Martha & the Vandellas "Hits & Rarities" Marginal.

[Roger Polhill]

A strange release is this one. There are tracks credited to the Vells which are in fact Martha`s versions. There a 2 sides which are not M & V. "Keep Steppin` [[Never Look Back)" is I believe Carolyn Crawford and "Spellbound" sounds like Carolyn too.It also has a song by the Del-Phis "I`ll Let You Know"
which is not too bad. Any comments?

[grapevine]

The 'Marginals' were bootlegs ...though I feel they helped stimulate Universal into releasing far better re-mastered versions of a plethora of rare and previously unreleased Motown recordings...

https://www.45worlds.com/cdalbum/label/marginal

Grape

[mysterysinger]

Marginal - still the only place to get Choker Campbell's "Hits Of The Sixties" and San Remo Strings "Hungry For Love" and "Swing" on CD. Plus the "Detroit [[Rare Tracks From)" series was fab.

[daviddesper]

The Marginal releases were entertaining enough if you took them for what they were. An even stranger release that I have, and it must not be on Marginal because I did not see it on this list, features a collection of girl group songs and features a very early [[like 1963) photo of Martha and the Vandellas on the cover, but yet they are nowhere to be found on the CD itself!

[Roger Polhill]

If you have this disc would you please listen to those 2 songs I mentioned as they are not M & V. and sound more like Carolyn Crawford. Martha & the Vandellas did record "Spellbound" but not until 1965. Is this one a demo by Carolyn?

[mysterysinger]

If you have this disc would you please listen to those 2 songs I mentioned as they are not M & V. and sound more like Carolyn Crawford. Martha & the Vandellas did record "Spellbound" but not until 1965. Is this one a demo by Carolyn?

I don't have that "Hits and Rarities" CD but it should be easy enough to compare both tracks with what's already available.

Martha's "Spellbound" and "Keep Stepping [[Never Look Back)" are both on her lost and found release. Carolyn's "Keep Stepping [[Never Look Back)" is on "A Cellarful Of Motown Volume 2".

[luckyluckyme]

I had the Marginal cd in storage. I pulled it out & it is Martha on 'Spellbound' & 'Keep Stepping'.
Yes 2 tracks listed as the Vells are Martha tracks but You'll Never Cherish A Love So True' is the Vells with a lead by Gloria.

[Roger Polhill]

Thanks lucky, The track I was trying to sort out was "Spellbound" which is not Martha to my ears on the "Hits & Rarities".

[mysterysinger]

So I think the answer to the puzzle could be this.

Several years ago I bought a bootleg CD of Martha and The Vandellas called "The Unreleased Masters". This was long before any of the tracks on the CD saw official release and several tracks were slightly speeded up and not of the best quality.

The track "Spellbound" on "The Unreleased Masters" was indeed a speeded up version and ran to 2:33 instead of 2:54 on the Lost & Found set [[on which the track was also in stereo). The speeded up versions did make Martha's voice sound a little different and on "Spellbound" it does have a very slight timbre of Carolyn Crawford. But it's definitely Martha. So I'm guessing it's the same track on "Hits and Rarities".

For reference, the tracks on the bootleg CD "The Unreleased Masters" were:

Memories Are Made Of This
Build Him Up
All That Glitters Isn't Gold
Coney Island
Spellbound
Contract On Love
I Remember You
I Can't Take It
Time Changes Things
I Want To Be With You Tonight
I'm Gonna See For Myself
It's Hard To Walk Away
He'll Hurt You So
Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
Oh I've Been Blessed
I'm So Glad You Belong To Me
The Love I Feel For You
Hooked On A Bad Thing
Joy
Build Your Love On A Strong Foundation
I Love The Way He Loves Me

All these tracks have since been released officially and in far better quality.

[noel181]

Another thing about Hits And Rarities is that track 17 is listed as
Baby [[Don't You Leave Me) by Martha Reeves. The track is actually
I Won't Be The Fool I've Been Again by Martha Reeves.
Both tracks are available on Live Wire The Singles 1962-1972 2CD Boxset.

[Roger Polhill]

Thanks mysterysinger. Sorry to have wasted your time.

[Graham Jarvis]

The "I Won't Be The Fool I've Been Again [Unissued]" However there was exactly Motown 45 Gordy 7127 [single sided TP] Mar 1973.

[mysterysinger]

Thanks mysterysinger. Sorry to have wasted your time.

You haven't wasted anyone's time. I love threads like this one - mysteries to solve and all that. Hope it's been helpful anyway.

[YourOldStandBy]

There's a few Martha and the Vandellas songs I really would like to know whether they have the Vandellas or the Andantes on backing vocals, or if it was a mix of both of them, and which Vandellas sang on them, if any:

Hooked Real Good on a Bad Thing
Operation Teamwork
Earthquake
Build Your Love on a Strong Foundation

If anyone knows, I would love to hear!

[bradsupremes]

There's a few Martha and the Vandellas songs I really would like to know whether they have the Vandellas or the Andantes on backing vocals, or if it was a mix of both of them, and which Vandellas sang on them, if any:

Hooked Real Good on a Bad Thing
Operation Teamwork
Earthquake
Build Your Love on a Strong Foundation

If anyone knows, I would love to hear!

"Build Your Love On A Strong Foundation," "Operation Teamwork," and "Earthquake" are the Andantes, no Vandellas.

Not sure who are on "Hooked Real Good On A Bad Thing," but I doubt it's the Vandellas.

[YourOldStandBy]

I thought so, the background vocals on those songs sounded like the Andantes for sure. I love those songs, so I am disappointed that Vandellas aren't on them, but not surprised at all.

I also wanted to ask about Happiness is Guaranteed, because I have seen both Andantes and Vandellas listed on the background credits, and other times just the Andantes, but nothing to substantially confirm.

Also, are the Andantes on Third Finger, Left Hand with the Vandellas, or is it just Vandellas? And if so, is it Anette and Roz on it, or Betty and Roz?