibson was their 4th member, and their main songwriter/member[[e.g. creative leader)?

[Probbie24]

Thanks Paul. I must have just thought Smokey wrote the songs, and produced them, because the writing sounded so much like his style, and the acetates I found were Jobete Music "proof of ownership" acetates, which had no writers or producers listed. With Gisbson also having been involved with New York's Versatones group, it seems obvious that this was the New York Richie Records group. Being that they were a New York [[New Jersey) group, it seems likely to me that they had a previous connection to Eddie Singleton, and were chosen by Raynoma and Eddie, to be screened for becoming Motown artists and given a Motown recording contract. Raynoma probably sent demos of their singing to Robert Gordy, who brought them to Detroit, and helped them polish their songs [[or wrote new songs for them), and recorded them. I assume that they WERE given Motown artist contracts, or their songs wouldn't have been allowed to be included in "Cellarful of Motown" CDs. They'd have been barred from being used, just as another Motown New York group, The Serenaders had their song, "Tears, Nobody, and a Smile" was, because it wasn't known whether or not the group was under contract with Motown when that recording was made.

Was Carl Gibson a member of New York's Versatones? Of the 4 and 5 member group, I can only find 3 of their names: Herbert Stubbs, Ron Chapman, and John Greenwood. Perhaps Gibson was their 4th member, and their main songwriter/member[[e.g. creative leader)?

I still hear late 1950's Miracles singing. I'm so glad you guys gave me the information I needed 👍

[tjl]

New York's "Bila" is an all-time Doo Wop classic, all about a dance at the time.."c'mon everybody now Bila", Step One, Step 2 now, Bila"

[robb_k]

New York's "Bila" is an all-time Doo Wop classic, all about a dance at the time.."c'mon everybody now Bila", Step One, Step 2 now, Bila"

¡Claro que Los Versatones no pudieron deletrear la palabra, "baila"!

Clearly that song originated in Spanish Haarlem!
I like "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" much, much, much better. Too bad Motown didn't release it in 1963. I DID however, buy "Bila" back in the 1950s, despite the misspelling.